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The occasion is a wedding. Veteran actor Ashok Kumar is playing the bride’s father, who’s just been informed by his wife that the groom’s family has arrived. As both parties settle down with refreshments, Shammi Kapoor, the boy's father says, “<em>Par hum aapse ek baat kehna bhool hi gaye</em> (We missed mentioning one thing to you),” immediately filling the air with tension.


As Kumar and wife look at each other, tense, Kapoor explains that all he wants is that guests are served Pan Parag, putting everyone at ease.


<strong>The genesis</strong>


Dipak Sharma, the former Film Head of Everest Advertising, the agency tasked with making the film, said the TVC was a success.


Former film actor and director Jalal Agha had starred in various ads of the brand. But the company wanted to change the brand’s perception, and create a family-oriented image, stated Sharma.


In 1986, Mansukhbhai Kothari, the former Chairman of Kothari Products, approached Everest Advertising. The agency’s canteen was on the floor below, and Kothari told Sharma when he met him, “<em>Neeche chalte hain. Chai peete hain, sandwich khate hain. Batata hoon kya chahiye</em> (let’s discuss over tea and sandwiches).’’

 
As they conversed, Kothari narrated the story about the wedding and Pan Parag being served on the occasion. He also discussed using film actors for the ad. “Kothari was very grounded. He understood his customers, and knew who was buying Pan Parag,” said Sharma.


Sulekha Bajpai Karkare was a trainee writer at Everest at the time. She was tasked with developing the idea into a script.


Karkare stated that the dialogues flew very naturally while writing the script as such discussions before a marriage are very common.


With the script in place, Sharma approached Prem Krishen and Sunil Mehta of Cinevistaas, a production house, to cast for and make the ad.


Krishen, son of veteran actor Prem Nath, was a film actor in the mid-1970s, after which he ventured into producing ads and television shows. He is also related to the Kapoor family via his aunt Krishna, who had married the famous actor-director Raj Kapoor, which made Shammi Kapoor his uncle.


Kumar was also a close family friend of Krishen’s, who said that in those days the film fraternity used to look down on the ad industry, and hardly any actor signed up for commercials.


As Krishen loved the concept of the Pan Parag ad, he approached the senior actors. They too found the idea interesting and agreed to be part of the film. Krishen produced and directed the ad, with the famous Ashok Mehta as his cameraman.


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The TVC featuring the stalwarts was well received. Also, with this, more actors warmed up to the idea of working in ad films, endorsing products. “I used to get a lot of phone calls from film stars, who said that they too wanted to act in commercials,” said Krishen.


In the TVC, when Kapoor tells Ganguly ‘<em>Par hum aapse ek baat kehna bhool hi gaye</em>,’ tense music strikes up in the background. Karkare says this was done on purpose. “Due to the prevalence of dowry, the bride’s side is usually nervous thinking of what demands the groom’s side might make. When the bride’s mother says ‘<em>Ladke ke maa baap aaye hain,</em> (The bridegroom's parents have come)’,  the father looks worried. This is typically how it is during a wedding,” explained Karkare.


<strong>Challenges</strong>


When senior actors are cast, there is a fear that they would make changes to the script and the journey wouldn’t be a cakewalk. Sharma too feared this.


“We were expecting the legends to say, ‘Let’s do it like this. We'll teach you. We'll tell you,’ But, nothing like that happened. It all worked out very well,” he said. Krishen said that he too found the whole process very smooth.


After more than 35 years, we still remember this ad as it dealt with a grave matter like dowry with a light touch and catalysed the trend of film stars starring in ads.

 
<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/har-ghar-redux-that-homes-reflect-ones-personality-still-rings-true-46513.htm">Har Ghar Redux: That homes reflect one’s personality still rings true</a> 



How Pan Parag’s ‘Baraati’ ad catalysed brand endorsements among film stars

It was the year 1951. Rasipuram Krishnaswami Laxman, popularly known as RK Laxman, had created the character the Common Man, which appeared in the  daily pocket cartoon ‘You Said It’ in the Times of India. Clad in a dhoti and plaid jacket, the Common Man represented the hopes and aspirations of millions, and was a sharp observer of events happening in the country.


The character tasted immediate success and caught the attention of executives at the Asian Oil and Paint Company. 


[caption id="attachment_44790" align="aligncenter" width="1312"]<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/10/WhatsApp-Image-2024-10-13-at-08.36.30-2024-10-d86a5e9a7c00829b44c69b2c52727e26.jpeg" alt="Late cartoonist cum humorist RK Laxman. (Image source: Timeless Laxman book)" width="1312" height="1600" class="size-full wp-image-44790" /> Late cartoonist cum humorist RK Laxman. (Image source: Timeless Laxman book)[/caption]


Amit Syngle, the company’s Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director, in a conversation with Storyboard18, said that a team from Asian Paints approached Laxman to create a mascot that would bring the brand alive while putting a smile on people’s faces.


The cartoonist took up the task and was engaged for hours in imagining, creating, and then rejecting what he had painstakingly created. Laxman was tired of his imagination not matching his expectations and was all set to give up. But then,  over cigarettes and cups of coffee, he saw a small boy take shape. This was in the year 1954.


<strong>Gattu</strong>


The mascot, whose black hair dangled over his right eye, was dressed in half-sleeved shirts, half pants, had braces on his teeth, and carried a paint brush along with a dripping can of Asian Paints. Syngle said the mascot had a lopsided grin, and was mischievous, converting mundane objects and places into things of joy and fantasy with the many colours of Asian Paints. Now came the time to give it a name.


Asian Paints released print ads announcing a Give Me a Name contest, where the person who suggested the best name would win Rs 250. The amount was later increased to Rs 500.


According to the book A History of Indian Advertising, thousands of entries  came in, but one stood out — Gattu. This was suggested by two men, Rele and Aras, who hailed from Mumbai. 


The mascot was named Gattu, said Syngle, and the little boy epitomised the brand’s tagline, ‘Any surface that needs painting needs Asian Paints.’ According to the book, following the introduction of Gattu, the sales of the brand went up 10 times in four years.


Syngle said that in the early 1950s, the brand worked around the theme of innovation. This included innovation in colours, the introduction of small packs, extending its distribution to  small upcountry areas, etc.


A series of print ads featuring Gattu which highlighted the message of innovation expanded the reach of Asian Paints to the nooks and crannies of the country.


[caption id="attachment_44789" align="aligncenter" width="1116"]<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/10/asian-gattu-2024-10-ee28d74dc132ad33f5a515483c69d946.jpg" alt="(Image source: Asian Paints)" width="1116" height="2064" class="size-full wp-image-44789" /> (Image source: Asian Paints)[/caption]


Gattu was seen on all cans of Asian Paints, and people began to identify the mascot with the brand.

 
There were also a series of print ads which portrayed him with a paint brush painting objects and surfaces, with the tagline, Any surface that needs painting needs Asian Paints. From the ‘50s till the ‘70s, Gattu was mostly seen in print ads.

 
But some people objected that Gattu represented child labour. Explaining this, Usha Srinivas Laxman, daughter-in-law of the late cartoonist has said, “If you see, Gattu is just playing with colours. He is not actually painting the walls of a house. He's only playing and painting things around him.”


<strong>Gattu lives on</strong>


In the early 1990s, Asian Paints began to use Gattu as a sign-off in TVCs, which helped increase the mindshare of the brand in rural markets, said Syngle.


Due to the emotion of celebration and joy attached to festivals, the brand launched the campaign ‘Celebrate with Asian Paints,’ followed by the concept of ‘Merawala’ which highlighted the importance of colours, added Syngle.


In the late 1990s, Asian Paints launched the Har Ghar Kuch Kehta Hai campaign, which signified the brand’s shift from Festivals to Homes,  given the emotions that people invest in making a home, which is a reflection of one’s personality. Through all this, Gattu continued to adorn the cans of Asian Paints.


Around the same time, when the brand was working on a new visual identity, Asian Paints realised that a lot of people still connected with Gattu, and decided to retain the little boy, who continues to adorn its cans till date, according to Syngle. 



<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/the-butter-half-how-the-amul-girl-became-the-toast-of-india-41677.htm">The Butter Half: How the Amul girl became the toast of India</a> 




Why Asian Paints’ Gattu continues to strike an emotional chord with the masses

A thin, bespectacled man named ‘Chintamani’ with a receding hairline and slight paunch has a cooker’s whistle planted on his head, where the vapour is being discharged from his ears, thus signifying the release of his tension. 


As the commercial towards its end highlights ICICI Prudential Life Insurance’s benefits of pension and tax benefits, it ends with <em>‘No Chinta, Only Money’</em>.


The character, which came to life in 2005, served as a messenger through the ads easing the tension of most of the country’s taxpayers.


<strong>Birth of ‘Chintamani’</strong>


In 2005, ICICI Prudential Life Insurance, a leading life insurance player, approached Lowe Lintas (formerly Lintas), with the intention of creating buzz around ULIP (Unit Linked Insurance Plans). This was initially for a radio spot.


As the brief came Delna Patel’s way, a ‘creative’, she took up the mandate and treated it like her ‘passion project’.


On being asked about her designation, Patel recalled in a conversation with Storyboard18 that in those days, there were no designations at Lintas, and it was either a ‘creative head’ or a ‘creative’. 


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Coming back to the creation of the radio spot, Patel wrote the script, a jingle, where towards the end of it, <em>‘No Chinta, Only Money’</em> was heard. The radio spot went on to become a rage. ICICI Prudential Life Insurance attracted success and their budgets increased, which paved the way for television advertising.


Narendra Yadav, former creative head, Lowe Lintas, said, “The target audience was always the tax-saving people, who were sensitive to tax brackets and wanted to save tax.”


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The subject ULIP, as Patel labels it, is dry and difficult to explain in layman’s language. Here, Patel derived inspiration from late cartoonist RK Laxman’s creation ‘The Common Man’, where they could create a relatable everyday character who would appeal to the society.


As the concept was presented to the client, Patel highlighted that if they could make it in Rs seven lakh—which was the budget—they could proceed ahead. Patel said, “We were told that they need X number of callbacks on the back of this campaign. We exceeded their expectations within the first week as the campaign did really well.”


Patel roped in a freelancing animator Nand Kishore and they worked together to bring the character to life. She said, “We started with his face, and then we went into what he would look like physically. If you notice, the character has a slightly receding hairline and a little bit of a pot belly, he would put on short-sleeved shirts, and trousers, and was just your regular average Indian man.”


Interestingly, there was a production manager named Chintamani Agashe at Lowe Lintas when Chintamani was being conceptualised. There was a talk that the mascot was named after him. However, Patel said the character was named Chintamani after the line <em>‘No Chinta, Only Money’</em>. 


Chintamani happened to be the first claymation character (As per Adobe, an animation technique using movable clay characters and stop-motion recording) in India.


Patel explained, “The idea was to try something completely brand new to get people's attention. It was India's first claymation spot. We did not have budgets to do 3D animation and 3D animation in those days was not as advanced as it is today. So, the idea was to make him look and feel real, and get away with being entertaining but educational at the same time.” 


<strong>Tasting success</strong>


The first television commercial, whose script was written by Patel, featured Chintamani with wrinkles on his forehead which he irons out. The ad saw success. Patel highlighted, “The project grew from ‘Let's disrupt it' to ‘it becoming Chintamani’.”


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Post Nand Kishore, Suresh Eriyat of Famous House of Animation was roped in, as the budget tremendously improved post the ad’s release.


Eriyat revealed, “They used to release these films in the month of January. I directed four to five films which became very popular at that time. And from the film, the still images were taken for outdoor advertising.” This was followed by print advertising too.


One of the films was done in 2D owing to a lower budget, recalled Eriyat.


Patel worked on Chintamani for three years where the scripts were penned by her. Post her departure, a new team came into the picture. The character was last seen on television screens in 2016.


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/advertising/the-butter-half-how-the-amul-girl-became-the-toast-of-india-41677.htm">The Butter Half: How the Amul girl became the toast of India</a> 



When ICICI Prudential’s Chintamani eased the burden of taxpayers

The biscuit brand Parle-G is seen to have high nostalgia value. One of the reasons for this is its iconic mascot, the Parle-G baby.


For quite some time, it was speculated that the mascot was a picture of Infosys Foundation Chairperson Sudha Murthy, as a baby. But it is actually a painting. 


In the ’60s, the Parle marketing team reached out to Everest Advertising, then led by Adi Patel.


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/09/1970-2024-09-a51b4ff8a01730f2243413b2ef9d96c1.png" alt="" width="1662" height="1632" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-42843" />


Parle, the agency’s first client, wanted an illustration and colourful packaging for their biscuit brand Parle Gluco (introduced in 1939) that was primarily targeted at children. Before the introduction of the mascot, the packet only had Parle Gluco written on it in red and blue letters. 


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/09/1950-2024-09-9503eb28b14bbe9c743d29db70feb9f4.png" alt="" width="2000" height="1108" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-42844" />



Maganlal Dahiya headed the creative department at Everest, and directed the illustrators in his team to paint different versions of the mascot, one of which eventually became the Parle-G baby.



“In those days, biscuits were largely consumed by children. Hence, we explained to Everest that that was a key audience,” said Mayank Shah, Vice President, Parle Products.



But over time, the biscuit’s consumer base expanded to include a significant number of adults. According to the book 'A History of Indian Advertising', the brand also wanted to cater to Indians generally as foreign brands like Glaxo biscuits, Huntly & Palmers, Jacob’s Cream Crackers, etc., were very costly and out of reach of most Indians.


The campaign  launched on print and radio. Today, Shah says the digital medium is extremely crucial since consumers in every nook and corner are hooked onto it, and it has helped popularise the brand across the length and breadth of the country.


<strong>Challenge from imitations</strong>


With the introduction of the baby on the biscuit packet, the brand gained immense recognition and popularity. But this also paved the way for  the proliferation of biscuits that mimicked the storied brand in every way, right down to the packaging, the colours, and the baby.


<img src="https://images.storyboard18.com/storyboard18/2024/09/Parle-G-Era-Post-Creative-1-2024-09-d95f19810b1c2620749bdd1474d8f53d.jpg" alt="" width="2161" height="2161" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-42845" />


Hence, in 1982, the company rebranded Parle Gluco biscuits as Parle-G and enhanced its legal team. But nonetheless, the menace continued till the ‘90s.


In 2007, a study was conducted on the most recognised logos of India. The Parle-G baby was the third most recognised, after the hand of the Indian National Congress, and  the Indian Standards Institution (ISI) mark. Which is one of the reasons why Parle has refrained from changing the mascot or giving a contemporary touch to the baby that has dominated the biscuit world for well over six decades.


<em><strong>(Image source: Parle Products)</strong></em>


<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-marketing/bow-wow-how-cheeka-the-pug-made-hutch-a-household-name-42291.htm">Bow, Wow: How Cheeka the pug made Hutch a household name</a>
 

Parle-G & the baby face that launched a billion biscuits

A middle-aged man arrives at a posh restaurant. He spots a gorgeous woman seated nearby, looking at him, and speaking to him. 

He responds to her welcoming ‘Hello,’ and approaches her. She pulls an Ericsson mobile phone from under her hair (on which, we realise, she was speaking to someone else), and mistaking him to be the waiter, orders, “One black coffee, please.”

It was the year 1996. Piyush Pandey, now Chief Advisor, Ogilvy, rang up his ad film director brother Prasoon Pandey at 2:30 am. “Congrats, dude! Your commercial won a Silver Lion,” he said.

The film was  India’s first win from the film category at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, Prasoon told Storyboard18.


<strong>One black coffee: The genesis</strong>

Rajeev Agarwal was the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Nexus Equity, the advertising agency. The agency handled the creative mandate of Ericsson, a telecom multinational.


One day, he sent three scripts to Prasoon. The first script highlighted how sturdy Ericsson was as a phone. The second spoke about how the phone could be operated using a single hand, unlike other phones available at the time, where you had to pull out an antenna, requiring the use of both hands.


The third script touched upon how small the phone  was. Prasoon found the scripts to be all over the place and conveyed the same to Agarwal, and asked him to choose one. But Agarwal, in turn, asked him: which one would he choose?


Regarding the sturdiness of the phone, in 1995, Motorola had already released a ‘Motorola cell bowling’ commercial that showed how tough the phone was. Hence, that aspect had been explored.


Prasoon explained to  Agarwal that people would realise the value of single-hand use only once they've used a cell phone.  Hence, he would not go there.


As he chose the script for the small phone, he found it to not be in very good taste. That was when Agarwal suggested that he write one.


At that time, Prasoon was vacationing in Jaipur with Piyush. Over several glasses of beer, they cracked the idea and co-wrote the script.

 
Even though Piyush was working for Ogilvy, and Ericsson was Nexus Equity's client, as Prasoon explained, “We saw creative problems as great fun problems to crack, where we were working for a large company called 'Creativity,' and all agencies were only branch offices of it.


"As men, we have always imagined sitting across a gorgeous woman and striking up a conversation. So we came up with this fun story about a middle aged man who thinks that a beautiful woman is talking to him, when she’s actually talking to someone else on her compact mobile phone, which is hidden by her hair.”


Agarwal presented the script to the client, who loved it, and gave it the go-ahead.


<strong>The making of the ad</strong>


Prasoon screen-tested actor Kamal Chopra for the middle-aged man’s role, and for the woman’s role, who had to be between 30 and 35, he tested Kavita Kapoor. Kapoor was recommended by Mahesh Mathai, Founder, Highlight Films, who had produced a De Beers campaign starring Kapoor.


The shooting commenced at Mukesh Mills, in Mumbai. The film was shot by Barun Mukherjee, and the music was by Louis Banks. 


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The restaurant, where the story was set, was given a Mediterranean touch by the film’s producer, Srila Chatterjee. 


As one can see in the film, Chopra’s face falls when Kapoor mistakes him to be the waiter and places her order, but he manages to beat a dignified retreat. The shot lasted seven seconds, which, as per Prasoon Pandey, is very long. To highlight that Chopra’s heart broke, a glass was shattered in the background.


<strong>High recall</strong>


Doordarshan won the Indian telecast rights for the 1996 Cricket World Cup. The commercial aired just once every day during the World Cup. The film was well-received, critically acclaimed, and helped grow the sales of Ericsson mobile phones.

 
Like others, the Cannes jury too found the ending unexpected, and enjoyed the ad, recalled Prasoon.


One of the media portals had conducted a survey on the ads with the highest recall among those telecast during the 1996  World Cup. Ericsson topped the list.


 “It goes to show that if you invest in a good idea, one doesn’t have to telecast it 35 times. One can telecast just 10 times and come out stronger than going with a commercial with a half-baked idea, and then just plastering it,” said Prasoon Pandey


Praising the performances, Prasoon said, “Kapoor was brilliant and natural. One does not suspect that she's talking on the phone till she pulls it out. But when she does pull it out, it does not look like she was deliberately fooling us. It all sits very naturally. She was brilliant.”


<strong>How did it change fortune?</strong>


As the commercial was receiving love and recognition for its storyline and stupendous cast performance, post the release, Kapoor sat at home for eight and a half months.


In a conversation with Storyboard18, Kapoor said, “A lot were unaware that I was an Indian model. I think it was a time when there was a transition where people were not too sure if they wanted an Indian look or a Western look. I was getting work in the advertising field, but there was not that much work coming from the industry because that's where I really wanted to get a foothold.”


"Since the commercial tasted popularity from all the fronts, everybody thought that I started working the next day post its release, which is not true," added Kapoor.


Post the Ericsson commercial, Kapoor was seen in Daewoo Cielo car ad. She was also seen in Kinetic Honda, Asian Paints, Dhara, Kelvinator refrigerator ads, and did a lot of other international work too.


<strong>Why did the ad stand out?</strong>


Even though more than two decades have passed since it was released, the ad is still fresh in people’s minds. Why?


“I think it stood out for its cleverness. It was unexpected, it was surprising, and it was endearing. That is what we should always do with our advertising. We need to respect our audience, that we are interrupting their entertainment time with our product message. If we respect them, then we need to deliver it, not as a product message, but in a surprising and an endearing way,’’ said the ad filmmaker.


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One black coffee, please: The ad that won India her first Lion at Cannes

It was the 1940s. Late Sorab Kaikushroo Kooka who was known as Bobby Kooka, the commercial director of Air India, was in deep imagination. A personality with a royal image, who had a round face with a long and sharp nose, outsized moustache, and striped turban was taking shape.


He did not wait too long. He reached out to Umesh Rao, who worked at JWT as an artist. Together, they breathe ‘Air India’s Maharajah’ to life. It was the year 1946. The Maharajah—which was born on an in-flight memo pad—in the 1950s became the ‘bowing’ face of Air India, previously Tata Airlines. 


What remains a rarely known fact is that, the Maharajah’s famous moustache was designed after Kooka’s dear friend late Syed Wajid Ali, a Pakistan based industrialist, states Air-India collector, a website solely dedicated to understanding Air India, its history, the Maharajah and its journey in advertising and marketing themselves. 


After Amul's' ‘Girl’, Air India’s Maharajah stands as the most successful mascot of the Indian advertising for having entertained India with its cheeky one-liners. 


Last year, the airline brand, whose operations were taken care of by the government, came under the wings of the Tata Group. But, in a few months, the airline will bid a permanent goodbye to the mascot which once represented royalty and hospitality.


But, this is not the first time decisions surrounding the mascot’s retirement and rebranding are being undertaken. In the 1980s, San Francisco based Landor Associates was appointed for the rebranding exercise of the airline brand.



Right from the redesigning of all aspects of the airline followed by the introduction of the sun logo on the aeroplane’s tail which was a golden sun with 24 spokes embellished on a deep red sash, the rebranding exercise cost $35 million, an attempt to save the dwindling fortunes of the airline brand. 


However, the aura and charm of the mascot could never be forgotten. Hence, in the early 1990s, Madhavrao Scindia, former minister of civil aviation, paved the way for Maharajah who reprised its role once again. 


Let us dive into understanding some more of the lesser-known facts about the mascot.  


<strong>Nandita Chalam, former senior vice president and executive creative director, JWT, shared...</strong>


According to former national creative director of HTA, Ivan Arthur, who has worked extensively on Air India ads, there were some unwritten rules to drawing the Maharajah, “He cannot open his eyes; he cannot open his mouth, and he cannot be shown with a bare head—the turban or some headgear must always be there.”


Come to think of it, have we ever seen the Maharajah’s bare head? Mercifully not. But in the later years—when the Tatas were no longer a part of Air India and HTA no longer handled the business—some artists did draw the Maharajah with his eyes open. And a change of personality was evident! Instead of a suave and regal Maharajah, he looked more like a fat, sleazy, old uncle. Those unwritten rules sure needed to be followed. Ivan also said that though it was never put down formally anywhere, every person working on the business knew instinctively that everything done for Air India “had to carry its DNA—a double helix of exotica and charm”.


<strong>Prabhakar Mundkur, former senior vice president at Hindustan Thompson Associates, shared...</strong>


Arthur recalls, “He was no commercial mascot. He became a national figure, much loved and respected”. There was a time when every middle-class home in India proudly displayed a little toy Air India Maharajah in their living room showcases along with other curios.


“We call him a Maharaja for the want of a better description. But his blood isn’t blue. He may look like royalty, but he isn’t royal. He is capable of entertaining the Queen of England and splitting a beer with her butler. He is a man of many parts: lover boy, sumo wrestler, pavement artist, vendor of naughty postcards, Capuchin monk, Arab merchant….,” is what SK ‘Bobby’ Kooka the commercial director of Air India is once known to have said. (Kooka was later chairman of HTA).


And most of all, he was an entertainer. He made people smile with his inimitable wit and humour. The magic behind the Maharajah was that his commentary would always have something to do with the current topics, touching a nerve with his audience. He had a different take on every event that made the news. And that is what kept him and brand Air India current in everyone’s minds.



Lesser-known facts about the "soon-to-retire" Air India Maharaja

Rugged peaks of snow-capped mountains, beautiful valleys, undulating rivers, vibrant forests teaming with wildlife, sun-kissed coasts, spectacular monuments, delicious food, and vibrant culture: India, an ancient land, has much to offer travellers. Whether they look to expand their horizons beyond or wish to look within to find themselves, India has it all. 


<strong>The brief</strong>


The global tourism scenario took a hit as a result of 9/11 and its aftermath. The international tourism industry was largely stagnating, and India was no exception. India, as a tourist destination, had much to offer. But how could a country showcase itself given its size, diverse natural landscape, and unique cultural features? A specific strategy was necessary to boost tourism.


The tourism department put Amitabh Kant on the task of turning the fortunes of the Indian tourism industry around. The advertising agencies had a simple brief: promote India to international travellers, especially the high-end ones.



<strong>The concept and its execution</strong>


Ogilvy & Mather developed a novel presentation. A drawing by V. Sunil showed the word “India” with an exclamation mark for the first “I”. It was a visual trick that worked well. India was like the exclamation mark, and Sri Lanka was like the dot. Also, the word “Incredible” did deserve an exclamation!



So the concept of “Incredible India” was created. It was a series of advertisements, in print and on television. In the eye-catching print advertisement, the exclamation mark became the Taj Mahal minaret reflected in water along with the dot-like moon. In another, it became the black vertical stripe of a tiger, and in yet another, a woman stood in a desert with a pot.


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One television commercial showed the mosaic that is India, juxtaposing the desert of Rajasthan with the cold desert of Leh or Ladakh. People were shown doing dance, yoga, and playing traditional musical instruments from various regions of the country. Each scene was captivating and ended with the majestic Taj Mahal and a person in a yoga pose. There was a bright colour, splendour and uniqueness of experience on offer for the international traveller.


In yet another television commercial, a foreign traveller (a racetrack enthusiast) reconnected with himself through yoga and spectacular rides and walks in the foothills and snowy slopes of the Himalayas. Ending with the lines, “Find the incredible you”. It is the kind of journey a person takes within themselves.


The campaign to promote Indian tourism is a great example of experiential marketing.



<strong>The holistic approach</strong>


The Incredible India campaign was successful and has remained so since its launch. The Indian states and union territories were included in the programme, so that they promoted their region and culture, all under the aegis of this programme. For example, the state of Madhya Pradesh presented itself as the “Heart of Incredible India”.


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This comprehensive approach has helped the Indian tourism industry and has presented a cohesive face to tourism promotion. Efforts have been made for the inclusive development of tourism by all stakeholders starting from the local community.


The Incredible India website has given a fillip to tourism promotion, with its easy-to-navigate site, relevant information and captivating images. A mobile application has followed too. All these collective efforts have resulted in the growth of foreign as well as domestic tourism in India.


The Ministry of Tourism has unveiled “Visit India Year 2023”. “Incredible India 2.0” was also launched to make targeted promotions globally with television commercials, and increased digital presence. For all who wish to visit, “Incredible India” will truly enthral.



<strong>Subodh Tagare is an associate professor at IMT Nagpur, where he teaches courses on marketing. Prior to IMT, Subodh was the marketing director at American Power Conversion/ Schneider Electric for South Asia.</strong>


<strong>S Vejay Anand is the chief executive officer of Ironhill Brewery. He has also been an entrepreneur in the food and pet care spaces. Earlier he was president at Coffee Day and COO at USPL.</strong>


Throwback: How the Incredible India ad campaign made a global splash

Going beyond describing the attributes of products, some ad campaigns try to include a social connect; a social message that echoes contemporary social or even environmental concerns. Consider the Pan Parag story.


<strong>Conception of the advertisement</strong>


The Pan Parag commercial, which aired in the '80s and '90s, is unquestionably a classic - featuring Ashok Kumar and Shammi Kapoor. This advertisement brought together two of Hindi cinema’s most renowned stars for the first and last time.

In 1986, the late Mr M.M. Kothari was in Mumbai to meet the Everest Advertising team. Everest had been the advertising agency for the brand for many years. He wanted a change in the advertising strategy for his brand Pan Parag.

Mr Kothari communicated to the Everest team that he wanted to position Pan Parag as a product to be given to guests on social occasions, especially marriages. It was focused around “Khatirdari”, or hospitality, and offering a warm welcome to visitors.

He had the germ of an idea. He had also wanted the brand to be associated with the anti-dowry issue. The brief reached Sulekha Bajpai, who had recently joined Everest. She was briefed and asked to write a script for an advertising film.

Sulekha had seen the problem of dowry at close quarters among relatives and friends. She had made a promise to herself that she would do everything she could to discourage people from doing it. It seemed perhaps too coincidental that the brief came her way. She was able to put together a script quickly which was approved by Mr Kothari.

He insisted on using film stars for the commercial, and so, under the direction of Prem Kishan and Kishan Sethi of Cinevista, they decided to cast the thespians, Ashok Kumar and Shammi Kapoor. The now-famous jingle (“Pan Parag, pan masala, Pan Parag”) was composed by Ajit Singh.


<strong>Understanding the social context</strong>


Pan Parag attempted to appeal to an “Indian” audience with an “Indian” product. In the 1980s, dowry was freely discussed and denounced in equal proportion in the cultural context of that time. Pan Parag explored how it could gently oppose the giving and receiving of dowry, while using Pan Parag as an ice-breaker and social lubricant between two families.


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The commercial took a hard look at the hugely patriarchal society prevalent in many parts of India, where Ladkewale (the groom’s family) often made demands of gifts and money during weddings.

Pan Parag was positioned as a social product (much like coffee). Strangers were able to form bonds as a result of sharing pan masala, leading to more meaningful interactions and even friendship, through “khatirdari” or hospitality. Thus this brand of pan masala (itself having some negative health implications) was portrayed as a form of social bonding.

Fortuitously, Shammi Kapoor became synonymous with the brand. Once on his arrival from Hong Kong, along with his brother Raj Kapoor, there was a huge crowd waiting to catch a glimpse. The moment they saw Shammi, they screamed Pan Parag, much to the dismay of Raj, who was incensed. Not only that, the crowd started humming the jingle.

Raj rebuked Shammi saying, "Aren't you ashamed of yourself? With all the years of contribution to the film industry including Junglee, Teesri Manzil, Professor and Dil Deke Dekho, is that finished? People will remember you by Pan Parag?"


<strong>Conclusion</strong>


The Pan Parag ad campaign is just one of the many societal issues that are reflected in advertisements of various products and services. Take a recent example of the Nescafe ad campaign, “Badal Life ki Raftaar”, highlighting the coffee brand acting as a social bonding between a father and his daughter. While the father would rather his daughter study at a nearby educational institute, the daughter wants to study at a place further away. The dynamic at work is of a parent wanting his daughter close by, while she wants to spread her wings and explore new opportunities. Cups of coffee cement the father’s acceptance of his daughter’s determination, and her choice of pursuing her own goals.

Such ads are able to go beyond mere advertising to being almost an instrument of social change, while also building the business.


<em><strong>(Note: This story first appeared in Moneycontrol dated March 6, 2022)</strong></em>

How Pan Parag was positioned as a social product (much like coffee)

<strong>By Subodh Tagare & S Vejay Anand</strong>


“The apparel oft proclaims the man,” Polonius tells his son in Hamlet. That simply means that ‘clothes make a man’ and largely at first sight determine the way the world creates an impression of him. 


Does he appear rich, successful or maybe unkempt? There is a need therefore to dress one’s best, to be thought of well and received better. 


Fashion brands endeavour to give their customers a wardrobe so that they can make a mark in society, giving their personality a voice. Raymond’s in India is one such men’s fashion brand that stands for luxury dressing. This is the tale of Raymond's transformation into ‘The Complete Man’. 


In the process, the brand crafted an image that went from being outer-directed to inner-directed.


<strong>The beginning and the need for change</strong>


The journey of Raymond's started in 1925 when it was incorporated as the Raymond Woolen Mill in Thane, manufacturing woollen blankets. Later, in 1944, it was taken over by Lala Kailashpat Singhania. Over the years, Raymond’s has set the standards of men’s fashion manufacturing high-quality fabrics.


Raymond’s grew its business, with advertising contributing to its growth too. By the early 1990s, Raymond’s (as it was then called, but changed to Raymond later) was already a well-known brand. The slogan for Raymond's was “The Guide to the Well-Dressed Male”. The advertising showed handsome men with chic women, with all the trappings of accomplishment, like fast cars, glitz and glamour.


Post-economic liberalisation in India, the competition was heating up, both from national and some international brands. There was a need felt by Raymond’s to strengthen the perception of the brand as ‘the’ premium men’s fashion brand in the minds of the customers.


<strong>The brief and the brainstorming</strong>


Nexus Equity got the news that Raymond's was calling for a pitch from a few advertising agencies, including Lintas. Nexus Equity was smaller but formidable in talent and ambition. The team at Nexus consisted of Rajiv Agarwal as managing director, M. Raghunath as director, heading client servicing, and Arun Kale and Rajan Nair leading the creative. They were excited and decided to pitch.


The brand reiterated in the one-page brief that it stood for luxury and high fashion. The concept was to reaffirm this prestigious brand in the minds of the customers and set it at the top of its class. With the brief came a wealth of information in the form of old notes, advertisements and press releases, which the Nexus Equity team poured over.


During a meeting with Vijaypat Singhania, the chairman of Raymond’s and the final decision maker, he told Agarwal, Kale and Nair that Raymond’s was open to new ideas, even dramatic ones, as long as they were able to place it as a premium brand right on top. That was an open brief, and a chance to think out of the box.


As an extension to earlier advertising campaigns (and to show Singhania their capability), Nexus Equity thought of a campaign with the theme ‘People who Count’; of casting famous people from various fields like art and music who would do a piece exclusively for Raymond’s. 


They presented this idea to the client who loved the idea but opined that it may risk budget overruns apart from having to handle the idiosyncrasies of famous personalities. Singhania decided to give Nexus Equity a chance to get back to him with an implementable concept.


Brainstorming ensued among the Nexus Equity team as they worked towards a breakthrough in concept.


<strong>The breakthrough and birth of ‘The Complete Man’</strong>


As the team went over various ideas. Nair recollected the time when he had gone to purchase suit material for his wedding. Since Raymond’s was premium and beyond his budget, he purchased another brand. The tailor while stitching the suit cut off the edging that had the name of the brand printed on it. Now only Nair would know the brand name of the suit material, no matter how premium it was.


This insight got the team thinking. They would focus on people who already wore Raymond’s. The customers had to feel happy that they wore a premium luxury brand; that they too were special.


Moving away from showing an ‘alpha’ image of a man, with the usual glamorous women and shiny cars, the new advertising campaign would highlight the good inner qualities and traits that made a worthy man. This man was not a famous personality nor a sportsman whom common people put on a pedestal, but whose life remained unattainable. But every man could be a good son, husband, father, colleague or friend. These were attainable, yet worthy goals giving a sense of self. Such qualities would indeed make him ‘The Complete Man’.


Nair wrote the copy, Kale did the art direction and both prepared a campaign of six advertisements to show to the client. Agarwal was a little unsure whether Raymond's team would like the concept. The advertisements showed children growing up. Another showed friends catching up. But there was no mention of garments. Raghunath, who had not been part of the development of the campaign, was unsure too. But Kale and Nair were confident. They made two other ‘safe’ advertisements at Agarwal’s request.


These two advertisements were shown first to the Raymond’s team, including Singhania, who seemed underwhelmed. The Nexus Equity team now revealed that they had an ace up their sleeve but that it was an unconventional campaign.


After seeing ‘The Complete Man’ campaign, there was silence. Then Singhania stated that this was the campaign he wanted for the Raymond’s brand. The Nexus Equity team was elated.


<strong>Unveiling ‘The Complete Man’ and the reception</strong>


The advertising campaign was for print and television. Late Prabuddha Dasgupta did the photography, shot in locations like Ooty and Goa. The television commercials were by Subir and Namita of White Light Moving Picture Company, featuring music that was an adaptation of the piano piece called Traumerei (Dreaming) by Robert Schumann. 


One of the print advertisements showed a trio of friends with the text akin to poetry, “If…. He can speak his mind, … kick your ****, … and let you be you...” , highlighting the virtues of a good friend. Another advertisement had a photo of a pair of young boys with the inspiring text, “... If you persevere and push, and hang on long enough...you will bask in the sunlight, …what’s more, you’ll sleep well at night.”


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Each television commercial was an event or scene from ordinary life, largely without any dialogue or voiceover, except for the gentle melodious notes of the theme music. Some of the commercials were poignant, some warm and some just fun. Each advertisement showed various facets of a complete man. He did not flaunt, nor show off, he just was. He was the thoughtful caring husband who stayed behind to look after the baby when the wife needed to go away for work. 


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He was the saddened teacher who was given a gift by the young students on his retirement. He was the mature father who recollected how his daughter held his hand growing up, and that now he had to let go as she matured. He was the sentimental young man who wheeled his ailing father down the hospital corridor like the father did for him as a child playing with a wheelbarrow.


‘The Complete Man’ campaign was a hit. The music became a signature tune for Raymond’s. Decades later there is brand recall just by listening to the music. New advertisements too continued with a similar concept, with the additional lines: ‘Feels like Heaven’ and ‘Feels like Raymond’.


Raymond's advertising is a great example of using self-concept in building a brand. The advertisements showed the quiet confidence of a man who wore Raymond’s. He embodied the very aspects of being a good human. The treatment of the concept also set it apart from the competition.


<strong>Unfurling into the future</strong>


Raymond today produces the finest fabrics of international standards and is a market leader in the domestic worsted suiting industry. It has four brands for the complete men’s wardrobe: Raymond Ready to Wear, Park Avenue, ColorPlus and Parx. It has also expanded into adjacent markets like custom tailoring, and an exclusive Raymond ‘Made to Measure’ for the connoisseurs of style.


Raymond still evokes the gentle signature tune and the image of ‘The Complete Man’ for the common man.


<em><strong>Subodh Tagare is an Associate Professor at IMT Nagpur, where he teaches courses on marketing. Prior to IMT, Subodh was the marketing director at American Power Conversion/ Schneider Electric for South Asia.</strong></em>


<em><strong>S Vejay Anand consults with organisations on business strategy and marketing. He has also been an entrepreneur in the food and pet care spaces. Earlier he was President at Coffee Day and COO at USPL.</strong></em>



Throwback: Raymond’s journey to ‘The Complete Man’

When Eastman Kodak Co. transferred its $40 million consumer imaging mandate to Ogilvy & Mather (O&M) in the 1990s, it brought the curtain down on the brand’s 66-year-old association with J. Walter Thompson (JWT). 

  

JWT produced the first television ad for Kodak in 1955 and in 1992 created the memorable Kodak Moments campaign plugging the American photographic giant’s cameras and film. 

  

As former O&M creative director Shankar Nair recalls, after such a long association with JWT, Kodak was less than enthusiastic about the advertising work created by O&M. 

  

Then came the launch of Kodak KB 10, a 35 mm, point-and-shoot SLR camera, and the ad campaign for the product, considered the biggest post Kodak’s move to O&M. The period leading up to it was a test of endurance for the advertising firm. 

  

<strong>Kodak KB 10 and the advent of photography</strong> 

  

Kodak had a good standing in India, where it was a market leader, and its film rolls sold well. But the company was not much into advertising in India, where it did not strike a chord with consumers, who remembered it from the yellow balloons that were visible outside Kodak studios.  



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That changed with the arrival of the Kodak KB 10, which put photography just an arm’s length away from consumers. 

 

Rajesh Singh, former senior vice president of Kodak India, explained to Storyboard18 that photography was considered too technical a subject then. Few possessed the confidence to handle a camera and click photographs, a task they left  to professional photographers.  

  

“India is a country with a large population where a majority of the talent stands untapped. Hence, seeding of the market was very crucial. We wanted to bring photography to the masses where anybody could buy, load the film, click and get good photos,” Singh said. 

 

Seeding is the process of targeting a specific consumer group to encourage the faster acceptance of a new product. 

 

KB 10 cost Rs 995 because, as Singh says, the company wanted to price it below Rs 1000. When the camera was introduced, the general verdict was: <em>“Yeh camera nahi chalega” </em> (this camera won’t run). 

 

That’s because every time the lens cap would slide, the flash would turn on, and it would spoil the prospects of a decent photograph. 

 

Singh hit upon an idea. He instructed his team: “Go to every photography studio, take two photographs of the owner. Click theirs in broad daylight, and wherever they desire. Then ask that person to take a photo with this camera.” 

  

Next day, the photographs were delivered and only after the campaign did the cameras go on sale; the product sold at least in the hundreds. 

  

The photography trade was finally convinced about the ability and potential of the KB 10. But skeptics still felt it wouldn’t survive long in the market. 

 

Kodak KB 10 was introduced with a three-year, no-questions-asked replacement policy that was unheard at that time in India.  

  

O&M was briefed with the task of creating an advertisement that spotlighted how anyone could click great photos with the KB 10. 

  

<strong>Band, Baaja and Baraat </strong>

  

O&M’s Nair penned the script for the commercial, which focused on the product’s ease of use. 

  

Because the change of agency was a big step for Eastman Kodak, there would be constant calls with  the company’s vice president, who was based in Rochester, New York, and who was very involved in the making of the ad. 

  

The conceptualization and discussions, which took place under the guidance of Piyush Pandey, (currently) chairman of global creative, Ogilvy Worldwide, and executive chairman of Ogilvy India. Ad filmmaker Prasoon Pandey was drafted to shoot the commercial. 

  

The ad showed a couple who are on their honeymoon, have a camera and want to click a photo of theirs. They see a baraat (wedding procession) passing by and stop a man in the procession to ask him to click a picture. The camera is so easy to use that he joins them in the frame. Slowly, the whole crowd joins the couple for a photo. 

  

Prasoon was pleased with the script, and Banganga Tank in Mumbai’s Malabar Hill was chosen as the location.  

 

The team thought the ad “should be shot at a historical place where one could feel that a couple had gone and the baraat happened to be passing from there,” he said. 

  

During a pre-production meeting that also had the Kodak team present, they wanted the ending to highlight Buy a Kodak KB 10 today and show people buying one from a shop. For Prasoon, that sounded terrible. The script had a beautiful story set outside that had a visual texture. But the Kodak stuck to its guns. 

  

Prasoon asked: “What is the intention? Is it because you want to show a Kodak shop?” 

 

The Kodak team responded: “No, no! You don’t have to show Kodak shops.” The question then: “If Kodak shops are not needed to be shown, why show any shop?” The team replied: “We don’t want to show Kodak shops because we don't want people to feel that it is available only at Kodak showrooms.” Prasoon once again reasoned: “Then, it is very simple. Don’t show any shop. Just go and buy it.” 

  

The team once again argued: “Our boss in Rochester looks after the Asia Pacific region. He has asked to us to do this.” For 30 minutes, the argument went on.  

  

Finally, Prasoon picked up his Nokia phone and rang up his mother, who lived in Jaipur, and asked her whether he should go ahead with an ad film that he didn’t agree with. Her answer, he said, was “No”.  

  

His mother had not even understood the question, but he told the Kotak team: “My mother does not know the script but she said No.” 

  

This led to the team bursting into laughter and said they understood his point.  

  

<strong>Roping in the cast</strong> 

  

The person in the red shirt who requests a photo is Mohammed Asif. Cyrus Pagdiwala, who is a producer now, was cast as the bandwala. 

  

In the commercial, the first person from the baraat who clicks and calls the next person is Sitaram. Prior to acting, he looked after supplying junior artists to film production teams.  

  

The filmmaker got the band, and to recreate the music of the band, he visited the studio to ensure that everything was in place. 

  

<strong>Advertising, reception and distribution</strong>

  

The commercial was released pan-India, and Doordarshan was the main TV broadcaster then. Kodak India’s Singh revealed, “I bought 1000s of seconds of advertising time from Star News and some other satellite channels. We were fortunate at that time because they were just entering the scene.” 


The ad was shown during ad breaks on movie channels, sports channels, and during cricket was being broadcast. Singh reminisces that although posters were made, not much was spent on print advertising.  

  

After the commercial’s release, it received critical and commercial acclaim, and KB 10 was sold in millions in the first year of its launch. It changed the whole landscape of the photography market, distanced it from being an expert’s domain and made it available to the average user.  

  

O&M’s Nair said: “The success of the commercial improved the client-agency relationship and dispelled the company’s apprehension on the account movement. The first person to react after its release was (novelist and columnist) Shobhaa De. Next day, she wrote about the ad in a positive tone.”  

  

Nair credits Kodak India’s Singh for constantly convincing and reassuring the executive overseeing the ad throughout the making of the film, and dispelling the doubts the Kotak team harboured. 

  

Film rolls then started selling in outlets ranging from photo studios to chemists and gift shops, even paan stalls. 

  

Live events were staged, where a frame would freeze and the inscription ‘Kodak Moment’ would surface along with the sound of the camera. The concept was eventually appreciated and awarded at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. 



<strong>Read More:</strong> <a href="https://www.storyboard18.com/brand-makers/simply-speaking-the-rise-and-fall-of-kodak-3970.htm">Simply Speaking: The rise and fall of Kodak</a>

THROWBACK