#YouAreMyParleG
Every year, India commemorates its independence on 15th August. It is the day when the whole nation remembers the sacrifices of our freedom fighters, political activists, and the common folk. Talking about sacrifice, let’s put the limelight on one of the key reasons behind the longevity and survival of our independence; the armed forces. In a recent Independence Day-themed campaign, Parle-G released an almost 2.5 mins long film honoring the life of a soldier.

The digital campaign was created by an agency called Thought Blurb, and was marketed under the hashtag ‘#YouAreMyParleG’. The emotionally provoking film not only details on the real-life life of Ankit Singh behind enemy lines but also gives sentimental insights about his familial ties. The micro-movie ends with the message that some people turn into the whole nation’s packet of Parle-G. The final message makes a fitting end that also encapsulates the spirit of the hashtag ‘#YouAreMyParleG’.

From a marketer’s perspective, the brand’s personalized touch to the core message of the film is well-embedded. We feel that this digital campaign is a gracefully presented tribute to the Indian Armed Forces!

Bajaj Avenger – Show your patriotism

#FLG #IndependenceDay
The Bajaj Avenger has established itself as the signature cruise bike for every Indian. Imagining a bike-trip to Leh-Ladakh automatically induces one to imagine riding a Bajaj Avenger. However, the iconic stature of this bike isn’t our topic for today. The topic at hand is a recent campaign by Bajaj centered around the theme of our country’s 72nd Independence Day. The digital promo is titled ‘Show your Patriotism’ and puts a new spin on what it means to be patriotic.

Every year on 15th August, citizens all over India wave plastic flags in commemoration of the country’s freedom. However, as portrayed in the 1 and a half-minute film made by Bajaj, true patriotism is in caring about the environmental standards of India. The film subtly says that instead of encouraging the sale of plastic ‘Tirangas’ all over the country, we must instead indulge in making our environment cleaner.

We feel that the social message hidden in the campaign serves as the perfect propellant to solidify the company’s image as a patriotic entity. Furthermore, the campaign’s heart is in the right place!

Mahindra Truck and Bus – Anekta Main Ekta | Feel the Nation

India is a land that has diversity and secularism as some of its foundational principles. In fact, the word ‘secular’ is a part of the Preamble to the Indian constitution. Despite stark cultural differences spread throughout 29 states, Indians do not shy away from the spirit of unity. In a recent Independence Day digital campaign, Mahindra has made an attempt to showcase the same spirit of “Anekta Main Ekta”.

The film portrays some heartwarming experiences of heavy commercial vehicle drivers from different parts of the country. All the storytellers in the campaign present a unified front by praising the nation’s unbreakable integrity.

We feel that Mahindra manages to deliver a much-needed message with this campaign. Contrary to the grim picture painted by various media sources, this film reminds us that our nation’s core beliefs are still intact! #FeeltheNation

United Colors of Benetton | #UnitedByHope

India is a country where multiple cultures coexist, and live their lives with a shared spirit of harmony. People belonging to different cultural groups possess different mannerisms and clothing patterns that define their uniqueness. In a campaign released around this year’s 72nd Independence Day, United Colors of Benetton depicted that a sense of uniqueness does not inhibit a sense of unity. The powerful sentiment was depicted via a social experiment called ‘#UnitedByHope’.

The video involves people coming from different faiths talking about some of their prized possessions. Later on, the same possessions were collected in a box which was handed over to a group of children. The heartwarming manner in which the kids embraced all cultural emblems with equivalent admiration speaks volumes about our country’s future.

We feel UCB’s ‘#UnitedByHope’ thrives because of its subtle impact. The underlying message isn’t blatantly stated out but makes itself apparent by the end. Its intelligent presentation is the most striking characteristic of this campaign!

Airtel India – National Anthem by the Sarod Maestros

Jana Gana Mana is a melody that resides in the heart of every Indian. Our national anthem not only defines the iconic nature of our country but also carries the unified spirit of India inside it. Two days before India’s 72nd Independence Day, Airtel India gave the country a new rendition of our beloved national anthem. In the passionate performance by Sarod Maestros Ustad Amjad Ali Khan, Amaan, and Ayaan, a celebratory cheer marking India’s independence was brought to life.

The video capturing this new rendition of Jana Gana Mana was produced by lasteleven. The direction and editing credits belong to Inderjit Singh and Tanveer Singh. Sawan Dutta was responsible for arranging the art-piece. The fact that the original composition by Rabindranath Tagore was kept intact throughout the performance makes it even more special.

We feel that Airtel India did justice to the celebration at hand. This rendition of our national anthem will definitely be remembered for a long time!

Vivo India | Happy Independence Night

Every Independence Day, we celebrate various struggles and circumstances that have lead to the freedom of our country. However, the definition of freedom isn’t as simple as it seems on the surface. A truly independent country succeeds in making every citizen feel secure. The same right extends to the female population of a country as well. Therefore, for a country to be truly independent, its women need to feel secure at any given hour. The same message has been portrayed by smartphone manufacturer Vivo in a digital campaign named #HappyIndependenceNight.

The short film revolves around a young woman whose car breaks down in the middle of the road. It portrays her innate fear of being around unknown men at an odd hour of the night. The subtle message embedded in the film is revealed at the end. Even a harmless helping hand induces apprehension in an Indian woman instead of a sense of comfort.

We feel that Vivo’s digital campaign highlights an important issue for the eve of our country’s 72nd Independence Day celebration. It reception by the general public speaks for itself.

Paytm | #AadatSeAazadi

In this era of technological advancement, the future clearly has a special place for digital payments. Furthermore, the emergence of cryptocurrencies strikes as another nail in the coffin of physical currencies. Anyhow, let’s not get into uncertainties, and embrace the fate at hand. As a developing country, India needs to integrate digital payments in its system. Paytm has created a digital campaign detailing on the same concern. With the patriotic spirit in mind, Paytm released a short film titled ‘Aadat se Aazadi’ a few days prior to the 72nd Independence Day.

The brain behind the campaign is of Spotlight Productions (Times Internet). The digital film consists of a montage of heartwarming moments that reflect our day-to-day reliance on physical money. Paytm urges us to give up that habit, and embrace the new wave of cashless transactions.

We feel that this campaign works well because it not only markets the company itself but also cares about the public good. After all, caring about customers is still the best marketing strategy out there!

Tata Tiscon | #RememberingNationBuilders

Every nation that has a remarkable presence on the world map has a lineage of remarkable people to credit for such recognition. India is no different in that aspect. We are a land of multiple cultures where revolutionists have paved the way for the developments we see nowadays. However, it is a shame that the builders of modern India aren’t remembered as much as they deserve to be. In a recent social exercise cum digital campaign, Tata Tiscon initiated a wave of remembrance for the heroes being talked about. Around the eve of our nation’s 72nd Independence day, Tata Tiscon paid a tribute to the builders of Modern India. The campaign was called ‘Remembering Nation Builders’.

The agency responsible for the creation of the digital promo for the initiative is JWT Kolkata. The endeavor involved a group of people that were asked to identify 6 six iconic nation builders of our country. However, the test group failed miserably with the highest score being 1/6.

We feel that it is important to remember our heritage and honor those who have dedicated their lives to the betterment of our nation. Tata Tiscon has done a commendable job with this campaign. It is a wake-up call that all of us desperately needed!

This Article is related to:
Parle-G, Independence Day, Armed Forces, Digital Campaign, Best Independence day campaigns, Bajaj Avenger, Patriotic, Mahindra, Independence Day digital campaigns, United Colors of Benetton, Airtel, Vivo India, Paytm, Tata Tiscon, Social Media campaigns, Independence Day Campaigns of 2018

This campaign is designed to highlight the atrocities and abuses carried out by the Indian Armed forces and Police who enjoy complete immunity under the Armed Forced Special Powers Act which has made a mockery of India’s claim to be a secular democracy. Scores have been blinded, several killed and hundreds injured by what India describes as a “non-lethal” weapon i.e. the pellet gun. We condemn and lament the criminal silence and inaction of the Indian Government and Cultural icons of India. Furthermore we strongly condemn the pick and choose policy of Facebook which convenient censors posts highlighting the plight of the Kashmiris and later excuses itself by calling the censorship a “mistake”.

This campaign is not about jingoism. It is about trying to create empathy. We live in a sad world where we have to present genuine tragedies in a creative way just to make people pause and think for a moment.
As advocates for human rights we believe that Kashmir, independent of any force and influence from India and Pakistan should have the right to determine its own identity and future.

Credits
Concept/Copywriting: Mohammad Jibran Nasir
Artwork: Murtaza Abbas / Batool Aqeel
Campaign: What if you knew the Victim? ‪#‎IndiaCantSee‬ ‪#‎LetKashmirDecide‬