Big Bazaar Diwali campaign has been rolled out, a film directed by Anurag Kashyap which portrays Diwali revelry in a train while away from home. We asked experts if the campaign managed to find a place in their hearts.
Diwali ad campaigns are always a delight to watch while brands leave no stone unturned in weaving right sentiments and amalgamating the joyous touch into them. You wait for a whole long year when these ad films brighten up your screens and bring with them a bag full of excitement and happiness. My PC is lit, literally, with all the advertisers doing their bit to strike the right chord with their Diwali advertising, utilizing all media platforms.
However, there are a few who manage to get stamped up into our hearts and Big Bazaar’s campaign seems to be one of them. From Shubh Shuruaat to Paper Pathakas to now Diwali Aa Rahi Hai, Big Bazaar has been a constant in crafting different insights every year. This time its Train Wali Diwali’ to say so.
The one and a half minute film is conceptualized by DDB Mudra and helmed by ace director Anurag Kashyap. The video features long-distance train travelers who are worried about not reaching their respective homes on time to celebrate Diwali with the loved ones due to a delay. Very disappointed, one old man sits upset watching firecrackers burn outside the train window. A youth sitting in front of him thinks of warming up the gloomy environment, offers sweets wishing him Happy Diwali. Soon after co-passengers join in the celebration while a few take the mandate of decorating the interiors of the train and brighten up the mood.
On Facebook, the video has garnered over a million views with more than 2k shares. Big Bazaar also asked consumers to share their Diwali story away from home.
#YehDiwaliSabkiWali is now #HarTyoharMeinBigBazaar, the proposition seems to be aptly settling itself into the campaign with the exchange of sweets coming to the rescue to lit the mood and the messaging - 'Diwali aa rahi hai aur khushiya saath laa rahi hai. Iss tyohaar ko sabke sang manaye'. The Youtube video raked in 930 k views within two weeks.
The idea of a festival on a train is lovely. In India, train travel never fails to invoke a sense of nostalgia, simplicity, earnestness, and goodwill. We've all made good friends on trains, exchanged our allotted berths for the convenience of others, and dreamily watched a massive neon-orange sunset over the fields. The idea that the journey is as special as the destination is really made manifest in a train ride. So BigBazaar was quite savvy in situating its film inside a train.
That being said, as an adman I have to say, the concept reminds me of a film Wes Anderson did for H&M for Christmas some years ago, featuring Adrien Brody. But is any idea ever really truly original? The special relevance of trains to India more than makes up for this conceptual similarity.
Sidharth Gowda, Head Strategy and Brand Solutions, Zirca Digital Solutions:
This video captures the endearing insight that we as Indians love to share our joys and sorrows. Most of us who've traveled by train can connect with this experience of forming new friendships on a train journey. From a content perspective, Big Bazaar has the opportunity to take this campaign further and do a real-life activation on a train on the day of Diwali. This can make the follow-up video an even more special and shareable piece of digital content. The brand is sitting on some 'earned media' gold if it extends this campaign.
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