It is that time of the year again when ads all around us capture the true essence of the festival of lights – Diwali. Like any year, brands from different categories have started to bank on emotions of togetherness, homecoming, family bonding, victory of good over evil and reunions.
This year, some ads have moved beyond the usual narratives and tried to have hard-hitting conversations with the audience such as what it's like to have an overbearing parent or what it's like to learn new things at an older age.
These ads, like the festival itself, try lighting up not just TV screens but the hearts of viewers as well, ultimately building their brand image. We asked industry experts which Diwali 2023 Ad made a dhamaka for them and why, here's what they had to say.
Some brand campaigns from this year made it into several expert's lists.
"Diwali campaigns are always tricky for brands. The debate of commerce or connection often gets settled by an in-between approach which lands neither here nor there. This year, I have noticed brands skew towards emotional narratives. And the one that caught my eye was Amaze Inverters. For starters, I watched a 5 mins film without realising it was that long. The ad beautifully captures the struggles of first-child syndrome. What it does even better is talk about first-time parent challenges. At a time when chiding Indian parenting is the fodder of everything from comedy to movies, this narrative is a nice thinker. The end voiceover comparing relationships with mirchi lights was the final straw that made me think this was my favourite cracker of the year."
"The Inverter brand Amaze (from Luminous) delivers a masterful Deepavali-themed narrative in this advertisement. Titled #AmazeWaliDiwali, the latest campaign is another terrific example of how a brand can illuminate both homes and hearts during this joyous festival.
The narrative deftly integrates the Amaze Inverter into the family's Diwali celebrations, emphasizing its pivotal role in delivering energy solutions that enhance the vibrancy and joy of the festival. The campaign conveys a compelling message that resonates with the notion that Diwali serves as a prime opportunity to reinforce familial bonds, and underlines the idea that it's never too late to revive and strengthen relationships.
The campaign speaks to the universal sentiment of the season – the importance of family ties and the capacity for love and understanding to mend the fractures that may have developed over time. It reinforces the notion that Diwali is a momentous occasion not only for revelry but also for rebuilding and fortifying the bonds that unite us."
"HP has done it. Their #ChaloRoshniKiOar Diwali campaign is the proverbial middle finger to everything we are feeding ourselves as ‘codes of advertising in the Insta era’. It is as if the creative team and brand team sat down in a big conference room and made a list of every little caveat they have been cautioned for in order to create a viral product, and collectively burnt it. Well done team!
It is a story of an old couple, who are barely running their handicrafts shop. The man of the house wants to sell the shop as he (and his profits) are bedridden, the woman takes control of the situation and uses an HP laptop to resurrect their business, their story and their life, in that order. It is what an ad should be, a story that sells. It shows no desire to belong to the ‘Checkout my purpose’ breed of virtue-signalling attention seekers. It is unapologetically simmer-ish and brand-ish. And predictable AF. On paper, it is everything a festive piece should not be.
But on screen, it is beautiful. Props to the measured performances, you are involved from the word go. The story is so tightly presented, that it almost unfolds with your nods of involvement. And as you are hooked, the brand comes very evidently, actively, ad-ily into the scene but you allow it in your head, it makes perfect sense to you, and you almost appreciate its unrealistic/seen-before/not-2023 life-changing role in the narrative. You know where it is going but you keep going anyway only to get punched by the penny drop. It just comes out of nowhere and punctuates the warm and cuddly feel-good story with a mic drop bang.
I am sure there are/will be festive campaigns that integrate technology in a never-seen format, probably use AI very intelligently, work that has a tried, tested and accepted veneer of purpose and work that will have 200M views in a day. I put this one piece above all of that. Because it reminds me of the only thing that matters when it comes to festivertising – storytelling.
I will remember this ad for years to come. On the subject of Diwali, I will narrate this ad to others (including non-advertising people). I will be in mild unrest till I write a festive ad, just as good.
"For the last four years, HP has been leveraging Diwali to tell compelling stories with a focus on promoting and supporting small businesses. This time also, the *#ChaloRoshniKiOar* film pulled us in, urging people towards digital education to not just drive sales but also to sustain their business in the modern world. It perfectly furthers their efforts as seen last year when they set up small vendors in their HP showrooms."
Agarwal also spoke about another campaign that she resonated with. She said, "For me, any campaign that tells a compelling story is a firecracker, especially when that story seamlessly ties back to the occasion. And I think *Eicher’s ‘Har Safar Roshan’* does that rather uniquely. We have all faced the reality where we have had to work late, even during the festivals, and women have also faced the reality of feeling unsafe in the late hours. The campaign builds an almost universal relatability with this dual depiction. And then leaves us with a warm, festive feeling through a gesture of genuine care, while also promoting the brand’s message of ‘nayi soch'."
“I’m sure everyone will agree that it is more difficult for brands to stand out during the Diwali advertising noise than the rest of the year. Every brand tries its best to give you the warm feels, a tad differently, but it is tough to get past the emotional fatigue that has set in. Conceptually, however, I would still say that Cadbury’s Diwali work on giving a platform to homepreneurs stands out for its social impact rather than its advertising value.
The charitable and empowering ethos of the campaign is a little predictable and stretched too thin on its third iteration, though.”
“Diwali presents a golden opportunity for brands to elevate their communication and shine a spotlight on their products while consumers indulge in festive shopping. What sets Cadbury's Diwali campaign apart is its exquisite focus on smaller businesses, staying authentic to its brand ethos. In recognizing Diwali as a season for goodwill, their altruistic gesture truly stands out. The Cadbury's Diwali campaign teaches us the art of crafting a compelling narrative and seamlessly incorporating technology to forge an impactful campaign for the greater good.”
Other experts talked about their picks as well:
Pooja Manek, Creative and Founding Member of Talented
‘British Airways - Happy Diwali’
“As a fan of global BA campaigns, I’m not surprised that this one hit home. Most times when brands try to focus on their staff working on Diwali, it feels a tad bit too melancholic. It is a sad reality, but the tone and sentiment of the voiceovers from family here uplift the spirits, applauding the staff for ‘the larger good’ spirit while being hopeful that they themselves will be flying to families' homes soon. It’s not sombre, but optimistic and cheery. Beautifully crafted.”
Samir Datar, Chief Strategy Officer of Crayons Advertising Ltd
"While most campaigns this Diwali feel like a rehash of what was done earlier, I thought one campaign was quite disruptive. It created conversations, incredulousness and a lot of speculation.
A few days back, Croma had an ad which was talking about various kinds of Mithai for this Diwali. It created a lot of conversations in marketing and advertising circles. Even in their social posts, the comments were about people wondering. People actually wrote long posts on whether Croma has utterly lost it or how it is such a great brand extension. But then started the real campaign. “This Diwali get mithai ke budget mein gadgets”
Very interesting and actually quite on point. For gifting we keep looking for stuff that won’t be too heavy on the pocket nor will it be considered a cheap gift that will be thrown away. This entire campaign targeted that sentiment. The way they created intrigue and the idea of gadgets for the price of sweets. Well done."
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