What does Indian pride look like in ads today?

Picture a young freedom fighter in 1942, slipping through the narrow gullies of Old Delhi at dawn, clutching handwritten pamphlets that read Quit India in bold letters. These weren’t advertisements in the modern sense, but they carried the first seeds of what would become Indian marketing’s most enduring emotion. Pride. The language of pride didn’t start with ad agencies; it began with whispered hopes, smuggled leaflets, and the big dream of a free nation.

Every August, as India gears up for Independence Day, brands across industries tap into that same emotion. Today, as brands compete for mindshare during Independence Day season, they're tapping into the same wellspring of emotion that once moved millions to risk everything for freedom.

But something fundamental has changed. The pride that once unified a nation against colonial rule now works in a society with countless different views.

When pride wore all three colours

If you grew up in India in the late 1980s or early 1990s, you knew exactly what national pride looked like on screen. It was Mile Sur Mera Tumhara, the six-minute anthem where voices from across the country sang in 14 different Indian languages. Even 35 years later, it still sparks a wave of pride for anyone who remembers watching it on Doordarshan on a Sunday evening.

Back then, this was the golden formula to evoke patriotism. Pride shown through big, shared symbols that every Indian could recognise. Pragati Rana, Head of Originals, Regional Creative Officer - West and Founding Partner, tgthr. recalls the era and says, “Earlier, it was all about familiar icons—soldiers in uniform, inspiring stories of people from across India, making an ‘Indian’ ad with a Bharatnatyam dancer, a steaming cup of chai, or a woman in a saree. It was the language of shared symbols.”

Subodh Chaubey, Creative Director, Infectious Advertising, agrees, "I think 'pride' IS the trope. Whether it's pride in the flag or its colours, the country's diversity, or the stories - we've seen many celebrations of India over the years."

This was no accident. In the newly liberalised 1990s, brands needed a quick way to instil pride that resonated across languages, regions, and social classes. The tricolour, classical music, traditional dance, and stories of heroism became the visual shorthand that could speak to 800 million people at once back then.

Brands like Cadbury have executed this well, exemplified by a 1997 campaign depicting a group of girls forming a pyramid to free a stuck flag during its hoisting.

But as India changed, so has the way we feel and express pride.

Taking pride in digital democracy 

This change began in the 2010s, with the rise of digital media. Suddenly, the monopoly of large brands on patriotic messaging was broken. Naila Patel, Independent Creative Consultant, remembers, “Digital democratised media and handed the baton of opportunity to thousands of small and medium brands across the country.”

This difference was noticeable. “[Today] Independence Day celebrations don’t start and end with full-page print ads or TV commercials from big names anymore,” Patel says. “Now we see individuality, diversity, and even a bit of quirk. More brands are finding ways to be part of the larger ‘Pride’ conversation.”

However, Chaubey notes that authentic connection matters more than grand gestures: "And life moves Indian's far more than heroics or legacy. Axis Bank's #FindYourIndia campaign did it well - finding nuances across India, in language and culture."

Axis Bank's campaign highlighted the fact that India is wherever you want it to be. People who migrate to different states find new identities, and the locals make them their own. And among all of this, one thing that remains constant is that Axis is available whichever India you go to.

The focus also shifted. Earlier, brands mainly spoke about being proud to be Indian. Now, many brands want consumers to feel proud of them. “It’s gone from ‘we are proud of India’ to also ‘India should be proud of us,’” Patel explains.

This means brands now position themselves as proof of India's growth. Instead of just borrowing patriotic symbols, they intend to show how their sector contributes to the nation’s improvement.
This has opened the door for fresh, creative approaches. This year, Tata Tea Premium moved beyond generic patriotic imagery with hyper-local campaigns that celebrated regional heritage through limited-edition hand-painted kettles inspired by some of India’s iconic art forms. Through this campaign, the brand aimed to showcase that the company celebrates and preserves what makes India special. 

MediBuddy's Independence Day campaign followed this approach as well. Rather than focusing on their brand alone, they highlighted broader changes in India's healthcare landscape. The campaign acknowledged that healthcare access remains a significant challenge, but showed how digital solutions across the industry are beginning to address these gaps. They positioned online consultations as proof that India's healthcare industry is transforming and catching up with the world.

Today’s most impactful campaigns evoking pride don’t just talk about India, they live it. According to our creative folks, three clear approaches are visible today: 

As a product

Cadbury’s Unity Bar from 2019 mixed different types of chocolate in one pack to symbolise India’s diversity. The idea got people talking, but not always positively. Critics saw it as a shallow marketing trick that reduced a complex idea to a product. Still, as Rana points out, it “sparked conversation and controversy in equal measure”.

As a solution 

A more effective approach is when brands make Indian heritage useful for modern problems. Axis Bank’s Sanskrit Password campaign for Independence Day 2024 did this. It showed an almost-empty Sanskrit classroom, with a teacher remembering the days when the language was widely studied. For the climax, the brand encouraged people to use Sanskrit words for stronger digital passwords, since cybercriminals rarely target the language.

As a personal choice

The most subtle shift is how pride is now linked to personal freedom. Ajio’s Fashion Beyond Labels campaign urged people to ‘see freedom not in waving flags, but in shrugging off the stereotypes stitched into our wardrobes.’ This marked a move from collective rituals to individual expression as the ad ended with the tagline – Labels are for clothes, not people. 

Chaubey believes this personal approach resonates more deeply: "And while there's never diluting the pride we have in our country, the ones that remind us of our role hit closer home. Like the iconic Azadi monologue by Piyush Mishra for Liberty Shoes. Just reminds us to do more for our country, so we can have more to be proud of."

Patriotism is changing

Pride in Indian marketing is becoming more personal and practical. The days of one-size-fits-all patriotism are over. Now, we are seeing different kinds of pride like regional, generational, cultural, professional, and personal.

In a country where a Tamil film can break records in Punjab, a Gujarati entrepreneur can be celebrated in Bengal, and a Sikh farmer can inspire millions, pride has become beautifully diverse. As Rana says, “Pride still takes centre stage. Only now, it’s in a different costume.”

In 1942, pamphlets called for freedom. Today’s campaigns ask for the freedom to feel proud in your own way, while still being part of something bigger. That’s the challenge and opportunity for brands in India now.