Content, Digital Marketing, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOver, Social Media, Topical

Diwali Campaign Talk over

Every brand needs a story that resonates with its audience. As Diwali approaches, many companies have come through with advertisements that highlight various aspects of the festival of lights, from the tales that come from it to highlight the lesser-seen aspects of it.

In this TalkOver, we’ll discuss some of our favorite Diwali campaigns. Marketers highlighting what we love about marketing!

Today we will explore brilliant Diwali campaigns from Luminous and Real Fruit Powers conceived by our very own team! Discover how these ads struck an emotional chord by embodying the festival’s deeper meaning. Let’s get into what exactly made these ads brighten our day.

Luminous

Since they are a company that deals in lights and electricity, the expectations for Diwali campaigns from Luminous are high, and they definitely met them this year. The story is simple, brought to life by well-done shots and metaphorical language, exploring how Diwali isn’t just a festival, but a day of hope for a better future.

The ad follows a driver working for a wealthy family. On Diwali, he has no time to be there in person for his own family, pausing only to make sure his house has a light, not for celebration, but for education. He must make sure his daughter receives all the support possible to become a doctor. He toils endlessly and his struggles are rewarded by a Diwali bonus by his employer; the gift of light. This time, both for celebration and education. A straightforward story, but 3.5 million views in merely a week shows the importance of including stories that have a bit of everything associated with Diwali.

The campaign stressed the importance of family, ideals of sacrifice, and generosity, and brought a fitting ending of a happy daughter looking up at recently installed Diwali lights, brightening her face. Those lights weren’t just a moment of happiness but resembled an entire world of possibilities.

Real Fruit Power

Whereas Real Fruit Power also won the hearts of 8.9 million viewers. In the heartfelt Real Fruit Power advertisement, a dedicated constable goes above and beyond, delivering Diwali hampers to his colleagues and commissioner while skipping his lunch upon a call from his superior.

While everyone relishes being home during Diwali, Alok has no off and he is supposed to serve the night shift, After delivering the hampers and completing his task he briefly visits his family, leaving them unaware of his duty-bound absence. His joyous children and wife look forward to celebrating Diwali with Alok but little do they know that Alok won’t be able to, saddened by this he’s interrupted by a doorbell – it’s his Madam Sir.

Worried, Alok questions if he missed anyone, but Madam Sir smiles and says ‘Jo humari greetings sab tak pohochata hai uske liye real greetings to banti hai’ emphasizing the significance of reaching out to those closest to us.

The ad’s core message urges acknowledging and caring for our closest aides, reminding us amidst gifting loved ones that those who truly support us also deserve recognition.

This Diwali, extend gratitude through Dabur Real Greetings, sharing the gift of fruit nutrition with those who genuinely care.  Real Fruit Power ad profoundly resonates with its audience, imparting a touching message likely to linger in the hearts of viewers.

Conclusion

Both campaigns deliver a strong yet touching message to the viewers, prompting their emotions to take action for the welfare of others.

These ads are exactly why we choose to be marketers. They go beyond Diwali being a single day and expand it into something that can ignite a flame in people to not only achieve their goals but also share their humanity. A feeling everyone needs.

Choosing a winner between these two campaigns is hard, but watching them was a pleasure. What do you think? Let us know which campaign lit up your day!

Digital Marketing, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOver, Topical, UncategorizedLeave a comment

The Talk Over – Aastrika and Philips

Every brand needs a story that strikes a chord with its audience. There are so many exciting marketing campaigns and commercials that not only help brands sell their products but also capture hearts through heartwarming stories. The TalkOver brings you some of our favorite campaigns of all time, told through our team members’ perspectives.

This TalkOver, we dive into Women’s Day campaigns, bringing in our top picks from Phillips and Aastrika Midwifery Centre created by yours truly! Get ready for an exciting breakdown of some inspiring campaigns.

Read on to uncover the heartwarming ways these two campaigns have promoted Women’s Day.

Let’s go!

Philips | #ExpressYourWay

Philips India launched a new campaign, #ExpressYourWay. The campaign is a special initiative to celebrate the multifaceted personality of a woman, especially her role as a mother. The aim is to inspire and encourage all mothers to embrace their transformation and continue to be strong and amazing women.

The quirky stand-up act featuring Neha Dhupia, in my opinion, delves into relatable anecdotes about motherhood, highlighting the challenges of the journey. The campaign’s main message is that there is no right or wrong way to parent; there is only one way– your way.

The campaign is a heartwarming tribute to the journey of motherhood, emphasizing the importance of embracing imperfections and unconditionally loving oneself. The advertisement is relatable, genuine, and empowering, making it an excellent initiative for International Women’s Day.

Aastrika Midwifery Centre | #LittleStepsOfChange  

As a marketing agency, we have had the pleasure of working with Aastrika Midwifery Centre. We recently launched a campaign that successfully establishes AMC as a significant contributor in the maternity care sector that is focusing on empowering women through their birthing journeys. The campaign aims to raise awareness of the many little decisions and actions that can impact a woman’s birth experience, including the use of birth plans, working with doulas, receiving respectful labor support, engaging in skin-to-skin contact, and accessing postnatal care.

It focuses on the importance of the little things that contribute to a positive birthing experience. It features clients talking about the little things that made a huge difference in their birthing journey, and a collaboration post with Aastrika Foundation highlighting the importance of the little steps.

Overall, I believe this campaign focuses on small but meaningful details, like a commitment to improving the holistic birthing experience and promoting a sense of calm and comfort for expectant mothers. The creative execution is engaging and interactive, and the client highlights add credibility to the campaign’s message.
Both campaigns hit home by amplifying important messages that need to be heard especially on International Women’s Day. What do you think? Feel free to tell us your thoughts! You can reach out to us on any of our social media handles, our DMs are always open. 😉

Website_blog-_banner_Nutella_and_swiggy-1
Digital Marketing, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOver, Social Media, TopicalLeave a comment

The TalkOver: Nutella and Swiggy

Every advertisement campaign is designed to bring the audience closer to the brand, create a connection with them, and increase their recall value. 

We bring you The Talkover; this festive season, we’re talking about two Christmas campaigns that has really got us in the holiday mood.

Today, we are gushing over two of everyone’s favourite brands: Swiggy, known for its quirky, witty, and fun advertisements, and Nutella, known for its appetising, sweet, and warm content. 

Read on, and tell us which campaign is your favourite. 

Swiggy’s – Santa Open To Work Campaign

Swiggy has always created clever, humorous campaigns that struck a chord with people’s emotions. And their  #SantaOpenToWork campaign was precisely that. The campaign was a clever way of illustrating how gift-givers, like Santa, can outsource all of their delivery responsibilities to Swiggy Genie and start looking for other jobs.

It was a refreshing perspective on the holiday season. The main idea behind the campaign was to show how Swiggy Genie can take care of all deliverable orders, giving people time to do a lot of other things.

The advertisement showed Santa reaching out to thousands of potential employers via LinkedIn, internet ads, emails, business cards, posters, and even a video CV in order to find a new job. As part of the campaign, Swiggy made Santa’s fliers and business cards with a QR code with their Genie and Instamart orders. So, when someone scans the QR code, it will take them to a YouTube video of Santa discussing his resume like a pro. Swiggy also distributed unbranded tear-able posters across offices in order to target employers directly. They did this so that office workers could tear out the contact information and share it with each other and their HR departments to see Santa’s video CV online. They also made digital ads where people could view Santa’s video on different social media platforms. 

All of these small details made the campaign successful. While Santa is #OpenToWork and trying to find a job, Swiggy Genie is #OpenToDeliveries and spreading smiles! 

Nutella – Nutella With Love 

Nutella’s #NutellaWithLove campaign was launched to spread love and make the holidays more special. Nutella always tries to interact with consumers across India through their digital and traditional marketing techniques, bringing joy to the celebration.  

The advertisement, created for the Christmas campaign, focused on uniqueness and encouraged Nutella lovers to craft, share, and surprise their loved ones with personalised Nutella jars during the holiday season. 

The brand introduced energetic and loving Ranveer Singh as their Secret Santa, whose Nutella obsession is no secret to anyone. 

Through an exciting digital contest, the brand provided a platform for all Nutella enthusiasts to get their personalised wishes on Nutella jars and Christmas hampers. To do that, customers, had to visit the Nutella website, create a Nutella recipe, and share it on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag #NutellaWithLove. A Nutella hamper was given to the top 25 most loved recipes.

Along with personalisation and consumer engagement, the brand also created a unique experience for Nutella fans by giving them access to limited-time collectible Christmas packs which were available in 350-gram variants with a QR code that redirected them to discover all the Nutella special content, like – DIY, Nutella recipes, and up-cycling tutorials, by simply scanning the QR code on the jar. Nutella lovers could choose their favourite Christmas dish with Nutella, bake it with love, and share it with their loved ones. 

In the end, both campaigns did an amazing job of leveraging social media platforms. While Swiggy took a witty turn to introduce its delivery services and made everyone smile with Santa’s wholesome video resume, Nutella went ahead and interacted with the customers by customising personalised Nutella jars for them. 

All in all, Christmas campaigns are known for spreading smiles and joy. So which Christmas campaign made you smile more: Swiggy or Nutella?

The-talkover-Cadbury-v_s-coca-cola-blog
Digital Marketing, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOver, Social Media, TopicalLeave a comment

The TalkOver: Cadbury vs Coca-Cola

Every brand needs a story that strikes a chord with its audience. There are so many exciting marketing campaigns and commercials that not only help brands sell their products but also capture hearts through heartwarming stories. The TalkOver brings you some of our favorite campaigns of all time, told through our team members’ perspectives.

However, we’ll let YOU be the judge of it. Read on and tell us which is the better campaign according to you.

This time on the TalkOver, we’re gushing over these Diwali campaigns that have gotten everyone talking. On Team Cadbury is Jo, who picks Cadbury’s Diwali campaign while Kunika, on Team Coca-cola, picks Coca-cola’s Diwali campaign.

Let’s go!

Cadbury – Not just a Cadbury Ad

Cadbury Celebrations | Not Just A Cadbury Ad

Cadbury has always been a household name around the Diwali time and so have their ads. Their ads are relatable and connect with their audience instantly. This campaign however, connects with their audience on a whole other level! The Not just a Cadbury Ad campaign, starring the legendary actor– Shah Rukh Khan, (to me, that’s already a win) was released in Diwali, 2021 and conceptualized and executed in collaboration with Rephrase.ai, Ogilvy and Wavemaker.

The ad follows Shah Rukh Khan talking himself up with all the new things he’s bought for Diwali from the local shops around him and urging the audience to do the same. What’s special about this ad is that it was simply a template for any small business to use. With AI, businesses could have their products advertised by Shah Rukh Khan! Again, that’s a win in my books. But we have numbers to back this up!

The technology and thought behind this campaign was so unique and never done before, that these results seem inevitable–

  • 105k users logged on to the NotJustACadburyAd.com to create their own ads
  • 139k different versions of the ad were created and shared through social media

There isn’t a person in the country who wouldn’t have felt the repercussions of the pandemic. The Cadbury campaign resonates with its audience because of its honest intention to genuinely do some good. Be it the consumer or a business owner, the Cadbury campaign gives a glimmer of hope that drives a post-pandemic Diwali.

Not Just A Cadbury Ad, like its name, was aimed to look out not just for the identity of the brand but also for the many other businesses that went unidentified and unappreciated after the pandemic. The ads pushed for a good cause by helping lift up local shops, and is overall a well thought out campaign.

Coca-cola – Milke hi manegi Diwali

Coca-Cola | Follow the bottle

Coca-cola has always been synonymous with greeting guests in Indian households, more so on festive occasions like Diwali gettogethers, visits, parties, etc. (which usually happens when friends and family meet, in person). Coca-cola’s latest Diwali Campaign, ups this a notch by encouraging people to not just ‘greet’ but also ‘meet’ to celebrate Diwali. 

The best part of the campaign is the one-of-a-kind tech-driven packaging update which PROMISES/guarantees to bring people closer, much like depicted in the commercial! A special Bluetooth-enabled locked cap, that is programmed to open only in the presence of the sender’s mobile phone. A smart idea symbolizing an emotional promise made to meet in person.

The Campaign ad follows a young man working alone late at night, responding to various text greetings with happy emojis while looking pretty exhausted in reality. This is when he happens to see a Coca-Cola bottle attached to a red ribbon. He grabs a hold and follows the ribbon until he arrives at a Diwali party, reunited with his family to celebrate Diwali.

This is also specially impactful given this is the first Diwali after the pandemic when people can freely travel and meet their family without any fear of infection, breaking the two-year long period of ‘virtual greetings’. 

The campaign worked because it pulled on just the right strings of nostalgia and friendship. The audience feels the need to go a little over the top just to make meeting, after a whole pandemic, that much more special.

Overall, Coca-cola’s #MilkeManayengeDiwali 360-Campaign spoke for the whole Indian demographic celebrating Diwali this year in the physical presence of their families and loved ones. As promised by the creative masterminds behind the campaign, the ad provided a positive nudge for people to come closer together WITH a chilled coke, of course! 

In closing, both campaigns hit home in very different ways. While Coca-cola manages to rekindle friendships and bonds in the post-pandemic era, Cadbury manages to bring hope to businesses that struggled. Both campaigns brilliantly make use of tech in positive and innovative ways, pulling at your heartstrings. It’s tough to decide which brand did it better, so let’s just say Shah Rukh wins.

Which brand do you think aced their Diwali campaign? Are you on Team Coca-cola, Team Cadbury or Team Shah Rukh like us?

World Podcast Day
Podcasts, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOver, Social Media, TopicalLeave a comment

4 Podcasts You Need to Listen to this World Podcast Day

Binge watching a show or doing a movie marathon may seem like good ways to wind down over the weekend. But, the winding down need not be saved just for the weekend. Podcasts are a great way to relax even when you’re on the go. Besides, podcasts can also be a valuable source of information.

Over the past couple of years, we aren’t the only ones who have absolutely enjoyed listening to podcasts. The podcast scene has been booming with so many new creators to choose from, especially in the Marketing and Media fields. So, this World Podcast Day, we’re celebrating some of our favorite episodes that could help you learn something new, motivate you to do more or maybe just help you calm yourself!

  1. Advertising is Dead.

Advertising is Dead is a weekly podcast hosted by Varun Duggirala. Varun delves into all things media, startups and brands with fresh insights and new takes. The podcast often brings on experts in the industry that make for riveting discussions.

Episodes we recommend:

In this episode, Varun speaks with Rishabh Sharma– Head at TwitterNext India. They discuss the India Twitter Trends report and highlights. Rishabh Sharma delves into the trends in detail and even takes you through the research process.

Here Advertising is Dead brings on Manish Pandey– Content Strategist, Photographer and Consultant to discuss the ever evolving creator/influencer scene. The episode discusses experimenting with content creators like Ranveer Allahbadia, Prajakta Koli, Bhuvan Bam, etc, optimizing content and many useful insights.

  1. Founder Thesis

Founder Thesis by ThePodium.in, is a podcast hosted by Akshay Datt. Akshay is a serial entrepreneur and a LinkedIn Micro-influencer with a fascination for people who disrupt the norm. The Founder Thesis podcast talks about just that. The podcast discusses the stories of many successes and failures, and of hardworking entrepreneurs who have made a mark.

Episodes we recommend:

The episode delves into a candid conversation with Malika Sadani and Mohit Sadani, the founders of The Moms Company– a Mom and Baby Care brand. They discuss the journey of building The Moms Company as well as the fundamentals of building a contemporary brand.

  1. The Seen and The Unseen.

Hosted by Amit Varma, The Seen and The Unseen gets its title from a popular essay written by Frédéric Bastiat. Much like the essay, the podcast discusses the intended and unintended consequences of public policies on society. Later the podcast delves into in depth interviews on philosophy and thought with multiple guests.

Episodes we recommend:

Though all of the episodes on the podcast have a lot to offer, we recommend this one. In the episode Amit interviews Nishant Jain, a.k.a Sneaky Artist on his journey as an artist. Nishant Jain also discusses his insights and thoughts on the current creator economy.

  1. The Social Pros.

The Social Pros Podcast is one of the most popular marketing podcasts in the world. Created by Jay Baer and Adam Brown, Social Pros gives you valuable insight into the marketing world by inviting real people in the social media world to give you the inside scoop.

Episodes we recommend:

In this episode, José Avila– Customer Engagement Transformation Lead at Sanofi, takes center stage to discuss breaking out of your comfort zone within Pharma. He talks of wanting to make the Pharma landscape more transparent and helpful to customers. This episode is packed with helpful tips and genuine advice that could help you with your own media strategy.

Content, LGBTQIA, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOverLeave a comment

The TalkOver – Fastrack and Bhima Jewellery

Pride Month, a time to honour the struggle of the LGBTQ+ community for acceptance and equality, takes us back to the Stonewall Riots in New York City in 1969. LGBTQ patrons of the Stonewall Inn, who were mostly people of colour, fought back against the police after being harassed and targeted, which resulted in four nights of rioting. Over the years, as the importance of the movement grew, brands too began coming out in support of Pride, through creative campaigns and messaging to promote awareness. 

We are in the middle of Pride Month, so we decided to review a couple of our favourite ad campaigns in recent years. Urmi chose “Come out of the closet” by Fastrack while Rohit selected “Pure as love” by Bhima Jewellery. Both these campaigns embrace the plurality of gender, in their own unique ways— one with an audacious punch, while the other through a moving narrative.

Fastrack: Come out of the closet.

For many years, discussions on the LGBTQ community were forbidden in the Indian advertising industry. Today, however, certain ground-breaking initiatives in recognizing the community exist, one of which is the Fastrack advertising “Come out of the closet & move on.”

We liked this commercial since it was the first time in India that a television advertisement featured a lesbian pair. Inside the closet, the Lesbian duo is altering their clothes, and viewers are forced to speculate what the ladies were up to behind closed doors. The message “Come out of the closet” encourages users to leave their comfort closets. It all comes to a close with Fastrack’s now-famous byline, “Move On.” We’ve seen a strong brand interact with and tap into a variety of taboos for advertisers to consider. It had piqued the public’s interest and sparked a discussion. Fastrack’s Facebook page, which has 6.8 million followers, and YouTube, where the commercial has been viewed over 100,000 times.

It’s a terrific place to start for folks who want to think more progressive. It was wonderful to see corporations take a stand for homosexuality, and we can use advertising to educate people about such social standards.

Bhima Jewellery: Pure as love

Pure as love: Bhima Jewellery

People who do not comply with society’s norms have been despised and marginalised throughout history. Transgender persons are an example of one such community that continues to face ostracisation and abuse. 

The ad “Pure as Love” by Bhima Jewellery depicts the transformation of a young adolescent into a joyful, confident woman, thanks to support of their loving, caring family. The simplicity and sensitivity with which the storyline is portrayed effectively conveys how love and support can nurture a person to stay true to themselves.

While some may argue that what the ad depicts is utopian and that our society is still a long way from becoming as welcoming as the young woman’s parents in the commercial, I believe this is a wonderful start.

In India, jewellery advertisements are all about promoting femininity, or more specifically, the society’s sanctioned definition of femininity. As a result, Bhima’s ad stands out, and it does it beautifully.

As one might expect, the ad received a lot of positive feedback and acclaim.

Do leave a comment to let us know your thoughts.

Content, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOverLeave a comment

The TalkOver- Facebook and Surf Excel

Every brand needs a story that strikes a chord with its audience. There are so many exciting marketing campaigns and commercials that not only help brands sell their products but also capture hearts through heartwarming stories. The TalkOver brings you some of our favourite campaigns of all time, told through our team members’ perspectives.

With the season of colour upon us, we decided to check out some great advertisements by various brands on the occasion of Holi. While Sudhanshu chose the ‘More Together’ campaign by social media giant Facebook which was launched during Holi 2020, Sakshi decided to pick the campaign labelled ‘Rang Laaye Sang’ by Surf Excel from Holi 2019. Whilst both the brands focus on bringing people together, the paths chosen are quite divergent. Read the individual reviews to know how these two brands have interpreted the idea of colours bringing people together, in their own heartwarming ways. 

Facebook – More Together

This beautiful campaign by Facebook, labelled ‘More Together’ was launched in India in March 2020, just before the nightmare of the virus took over our lives. The advertisement perfectly captured the essence of Holi and the holiday spirit that it entails. Translated in 8 languages and showcased on TV and Social Media, the campaign earned huge praise from people in the advertising world.

Created by the agency – Taproot Dentsu, the advertisement showcases a young Indian named Ketan, living in Romania who through Facebook gets updates about his friends playing Holi together in India. This FOMO is experienced by several students who are either studying or working abroad. Before there are any more spoilers suggest you have a look at the advertisement below:-

We have over 32 million Indians living abroad, most of whom can’t make it back for most of the major Indian festivals. Imagine them being able to enjoy certain festivals due to the power of an application. The advertisement is able to capture how the world is beautifully connected using Facebook, which has managed to break the actual physical barriers between people.

In the ad, you can see the Romanian connections answer the call to bring Holi to Romania. Using whatever they can find to create colours “Romanian Style”, these guys head to the store where Ketan works and invite him outside to play Holi. “More Together” captures the cultural nuances of togetherness and the festival perfectly. 

‘The more you open up to the world, the more the world opens up to you’

Facebook, nicely done.

Surf Excel – #RangLaayeSang

On Holi, every year, Surf Excel comes up with a vibrant campaign that captures the essence of this festival in unique ways. Their 2019 campaign became my favourite. The choice of using a pleasing visual to portray a powerful message won over many hearts.

Their idea of “Apnepan ke rang se auron ko rangne main daag lag jaaye, toh DAAG ACCHE HAIN!” was not only an excellent extension of Surf Excel’s popular tagline, but also a prominent message on bringing people together – a core part of Indian festivities. 

The use of a noisy Indian mohallah setup, showing a typical Holi morning where kids are playing with colours and water, is a very relatable scenario for all viewers. The story starts with a girl asking her friends to throw colours and splash water on her – a very unusual call that leaves viewers curious. The climax shows the girl helping a boy who wants to go for his daily prayers (namaz) by shielding him from all the colours, painting a delightful picture of friendship, love and solidarity. The end of the commercial brings in smiles as the girl drops him off outside the Mosque to say – you’ll be coloured after your prayers though!

Despite its humane messaging, this commercial managed to fall prey to controversies. Charges of ‘Love Jihad’ and ‘Namaz being portrayed as more important than Hindu festivities’ were levied. Surf Excel was forced to take the ad down. However, the commercial did make an unforgettable impact on a vast number of viewers.

In my opinion, the commercial was a very optimistic approach to promoting the idea of communal harmony. Well done, Surf Excel! 

Content, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOverLeave a comment

The TalkOver- KFC or Puma

Every brand needs a story that strikes a chord with its audience. There are so many exciting marketing campaigns and commercials that not only help brands sell their products but also capture hearts through heartwarming stories. The TalkOver brings you some of our favourite campaigns of all time, told through our team members’ perspectives.

However, we’ll let YOU be the judge of it. Read on and tell us which is the better campaign according to you.

Since it’s Valentines week, we decided to look at some of the best marketing campaigns over the past decade. With Chirag picking Team KFC and its finger lickin’ good ad, Sudhanshu chose Pumas’ highly engaging marketing campaign for football fans worldwide. Let’s dive right in.

KFC – Love is Forever 

KFC is known not just for serving world-class fried chicken but also dishing out impactful campaigns. One such example is KFC’s ‘Love is Forever’ commercial, released back in 2011. The ad opens with a group of kids enjoying a KFC meal outside while an old woman looks at them from her balcony; sniffing the air in reminiscence of her childhood. Following this, the ad progresses in a ‘life-in-reverse’ chronology showing the old couple dancing through different life stages. They get younger and younger as they dance before turning into children again. The sequence of events blends beautifully with the background song (Your Song), originally performed by Elton John. A cover of the song sung by Ellie Goulding is used in the commercial. 

The commercial ends with the two kids lying in bed, when the girl says “I’m hungry.” The camera zooms out to show a sticker bearing the Colonel’s face and the words “So Good”.

The commercial resonated with its audience because of its refreshing storytelling and mesmerising visuals. It left the viewers with a warm and fuzzy feeling, usually associated with the satisfaction of having a KFC meal. The “memories” theme highlighted throughout the commercial effortlessly tugs at the viewers’ heartstrings. 

The commercial has garnered over 800K views on YouTube and is considered one of KFC’s finest campaigns to date.

Puma (Puma Hardchorus)

Football or your better half? An age-old question to which we still don’t have any definite answer. It really is the ultimate trick question, ain’t it?

With the 2010 FIFA World Cup in June, the likes of Nike and Adidas with huge marketing campaigns had roped in several football stars from around the globe and shot several commercials. Puma, although a significant player in the footballing world, lacked the deep pockets of Nike or Adidas. On a humble budget, Puma and its advertising agency DROGA5, NY decided to engage with the fans rather than the stars of the game. With Valentine’s Day around the corner, they decided to capitalise on the fact that after several years, Valentine’s day and FA Cup games both were on Sunday. This ultimate opportunity to dramatise and amplify what a fan goes through every single time when choosing between love and football was something Puma simply couldn’t pass up [1].

Launched in February 2010, Puma Harchorus, was a digital love letter by football fans of various clubs and countries all saying sorry to their better halves, that they couldn’t make Valentine’s work this year. What we see are men in pubs singing songs by Savage Garden to their heart’s content. This trend picked up and several fan clubs across Europe also joined in, recording their singing sessions using bare minimum equipment and sending their entries to Puma.

Puma spent only 1/10th as compared to its competitors while roping in huge numbers of in-store walk-ins, an increase in social media followers and 1.8 million users visited Puma online. Within two weeks of the campaign launch, the video had 5 million views and over 50,000 of these videos were made by fans across 121 countries [2].

Kudos to the advertising team:-

Advertising Agency: DROGA5, New York

Executive Creative Director: Ted Royer/Duncan Marshall

Creative Director: Neil Heymann

Copywriter: Erik Hogfeldt

Art Director: Petter Hernmarck

Production Company: KNUCKLEHEAD London UNITED KINGDOM

Director:Ben Gregor

Post Production:The Mill

Content, Postcard Media, Postcard TalkOverLeave a comment

The TalkOver- Coca Cola Vs Pepsi

Every brand needs a story that strikes a chord with its audience. There are so many exciting marketing campaigns and commercials that not only help brands sell their products, but also capture hearts through heartwarming stories. The TalkOver brings you some of our favourite campaigns of all time, told through our team members’ perspectives.

However, we’ll let YOU be the judge of it. Read on and tell us which is the better campaign according to you.

This week, we have Team Coca Cola – Chirag and Team Pepsi – Sudhanshu, sharing their favourite Christmas commercial concepts from these two great rivals in the soda industry. 


P.S. – There are no wrong answers. 🙂

Coca Cola – The Letter 

Coca Cola‘s powerful Christmas commercial has been a breath of fresh air in an otherwise challenging year. Continuing its ‘Holidays are coming’ truck campaign (airing annually since 1995), the brand doubled down on its efforts this year with ‘The Letter.’ The heartwarming commercial harnesses the power of nostalgia to encourage everyone to give something only you can give – presence. 

The commercial follows a father who leaves home before holidays to work at an offshore oil rig before realising he forgot to post his daughter’s Christmas list. He then sets off on a heroic journey through seas, forests and open terrains to arrive at the North Pole, where Santa waits for him in the trademark Coca Cola truck. The commercial ends on a sweet twist as it reveals the daughter’s Christmas wish – for her father to return home. 

Directed by Oscar-winning director Taika Waititi – in partnership with Wieden+Kennedy London – and shot in his home country, the spot has also been critically acclaimed. Kantar, a market research company, ranked it as the most powerful advert of the year by organising a poll involving 3000 UK consumers. They were paired with LinkNow AI facial coding technology to reveal the campaign eliciting the most emotional response – all pointing to Coca Cola. This brilliant spot ranked 2nd on Kantar’s list of most powerful adverts of the season, just behind Coca Cola’s ‘Holidays are Coming.’ 

Final Verdict: Coca Cola’s commercial is proof that an impactful campaign resonates with its audience despite a pandemic. 

Pepsi – Nothing Else Is A Pepsi

There’s always been this huge debate between which cola drink is the better one, Coke or Pepsi? Although Coke was the first one on the scene and still enjoys a significantly higher market share, I have always been team Pepsi. I really don’t know why I enjoy Pepsi more. Some say it’s my sweet tooth that makes Pepsi my go-to drink as it’s sweeter than Coke. But for me, I just like the colours of the logo. 😉

You’ll remember those typical videos your friends used to share of foreign commercials? Or was it just my friends? Anyway, I found this gem of a commercial on a 700 MB CD during my school days. 

This is one of my favourite commercials from Pepsi made during the festive season of 1996.

The commercial shows 2 drivers, one from Pepsi and one from Coke, who stop at the same diner during the festive season. Tired from their long haul drive in the winter, they find themselves sitting on the same counter. What follows is a classic case of foes turning friends, particularly due to the festive nature. The conversation the drivers have about family and holidays is just so wholesome, before…. I won’t get into the commercial, no spoilers. This sweet and hilarious commercial is one of Pepsi’s most recognised commercials even today. Ranked among the top 10 commercials of all time, by a popular video blogger, this is one of the first foreign commercials I had seen. As a kid living this rivalry with my brother, who is a Coke fan, just made me associate with this concept even more. Also, I don’t know why but this ad just reminds of that dialogue from Home Alone – “Fuller, go easy on the Pepsi!” 

Everything about the commercials just gives me a feeling of winter – cake, movies and of course, Pepsi. It’s even more special now considering the commercials that either Pepsi or Coke come up with have a celebrity aspect to it and a strong opinion on current events. Although it does act as a platform to call out what is happening in the world, it turns its back on the focal point – the drink itself.

The commercial aired on American television from November 1996, and the lead agency for this project was BBDO NY, USA.

Which do you think was the best commercial? Tell us in the comments.