Our feeds are inundated with brand-sponsored nation worship on Independence Day. There’s nothing inherently wrong with that, but I’m always curious to learn more about the brand of patriotism that businesses decide to adopt each year. They reveal the country’s bigger brand narrative that is now popular as well as the kind of national identity that connects with particular consumer cohorts.
In the past, advertisements have adopted a critical stance toward “Brand India.” 2012’s “Behave yourself, India. The campaign “Youth is Watching” immediately springs to mind. It poignantly made a point by presenting us with a very genuine mirror and spoke to The Hindu’s left-of-center readership.
Likewise, the Times of India Group’s 2007 India vs. India advertisement for the project India Poised honored the nation’s recent achievements and growing significance on the international stage. It also carried out a critical evaluation of the areas where India fell short. Even today, the contrast between the idealistic message and the harsh reality as told by none other than Amitabh Bachchan still gives people the chills.
One India dwells in our hearts of optimism, while the other hides in our minds of skepticism. Sadly, even 15 years later, those words still ring extremely true.
Today, as a result of the socio-political milieu, companies that are targeting the general Indian population err on the side of optimism. Sometimes, this is done really well. as was the most recent #IndiaKiUdaan Google campaign, with a great deal of taste. This nearly two-minute-long tale gently positions India’s never-ending pursuit for the greatest. It was created using Google’s successful, tried-and-true “year in search” storytelling style.
The first general election, the Five-Year Plan, the Green Revolution, the beginning of the Indian Space Program, and more recent landmarks like the Right to Education Act, the Section 377 ruling, the Made in India COVID-19 vaccine, and India’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions are just a few of India’s historical turning points. This ad conveys a narrative of “firsts” that is both proud and, it must be said, incredibly worn out.
In a similar vein, Thumps Up’s #HarHaathToofan campaign honors sports and marks the 75th anniversary of India’s independence.
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