2nd October is celebrated every year as Gandhi Jayanti, the birth anniversary of Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. While Gandhi played a pivotal role in India’s freedom struggle against the British, he also established himself as one of the world’s greatest humanitarians. He became a voice for the poor, oppressed, and marginalized sections of society. That’s precisely why despite over seven decades after his death, Gandhi is still celebrated by civil rights leaders across the globe as one of the biggest proponents of equality and non-discrimination.
But is Gandhi merely confined to history books and museums, or is he still as relevant as he was? Well, these impactful brand commercials will give you a clear picture of what Gandhi means today and everything he stands for.
1. Star World: Celebrate The Mahatma (2019)
This 2019 advert by Star World was released to mark the 150th birth anniversary of MK Gandhi. The ad featured some of Bollywood’s top stars from Shahrukh Khan and Ranbir Kapoor to Alia Bhatt and Kangna Ranaut, who read out some of Gandhi’s most popular quotes. This 90-second spot beautifully encapsulates everything that Mahatma Gandhi preached and stood for and serves as an inspiration for future generations to follow the path of peace and tolerance.
2. Hindustan Unilever: The Day Gandhiji Returned (2018)
Mahatma Gandhi always said, be the change you want to see. To celebrate the 2018 Gandhi Jayanti, Hindustan Unilever came forward with an advert in which he showed us how.
The advert showcases people in different settings having food from street vendors and then littering the road with paper plates and leftover food items. However, the regret in their eyes is palpable when a person dressed up as Gandhi comes forward to clean up their mess. The message toward the end of the advert exhorts the audience to not merely remember Mahatma Gandhi but his values too. After all, they were what made him the Mahatma.
3. Eros Now Music: Gandhi Lives On (2020)
The best commercials are those that convey the message without a word being spoken and Eros Music Now did exactly that with this advert.
Eros Music Now released a hard-hitting commercial in 2020 that sought to draw people’s attention to how Gandhi had been confined to the currency notes while his values and teachings had dissipated long ago. The ad shows people showing less to no regard for anything that Gandhi espoused. From fighting over petty things and forgetting about Gandhi’s teachings of non-violence to openly resorting to bribery to get away from the police or to get some work done by government officials, this 75-second spot reflects the moral decadence that our society has undergone.
It’s ironic how a man who is so highly revered all around the world has been reduced to a historical subject within his homeland. Thus, the title of this advert, Gandhi Lives On, seems to be more of a sarcasm as people seem to recognize him only as a symbol on currency notes.
4. Indian Oil: Remembering Mahatma Gandhi (2020)
Not many people know that the use of indigenous products was one of the many things that Gandhi advocated to his fellow Indians. After all, the boycott of British goods and encouraging people to embrace Indian-made goods was one of the foundations on which the entire Non-Cooperation movement was built.
The commercial leverages the importance of self-reliance to promote Indian Oil as an out-and-out Indian brand. The 90-second spot features some breathtaking artwork while Gandhi’s favorite song “Vaishnav Jan to” plays in the background all along.
5. Byju’s: Bapu Ki Aawaz (2021)
In 2021, the Indian educational technology company Byju’s released a digital film that celebrated Mahatma Gandhi’s thoughts and ideas.
The commercial features the inspiring stories of four extraordinary Indians who brought about an impactful change in the lives of others by following in his footsteps and imbibing his ideals, values, and principles. The stories featured in the advert belong to Dr. Sapan Kumar Patralekh, Dr. Ganesh Rakh, Padma Shri Jamuna Tudu, and Kameshwar Waghmare. All four of them embodied the virtues that Gandhi stood for and their stories proved a testament to human resilience and benevolence.
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of some of the best Gandhi Jayanti adverts. Gandhi’s relentless pursuit of truth through non-violent means paved the way for his ascendence as one of the world’s biggest torchbearers of truth and justice. Hopefully, his ideas and values will continue to resonate with the world and he won’t merely be confined to books and museums.
We’ll be back with more amazing commercials. Till then, stay tuned!