It was India’s 76th Independence Day on 15th August and as usual, the country celebrated its historic day with much pomp and fare. Considering India’s massive population of 1.4 billion, it was obviously expected that brands would spare no effort in treating their target audience with well-crafted ad campaigns. And guess what, they didn’t disappoint us at all!
So, here are 5 awesome Indian Independence Day ads from 2023 that tugged at everyone’s heartstrings.
1. Zomato: Sometimes It’s OK to be Late
To mark Independence Day this year, the popular Indian food delivery app Zomato made a minor but impactful change to its promise of timely deliveries through an impressive 20-second spot.
The ad shows a Zomato customer calling his delivery partner to enquire about his food delivery. The delivery partner is shown paying his respect to the Indian national flag that is probably being hoisted in the customer’s housing society. The message toward the end of the commercial “There are days we might be a little late, on other days Zomato delivers on time.” beautifully highlights the brand’s commitment to its customers’ expectations while also underscoring its recognition of Indian Independence Day.
2. Britannia: 1947% More History
Indian multinational FMCG company Britannia Industries launched an ad campaign this Independence Day that presented a tribute to the generation of Indian freedom fighters by bringing on board some of the very last living freedom fighters.
The commercial captures the stories of five nonagenarians from across India including Leela Tai, Lt. Asha Sahay, Lt. R Madhavan, Lakshmi Krishnan, and Gour Hari Das. The advert also uses generative AI technology to recreate visuals from the Indian freedom movement and the younger profiles of the freedom fighters showcased in the advert.
3. Kalyan Jewellers: Wedding Day Duty Call
Indian jewelry brand Kalyan Jewellers released an impressive and empowering commercial this Independence Day that reiterated the fact that women are just as good as men, regardless of the nature of the job.
The ad shows a couple engaged in wedding day festivities. But an unexpected call from the armed forces demanding a quick return to the job puts a stop to the festivities. While the audience assumes that the call is for the husband, it turns out that the bride was indeed a member of the Indian army. The 40-second spot highlights the significance of one’s national duty and reminds viewers of the number of sacrifices that people of the armed forces have to make throughout their service.
4. Shaadi.com: RevolutioNaaris
Indian matrimonial platform Shaadi.com released an amazing campaign titled “RevolutioNaaris” this year for Independence Day.
The advert revolves around an interesting conversation between a teacher and her teenage students, which sheds light on a grim reality, which is that despite attaining freedom 76 years ago, 76% of Indian women continue to remain in a state of "in-dependence". The commercial focuses on the challenges that often prevent women from being financially independent while stressing the need for education and job opportunities.
Story-telling through powerful messaging; now that’s what I call an impactful ad campaign!
5. Axis Bank: Find Your India
And here’s my favorite Indian Independence Day ad from this year. Axis Bank’s 2023 Independence Day commercial revolves around a nation’s ability to evoke a profound sense of identity and belonging amongst each citizen.
The advert beautifully presents the journey of an individual in the pursuit of their idea of India. With a population of 1.4 billion people, it’s natural that India would have different meanings for all of them. What binds them all together is the spirit of India that is present in every cultural facet that we immerse ourselves in.
The commercial elegantly captures the varied yet unifying essence of India and in doing so presents a resonating tribute to Independence Day.
Wrapping Up
And that was a wrap of some of the best Indian Independence Day commercials from 2023. The ads discussed in this blog have one thing in common- their ability to tug at the heartstrings of the viewers. And once you have figured out how to accomplish that, no marketing campaign of yours would ever be a failure.
We’ll be back with more amazing videos for you. Till then, stay tuned!