50 Diwali Ads That Told Stories In A Memorable Way – Part 1
Diwali is one of the biggest festivals in the country and storeytellers leave no stone unturned to pull on consumers’ heartstrings. Here’s list of commercials that told stories which made consumers smile, cry and sometimes both at the same time:
1. Nokia’s Gift Your Time This Diwali
The ad shows a mother and a son having breakfast. While the mother is serving the breakfast, the son leaves the tables while taking a work-related phone call with a half-eaten bread in the hand. The next morning mother wakes up to a gift. She is confused as she finds her son’s phone in it. The son tells her he’s giving her his phone to signify he would spend the festive season with her without any interruptions. The box in which he gifts the phone is a Nokia box that features the iconic holding hand image. The tagline ‘Gift your time this Diwali’ underlines that there’s no better gift than one’s time.
2. Snapdeal’s Celebrate Diwali Heroes
While people are celebrating the festival of lights, there are everyday heroes like cab drivers, firefighters, doctors and nurses, delivery boys, police, airport and railway station employees, who work round-the-clock and ensure that other people can celebrate Diwali with their loved ones. The ad with its powerful narrative urges people to send a thank you box to these everyday heroes.The tag ‘Let’s unbox Diwali for them’ fits the ad.
3. Lenovo’s Gift Them A Future
The ad touches upon a very important concept – how to live a purposeful life after retirement? The story is about a retired man who goes to office everyday to spend time and to have a sense of work-life. His young son who has come home for his Diwali holidays tries to help his father restart his career by gifting him a laptop.
4. Ghadi Detergent’s Is Diwali Saare Mael Dho Daalo
A brilliant way to deliver a message to fight prejudices and biases. A beautiful narrative showing a policeman and a father-daughter duo who want to sell a second-hand air-conditioner. The father at the beginning of the ad is shown to be sceptical when he sees a policeman visting his house to buy the AC. But by the end of the ad we see his prejudices being washed away; an apt message by a detergent powder brand.
5. Pepperfry’s Happy Diwali Sale Campaign
Simple messages delivered in a simple way have a powerful effect. And this ad is a proof of it. Watch it to know what we are talking about
6. Disha Eye Hospital’s Eye Donation Video
The social media post gives a fresh perspective about how visually challenged people experience Diwali. The video starts with a blank screen with just narration and no visuals. The viewers hear a kid talk about Diwali; he says his favourite part of Diwali is bursting crackers, especially a rocket. He adds that his mother says flower pots look beautiful. He says he has never seen all these beautiful and exciting things; but he will next year.
7. Radio City’s Patakhon ka Aurangzeb
The commercial begins with a ‘khadoos’ uncle warning the kids of the neighbourhood against bursting crackers. But the mischievous kids aren’t ready to give in. As the man goes off to sleep listening to music on his radio, one of the kids takes away his radio and turns on Radio City which is bursting crackers on the radio!
8. Tanishq’s Ad to Promote Divyam Collection
A subtle narrative on Diwali rituals featuring Deepika Padukone and her parents. from Diwali rangolis and sweets to the Diwali gifts – how traditions and rituals make Diwali feel like Diwali.
9. Reliance Fresh’s Badi Diwali
This ad beautifully blends the elements of surprise and delight with a touch of social message. The ad opens with a domestic help entering a house and finding the lady of the house on a ladder, putting Diwali lights on the doorway. Lakshmi, the domestic help, offers to help but is told to clean the guest room. On seeing the lady of the house pouring generous amount of ghee in the sweet dish she’s preparing, the domestic help asks who is visiting. She is told off again. The housemaid is told to take out the special dinner set for the guests. Watch the ad to see who were these special guest. You will love the surprise!
10. Kit Kat’s Astronaut
Featuring a young woman astronaut stationed at a spacecraft, this ad gives a fresh look to old adage home is where the heart is. Take a look here
11. Surf Excel’s Ab Lag Rahi Diwali
Going with their tagline “Daag acche hain”, this ad highlights the true spirit of Diwali.
12. Pepperfry’s Iss Diwali, Kuch Badal Ke Dekhiye
This ad brings a fresh perspective on caring for the elderly members of the society. Do something special for them even if they aren’t your family.
13. Pepsi’s Ghar Wali Diwali
What does Gharwali Diwali mean? Watch this ad featuring a busy woman meeting her family after a long time during Diwali. But the story isn’t about the reunion, it’s the concoction of different emotions the viewers were treated to. Watch the ad to know more
14. Big Bazaar’s Paper Patakha
The commercial starts with a mother and a son shopping at a Big Bazaar store. The boy wants to buy firecrackers, a request that is denied by his mother. On noticing this a staff member calls the boy and introduces him to a paper patakha (a paper folded in such a way that it sounds a firecracker when given a jerk). The boy shares this idea with school friends and soon people of all ages take a fancy to the idea. Definitely a fun and quirky way to connect with the viewers.
15. Tanishq’s Sunehri Diwali
The message behind this ad is very simple ‘Chota Ho Ya Bada, Is Diwali Ko Sone Se Sajae’ and the way it’s narrated tugs at our heartstrings. Watch how a son gifts a Tanishq gift to his mon on Diwali, but with a twist.
16. Kurkure’s Why So Sweet, Be Chattpatta
The ad begins with a family sitting guests who had come over for Diwali. On being asked if they would like to have some tea, to which the woman says in an over-polite tone that she should have ‘little bit’. The host played by actor Parineeti Chopra pours little bit of tea and serves a piece of Kurkure snack, poking fun at pretentious sweetness. The ad ends with the tagline ‘Why so sweet, be chattpatta!”.
17. Cadbury’s Toh Iss Diwali Aap Kise Khush Karenge
This ad creates an uplifting scenario without being too sentimental. Watch this sweet & small ad to know how a box of chocolates can break the barriers between two generations.
18. Coca Cola’s Celebrate Sibling Love
From typical bantering between a brother and a sister to making a truce – this ad in a sweet-ish way celebrates the sibling bonding.
19. Pantaloons’ First Love (used for both Diwali and Durga Puja)
They say, there’s no love like first love. And so are the first love sories. This ad tells you a story, a first love story, in a way that’s innocent and tender – just like our first love.
20. Oppo’s Best Diwali Gift
Adoption has inspired endless stories, and this is one of them. We see a family discussing the need to tell their daughter the truth – that she was adopted. The mother is in a dilemma as it’s Diwali. A profoundly moving ad that combines drama, mystery, and a happy ending.
Watch the remaining ads here