A brief history of insanity

Hello! I am Deepak. A living Venn diagram of a writer, cyclist, aspiring coder and a masked vigilante. I can't look sane, run a marathon, tie a tie, do basic math, hold your attention for 20 seconds. Or maybe, I just can. Here's a sneak peek into what I have done from 9 to 5. For everything else, we should sit for a cup of coffee.

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Brand: Mamaearth

Campaign: #DolphinTank

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: Floating the world's first Goodness IPO

Is goodness an idea or an act? Can a brand inspire people to do good and reward them?

Here's the world's first Goodness IPO where Mamaearth founders gave away their personal shares in exchange for goodness shown by people.

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Brand: Nestle Supercoat

Campaign: #UnleashTheSuper

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: Collaboration and Activation

Nestle Purina Supercoat wanted to disrupt the market by taking on the traditional giants like Pedigree and Whiskas. So, how did we do that?

We went super by partnering with Warner Bros. Pictures’ upcoming animated action adventure—DC League of Super-Pets

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Brand: Mamaearth

Campaign: #DolphinTank

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: Showcasing goodness Shark Tank style

Is goodness an idea or an act? Is doing good just a marketing activity or the responsibility of every brand out there? Can goodness be rewarded? 

To showcase goodness of brand Mamaearth, the founders announced to offer their personal shares in exchange for goodness as part of a campaign title ‘I Pledge Offer’. Their version of IPO. The campaign saw Mamaearth co-founders Ghazal and Varun Alagh pitch to a jury of kids, called 'Dolphins' at the Dolphin Tank, offering their shares in exchange for goodness. The pitch starts with choosing goodness in products by making them toxin-free and using natural ingredients and then invites people to join the action by showcasing their acts of goodness in exchange for goodness shares from the founders. Here’s the campaign film

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Brand: Comfy

Campaign: #UnboxFreedom

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: Unboxing Period shame on Independence Day

Mensuration has always been surrounded by taboos that prohibit women from many aspects of socio-cultural life. Even today in India, it affects the emotion, lifestyle, and most importantly mental health of girls and women.  Comfy Snug Fit, a fast-growing menstrual hygiene brand from the house of Amrutanjan Healthcare Limited made an effort to unbox freedom from menstrual taboos on Independence Day. With this campaign being launched on the 75th Independence Day, Comfy aimed to deliver a strong message on what actual independence sounds like for menstruating women by revealing the years of discomfort hidden inside a brown sack.

We invited someone to unbox shame hidden for 75 years and more. 

Here’s the campaign film

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Brand: Airtel Payments Bank

Campaign: DigiGold

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: Disrupting the payments bank category

Fintech in India is quite a cluttered category. To disrupt the market, your offering has be to unique. And the way you take that to people has to be equally mad. So as part of its growing bouquet of digital services, Airtel Payments Bank launched DigiGold in partnership with SafeGold - the leading provider of digital gold. With DigiGold, Airtel Payments Bank’s savings account customers can invest in 24K gold using the Airtel Thanks app. We used two unique and vibrant characters to convince the consumer. We took on the traditional tropes of investing and created a truly integrated campaign with these two characters with them cutting across awareness films, social media content and paid media too.

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Brand: Mamaearth

Campaign: Goodness Report card

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: The world’s first report card that rates ‘Goodness’

Mamaearth, a toxin-free personal care brand has always stayed true to its promise of “goodness inside” since its establishment in 2016. This year, to highlight the importance of sustainable choices in business, we launched their annual Goodness Report Card. While organizations focus annual reports on numbers and sales, we wanted to focus on the goodness we created. 

To celebrate the 2021 theme of ‘Restore Our Earth’, we created the world’s first 'Goodness’ report card to highlight the different ways in which the company has contributed to the environment. The report conveys the impact of the choices that the brand has taken such as planting trees, recycling more plastic that they use, eliminating the use of toxins in products, being animal cruelty-free and more.

We also mapped it back to customers. Every customer could download their unique report card from the website with the contribution they made towards the goodness impact the brand made. This report card was based on the product history the customer had. The report card also has a QR code which when scanned to the user to a dynamic website which showcases the live impact being made by the brand on that very day. Trees being planted etc.

These report cards were then sent to influencers and celebs where they gave grades for the impact made.

The video above was made to raise awareness about the report card.

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Brand: St.Botanica

Campaign: #GlamByNature

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: Haircare and Skincare Ad films

St.Botanica - one of India's leading premium skin & personal care brands offering plant-based, PETA certified and toxin-free products wanted to showcase the ‘Goodness of Nature’ in its products and appeal to the millennial and aspirational young patrons. Nature or natural products are always considered to be good but not for the younger audience. We wanted to break that through the ‘Glam by Nature’ campaign.

The brand showcases its premium hair care and skincare - GO Range and Vitamin C range by inspiring the target audience in discovering glamour in nature. Set in a magical forest, the first film shows how nature too can be an extravagant stage, where glamour comes in many forms. The forest canopy bathes actress Tara in sunlight, while her luscious locks drop with a playful bounce. The second film had Vani, a famous Bollywood actress romancing the camera, having a fun conversation with her girlfriends, and even challenging the naysayers & teasers by flaunting her youthful skin.

The 2nd Ad film for skincare in the campaign

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Brand: National Geographic

Campaign: #TogetherWithNature

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: Using Zoom for a cause that matters

Amidst the devastating Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, the world was undergoing numerous changes in the environment and the climate. So, while the world switched from conference rooms and coffee tables to Zoom and Hangouts for conversations, we thought of using this as an opportunity to raise awareness around environment changes happening around us. And you don’t need to be an activist to support the cause.

As part of its initiative #TogetherWithNature, National Geographic, on World Environment Day released a series of images, which could be used as virtual background wallpapers for Zoom and Google Hangout calls encouraging people to take a stand to protect nature even when they were not stepping outdoors. Shot by acclaimed National Geographic photographers such as Ryan Sheets and Shaaz Jung, the images made raising awareness just a Zoom call away.

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Brand: Micromax India

Campaign: #IndiaKeLiye

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: Micromax’s comeback campaign

Once India’s number mobile phone brand, Micromax lost its position to players like Xiaomi, Oppo and Vivo as these Chinese giants captured the Indian market with their aggressively priced smartphones and massive marketing spends. 

However, supply chain disruption due to COVID-19 and growing anti-China sentiment threw open the market again for Micromax. 

But the comeback had to be smarter and strong. Without seeming opportunistic and over the top, we had to tell a real story. The real story behind why Micromax is coming back and this time it is for India. And we told that story through not a celeb or a big budget glossy advertisement, but through the founder Rahul Sharma. A no-nonsense CEO with rolled up sleeves and speaks from his heart. An emotional video narrated by the man himself and why he wants to relaunch the ''in'' sub-brand. Within no time, #MicromaxIsBack and #IndiaKeLiye was trending on social and the video went viral.

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LITTLE GOODNESS FOR THE WORLD

Brand: Mamaearth

Campaign: #GoodnessInside Brand purpose

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: Mamaerath’s first brand campaign

The brand purpose of ‘Goodness Inside’ comes from what the brand has stood for all along since its inception. Mamaearth is an environmentally conscious brand working towards the conservation of Mother Earth for future generations by recycling more plastic than they use. Their toxin-free products promise purity and natural goodness which is better not just for people but for the planet as well.

Mamaearth’s first brand campaign brings forth this idea of ‘Goodness is a Choice’ to its consumers. It was a digital and social media led campaign with the key message that goodness isn’t a superpower or a special gift brought to life through a series of content pieces. The goodness campaign included a brand film shot under strict lockdown situation and a series of smaller product films along with social content to support the films.

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LOVE THY HAND

Brand: Bowlhub

Campaign: #LoveThyHand for Valentine’s Day

Where: Korra, Delhi

What: Social media campaign lead by digital film

Bowl Hub is one of the first single-serve-bowl-meal brands in the North India, that aims to serve both urban millennials and office goers, who are looking for an everyday, quick and convenient, single-serving at everyday price points. Single serve bowl meals for singles is the mantra that BowlHub had taken live for its Valentines Day campaign. On a day when everyone celebrates couples and love, known for its quirky take on things, the restaurant chain decided to stand out amongst the crowd of Valentines Day campaigns by giving it a new spin -It is about loving your hands. A campaign for singles on Valentines Day. The campaign was launched with a rib-tickling digital film that asked viewers to share how they would show love for their hand. The hand that does so much for them. The film was a montage of situations that proved why the hand is a worthy and true Valentine. The juicy music and a Morgan Freeman-esque voice narrating the scenes added to the overall effect. The film was followed by users telling us why they loved their hand more than anything.  

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THE BIG PICTURE

Brand: Canon India

Campaign: #ScreenWhereYouWant for Canon Rayo Projectors

Where: OgilvyOne, Delhi

What: Website and digital campaign

Campaign website: https://edge.canon.co.in/mini-projector/mini/

Canon brought to India its portable and lightweight Rayo Mini projectors that can playback directly from mobile phones or tablets. We witnessed a shift in the usage pattern of projectors among Indian consumers. The easy setup and versatility of the Rayo mini projectors make them a must have travel accessory for mobile business professionals and for families on vacation or those using them for leisure. There was so much you could do with the Canon Rayo projector and anywhere too. All we needed to tell consumers was “Screen where you want”

And how did we do that. We set out to create a new vocabulary of screening. A content led campaign where we gave 26 ideas to consumers and exhibited how a Rayo projector could enrich there lives. 26 videos which showcased awesome product usage. This experience also transcended to an on-ground activation. 

A Rayo Mini Film festival was organised in leading Business parks in North India.

Each alphabet was also shared on Canon’s social handle where users could choose the alphabet of their choice and see how to use the projector. Here are some of videos.

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A post shared by Canon India (@canonindia_official) on Jul 20, 2019 at 6:39am PDT

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A post shared by Canon India (@canonindia_official) on Jul 25, 2018 at 5:07am PDT

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A post shared by Canon India (@canonindia_official) on Jul 19, 2019 at 4:19am PDT

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A post shared by Canon India (@canonindia_official) on Jun 30, 2018 at 4:30am PDT

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A post shared by Canon India (@canonindia_official) on Jul 22, 2019 at 2:55am PDT

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PERIODS AND SHAME SHOULD NEVER BE ON THE SAME PAGE.

Sangini Sheets (Sanitary pads in a book) 

What: Product Innovation

Where: OgilvyOne, Delhi

In India, 23 million girls drop out of school every year when they start menstruating. Conversations on periods are considered taboo and in the hinterland, girls prefer staying at home than carry a sanitary pad. Why? Because they get mocked and ridiculed, if they are seen carrying pads and take them out in the open. Also, pads available in the market are bulky and cumbersome to carry in their bags. 

So, we designed special notebook with DIY pads inside the pages called Sangini (‘Friend in Hindi’). A book that’s easy to carry and when required doubles up as a pack of pads. 

Girls across 220 villages in India were distributed these books. Today, we are approaching State authorities, NGOs and civic bodies to help us with the distribution of these notebooks in far flung corners of the country.

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GO PLACES. ONE RIDE AT A TIME.

Brand:Uber India 

Campaign: #Badhte Chalein or #MoveForward 

Where: OgilvyOne, New Delhi

What: Brand film for Television and Digital platforms 

Uber, the ridesharing app unveiled its new brand campaign with India’s biggest sports star ‘Virat Kohli’ as brand ambassador. The baseline, ‘Badhte Chalein/ Move Forward’, is built around the brand’s new positioning that is intended to build Uber as an enabler. 

Uber connects millions of people in India to their destinations each week. That said, each trip represents more than just a physical journey – it’s a step forward in the larger journey of their lives. This is not just a brand idea - it’s happening on the ground, across India, everyday. This brand position is as intrinsically human as the millions of people who ride with us each week, and each of their pursuits. 

The communication was designed to be progressive in thought, aspirational in spirit, widely-relatable in manner. And with Virat – perhaps India’s most inspiring model of personal progress – Uber found a partner at the crease who embodies the drive to share with millions across India. 

The montage film and jingle was followed up with a series short films about individual success stories.

Here’s another film in the Uber Journeys

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A CAR YOU DRIVE. A CAR THAT DRIVES YOU.

Brand: Uber India 

Campaign: #BadhteChalein Film for Driver recruitment

Where: OgilvyOne, Delhi

What: Recruitment film for Television and Digital platforms

Uber, the ridesharing app unveiled the second leg of its recently launched India brand campaign – ‘Badhte Chalein’, featuring India’s biggest celebrity, Virat Kohli. ‘Badhte Chalein’, has been envisioned around the brand’s new positioning that is intended to build Uber as an enabler of movement in order to ignite opportunity for all to progress in life. I wrote the driver forward brand film in Hindi, focusing on the driver partner community features and Uber’s tenured driver partners from all walks of life. The video content for driver partners  reiterates the role Uber plays in creating entrepreneurship opportunities i.e. a new way of working that leads to economic freedom, increasing productivity and financial inclusion for thousands of driver partners in India.

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THE REBIRTH OF POTATO FOR THE MILLENNIAL

Brand: Taco Bell 

Campaign: #MakePotatoGreat with Crispy Potaco

Where: OgilvyOne, Delhi

What: Digital campaign with Influencer led film

Taco Bell set to make its way into the hearts of potato lovers across India with a unique potato centric take on the traditional taco. The all new Crispy Potaco gave this much-loved vegetable a new identity..it will no longer play the sidekick in most meals.

We tied up with Tanmay Bhat, India’s very popular comedian because of his ability to capture audiences through his humorous and entertaining content. With an innovative approach, we created a content piece where Tanmay Bhat pitches the product to investors, who are floored by the novelty of the product. He takes them through all the struggle and pain potato has gone through and goes on to showcase the innovative Potaco. We also went on to create cool social content where we showed how Potaco is so great and all the great things it could do. We also tied up with famous food platform like EatTreat and Lbb.

Here are the teasers and some social content

A post shared by Tanmay Bhat (@tanmaybhat) on Jun 14, 2018 at 3:52am PDT

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WORLD'S FIRST SALE OF HUMAN DREAMS

Brand: Wateraid India

Campaign: #DreamsForSale

What: Digital Campaign for Donation

Where: OgilvyOne, Delhi

Campaign site: www.wateraidindia.in/dreamsforsale 

In a country where 163 million Indians lack access to clean water, making everyday a struggle for survival, we created world’s first sale of human dreams called ‘Dreams for Sale’ with non-profit WaterAid India in order to bring the public’s attention towards access to clean water, decent toilets and good hygiene. We chose 18 people and sold their dreams on the campaign site.

The campaign brings to the fore a stark reality – imagine giving up on your dreams just because of not having access to clean water. When clean water becomes a rarity, it keeps children away from school, denies women and men the opportunities to earn a livelihood, ruins health, forces migration, keeps communities backward and devastates dreams. The job of fetching water takes up hours every day and robs everyone, primarily women and children of the time for leading more fulfilling and productive lives. The campaign opens a window into the lives of ordinary people on www.wateraidindia.in/dreamsforsale’ a specially created microsite with a chatbot – featuring their daily life, struggles, aspirations and dreams. The call to ‘save a dream’ on the micro-site leads to giving them a chance to pursue their dreams by donating to the cause of access to clean water. WaterAid India will drive this campaign through short films, photographs, stories and facts using social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and website www.wateraidindia.in.

Here’s the campaign website experience

Few of the 18 dreams on sale. For more, visit the campaign site.