2013 has been a year of revolutionary advertisements, both in India as well as internationally. As the year is drawing to a close, let us take a tour of the most viewed advertisements of 2013. Browse through the following ads to know the advertising trends of the year and get a low-down on the most viewed ads of 2013:
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Tanishq's radical take on society through the remarriage campaign:
Jewellery brand Tanishq celebrated remarriage in its newest wedding collection campaign. The TVC created by Lowe Lintas features a beautiful young lady getting ready for the wedding rituals when her little daughter comes into the room to help her adjust her jewellery. Later, during the ceremony, the little girl expresses disappointment for not being able to be a part of her mother's wedding rituals. The groom, however, invites her to join them and the advertisement finishes with the three of them having a good family time.
The ad caught on real fast and transfixed the viewers with its rebellious take on social customs. In a society where remarrying a widow or a divorced woman is looked down upon, the jewellery giant was successful in breaking taboos. It also went off the beaten track by introducing a model with a darker skin tone than is the usual trend. With this revolutionary ad, Tanishq is probably the first brand to bring remarriage in the Indian advertising scene.
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Google search engine strikes a chord with millions across the Indo-Pakistan border
The “Reunion” campaign from Google became an instant hit with people on the two sides of the Indo-Pak border, what's with the Partition of 1947 acting as the backdrop for a heartwarming reunion of two friends. The emotional ad represents two childhood friends, now old, reminiscing to his granddaughter how he, along with his best friend, used to steal jhajhariya from an old sweet shop in Lahore. Touched by the story, she then uses Google to locate the childhood friend in Lahore, and later teams up with the friend's grandson to bring him to Delhi for a reunion of old friends.
The 3.5 minute ad invoked a sense of nostalgia among the people who were forced to leave behind their family and friends during the dark hours in the history of the sub-continent. Google portrayed its ability to unite long-lost friends, and thus emerged as an important archival document for the Partition of the Indian sub-continent in 1947.
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Dove Real Beauty Sketches bring out the original beauty of women
The Dove ad mesmerized audiences with its short film on beauty in which an FBI trained artist is shown sketching two versions of the same woman. He draws the first picture according to her self-perception and then as told by a stranger. Each time the sketch based on a woman's self-view turned out to be uglier, while the stranger's perception of the same woman made her come across as more beautiful.
This ad reiterated the universal truth of women looking at themselves through critical glasses in spite of being beautiful, and reassured all women of their innate beauty.
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Evian “Baby and Me” scores a point with its humorous content
One of the advertisements that attracted millions of views was Evian's presentation of the baby and me ad. The babies started featuring in the Evian ads since 1935, with Evian being recommended as the safest water for kids. The same element has been continued till date with the funny ad going viral throughout the world. The campaign brings an adult facing their baby version on posters at metro stations and railway platforms. The brand encourages everyone to channelise the baby in themselves. People have related to the ad like never before for which it has been declared the top ad of the UK this year.
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Google HWGO ads on internet-savvy moms are a huge hit
The campaign – “Helping Women Get Online” is next on the list of the most viewed ads of 2013. One of the ads shows a young girl seeking her mother's advice on whether to wear a red or yellow dress. Even if the mother logically tells her why she should pick red, the girl is still apprehensive about her choice. The mother now cleverly tells her that red is the favorite color of her boyfriend, to which the daughter immediately relents. The ad ends with her thanking her “mom” while the voice-over says, Internet moms ki baat hi kuch aur hai. Aap bhi internet ka pura faayda uthaiye. Aapne laptop ya mobile pe www.hwgo.com type kariye aur Helping Women Get Online website par jaiiye.”
The second ad shows a mother trying to make her son study history while the boy does not get any answer right. His mother peeks at her cell phone screen and tells him the correct answers to difficult questions. As he stares at her in awe, the film ends with the voice-over.
The third one shows a surprised mother who wonders what might be the reason of her son's popularity with the girls in school. The boy then asks her what would he be given for lunch on the next day. It now becomes clear to her why the girls were towing him. She takes a glance at her phone and declares the menu would be “spinach and corn pasta”.
Only one third of the total internet users in India are women, despite the country being one of the world's leading users of internet. The campaign was targeted at encouraging women to become internet-savvy and thereby empower themselves. Google India MD Rajan Anandan said, “Internet can help women achieve self-esteem, express their views freely, open up new opportunities and help them to gain education. Our new campaign aims to bring 50 million women online in the next one year so that they can reap the benefits too.”
6. Titan's farewell ad is a beautiful tribute to the teachers
Titan did it yet again! The newest presentation from the brand turned out to be emotional and meaningful, much like its previous campaigns. The Titan watch campaigns have enthralled viewers over the last few years, with their spectacular messages and soulful score by A. R. Rahman.
This time, a senior teacher is shown teaching a class full of students, when he is given a gift with a note that reads 'Thank You Sir'. It is actually his farewell gift as he was soon slated to retire from his job. Titan is known for tuning into the minds of the common people through its advertising campaigns, and this time it was no different.
7. 5 Star is back to tickle your funny bone with Ramesh and Suresh
Ramesh and Suresh, the famous duo of the 5 Star “Jo Khaaye Kho Jaaye” fame, returned with the “patloon” in their latest campaign this year. Suffering from temporary amnesia induced by the mind-boggling taste of Cadbury's 5 Star, they now came back with the trousers after altering them to the length of shorts, much to the horror of their father!
This campaign received one of the highest number of hits online, while establishing a fantastic connect with the viewers. The characters, now a houselhold name, continues to wow the public in a bigger and better way.
8. The dancing babies from Kit Kat is packed with comic elements and exudes a playful attitude
The dancing babies advertisement from Kit Kat is one of the top grossers of 2013 with a staggering 2.7 million hits worldwide. The funny commercial created by JWT India portrays a doctor taking Kit Kat break during work. While he enjoys his bar of chocolate, he finds a group of babies start a dance. The youthful nature of the brand is highlighted by this roomful of giggling, singing and dancing babies who emphasize the brand's idea - “Good things happen when you take a break”.
9. Microsoft takes an unassertive stand with its “Child of the 90s” advertisement
Capitalizing on the 90s nostalgia, Microsoft came up with an advertisement for the Internet Explorer that aimed at bringing people back to using the search engine. The ad featured things like Hungry Hungry Hippos and Super Soakers, among others, everything that the 90s children played with and fondly recollect. It proved to be a roaring success, with seven million views in just five days and a Webby Award nomination.
10. Beauty lies within - Pro Infirmis stuns everyone with this belief
In a world preoccupied with skin deep beauty, it takes a Pro Infirmis to point out that real beauty is beyond any standard definition. On the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, this organization for the disabled tried to create awareness by showcasing deformed mannequins at a Zurich store window. The disabilities that the life-like mannequins displayed ranged from shortened limbs, brittle bone disease to scoliosis.
The process of making the mannequins, starting from people entering the workshop on crutches and in wheelchairs, and the designers explaining their idea, clicking photographs and taking measurements of the disabled people to replicate them in mannequins are captured in the video. The reactions of onlookers and protagonists are also covered, with the video drawing to a close with the "Because Who is Perfect? Get Closer" message.