Best ads of 2023: Quirk, compassion and courage rule commercials this year
Our pick of the most impactful TVCs of 2023
A good ad gets a few things right. It has the right message, targets the right audience and evokes the right response, at least, in textbook terms. But simply put, a good ad stays on your mind long after you have watched it. A good ad also makes you resist the urge to click that skip button or reach for that remote to flip the channel. 2023 saw some doozies as far as commercials are concerned.
Most reflected the changing ethos of the times, some sparked some important conversations. While a few looked at the quirky side of life, others made some poignant reflections. Some were compassionate and others courageous. They made us laugh, think and maybe even cry a little. Presenting, exchange4media’s pick of the best ads of 2023.
Bandhan Bank
No matter how old you are, you will always be a tot to your mum, said Bandhan Bank’s heartwarming TVC for Mother’s Day this year. The endearing ad featured the not-so-young “kids” who recounted their fondest memories with their mothers. The film’s concept was co-created by Bandhan Bank’s Marketing team and Leo Burnett Orchard.
Brooke Bond
Whether Brooke Bond makes the best tea is up for debate, but the brand sure does brew some good ads. The brand brought out a stellar ad highlighting the role of the humble "chai" in connecting our countrymen. For the lack of a better term, there is no better social media tool than tea in India, said the brand in its ad for Social Media Day conceptualised by Ogilvy.
Colgate
A toothless mascot is probably the most counterintuitive thing ever for a toothpaste brand. Yet, Colgate had the conviction to have a toothless grandmother and her “cutting machine” granddaughter headline its ad campaign this year. The old timer averred that Colgate toothpaste will give the necessary “poshan” to the tot who in turn will lend her a helping pair of teeth to tear through tough sugarcane and plastic packages. The film is conceptualised by WPP@CP.
Dream11
Dream11 pulled the great switcheroo this year with cricketers playing actors and actors playing cricketers. The fantasy sports app capitalised on the 3 Idiots nostalgia, casting lead actors Aamir Khan, R Madhavan and Sharman Joshi in a delightful ad. Reiterating its Sab Khelega proposition, the campaign has the actors calling a press conference, announcing their decision to play cricket as cricketers are also moonlighting as actors in ads these days. The ad also showcased the impeccable comic timings of cricketers Rohit Sharma, Yuzvendra Chahal, Krunal Pandya, Hardik Pandya, R Ashwin, Jasprit Bumrah, and Rahul Chahar. The ad was conceptualised by Tilt Brand Solutions
Lenskart
2023 was also the year of CEOs starring in ad films for their own brands. Lenskart CEO Peyush Bansal appeared in a three-film campaign for the eyewear brand as a foil to his co-star Karan Johar. The ad operates on the idea that even the elite who can have their pick of the most exquisite eyewear can't resist Lenskart's designs.
Reliance Digital
The two-film campaign by L&K Saatchi & Saatchi makes us revisit all the instances when we unknowingly shamed our elders for not being tech-savvy. Constant derision can only worsen the fear and suspicion of technology in seniors, a thought beautifully captured through Reliance Digital’s campaign. The films not only make us introspect about our calloused attitude towards our elders but also dovetail seamlessly with Reliance Digital’s brand purpose.
Olay
There is a dearth of women in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Olay’s #STEMTheGap campaign dared to go beyond the skin-deep messaging of beauty care brands and addressed a glaring gender gap in one of the most important areas of academia. The digital film made in collaboration with Anand Gandhi paid homage to India’s female pioneers of Stem-- Dr. Anandibai Joshi, Kamala Sohonie, Dr. Janaki Ammal, Kalpana Chawla, among others. The ad has been conceptualised by Publicis Groupe Southeast Asia.
SuperTeamDAO
SuperTeamDAO visted a much-memed trope of actor Arbaaz Khan’s uncanny resemblance to ace tennis player Roger Federer. The ad format enacts the cliched trope of superstar athletes sharing their story of perseverance. Props to Khan for being a sport and giving us this gem of an ad.
Ola Electric
A duo of sentient robots J and V-Ru wonder what it is to play Holi in their own way. Ola Electric’s ad for the festival of colours showcased the two inquisitive robots who decided to create electric bikes inspired by Holi. The ad created in collaboration with Manja is a rather cute take on AI in light of all the paranoia surrounding it.
Savlon
Enough with the brand ambassadors; bring out the “hand ambassadors.” What better than the one that scored 34,357 runs for India? Sachin Tendulkar lent more than just a figurative hand for Savlon, amplifying the message around hand hygiene. The ad featured Tendulkar’s iconic voice set to hand gestures alone. The spot was conceptualised by Ogilvy India.
Starbucks
What’s in a name? Often one's entire identity. Starbucks dovetailed its brand tradition of baristas calling out customers’ names through its #ItStartsWithYourName campaign. The ad film broached the topic of Indian families coming to terms with accepting transgender identities. Name is often the first thing that changes when transgender individuals start their journey to transition. The film showed how a father embraces the trans identity of his daughter by addressing her with her preferred name. The ad did ruffle a lot of feathers on the internet and the brand did get accused of trying to go woke, but scored a win in our book for its courage to start uncomfortable discussions.
Swiggy
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Who better than Santa to give a primer on deliveries since St Nick single-handedly delivers scores of gifts to kids all across the world overnight. Swiggy's Christmas ad featured Santa Claus sharing important pointers with its executives about upping their delivery game. The film is done in a style reminiscent of The Office with cutaways of characters with their witty dialogues. The ad also has a cheeky reference to Swiggy's top competitor Zomato, which brought us a few chuckles.
Tata Motors
Tata Motors five-part campaign is an extension of its “Desh ka trucks” campaign of 2022. The ad films are quirky, clever and hilarious, exploring slice-of-life situations from the journey of truck drivers.
Zepto
Last but not the least, Zepto's campaign has been gaining a lot of praise. It's a counterintuitive move to have a grumpy old man yelling "Nahi milega" as the face of the grocery delivery brand; however, the edgy approach is clearly working for Zepto, going by its popularity on the internet. Zepto's "Uncle ji" aka Buzzkill Uncle has found his way into memes, reels, gifs and stickers.
Zomato
The year ended strong for Indian adland with this absolute treat of an ad from Zomato. The commercial is a tribute to the tireless food delivery executives who step in and save Christmas from Santa’s tardiness. When Santa is late to deliver gifts, kids young and old snivel and cry. Luckily, Zomato's delivery execs step in and spread cheer to those who need it. The ad is on brand for Zomato who always pushes the envelope of creativity and combines quirk with compassion.
