It’s another blessed fortnight with a bevy of brilliant ads. Brands cranked up the creativity, quirk and sentimentality quotient this time around with ads that made us smile, laugh and think. These are some of the best spots between February 1 and 15, and as always, we have listed them alphabetically.

ACKO

It takes a lot to love Mumbai, and once you do, there’s no turning back. General insurance company ACKO understands this sentiment and has crafted a powerful tribute to the maximum city. The film explores all the positive changes adopted by Mumbai and encourages viewers to do the same in their lives. The campaign is conceptualised by Mahesh Gharat and produced by Hungry Films.

Britannia Pure Magic Chocolush

Britannia took a blissed-out approach for its chocolate-filled cookie brand Pure Magic Chocolush, giving us some major Osho Rajneesh vibes. A whacky spiritual leader encourages his sea of disciples to enjoy the moment by biting into a Chocolush cookie. The followers go into a deep trance as they savour the chocolate-filled treat, wondering whether they are consuming the cookie or the cookie is consuming them. The ad has been conceptualised by The Womb. 

Federal Bank

Apps have simplified our lives but have also alienated us from human interactions. Federal Bank’s new campaign, based on the brand’s core proposition of “digital at the fore, human at the core,” explores how it’s important to forge genuine relationships with customers even in the age of digital. The ad films that are supposedly based on real-life customer experiences of Federal Bank employees showcase slice-of-life moments of genuine human connections.

Swiggy

February is Valentine’s month and saccharine-sweet ads are dime a dozen. While there were some genuinely good ones, Swiggy truly won our hearts with its clever spot. The ad tells a sweet story of a relationship as it unfolds on the Swiggy app. From their first meeting on account of a mixed-up order to their first anniversary, the film explores the many ups and downs of a relationship.

SuperTeamDAO

Is it Arbaaz Khan or Roger Federer? SuperTeamDAO tipped its hat to the legendary meme of Khan being the doppelganger of the tennis great. 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.

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.

Tide

Kiku Sharda hates all the “khachak khuchak” associated with laundry, but he has blessed us with a full song-and-dance routine warning against the perils of wringing and kneading clothes. The peppy ad is reminiscent of the good old days of advertising with memorable jingles and songs. The commercial also harks back to the signature “chauk gaye” punchline of Tide ads.