Best ads of the fortnight: Axis Bank champions sign language, Croma tells a poignant tale

The second fortnight of January saw many brands rolling out Republic Day campaigns, which were high on patriotic fervour. While some broached topics of social and national importance, others relied on some poignant storytelling. As always, there were a few gems that stood out in the sea of ads this fortnight. And as always, we have listed them out in alphabetical order. These are some of the best ads between January 16th and 31st.

Axis Bank


Axis Bank's ad for Republic Day wins for its brilliant execution and storytelling. The engaging ad shows an elderly man addressing a crowd on how sign language is part of our everyday lives even though don't realise it. With some examples, he highlights we use some hand gestures to communicate. In a way, it is that one language that all Indians across the length and breadth of the country speak and understand. The film made in association with Grey Group highlighted the importance to recognise sign language as the 23rd language of India in 2023.

Croma


This Republic Day, Croma decided to engage viewers with a heartwarming story of a grandpa and his beloved mixer-grinder. The film 'Constitution of Joy' is based on a real event and conceptualised by the electronic retail brand's in-house team. The film is a testimony to the brand's promise of going above and beyond for the customer.

KFC

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Internet sensation Yashraj Mukhate is back this time singing about things beyond the "rasoda." The musician who is known for turning viral videos and internet memes into foot-tapping numbers created a song entirely out of comments about KFC's popular snack Chizza. The limited-edition "pizza" made from a base of crispy fried chicken is supposedly a fan favourite with many users on the internet demanding that the fast food chain bring it back. Mukhate created an entire song out of various comments and was accompanied by KFC's own Colonel Sanders.

Star Sports



Star Sports' promo for ICC Women’s T20 World Cup laid bare a common bias in Indian sports. Despite India's women's cricket team making immense strides in the international arena, Indians barely acknowledge their feat or remember the names of the players. The film created and conceptualised by the in-house team at Disney Star, educates the viewers about our "sheroes" who have brought home laurels with their incredible feats.

Melorra



With Valentine's Day around the corner, jewellery brand Melorra brought out a thoughtful film to celebrate love and partnership. The ad subverts the belief that jewellery is meant only for women and holds that men should also be celebrated for bringing stability and success to relationships.

Zomato 

Zomato's ad for Republic Day celebrated the various uniform-wearing warriors of India. While some uniforms are respected, Indians barely acknowledge the contributions of others. The ad shines a spotlight on sweepers, medicos, air hostesses and food delivery executives who offer steadfast services to the nation while wearing their uniforms with pride. A standout feature of the ad is when a Zomato delivery executive salutes his peer wearing an orange uniform, which is Swiggy's brand colour.