Best ads of the fortnight: BJP trains guns on I.N.D.I.A, Jindal pays tribute to steel

With IPL season officially in full swing and the Lok Sabha 2024 elections around the corner, can good ads be far behind? We expected some great ones, and we weren't disappointed. Brands brought out some stellar ads that impressed us with their creativity, execution and timeliness.

Last fortnight, we featured ads from Bail Kolhu, Blue Star, Brooke Bond, TVS Motors and Homelane. The honour goes to Haldiram's, Gulf Oil Lubricants, Upkarma Ayurveda, Britannia, Jindal Steel, Galact and BJP for the most creative ads released between March 16 and 31. 

BJP

BJP drew first blood this election season with a well-timed ad aiming for the heart of the I.N.D.I.A bloc. The ad is a satire that features doppelgangers of the heads of India's biggest political parties. The film is by M&C Saatchi.

Britannia Jim Jam Pops


We are not too fond of punching down unless it's a clever ad. Like BJP, Britannia also trained its guns at an old rival with a clever and well-timed ad by The Womb. Given Oreo's ill-fated cricket ad campaigns that rarely bode well for the Indian team, Britannia made an earnest request to its chocolatey rival to refrain from any more campaigns, especially with the T20 World Cup in the offing.

Haldiram's

A good ad should show rather than tell like Haldiram's Holi ad did this festive season. The F&B brand showcased its Holi delicacies through a simple love story that warmed the cockles of our hearts.

Galact

With a popular Bollywood trope as its hook, Chrome Pictures put out a powerful ode to "Maa kaa Doodh" for Galact. The ad conceptualised by Daftar Creative Consultancy aims to highlight the irreplaceable bond between a mother and a child.

Gulf Oil Lubricants

IPL is in full swing and cricketers barely have time for anything apart from the game. Where does this leave time for endorsement commitments? Gulf Oil Lubricants has found a solution by fielding a lookalike of Chennai Super Kings skipper MS Dhoni for ads and promotions while the real McCoy stays focused on the game.

Jindal Steel

Saluting the "steely" spirit of India, Jindal Steel released a brand film to pay tribute to steel as the "silent and ubiquitous force driving our daily lives." The two-minute film can be best described as a powerful ode to the indispensable metal that is responsible for the progress of India. Shot by Bharat Sikka and Ayappa KM, the film is one of the best ones we have seen so far this year.

Upakarma Ayurveda

We may not know much about humour, but we are certain that The Great Khali's face on a pigeon's body (MasaKhali, if you will) is the pinnacle of comedic brilliance. Mankind Group's Upakarma Ayurveda demonstrated the importance of authenticity with an ad film full of Khali deep fakes and it is hilariously good.