It was a dull fortnight for ad commercials — perhaps due to the confusion created by the new self-declaration certification norms. Some works of new brands, however, caught the eye.

Timing it sweetly

Max Life Insurance scored a hit for its sweetly timed ad campaign showcased during Prime Minister Modi’s interaction with India’s T20 World Cup winning squad and the Victory Parade. Power couple Rohit Sharma and Ritika Sajdeh feature in the 15-second ad released in multiple languages in which they discuss emergencies. “What if I am not there tomorrow, what will you do,” asks Rohit. When Ritika looks shocked , he says, “I mean there is a match tomorrow.” The tagline “India ke Bharose Ka Number 99.65%” alludes to the ratio of life-insurance payments in 2023-24. The insurance giant also announced the extension of its association with Star Sports following India’s T20 win.

Stubborn success

Under Armour’s new campaign ‘Zidd for More’ features javelin champion Neeraj Chopra’s grit, resilience, determination and stubbornness. It dives deep into the Olympic and World Champion’s ziddi mindset to never give up on his goal of bringing greater glory to the nation. The grippingly shot campaign opens with the line ‘Har Taiyaari Se Badkar Hai Ziddari’, a personal belief that Chopra lives by and demonstrates — battling exhaustion, injuries and loneliness in foreign lands while relentlessly going about his gruelling regimen.

Tested by nature

Home-grown sustainable luggage brand uppercase has launched a campaign that celebrates the spirit of young travel enthusiasts. Its ‘Tested by Nature’ campaign shows the durability and lightness of uppercase’s luggage by pitting it against some of the toughest terrains in nature. It shows a bunch of young travellers lugging it across rocky terrains, being flung out of jeeps and so on. The campaign also highlights the use of recycled plastics in the product’s creation. The range of travel gear — from eco-friendly backpacks, trolley bags, duffles and shoulder bags to suitcases — are shown in the well shot ad.

Taste with a twist

Bisk Farm’s new TVC ‘Googly- Taste with a Twist’ revolves around a fun banter between a husband and wife with the added star quotient of film star Hrithik Roshan. The ad shows Hrithik ribbing his wife trying to make her jealous. When his wife tells him that their neighbour really loves his wife and does he love her as much, his tongue in cheek reply elicits laughs. The TVC has been launched in seven regional languages. Says Vijay Singh, MD, SAJ Food, “The campaign perfectly encapsulates the fun and unexpected twist that Googly biscuits bring to the table.”