Children's Day: Media & marketing leaders revisit ads that shaped love for advertising

They say there’s no age limit to staying young at heart, and Children’s Day brings a perfect reminder of that. Today, some of the top voices in media and marketing share their favourite ads from childhood—those unforgettable jingles, taglines, and visuals that have left a lasting impression. Interestingly, these industry leaders, now shaping ad budgets and media strategies, still cherish the iconic ads that captivated them long before they ever imagined advertising would play such a central role in their careers.

Shashi Sinha, CEO. IPG Mediabrands India

“There are a dime a dozen ads I still remember. Growing up, the most memorable ads had fantastic jingles. Two of my favourites were- Surile sajeele terene ki bahar, Sanjo laye hain from S Kumars’ and Deewaron ko jab sajana ho, rangeen sapne sajana ho, Nerolac, Nerolac from Nerolac. These jingles are timeless classics that have stuck with me,” Sinha shared.  

Vikram Sakhuja, Group CEO - Madison Media & OOH at Madison World

“My favourites are from the ‘60s. Rang Jamaata Hai Coca-Cola, Rang jamata hai rang. Picnic ho ya party, Ya mehfil ho yaar ki, Rang jamaata hai Coca-Cola. I loved it back then for its jolly, fun jingle and I liked Coke (before it got kicked out in 1975). I still appreciate it now for how perfectly it captured all the occasions where we enjoy Coke, even 60 years later in India,” Sakhuja said.

Shubhranshu Singh, Chief Marketing Officer, CVBU at Tata Motors

Sometimes your present context also enhances your memory of the past. Looking back, two all-time great ads - from very different contexts - in related spaces of Scooters and Mopeds , remain my favourites. One is Bajaj’s “Buland Bharat Ki Buland Tasveer - It positioned the brand brilliantly, gave it stature and its lyrics had a poetic quality that’s timeless. Its visualisation was superb. The campaign had such a rich and real portrayal that you can hear India’s heart beat. In every nuance it was fit for the brand,” Singh said.  



He has another.

“Kinetic’s Chal Meri Luna is an ad that dramatically brought alive the benefits of owning a Luna in credible ways. Characters such as Ram Murari, a government employee, striving to strike a work-life balance and weaving in product benefits in a fun narrative remains a ground breaking treatment. The idea was bigger than the execution,” he added.  

Suresh Chand, Vice President Marketing & Executive Committee Member - Snacks, Noodles & Pasta. at ITC Limited

"This ad resonated with me as a child, capturing the innocence of youth and the simple joy where jalebis could solve all the world’s problems. Its purity is what makes the message so powerful," said Chand. 

Nitin Malhotra, CMO, Livpure India

“The iconic Lifebuoy ad with its memorable jingle, "Lifebuoy hai jahan, tandurusti hai wahan," crafted a catchy tune that remains fresh in our minds even today. It was an innovative use of a jingle, effectively conveying the brand's promise of health and freshness, and creating a lasting memory marker,” said Malhotra.



Rajiv Dubey, Head of Media, Dabur India

For Dubey, the 'Hajmola Sir ad' and the Hajmola Candy ad, featuring kids joyfully splashing in water, are both iconic favourites that captured playful, carefree moments.

Pawandip Singh, Vice President, Marketing Rapido

The Surf Excel "Lalita Ji" ad became an iconic one with the clever portrayal of Lalita Ji's savvy consumer wisdom, positioning Surf Excel as the smarter, economical choice for tough stains, and creating an enduring character in Indian advertising. Its Singh’s favourite ad from his childhood.