Hit or Miss: The week in ads

Here’s our weekly round-up of campaigns that made us look twice

by Soumya Gawri
Published: May 17, 2025 8:26 AM | 3 min read

As summer heats up, so does the advertising landscape in India. Whether it’s a star-studded spin on trust, a scoop of global indulgence, or AI cooling your veggies smarter than your ex, Indian advertisers continue to shoot their shot. Some aim for the heart, some for the head, and a few miss both. Here’s our weekly round-up of campaigns that made us look twice (in awe or confusion), dissected for their storytelling, celeb fit, and brand connect.

Canon India Go Beyond Ad

Canon ditches the tech-heavy approach to spotlight real-life stories of creativity and community empowerment, subtly integrating printers into aspirational use-cases. The ad is warm, personal, and motivational without sounding like a product brochure. It's less about specs, more about dreams, a sharp strategic move to reframe the printer as an enabler, making it a hit.

Spinny's ‘God Promise’ with Sachin and Sara Tendulkar

The father-daughter duo deliver chemistry that’s sweet, believable, and trust-building. The phrase “God Promise” taps into Indian vernacular perfectly. More than a celebrity plug, this ad highlights Spinny’s real value props-5-day return, warranty, etc., with clarity and recall. Sentiment meets service. Nailed it.

Baskin Robbin's Italian Gelato Launch

The product is great, but the storytelling? underwhelming The ad lacks the drama, desire, and decadent Italian flair you'd expect from a gelato campaign. It’s more “local dessert promo” than “luxury European delight.” The brand missed a golden opportunity to go bold and stylish. A Miss.

Tata Coffee Grand's New Cold Coffee Campaign

This ad is light, breezy, and cool in tone and texture, perfectly matching the product. It emphasizes "international café-style flavors" while keeping the visual narrative local and youthful in a local metro. Whether you're a Swiss caramel stan or a Belgian chocolate loyalist, this campaign brews freshness with Gen-Z appeal. A hit.

Godrej AI-Powered Refrigerator Ad

This ad wants to scream innovation, but the tech feels gimmicky and unexplained. Instead of demonstrating how AI genuinely helps a typical Indian family, it throws buzzwords at the viewer. When tech becomes the hero instead of solving real-life kitchen problems, you lose the plot (and the shopper). It's a miss.

Sugar Free's Janhvi Kapoor Ad

Janhvi Kapoor brings freshness and relatability to a category often dominated by diabetic-health tones. The ad is smart, it positions Sugar Free not just for those avoiding sugar but as a lifestyle enhancer. Janhvi’s health-conscious but indulgent persona fits right into this new brand positioning. It’s a hit.

Mother Dairy: Aai Jaisi Mumbai

Sentiment overload, minimal product recall. While the “Aai Jaisi” (like a mother) concept tugs at heartstrings, the emotional quotient overpowers the brand connect. It feels more like a city ode than a campaign about dairy products. Strong intent, but weak integration. Sutble miss but full marks for evoking emotions for Mumbai.

Shah Rukh Khan's Muthoot FinCorp Ad

SRK brings gravitas to Muthoot’s "missed call for a gold loan" innovation. His presence adds trust and glamour. But the storytelling is too reliant on his star power, not the product. With a service this unique, the communication could’ve been sharper. Still, hard to ignore when King Khan is selling gold loans with charm. Another miss for Shahrukh after Met Gala.