Hit or Miss: The week in ads

We're officially halfway through 2025, which means two things: one, you're probably no more writing “2024” by mistake; and two, brands are shifting gears. The summer sprint is done, and we’ve entered the great monsoon moodboard, with rain-soaked streets, chai cravings, and yes, more “fresh” campaigns than umbrellas in your hallway. This week’s ads are a mix of the deeply emotional, the deliberately disruptive, and the slightly damp pieces.

We’ve got Big B comparing rice varieties, Shubman Gill time-travelling in sunglasses, and Mumtaz vlogging in 10 minutes flat. From theatre edits to Instagram reels, the tone is shifting, cleaner storytelling, and fewer celebrity shoutouts. Some land perfectly. Others slip. Here’s our pick for the hit or miss of the week

Oakley time-travels to 2075 with Shubman Gill 

Oakley’s new campaign lands Shubman Gill in a futuristic, motion-designed world where eyewear isn’t just worn, it’s engineered. With sci-fi names like ‘Plantaris’ and ‘Lateralis’, the sunglasses feel more like tech artifacts than accessories. Gill fits the visual brief perfectly, no over-cricketered tropes, just clean cuts, cool edits, and intergalactic drip. It’s slick, stylised, and doesn’t oversell.
Its a hit.

Mumtaz Banu Begum drops a 16th‑century “vlog” with Jeevansathi.com

Jeevansathi flips the script on royal romanticism, this time an AI‑generated Mumtaz is chatting us up from the Taj Mahal era, but it’s not about eternal love. It’s all about being heard, understood, and emotionally real, not reduced to just a monument. The grainy, period‑style aesthetic plus her straight talk (“I'd have preferred emotional support over 42 acres of marble”) totally reframes the narrative. It’s clever, feels fresh, and cuts right through the usual matrimonial clichés, making it a hit.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DL2DB0zqXTg/?igsh=MXJ6MG0xZTB6eXhvbw==

'Maa ka Vishwas' with Organic Tattva

Organic Tattva rolls out Kareena as the face of pulses and rice, leaning heavily on her mom‑and‑mindful image, with slo‑mo stirring, earnest voice‑overs about purity, and all the typical wholesome pantry shots. But it lands flat. It’s polished and sincere, but also predictable, with no brand recall or creativity to make it memorable, making it a miss.

Amitabh goes ‘no Khulla Class’ for India Gate

India Gate’s latest campaign starring Big B takes a direct jab at loose rice with its “Top Class vs Khulla Class” pitch. While it scores on insight and star power, the tone feels a tad elitist, prompting some online backlash for looking down on local vendors. Subtle miss.

Gut‑friendly Uplife oil

India Gate’s Uplife now sells its new Gut‑Pro and Lite oils as smart, flavorful, and wellness‑focused, designed for a gut‑healthy, active lifestyle. With its crisp engine‑analogy storytelling and promise of “keep your gut revving”, it feels modern, relevant, and aspirational, making it a hit.

Dettol original promise

In this emotionally grounded ad, a boy promises his mom he’ll stay away from germs at school, and obviously, he can’t. Dettol steps in with its “Original Promise” of 12-hour protection. It’s simple, warm, and effective without trying too hard. Subtle hit.

“Pari” for Man Force 

In this cheeky reel, the dad is asked, “Where do babies come from?” The punchline: “Pari.” Big laughs, gentle surprise, zero awkwardness. It’s playful, memorable, and fully owned by the brand. A perfect mix of humor and recall, short, smart, and absolutely hit.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLuedG5TVQl/?igsh=ZG54ejY5c3dodW16

Forces of Tyaani

Tyaani’s “Forces of Tyaani” isn’t your usual sparkle-and-slow-mo ad. It’s intimate, stripped down, and powerful, featuring women like Kalki and Shefali speaking about self-worth, success, softness, and steel. The jewellery’s beautiful, sure, but here, the voice is the real gem. It's a hit.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DL7YQ9Vs80O/?igsh=MWd2Y3Q0bTJ0a2Q2bg==

Swiggy Instamart × Plush

The ad opens with an older sister fashioning a leaky pad fix, and her younger sibling swoops in, ordering Plush Seamless Period Panty via Instamart in seconds. It highlights a shift from makeshift to smart convenience, all wrapped in real sisterly care. It's a hit.

https://youtu.be/Ik1NlN5-2Bg