Hit or Miss: The Week in Ads

Hold onto your dandiya sticks and Diwali diyas, September’s last week has officially blown the lid off the festive ad season! From heart-tugging family moments to ultra-glitzy celeb endorsements, brands are throwing their entire creative arsenal at consumers like never before. Falguni Pathak’s beats are back on BoAt speakers, jewelry brands are turning A-listers into walking treasures, and tech giants are promising the fastest, shiniest, smartest Diwali yet. 

Every scroll is a mini celebration, every ad a potential mood-lifter or facepalm moment. Some campaigns nail the festive spirit; others… well, let’s just say they might need a little extra sparkle next time. But one thing’s for sure: the countdown to the festival frenzy has officially begun, and brands are all-in for that razzmatazz that makes you laugh, cry, and maybe even reach for your wallet, all before you’ve even finished your morning chai.

Foxtale x Emraan Hashmi

Foxtale’s ad featuring Emraan Hashmi cleverly plays on his iconic “serial kisser” persona, reimagining it in a light-hearted skincare context. With sharp humour and a nostalgic wink, the film instantly hooks viewers. The campaign is a hit because it fuses pop culture recall with modern beauty narratives leveraging Hashmi’s mass appeal to spark conversation, relatability, and viral shareability.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO-XlB7ETWp/?igsh=MXhjbWdkd3IyODN5Zw==

Mother Dairy “Doi Chai Go, Doi Chai”

In a school choir, a girl swaps Tagore’s lyrics for “Doi Chai” on spotting her father with Mother Dairy Mishti Doi, sparking joyous participation. Abir Chatterjee closes with “Aamar Maa’er moto Mishti.” The ad is a hit because it fuses nostalgia, Bengali pride, and familial warmth, making Mishti Doi inseparable from Pujo celebrations.

https://youtu.be/U_KtHfldPes?si=655wAGD-lO_bvCCk

OnePlus Diwali: “Light a Light, Plant a Plant”

In the ad, Jackie Shroff urges viewers to celebrate Diwali not just by lighting diyas, but by planting saplings turning festive light into living green. It succeeds because it blends celebration and sustainability, uses a respected face for authenticity, and gives purpose to festivity, making the brand message emotionally and socially resonant.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO_Cnr5ksbi/?igsh=cTNyNGJ3amM5ZGx1

Catch Hing “Chor Police” 

The TVC shows Akshay Kumar caught in a playful chor-police chase, only for the twist to reveal the prized culprit, Catch Hing. While the setup directly ties product to narrative, the execution feels flat. Predictable humour, clunky pacing, and lack of freshness mean the ad fails to stand out, making it more a miss than a hit.

https://youtu.be/39JDPyWHbss?si=o6aPrCvfCK-E4ZeG

boAt x Falguni Pathak

boAt’s “Upgrade to boAt” Navratri campaign features Falguni Pathak in a festive garba setting, smashing a generic speaker and swapping it for their PartyPal 700, surrounded by other skits where creators highlight poor sound or power, then show off boAt’s tech. It works because it taps nostalgia and festival energy, uses a beloved cultural icon, and shows clear product benefit not just flashy visuals but audible betterment. Fun, relatable and purpose-driven, it hits the sweet spot. 

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO2ufpYiDmF/?igsh=MXhkb2dpNGdyNWVybw==

boAt x The Ba****ds of Bollywood

boAt’s ad with the cast of The Ba****ds of Bollywood showcases the PartyPal 700 speaker in a high-energy, playful party setting. Cameos, banter, and the product’s 300W sound make it lively and memorable. The campaign works because it fuses trending pop culture with product power, creating excitement, relevance, and instant brand recall among young audiences.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO_KHpzDETl/?igsh=NW81eDJkaDAwNzAw

CRED x Farah Khan 

CRED’s latest ad features Farah Khan in a surreal AI-generated sequence, where her face melts into chocolate chaos, highlighting the app’s quirky, absurd humour. While visually striking, the ad risks overshadowing its core message, paying credit card bills for rewards. It’s inventive and attention-grabbing but slightly over the top, making it more polarizing than universally appealing.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DO2lfAtDLOM/?igsh=cjR1YnZoZXJiamJt

Indriya Jewels 'Alka' Collection

Indriya by Aditya Birla Group unveils its festive collection, 'Alka', through a soulful music video featuring Aditi Rao Hydari and Siddharth. The campaign reimagines the classic song 'Dil Abhi Bhara Nahin', portraying a heartfelt tale of love and togetherness during the festive season. The campaign effectively captures the intimacy and elegance of the 'Alka' collection, resonating with audiences seeking meaningful connections during the festive season. Aditi and Siddharth's real-life chemistry adds authenticity to the narrative.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DOz1PvUiMRL/?igsh=MTNqNGp0Z3E4cWM2ag==