Hit or Miss: The week in ads
From brands already celebrating Valentines’ Day to the Super Bowl mania, we bring to you ad campaigns that caught our eye this week
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Published: Feb 7, 2026 9:47 AM | 8 min read
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India's advertising scene this week was dominated by the cricket fever and Valentine's Day warmth, with brands navigating between grand sporting spectacles and intimate emotional moments. From Hyundai and Apollo Tyres rallying behind Team India's championship dreams to Cadbury Silk and KISNA redefining romantic expression beyond commercial clichés, marketers are clearly reading the cultural calendar closely.
Meanwhile, Anthropic's cheeky Super Bowl play sparked industry debate about AI's commercial future, and Flipkart turned relationship advice into a retail strategy with its provocative Choreplay Store. As brands compete for attention across passion points, the question remains: which campaigns truly connected, and which missed the mark?
Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk - “Say It With Silk”
Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk has relaunched its “Say It With Silk” Valentine’s Day campaign for 2026, reinforcing its focus on heartfelt expressions of love. The campaign is anchored by a new digital film that contrasts AI-generated communication with genuine human emotion, emphasising that real love can’t be automated.
Alongside this, the brand has introduced refreshed Valentine’s packaging and is amplifying the message through digital content, music collaborations, influencer partnerships, and retail activations. The 360-degree effort aims to help people express feelings meaningfully in a tech-driven world, making Valentine’s gifting more thoughtful and emotional.
Hyundai India - “Deewane India Ka Deewana Humsafar”
Hyundai Motor India has launched its ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 campaign, focusing on fan passion rather than star players. Fronted by Shah Rukh Khan and filled with 1990s nostalgia, the campaign positions Hyundai as a companion to cricket fans, blending emotional storytelling with measurable marketing goals. It operates across the full funnel, including CTV, test-drives, dealership activations and AI-driven contextual ads, aiming for both brand impact and commercial results.
Anthropic - “Ads are coming to AI. But not to Claude”
Anthropic ran a series of satirical Super Bowl ads criticizing the idea of ads inside AI chatbots, highlighting how intrusive advertising could hurt user experience and positioning its Claude chatbot as ad-free. The spots mock interrupted conversations and conclude that ads won’t be part of Claude. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded, calling the ads funny but “clearly dishonest,” and defended OpenAI’s approach to transparent, non-disruptive ads in ChatGPT to fund wider accessibility.
Meta India - “Scam Se Bacho”
Meta has launched the third edition of its anti-scam awareness campaign “Scam Se Bacho” to help people recognise, question and report online fraud. The digital initiative, created with the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre (I4C) and the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), features actor Neena Gupta and popular creators to explain common scams like fake job offers, impersonation and bogus investment schemes. The campaign uses real-life scenarios and calls on users to pause, verify and use platform safety tools to protect themselves.
https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=4232502670345718
Cadbury 5 Star - “Restore Valentine’s Day”
Cadbury 5 Star has flipped its long-running anti-Valentine’s positioning by launching a cheeky new campaign that “ends the rivalry” with Valentine’s Day. The effort, created by Ogilvy, initially announces sponsorship of 1 million Valentine’s Day experiences, only to reveal it’s a playful twist rooted in the brand’s irreverent “Eat 5 Star. Do Nothing” philosophy. The campaign blends humour, a web sign-up experience and a narrative that keeps the brand’s non-traditional tone alive while engaging audiences around February 14.
Kisna - “Kyunki Pyaar Jatana Zaroori Hai”
KISNA Diamond and Gold Jewellery has launched its Valentine’s film titled “Kyunki Pyaar Jatana Zaroori Hai,” focusing on love through everyday expressions rather than grand celebrations. The 125-second digital narrative follows an older couple debating Valentine’s Day’s meaning, ultimately showing simple affection, like a husband surprising his wife with earrings at home. The campaign positions jewellery as a subtle symbol of genuine connection rather than the centre of public displays.
Cadbury Oreo - “Dream For The Team”
Oreo has launched its “Dream for the Team” campaign ahead of the key cricket season, tapping into India’s passion for the sport by inviting fans to unite behind Team India with collective belief and positivity. The brand has brought on board cricket star Rohit Sharma as a fellow supporter, not a player, to lead the movement. The initiative encourages fans across the country to “dream for the team” together, turning passive cheering into active participation.
Uber Eats - “Hungry For The Truth”
Uber Eats has launched a “Build Your Own Super Bowl Commercial” for Super Bowl LX, letting users customise their own ad within the Uber Eats app using celebrity-inspired options. The official commercial stars Matthew McConaughey, Bradley Cooper and Parker Posey in a humorous rivalry about food and football, while users can unlock additional cameos from stars like Addison Rae. This interactive campaign adds over 1,000 possible ad combinations and enhances fan engagement around the big game.
Swiggy Instamart - “Phools in Love”
Instamart launched a creative Valentine’s Day activation called “Phools in Love” by placing two oversized flowers on a public bench in Bandra, Mumbai, to spark genuine reactions. People of all ages (couples, families, and even a same-sex pair) interacted with the setup, creating natural, heartfelt moments. The reactions were captured in a digital film that has gone viral, positioning Instamart as the brand that helps people express love with thoughtful gestures right when they matter most.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUYVc_gEj08/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
SNITCH - “Everyone Has an Opinion, Style Doesn’t Need One”
Menswear brand SNITCH has launched its new digital campaign titled “Everyone Has an Opinion” to reframe body positivity for men, moving the conversation away from validation and transformation toward freedom from judgment. The 60 - 75-second film shows a man navigating critical voices in his head but choosing to ignore them and express himself confidently. The campaign’s message is that everyone has opinions, but style shouldn’t need approval, promoting self-expression and inclusivity for all body types.
https://youtu.be/wc4gtj2Lc7U?si=H413q7KJQs-uQiQM
Apollo Tyres - “Har Safar Mein Dum Hai”
Apollo Tyres has launched its new brand campaign “Har Safar Mein Dum Hai” as the Lead Sponsor of the Indian Cricket Team. The emotional film features legend Sachin Tendulkar alongside stars like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Shubman Gill, and Arshdeep Singh, tracing their journeys from childhood dreams to wearing the India jersey. Set to A R Rahman’s Maa Tujhe Salaam, the film highlights resilience, discipline, family support, and national pride, aligning Indian cricket’s spirit with Apollo’s brand values.
Himalayan - “Peace in a Bottle”
Himalayan, The Natural Mineral Water from Tata Consumer Products, has launched a new digital film titled “Peace in a Bottle.” The cinematic campaign contrasts everyday urban chaos with serene Himalayan landscapes, showing how moments of calm can exist even in a busy world. It reinforces the brand’s promise of purity, balance and mindful refreshment, using immersive visuals and minimal dialogue to highlight emotional calm and the water’s premium positioning.
Flipkart - “The Choreplay Store”
Flipkart has launched a quirky Valentine’s campaign, calling household effort the ultimate romantic gesture. Instead of traditional gifts, the brand introduced the Choreplay Store on its app: a one-of-a-kind shop with cleaning supplies, mops, washing machines, dishwashing gels and more aimed at encouraging men to share household chores. Based on behavioural insights about domestic work and desire, the campaign suggests that helping around the house shows respect, maturity and real love.
Bata India - “Victoria Ballerina Collection”
Bata India has refreshed its “Make Your Way” campaign, bringing actor Sanjana Sanghi on board as the new face to highlight the Victoria Ballerina collection. The campaign positions the classic ballerina silhouette as a symbol of everyday comfort and modern femininity for women juggling work, college, and leisure. The range features lightweight designs in soft pastels and neutrals and is being promoted through digital, social, in-store, and outdoor channels.
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUPglYxEt2J/
Heineken - “Fans Have More Friends”
Heineken has launched its global “Fans Have More Friends” sponsorship platform, built on the idea that shared passions help people connect in a world where real-life social bonds can feel scarce. The campaign unifies Heineken’s football, Formula 1 and music sponsorships, supported by research showing fandom fosters friendships. A social experiment in New York proved fans will come together for shared experiences. A TV commercial featuring stars like Max Verstappen celebrates spontaneous friendships among fans worldwide.
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