Hit or Miss: The week in ads

Happy 80th Independence Day, India!

This year's crop of campaigns felt less like a checklist of patriotism and more like a genuine attempt to find fresh stories within the familiar one. MakeMyTrip teamed up with the Ministry of Tourism to send Indians exploring their own backyard, while Delhivery turned its delivery network into a storytelling engine for 80 forgotten tales of courage. Safed found patriotism in a mother's compassion, Liberty General Insurance found it in a child's quiet intervention, and ITC found it in 70 classical musicians reimagining Vande Mataram for its 150th anniversary.

On the lighter side, Flipkart and Amazon leaned into freedom-themed sales with wit: one raiding the "British Raj," the other cataloguing every shopper personality that exists. Edelweiss Mutual Fund linked financial patience to national perseverance, FRND celebrated the freedom to speak in one's mother tongue, and Asian Paints and JK Lakshmi Cement both turned to colour and unity as metaphors for a shared Indian identity.

As the country marks 80 years of independence, here's a look at the ads that tried to make August 15 mean something a little different this year:

Incredible India x MakeMyTrip - “Discover Incredible India. Come Back with Stories & Memories”
MakeMyTrip has partnered with the Ministry of Tourism to encourage Indians to explore the stories behind India's destinations through 350+ guided tours across 60+ cities. Launched on Independence Day under the Incredible India and Dekho Apna Desh initiatives, the partnership makes local experiences (from heritage walks and cultural tours to food, crafts and unusual city explorations) bookable on the platform. A joint campaign and master film bring the idea to life, positioning local guides and communities at the heart of discovering India's diverse heritage, culture, and everyday stories. The tours start at ₹500 and will expand further.

Safed - “Maa Ka Dil Hai Sabse Safed”
Safed Detergent’s Independence Day 2026 campaign explores how a mother’s values of fairness, empathy, and humanity can extend beyond the home to shape a better society. The film follows Divya, a DCP and mother, as she handles a tense student protest involving young people around her daughter’s age. While she remains firm in her duty, she also chooses to see the protesters as someone’s children, reminding her colleagues, “Yeh bhi toh kisike bachche hain na, Sir.” The campaign closes with “Na Koi Daag, Na Koi Bhed, Ek Maa Ka Dil Hai Sabse Safed,” linking a mother’s values with a more compassionate India.



Edelweiss Mutual Fund - “Don't Quit, India”
Edelweiss Mutual Fund has launched its Independence Day campaign, #DontQuitIndia, encouraging Indians to keep going despite setbacks, uncertainty, and moments of doubt. Set to the familiar tune of “Hum Honge Kamyaab,” the film draws parallels between everyday perseverance and the patience required for long-term investing. Rather than framing Independence Day solely through the lens of patriotism, the campaign focuses on the belief that progress comes from continuing to try, even when results do not arrive immediately. It positions resilience and staying the course as qualities that apply both to personal journeys and financial goals.


Flipkart - “Loot the British Raj”
Flipkart has turned the phrase “British Raj” into a playful Independence Day activation for its Freedom Sale. Created with 22feet, part of Omnicom Advertising India, the campaign reinterprets the historical term by targeting people named Raj who live in the UK. Flipkart then drops Freedom Sale discount codes in the comments on their Instagram posts, giving the idea a cheeky social media twist. The campaign is supported by a humorous film that initially plays with references to the British Raj before revealing the wordplay. It extends across digital, social media, and OOH, with QR codes leading audiences to the film and sale.


Amazon - “Great Freedom Sale”
Amazon India has launched a quirky campaign for its Great Freedom Sale, created by Schbang, built around the different personalities shoppers become during major sales. The film introduces characters such as the Shikari shopper hunting for the best deals, the Tol-Mol shopper comparing every coupon and cashback, the Deal-Pe-Deal shopper who keeps adding bargains, and the FOMO shopper constantly checking for offers. Playing on Amazon’s A-to-Z identity, the campaign turns familiar shopping behaviours into humour while reinforcing a simple message: there is a deal for every kind of shopper during the Great Freedom Sale.

Liberty General Insurance - “Set The Example”
Liberty General Insurance has launched “Set The Example,” an Independence Day brand film created with White Rivers Media, exploring how everyday actions can shape the values passed on to the next generation. Set around a tense road confrontation, the film shows how a child’s intervention makes an adult reconsider an escalating situation. A visual reference to Mahatma Gandhi reinforces the contrast between aggression and restraint, with the story told largely through expressions, music, and imagery rather than dialogue. The campaign extends the idea of independence into a responsibility to set the right example for those who follow.


ITC - “Desh Ek Raag 3”
ITC Sangeet Research Academy has released “Desh Ek Raag 3” to mark 150 years of Vande Mataram ahead of India’s 80th Independence Day. The third edition of its Independence Day music series brings together nearly 70 classical musicians across generations, including ITC SRA’s first student, Pandit Ajoy Chakrabarty, and 11-year-old scholar Baibhab Mukhopadhyay. The National Song is performed in Raag Desh, with the rendition created by ITC SRA Guru Shri Abir Hossain and the music video directed by Pritha Chakraborty. The campaign celebrates India’s musical heritage through a collective classical interpretation of the iconic national song.

Prega News - “One Smile. Many Languages. One Good News”
Prega News has launched an Independence Day campaign that finds a clever meaning within its own name: NEWS stands for North, East, West, and South. Created by FCB Kinnect, the film travels across four Indian homes, each reflecting different languages, cultures, and traditions as families react to the arrival of pregnancy news. Despite the differences in how the news is shared and celebrated, the film highlights the universal emotions of anticipation, surprise, and joy. Marking Prega News’ 19 years in India, the campaign positions the brand as a part of millions of families’ first “good news” across the country.

Delhivery - “Corners of Courage”
Delhivery has launched “Corners of Courage” for India’s 80th Independence Day, spotlighting 80 lesser-known stories of courage and sacrifice from across the country. Inspired by a forgotten freedom-fighter story discovered along a routine delivery route, the campaign explores stories from places such as Tamluk, Vedaranyam and Mangarh, highlighting the many local movements that shaped India’s freedom struggle. Delhivery is also turning its delivery network into a storytelling medium, with collectible postcards featuring these stories being delivered with parcels during Independence Day week. QR codes on the postcards lead audiences to a digital collection of all 80 stories.


FRND - “Dil Se Bol”
FRND has launched “Dil Se Bol” for Independence Day, celebrating India's linguistic diversity and the freedom to express oneself in the language closest to the heart. The campaign film brings together voices speaking in different Indian languages, from Hindi and Bengali to others, showing how the same emotions can transcend linguistic boundaries. Built around the thought “Different Voices. Same Emotions. One India,” the campaign positions language as a bridge that helps people connect, be understood, and express themselves authentically, while celebrating the many voices that make up India.


JK Lakshmi Cement - “Alag Chehre, Alag Kahaniyaan, Par Ehsaas Ek”
JK Lakshmi Cement has unveiled a new Independence Day brand film that uses the Tricolour as a symbol of unity and shared identity. The film brings together people and everyday moments from across India, showing how the national flag connects citizens despite their different cultures and backgrounds. Building on the brand’s “Soch Karo Buland” philosophy, the campaign looks beyond Independence Day celebrations to encourage audiences to think about the India they want to build together. Through themes of belonging, unity, and collective aspiration, JK Lakshmi Cement extends its idea of Buland Soch to building a stronger India.

Asian Paints - “5000+ Colours of Freedom”
Asian Paints’ Independence Day print campaign, “5000+ Colours of Freedom,” celebrates the many colours that shape India’s homes and identities. Building on last year’s “The Colours of India,” the campaign uses the saffron, white and green of the Tricolour alongside Asian Paints’ 5,000+ shades to highlight the balance between national unity and individual expression. Featuring a collage of homes across India, the campaign is anchored by the line “Yeh Rang Hi Humara Asli Pata Hai,” positioning colour as a powerful expression of identity. The campaign appears across national and regional newspapers, with digital extensions.
https://youtube.com/shorts/hPEtvURR0LY?si=aDsrOw2X7MiIwPIo