Hit or Miss: The week in ads

This week’s advertising landscape saw brands lean into big personalities, cultural familiarity and simple human truths to make their stories stick. From Vi signalling a new chapter with Shah Rukh Khan to Apple making its foldable debut, brands used major launches and recognisable faces to create anticipation and attention.

But the strongest work wasn’t always about saying something new. Some campaigns found fresh ways to tell stories audiences already understand. OpenAI turned the familiar teacher-student dynamic into a humorous take on AI and learning, while Cars24 brought the age-old Vikram-Betaal tale into the world of used-car buying. Ugaoo, meanwhile, turned Jackie and Tiger Shroff’s real-life father-son chemistry into an exaggerated rivalry over ‘plant babies’, making plant parenting feel far more approachable.

Elsewhere, Spotify found fun in everyday chores, G-SHOCK explored toughness as a state of mind, and InsuranceDekho put the stories of Bharat and its insurance advisors front and centre. DP World brought the invisible world of global supply chains to life with Sachin Tendulkar, while Complan refreshed one of Indian advertising’s most recognisable characters through young cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. Nestasia rounded things off with a festive campaign built around perhaps the best compliment a host can receive: “Where did you get that?”

Vi - “Everyone is a VIP on Vi because we love all”

Vi has unveiled ‘Vi badal raha hai… tayaar rahiye’, a new brand campaign featuring Shah Rukh Khan as it begins a larger transformation of its identity and proposition. The campaign comes alongside Vi’s refreshed visual identity, including a new 3D version of its signature yellow sphere. It is positioned as a teaser for what the telecom brand says is a broader evolution ahead. Rather than revealing specific products or services, the campaign uses Khan to embody the energy, ambition, and optimism behind Vi’s next phase, asking consumers to reconsider what they expect from the brand. The transformation is expected to unfold through new launches, campaigns, and customer experiences in the coming weeks.

Ugaoo - “For The Love Of Plant Parenting”

Ugaoo has launched a new campaign featuring Jackie Shroff and Tiger Shroff, using the father-son duo’s real-life dynamic to make plant parenting feel easy and enjoyable. The film builds on Jackie’s well-known love for plants, humorously imagining that Tiger’s signature backflips, bodybuilding, and flexibility were all attempts to compete with his father’s ‘plant babies’ for attention while growing up. Conceptualised and produced by Kulfi Collective, with White Rivers Media as digital media partner, the campaign uses the exaggerated father-son rivalry to land Ugaoo’s core message that plant parenting does not have to demand too much. It also showcases the brand’s range of plants and gardening products.

Apple - “Introducing the new iPhone Duo”

Apple has unveiled its first foldable iPhone, iPhone Duo, alongside the iPhone 18 Pro and Pro Max, marking its biggest iPhone design shift since the iPhone X. The Duo features a 7.6-inch inner display when unfolded and a 5.4-inch outer screen when closed, with a titanium frame, custom hinge, A20 Pro chip, and redesigned iOS experiences built around multitasking and different viewing modes. Priced from $1,999 in the US and ₹2,99,900 in India, the device is positioned as a premium entry into the foldable market. Pre-orders in India begin October 16, with availability from October 23.

OpenAI - “Teachers know more than you think”

OpenAI India has marked Teachers’ Day with a humorous new film that tackles students using ChatGPT to complete their homework. The film follows classroom situations where students confidently present AI-generated answers but struggle when teachers ask them to explain the work themselves, with the recurring response being “We know.” The campaign uses the familiar teacher-student dynamic to make a broader point about responsible AI use in education: while getting an answer may be easy, understanding it still matters. The film ultimately shifts the spotlight from technology to teachers, celebrating those who go beyond giving answers by asking questions, encouraging critical thinking, and helping students arrive at solutions themselves.

Cars24 - “Sawaal tough ho sakta hai. Jawab simple hai”

Cars24 has launched ‘Vikram Ka Vaada’, bringing the iconic Vikram-Betaal folklore into the world of used-car buying, with CEO Vikram Chopra stepping into the role of King Vikram. Conceptualised by Talented and produced by Bang Bang Mediacorp, the campaign features Betaal voicing the questions, doubts, and concerns consumers may have when buying or selling a car, while King Vikram answers them. The films use the familiar folklore format to communicate Cars24’s policies and build trust around the used-car purchase experience. By putting its own CEO in character rather than having him simply endorse the brand, CARS24 turns consumer scepticism into the central storytelling device.

Spotify - “Spotify Chalao”

Spotify has launched ‘Roz ke kaam fun banao, Spotify Chalao’, an eight-film campaign that shows how music can turn mundane household chores into moments of enjoyment. Spanning Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Bhojpuri, the films feature everyday tasks such as ironing clothes, washing dishes and fixing a lightbulb, with people getting absorbed in their music and transforming routine work into more entertaining experiences. The campaign draws on Spotify’s research showing that 97% of Indian users say the platform makes mundane activities more enjoyable, positioning music as an easy way to add energy and joy to everyday routines. The campaign will run across TV, digital, and social media for five weeks.

G-SHOCK - “Unfazed by Time”

G-SHOCK has unveiled ‘Unfazed by Time’, a new brand film featuring brand ambassador Vicky Kaushal and spotlighting its LUXE BLACK series, a refined take on the 2100 lineup. The film places Kaushal in a series of intense and unpredictable situations involving chaos and confrontation, but he remains composed and refuses to let external circumstances dictate his response. Through this narrative, G-SHOCK extends its signature toughness beyond physical durability to themes of resilience, individuality, and self-belief. Created in partnership with Ducktape Studios and directed by Raylin Valles, the campaign uses a cinematic treatment to position the LUXE BLACK series as an expression of understated confidence and staying true to oneself amid change.

InsuranceDekho - “Bharat Dekho Badh Raha Hai”

InsuranceDekho has unveiled #BharatDekhoBadhRahaHai, a brand anthem highlighting the role of its digital insurance advisors in expanding insurance access beyond India’s metros. Built around the thought that insurance is bought on trust before need, the film draws on real stories from partners across Bharat, including an auto driver who built his dream home, a father who repaid a long-standing loan, and families able to afford an AC or repaint their homes. The campaign builds on InsuranceDekho’s ‘Khul Kar Khelo’ vision, portraying its 6.4-lakh-plus digital partners not just as insurance distributors but as trusted local voices helping customers access coverage while building better lives for themselves.

DP World - “How DP World Connects Global Supply Chains”

DP World has unveiled a new campaign film featuring global ambassador Sachin Tendulkar, spotlighting the often-unseen logistics operations that move products from where they are made to where they are needed. Centred on the brand’s ‘We move the world to change what’s possible’ proposition, the film follows the journey of products from origin to destination, bringing attention to the people, technology and infrastructure working across land, air and sea to keep global supply chains moving. Conceptualised by McCann and directed by Harsha Prabhakar Rao, Founder of Black Picture Co., the campaign uses Tendulkar to humanise the complex world of logistics and showcase the connections that make everyday commerce possible.

Complan - “India's Pride, India Ka Complan Boy”

Complan, the nutrition drink brand from Zydus Wellness, has launched ‘India ka Complan Boy’, featuring its brand ambassador and young cricket sensation Vaibhav Sooryavanshi. The campaign refreshes the brand’s iconic ‘Complan Boy’ equity by moving from a familiar advertising character to a real-life young achiever whose journey embodies ambition, discipline, preparation and family support. At the heart of the campaign is Complan’s ‘Thoda Plan, Thoda Complan’ philosophy, with a digital film tracing Vaibhav’s journey from hours of preparation to becoming the youngest cricketer to debut for India in international cricket. Through his story, Complan aims to make its legacy relevant to a new generation of children and families.

Nestasia - “Designs So Good, It Makes You Look!”

Nestasia has unveiled its festive campaign ‘Designs So Good, It Makes You Look’, turning the attention that great home décor naturally attracts into the campaign’s central idea. Set at a festive gathering, the film follows guests who become increasingly curious about the décor on the table, examining products, turning them over to check their names, and eventually discovering Nestasia. The campaign takes a light-hearted look at festive hosting, where thoughtful details become a reflection of the host’s taste and effort. By making guests’ curiosity the ultimate compliment, Nestasia positions its festive collection as décor that is distinctive enough to make people stop, notice, and ask where it is from.