House of McDowell’s Soda turns Holi into an adventure on wheels

House of McDowell’s Soda celebrated this Holil with Yaari Jam: Holi on Wheels, reimagining the festival through the lens of friendship.

Conceptualized by Publicis Groupe India’s ‘Team Spirit’, the activation brought together real-life friends and comedians Tanmay Bhat and Aaditya Kulshreshtha (Kullu), alongside creators Anuj Gupta and Aishwarya Mohanraj - for a Holi celebration unlike any other. Set inside a sprawling arena, two high-performance cars became unexpected protagonists in a high-octane game of colour tag.

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Speaking about the activation, Aanandita Datta, Vice President Marketing & Category Head, Diageo India, said, "At House of McDowell’s Soda, we see friendship not just as an emotion, but as a cultural force that shapes how young India lives life. Building on our ‘Firsts with Friends’ philosophy launched last year, Yaari Jam: Holi on Wheels brings that spirit to life in a new way. It reimagines a deeply rooted festival through a more contemporary lens. We wanted to move beyond celebration as ritual and create celebration as a shared experience - something immersive and unforgettable. Our ambition is to build House of McDowell’s Soda into a brand that doesn’t just participate in culture, but actively shapes it by curating elevated, first-of-its-kind moments that friends can truly call their own.”

Aaditya Kulshreshtha (Kullu), Actor & Comedian, part of the experience, shared, “I’ve played Holi my whole life - galli wali, terrace wali, all of it. But this? This was unreal. The second the cars started drifting and colour just exploded everywhere, it felt like I was in an actual movie action sequence… except with my closest yaars roasting me in the background. The banter was non-stop, the chaos was beautiful and doing something this cool together made it genuinely special. It wasn’t just another Holi - it was our first time doing Holi like this.”

Kartik Smetacek, Chief Creative Officer, Saatchi & Saatchi India, added, “This is the second big campaign under our new platform idea for McDowell’s – Firsts With Friends. Holi is the perfect occasion for friends to come together and unleash some madness. This high-octane reimagining of a Holi party has just the right mix of surprise and spectacle.”