Kuch meetha ho jaye: Timeless festive ads that warm our hearts year after year

During the festive season, numerous brands launch creative ad campaigns to engage their audiences and strengthen connections, ultimately driving sales. While hundreds of brands release festive campaigns each year, a few have truly stood out, leaving a lasting impression on our hearts. This year, e4m has curated a list of such memorable festive ads that have become an integral part of our celebrations, remaining forever fresh in our minds and bringing joy and sparkle to the season.

Cadbury Celebrations

Cadbury comes out with a festive campaign every year, with their heartwarming tagline “Kuch Meetha Ho Jaye”. But this ad from nine years ago, where a group of soldiers are waiting for that one soldier's family to surprise him, and then celebrating together, just melts hearts. Fun fact: this is one of Vikrant Massey's first TVC appearances.

Tanishq Jewelers 

In 2016, Tanishq featured actor Deepika Padukoune and her parents in their festive jewellery ad. This film showcased their Divyam collection. Audiences found the ad elegant and simple, and a piece that connected with them emotionally. 

Surf Excel

Their heartwarming story showed innocent kids trying to bring the joy of Diwali to everyone. With the hashtag #AbLagRahiDiwali - Share the joy of Diwali with Everyone, and the their tagline of “agar daag lagne se kisi ki Diwali mein rang aur Roshni badh jaaye, toh Daag Ache Hain”, really brought smiles on everyone's face.

HP India

Well, if there was a prize for making everyone cry with a brilliant blend of messaging and product placement in their ads, then we're voting for HP India ads. Here is the best one out of the lot. With the tagline ‘Ummeed Ka Diya’, this ad showed how one small idea can change the life of an individual. With a strong, #GoLocal message, HP supported the diya making business of Rajasthani communities, that work hard every Diwali. 

JK Cement 

With their hard-hitting ad about how everyone deserves to have a happy Diwali, JK Cement launched an ad with the tagline “Jo banaye hamare ghar ko #AndarSeSundar​, Aao unki Diwali sajayen!” They also followed their brand value of #AndarSeSundar, very strongly with the ad. The ad always brings you a smile.

VIVO Mobile Phones

With a series of ad titled the #JoyOfHomeComing, VIVO came out with various soul-touching stories about coming back home to celebrate festivals and be closer to your loved ones. There is one ad that stood out of these and stayed with us. This Ad about a father living in the mountains missing his children and spending it with a stranger who rents a room from him for 2 weeks, is really sweet and their product placement hits.

Coca Cola

This Ad from 2019, starring an Ayushmann Khurrana that lives away from home and is missing his Delhi wali Diwali, bringing Diwali feel to him, are his Tamilian neighbors. Spreading the message that Coca-Cola helps create new connections, no matter what the background, it celebrates new relationships. This message smoothly works across with their tagline “Iss Diwali, har dil bola tere naam ki Coca-Cola.” It also went well with their #ShareACoke​ hashtag.

Amazon 

Covid was a very hard time for everyone, this ad celebrating those who were there for you like family also deserve a special Happy Diwali, really warmed our hearts. Their idea that “Some people are special family, don't forget to deliver the love to them yourself” and their festive hashtag #deliverthelove​ made the ad very special.

Mankind

This ad might be the best one on the list. The ad featuring Piyush Mishra as a hotel owner who is struggling and is about to lose his hotel, is helped by the very orphan who he fed for years out of his kindness. Their message of “Kindness is not found but spread” and their hashtag #SpreadingKindness gel very well together with the ad and brings out a piece of commercial that is hard to forget.

Reliance Fresh

This Ad is yet another example of breaking economic classism barriers, where the homeowner invites the househelp’s parents as her guests to celebrate a special diwali that her househelp couldn't even have imagined, bringing a lot of people smiles and sense. To celebrate the Reliance idea of #BadiDiwali, they came with a message to touch someone’s life with an act of kindness and sharing your light of happiness with the world. Their hashtag messaging (#BadiDiwali​) and tagline (Dil Bada Toh Diwali Badi) were also quite creative. 

Myntra

Another ad that highlights the importance of bringing smiles to others and spreading joy to everyone, is very uplifting. The ad is also about a woman househelp feeling inadequate to make her son get the best of the gifts, but when gets it from her ‘Madam’, she feels extremely included and happy. Making the ad a timeless tale of bringing everyone together. Myntra kept this as their festive moments styled by Myntra campaign of 2021.

Sabhyata

Knowing how hard it for pregnant women in the work sector and bringing a very fresh theme to celebrating Diwali goodness, Sabhyata brought this ad with their hashtag #RedefiningCelebration starring Ayesha Kaduskar as a pregnant woman who accidentally gives her interview to Sheeba Chadha, who is the employer without knowing she is the employer. The ad underlines the value of reassurance and comforting in times of worry is the actual meaning of celebrating joy.

Ghadi Detergent

This ad from 2018, is still very relevant to audiences. Showing that stereotypes are the real dirt and if that's gone only then it's a true celebration, shows the tale of a wary man selling his AC to a police officer, who he is afraid of. They urged people to open their eyes to see the new reality with the hashtag #SaareMaelDhoDaalo. Ghadi has several other innovative festive ads with themes around changing the mentality of people.