Most recently, McCann Worldgroup India conceptualised a hilarious ad for Bangur Cement, which is turning out to be a breath of fresh air in terms of advertising in the category.
The ad film starring Sunny Deol uses his famous punch line ‘Dhai kilo ka hath’, setting a perfect example of celebrity-brand fitment. The brand has a long-term relationship with the actor.
The ad:
Our fun, new one for #BangurCement starring the one & only Sunny Deol! pic.twitter.com/5livrS9GgL
— Some bits (@thefullmohanty) January 17, 2024
The film is directed by Suresh Triveni and produced by Radhika Sawhaney.
Cement company advertisements in India frequently grapple with monotony and a dearth of creativity, resulting in a lacklustre and uninspiring appeal. Despite the inclination to feature celebrities, many of these ads fail to leverage their mass appeal or fail to tap into the cultural nuances of India. Only a handful of cement brands like Ambuja Cements with its very famous ad ‘The Great Khali’, have successfully broken away from the mundane trends, making a notable impact in the otherwise conventional landscape of cement advertising. Both ‘The Great Khali’ ad and the Bangur Cement ads have used human strength as metaphors but with differentiated ideas and execution.
In the advertisement, whenever Sunny Deol is invited as a guest to events and asked to deliver his famous line 'dhai kilo ka hath,' an intriguing twist unfolds. Traditionally, as he strikes his hand on the walls while delivering the dialogue, cracks appear. However, in a particular guest appearance, when he utters the iconic line, the wall surprisingly remains intact. Deol humorously remarks, “Problem mujh mein nahi hai, bakiyon ke cement mein hai, isliye ghar banao to sirf Bangur Cement se”. The ad concludes with the brand's tagline, 'Solid Ghar, sirf Bangur,' emphasising the brand's commitment to sturdy construction.
In contrast to advertisements that often showcase celebrities without a genuine connection to the products, a notable trend has emerged. Several brands are now capitalising on the nostalgia that actors and actresses bring to their ads, thereby establishing good standards of brand fit. Prime examples are the ‘Munna Bhai-Circuit’ ad for Ackno Health Insurance, the presence of the 3 Idiots cast in the Dream11 ad, and a few other instances where the resonance between the stars and the brand elevates the overall impact of the advertisement.