Chupps and Into Creative ‘design for endings’ in new biodegradable Chupster campaign

New Delhi: Chupps Footwear has launched a new multimedia campaign for its 100% biodegradable Chupster range, created by Into Creative, that positions sustainability as “designing for endings” rather than a marginal add-on.

The four-film series, conceived and written by Santosh “Paddy” Padhi and co-directed with filmmaker Amol Jadhav, uses the visual language of funerals to draw a parallel between the natural cycle of life and Chupster’s ability to completely biodegrade within 24 months of disposal. 

The films mark the next chapter in Chupps’ sustainability push, which has included biodegradable billboards and responsibly engineered footwear.

“At Chupps, we believe sustainability isn’t about doing less harm, it’s about restoring balance,” said Yashesh Mukhi, Founder, Chupps Footwear. “The consumer industry in India is growing at an unprecedented pace, as is the threat of climate ruin. It is therefore incumbent upon us to plan for the end-of-life of the products we create, as opposed to leaving a legacy that far outlives its welcome.

“The Chupster range is designed to return to the earth as naturally as we do. This campaign brings that truth to life in a way that’s raw, human and deeply moving. It’s a reminder that everything we create should have an end as graceful as its beginning,” he added.

Padhi, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, Into Creative, said the brief demanded a bold treatment to stand out in the footwear category.

“Chupps has always led sustainability storytelling from the front. Being fashionable means being brave and edgy,” he said. “This biodegradable series is one of the biggest differentiators of the brand in the footwear category, which needed to be communicated in a very dramatic and memorable way. We decided to blend a harsh reality of life, the funeral, with fashion to make the point about the 100% biodegradable series stick.”

He credited director-producer Jadhav and his production unit for pushing the craft within tight constraints. “Without the creative support of dear friend Amol Jadhav and his amazing production unit, it was impossible to deliver these films with all the constraints we had and also faced during the shoot,” Padhi said.

The four films—Soil, Earth, Fire and Water- were shot in the interiors of Satara, Maharashtra, to add “cinematic drama and organic-ness” to the stories. The lyrics are drawn from the writings of the late Sufi saint Khwaja Fariduddin Ganjshakar, which the team says anchor the films in a deeper, reflective mood.

Launched on December 5, World Soil Day, the campaign will run across digital platforms, social media and cinema screens through December and January. Chupps plans to follow up the films with interactive community engagements that explore the broader philosophy behind “designing for endings”.

Films:
Soil –

Earth –

Fire –

Water 

Campaign credits

• Advertising Agency: Into Creative

• Writer/Creative Director: Santosh Padhi (Paddy)

• Agency team: Namrata Gosavi, Yogesh Rijhwani, Sahil Parab, Gargi Vegiraju, Ayesha Ghosh, Tania Dey

• Directors: Amol Jalandhar Jadhav & Santosh Padhi (Paddy)

• Production House: Shoot At Sight

• Producer: Amol Jalandhar Jadhav

• Directors of Photography: Amol Jalandhar Jadhav & Kedar Phadke

• Editor: Ravi Khandelwal

• Music: Shishir Samant

• Colourist: Ashirwad Hadkar (Prime Focus)

• Executive Producer: Natraj Shinde