Gautam Vasudev Menon capitalises on romance to introduce redBus’ new features

Delhi: redBus has announced the launch of a new ad campaign, highlighting redBus app features. Directed by Gautham Vasudev Menon—the man behindMinnale, Rehna Hai Tere Dil Mein, and Mammootty’s upcoming detective flick Dominic and the Ladies' Purse—the campaign stars comedian and social media creator Nirmal Pillai alongside actress Samyuktha Vishwanathan. 

Executed by Leo Burnett India, the ad series takes viewers on a journey with a young couple as they make their journey and time together even more seamless, memorable and enjoyable with the help of redBus’s features. 

The ad series features Pillai and Vishwanathan as a young couple who use redBus’ features to make their journey more fun and memorable. 

Film 1:  Live Bus Tracking

In this film, viewers are introduced to a scene at a café; Vishwanathan hears the bus approaching and expresses concern about missing it. Pillai reassures her in a romantic gesture, revealing that he has tracked the bus using the redBus app. 

Film 2: Ratings & Reviews

The ad opens with Vishawanathan waiting by a bus stop with her suitcase. Pillai eventually joins her and presents a brand-new cushion as a surprise for her. He suggests that while they might not find comfortable seats, this cushion will provide some relief. Vishwanathan then reveals that by checking ratings and reviews on the redBus app, they can book a bus with clean and comfortable seats. 

Film 3: Price Benefit

The film opens at a bustling bus stand with Pillai playfully massaging her shoulders. Pillai jokes about the challenge of securing a last-minute discount to which she points out that with redBus, discounts for last-minute bookings, new users, early birds, and return trips are readily available.

Director Menon said, “Travel is an integral part of new-age relationships. Young couples discover a lot about each other when traveling together. That’s what makes the stories feel so real.” 

On the occasion of the launch, Pallavi Chopra, CMO, redBus, said, “The ad series is strategically crafted to engage our southern Indian audiences, especially the youth. We see that a large chunk of redBus users are aged 25 years or younger and we want to inform these digital first youngsters that redBus offers multiple features beyond bus booking which can make their travel experience so easy and hassle-free. Also, casting both male and female leads reflects our demographics where women are making up a significant and growing segment of consumer base. 

Keeping this demographic in mind, we purposefully crafted a very fun and banter-filled script, which also showcased our superior products which differentiate redBus and have helped us become one of the largest players in this sector. This positioning reflected in the campaign tagline - ‘Bus yaane redBus’”

Pravin Sutar, National Creative Director, Leo Burnett said of the campaign, "The brand’s vision, our story, and GVM's unmatched ability to tell romantic tales have come together to tell a fuzzy, light-hearted, chuckle some journey of a couple and how our brand plays the catalyst in their love story."

• Live Bus Tracking 

• Ratings & Reviews 

• Price Benefit 

Creative Credits:

Agency: Leo Burnett 

Creative Director: Pravin Sutar

Production House: Happy Unicorn

Director: Gautam Vasudhev Menon

DOP: Farook Basha