Zeno Health asks viewers to skip its own ads

New Delhi: Pharmacy chain Zeno Health has launched a digital campaign that uses the skip button as part of its storytelling format. The series consists of eight short films, running a total of 86 seconds, and has been produced in collaboration with Folklore.

The films feature actor Brijendra Kala as a father using puns and quirky logic in conversations with his daughter, played by Srishti Shrivastava, who responds with sharp comebacks. The exchanges are positioned to reflect everyday banter in Indian households.

Each of the short pieces highlights Zeno Health’s propositions around affordability, delivery, assortment, and scale. The narrative is delivered within the first few seconds of the ad, before the daughter character asks viewers to skip it and either download the app or visit a store.

Siddharth Gadia, Co-founder, Zeno Health, said, “Most healthcare ads either scare you or bore you. We wanted to do the opposite, make you smile while still telling you something that is really important for you. Brijendra and Srishti bring to life the everyday conversations in Indian homes, where humour and care all mix together. We believe this premise helps us connect to our users in a memorable way and will be an important stepping stone in our mission of making high-quality affordable medicines accessible to people, from metros to the remotest villages of our country.”

The brand team scripted the films, which were designed as standalone micro-stories rather than edits of longer television commercials.

Commenting on the creative process, Ujjwal Kabra, Writer and Film Director, and Bhupender Agarwal, Founder and Producer at Folklore, said, “Creating engaging 10–12 second skippable ads is always a challenge, most end up as straightforward, piece-to-camera films. For us, it was important not just to bring out the brand message through this series of short ads but also to anchor it in a central idea without relying on gimmicks. A series of dad jokes felt like the simplest and most playful way to bring that idea alive.”