Adland's top festive ad picks (part four)

Here's what Infectious Advertising's Shabbir Motiwala and Titus Upputuru Company's Titus Upputuru picked as their most-liked pieces of work.

Amidst the barrage of festive communication coming our way, Manifest asked the advertising, marketing and media community to share their most-liked piece of work from all time.

This article was originally published in our November issue (which can be bought here). We’re featuring the advertising industry's favourite works, sharing two selections at a time in alphabetical order.

Here are the top picks from Infectious Advertising, Epidemik Content's Shabbir Motiwala and Titus Upputuru Company's Titus Upputuru.

Shabbir Motiwala, chief content officer, Infectious Advertising, Epidemik Content

Over the years, I have observed a recurring trend in Diwali commercials where the core message revolves around loved ones coming home to celebrate the festival. While this theme is heartwarming, after a few iterations, these ads tend to blur together, losing their distinctiveness and becoming more of a visual white noise during the festive season. Often, they lack a strong brand association, making it hard for audiences to connect the emotional storytelling with the brand behind the message.

That’s why the Cadbury Shah Rukh Khan Diwali released a few years back truly stood out to me. It didn’t just serve as another feel-good Diwali greeting—it brought something innovative and powerful to the table. The personalised message, where Shah Rukh Khan encouraged people to shop at their local stores by calling them out by name, was an outstanding example of using technology and AI in a meaningful way. We were just coming out of Covid and such messaging was very critical for the local business to flourish again.

This wasn’t just about leveraging star power; it was about giving small businesses a sense of identity and pride during one of the most significant shopping seasons. The integration of AI here was seamless, enhancing the experience rather than overshadowing it, and it demonstrated how personalisation can create a deeper emotional connection with the audience.

For me, this campaign broke the mould of traditional Diwali storytelling. It brought a fresh perspective, creating an impact that went beyond the typical festive ad and underscored the importance of innovation in storytelling, especially during crowded seasons like Diwali. It’s a perfect example of how brands can elevate their messaging and truly stand out in the market.

Titus Upputuru, founder, Titus Upputuru Company

My favourite festive ad in India is Omron’s Tumhaari Amma (your mother). It was a brave story of a daughter bringing a unique Diwali ‘gift’ for her widow mother – a suitable old companion.

The product is blended into the film so subtly that it does not appear like hardcore marketing. Early in the film, the daughter sends an Omron Blood Pressure Monitor for her mother informing her that ‘it is essential to know certain things’.

Towards the end of the film, when her surprised mother asks her daughter why she hadn’t informed her about bringing the man home, the daughter replies with a smile that ‘it is essential to know only certain things’.