The latest ad, created by Amul and its advertising agency daCunha Communications, features brand mascot Amul Girl saluting martyrs who lost their lives in the Galwan Valley clash recently with an accompanying title 'Martyrbhoomi'
Amul, the dairy brand known for its light-hearted billboard ads on topical issues, is cashing in on the anti-China sentiment after 20 Indian soldiers were killed in a face-off with Chinese troops.
The latest ad, created by Amul and its advertising agency daCunha Communications, features brand mascot Amul Girl saluting martyrs who lost their lives in the Galwan Valley clash recently with an accompanying title “Martyrbhoomi".
Earlier, Amul did an ad featuring an angry Amul Girl dressed in army fatigues standing at the border. The text read “Cheeni kum karo". The ad plays on words to convey the meaning reduce the Chinese.
Amul topicals capture the mood of the nation, said R.S. Sodhi, managing director of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation, the owner of the Amul brand. “The Cheeni kum is an old ad that was launched during the Doklam conflict in 2017. Amul, as a brand, is neither against any nation nor part of the boycott Chinese products campaign. Amul topicals have no commercial objectives. Amul Butter Girl is owned by Indians and she comments on every socio-political issue. She coveys the mood of the average Indian," Sodhi said.
An earlier ad with “Exit the dragon" featured the Amul Girl confronting a red dragon. The ad showed logos of both Indian brands as well as the logo of Chinese video-sharing app TikTok behind the dragon. Amul shared the topical with the caption, “#Amul Topical: About the boycott of Chinese products..."
The ad, which went viral on social media, was also briefly restricted by Twitter before being reinstated the same day. The anti-China ads have gained significant traction in terms of likes, comments, and shares across Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
The brand also made a splash on print and outdoor media through hoardings across various cities.
Amul is on the extreme side of the anti-China sentiment, said Naresh Gupta, co-founder and chief strategy officer of ad agency Bang In The Middle. “I am not sure if that extreme side is a good thing to do, especially when the government is trying to de-escalate the tension," he said.
Amul topicals simply comment on what is hot, topical or trending in the country, said Rahul da Cunha, director, daCunha Communications, which has been handling Amul ads for over 25 years. “There has been an intense conversation around China on social media and it has taken various forms such as border issue, banning of Chinese products and soldiers being martyred," he added.
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