'Amul Girl' creator Sylvester daCunha is no more

Iconic ad man and creator of the 'Utterly Butterly' Amul Girl, Sylvester daCunha, passed away in Mumbai on Tuesday. Since 1966, the irreverent Amul moppet - a mascot created by him and his then art director Eustace Fernandes at advertising agency ASP (Advertising Sales and Promotions) - has been weighing in on topical issues with her acerbic wit.

"Indian advertising has produced many stalwarts, but his kind of personality was one in thousands," said RS Sodhi, former MD of Amul, about the late Sylvester.

Speaking about the 'Utterly Butterly Delicious' campaign, he added, "No other campaign has been running for this long. He has proved how you can create world-class advertising for India's number one food brand without lots of money."

Three years after the Amul Girl campaign had begun, brothers Gerson and Sylvester established daCunha Communications in 1969, taking the Amul Girl with them. The campaign completed 50 years in 2016; Sylvester's son Rahul, who runs the celebrated advertising agency, has kept the campaign going to this day.

"Always utterly on point, humorous and topical, it [the campaign] reminds the advertising fraternity that long-running campaigns with a powerful idea are eternal," said Colvyn Harris, former executive director global growth and business director, JWT (now Wunderman Thompson).

Veteran ad man Bobby Sista, who was his close friend and colleague at ASP, recalled Sylvester as a "loving person, full of fun and with a great sense of humour. But more importantly, he was deeply committed to advertising. His knowledge of the subject and all the issues involved were acknowledged by everyone in the profession."

Apart from creating the Amul Girl, the industry credits the daCunha brothers with important contributions to society and social communication. Sodhi fondly remembers Sylvester as someone who emphasised creativity, media and consistency in brand positioning.