#BlastFromThePast is Storyboard18’s weekly column where we ask young creative professionals to pick old ads that they replay time and again, spots that give them writing inspiration, and commercials that never get old. This week Rohan Naterwalla, senior creative director and founding member, Punt Creative, shares his all-time favourite ads and brand mascots.
The Amul Girl
Yes, it’s the original contextual campaign. Yes, it’s iconic – but obvious cliches aside, can we just take a moment to marvel at the baffling genius of this work? Here’s a brand that figured out how to effortlessly allow itself to be part of any conversation in the world. In 1966. There will be many contributions to this article that were iconic, but I bet none of them are still in rotation.
Volkswagen – Funeral
After Mr. Kubrick threw a bone that turned into a spaceship, but before Mr. Panday had a moustache – there was this Volkswagen ad. Every time I want to feel bad about myself as a writer, I watch this ad. Every time I want to feel good about advertising, I watch this ad. Sure, you could easily make a case for any one of their iconic print ads to be the obvious contender in this list. Hell, go to any advertising school in the world and every student you can hit with a stone would have written their dissertation talking about how in love they are with ads like ‘Lemon’ & ‘Think small’, but one thing there’s no doubt about – it sure pays to own a Volkswagen.
The Maharaja of the Skies – Air India
As subtle as a bullhorn in a library, the Maharaja was a truly royal global Indian who wasn’t afraid to be naughty. Conceptualized in the 1940s, during an era of literal nation-building and also the image-building of this new nation on the world stage, stood this grand protagonist who was happy to rub shoulders with the best of them. The pride that comes from being unapologetically Indian – the Maharaja projected a vision for this new Indian decades before it would truly manifest into reality.