It’s as if Cadbury knew Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was going to stir the hornet’s nest and make national headlines with the language debate. The brand rolled out an advertisement that, whether intentionally or not, makes a subtle yet significant statement on the issue.
The new campaign revolves around the theme of “acts of kindness” and encourages people to look beyond their differences. One of the ads in the campaign touches on the linguistic divide between the north and south of India.
It begins with a group of women gathered around, listening to their friend narrating a story. One of them introduces her new neighbour from Chennai. As the storyteller picks up where she left off, she quickly realises that the Chennai woman doesn’t understand Hindi. In response, she switches to English.
While her broken English might tickle some funny bones, the message of the plot leaves a lasting mark. “Sorry…my English… thoda thoda (little little),” she says, smiling sheepishly.
“Thoda thoda… but very sweet,” the Chennai woman replies, offering her a piece of chocolate.
The ad delivers its message without being preachy, walking a fine line between humour and sensitivity.
Conceptualised and executed by Ogilvy, the commercial, under Cadbury Dairy Milk’s Kuch Accha Ho Jaaye, Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye initiative, has struck a chord with viewers.
There were many ways this commercial could have faltered, but it managed to capture the essence of unity in linguistic diversity.
“Everyone today fights and debates over north vs. south, Hindi vs. regional languages. This is such a beautiful message,” commented one user. Another said, “Thank you for removing the line between north and south India.” A third added, “Loved the outcome of this… I was afraid it would turn into a typical north vs. south situation.”
To date, the commercial has garnered over 23 million views on Instagram.
“When we make an effort to overlook our differences and accept people for who they are, we create a better world. A sweeter world where everyone is welcome,” wrote Cadbury.
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Missed the mark
While Cadbury Dairy Milk got the language commercial right, another one from the campaign fell flat, failing to have the same impact.
Ragging in India remains a significant problem, with countless college students enduring severe emotional and physical distress. In the middle of this, the brand launched a commercial featuring a college fresher who, while searching for his room, is called over by seniors with a loud “Hey, first year!”
They ask him to open his bag and reveal what he’s brought for them. The innocent fresher, played by actor Himanshu Prajapati, takes out a Dairy Milk bar, referring to it as “Chaaklet,” only to be ridiculed by the seniors for his pronunciation.
The situation is exacerbated by the fresher’s naive response: “Did I say anything wrong?”
The moment, which could have been uncomfortable, is lightened up by one of the seniors, played by Aryan Somra, who turns the scene into something light and funny with the help of a song.
While the commercial doesn’t depict aggressive ragging, it still fails to address the issue seriously. Instead of shedding light on the harmful practice, it trivialises it, turning what could be a meaningful conversation into fun and play.
The narrative shift from mockery to sentimentality feels forced.
Moreover, positioning a product as a “solution” to ragging is neither new nor clever. It’s a tired trope that has been overused in advertising.
The brand could have used this moment to address ragging in a more responsible and meaningful way, but instead, it opted for a safe, sentimental approach that ultimately diminishes the severity of the issue.