Iconic Ad Campaigns: Got Milk?

In 1993 , as Americans switched to Soft Drinks, Health Drinks and other beverages  the sales of Milk took an obvious hit. This was the time when dairy processors in California decided to get together to fund a non profit marketing board – well to market Milk obviously. 

The Marketing board – christened California Milk Processor Board , hired Goodby, Silverstein & Partners to come up with a campaign to market milk to the masses. Out of this exercise came the most successful and longest-lasting campaign of the CMPB – Got Milk?

The first advertisement ran on October 29, 1993 and was directed by Michael Bay.

The ad was at the top of the advertising industry's award circuit in 1994.

The ads would typically feature people in various situations involving dry or sticky foods and treats such as cookies and peanut butter. The person then finds himself in an uncomfortable situation due to a full mouth and no milk to wash it down. At the end of the commercial the character would look sadly to the camera and boldly displayed would be the words, "Got Milk?".

The campaign’s immense popularity is also attested by the fact that countless celebrities from different walks of life have been willing to endorse the ads and appear in them. 

Amul - Dedication to Mario Miranda

Here is a dedication to the great cartoonist Mario Miranda who passed away Dec 11, 2011.
A little known fact is that the family surname was Sardessai before his family converted to Christianity. Today his cartoons are immortalized not only by its cult following, but also on the walls of Cafe Mondegar in Colaba.
He was also featured in the evergreen " Mile Sur Mera Tumhara" Video also with other noted artists.

The city that was so poignantly inked by Mario will sorely miss you.

The Economist - Mad Magazine

Mad Magazine spoofs the ambient ad of The Economist where on passing under the light bulb, it gets illuminated. Mad Magazine's version was the reverse of it..self-deprecatory attempt is highly commendable.

A day in the life of India - Corruption

Saw this ad recently and realized though we seem to make a mockery of corruption in India .. it is something we have come to live with. This is a deep-rooted issue and felling the tree will not help.. and uprooting is an extremely daunting task..
I love the penultimate sentence of the commentary which oozes with irony.. "And India has won!!"
 But with the hopes that we will get somewhere enjoy this video with voice over by Prasoon Joshi..easy to be mistaken as Javed Jaffrey's.

Barack Obama | Weatherproof

"Unhate" campaign from United Colors of Benetton was not the first time that Obama's image has been used for commercial purposes albeit without consent. The above image of BO in front of Great Wall of China sporting the jacket from Weatherproof, was used by President of Weatherproof, Freddie Stollmack in a billboard hoarding on Times Square in Early 2010. Unfortunately, the billboard was up without procuring permission from White House.

Unhate - United Colors of Benetton

Pope & Ahmed Mohamed el-Tayeb

The most controversial of the lot was that of Pope in lip-lock with the Imam. UCB seems to have out-done itself in its bid to be rife with social/global/political message of universal love has courted controversy ... which has been its USP from the time of its inception. These UCB ads make no bones about bringing forth the bitterness between the parties portrayed and has thereby thrown caution to the wind. It takes Bromance to a whole new level. The content and effort at the art work is commendable but the fact that images of global leaders have been used without consent would obviously not go down well with the primes. 

Bold. Strong. Effective. Polemic.

Barack Obama and Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez kissing

China's leader Hu Jintao and Barack Obama

Germany's chancellor Angela Merkel with French president Nicolas Sarkozy

North Korean leader Kim Jong-il and Lee Myung-bak, President of South Korea

Palestian leader Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu