India @75: Amrita Dey on the increasing pride in ‘Make in India’

As India gears up to celebrate her 75th year of Independence, we at Adgully are tracing the journey of Advertising and its contribution to the Indian society at large – whether it is bringing about a change in mindsets, or a societal pattern, or empowering different communities or ushering in new thoughts – basically, Soch badal ke rakh diya. 

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Our aim is to collate 75 most impressive and significant ways in which Advertising has impacted India over the decades. For this, we are reaching out to the Advertising Honchos of India to share the most significant contributions of Advertising to the Indian society and why they consider them to be important developments. We will serialise the story on Adgully’s website in the lead-up to the Independence Day this year in this special series: India @75 – Through the Advertising Lens. 

“Sirf hamara nahi, hamse! In a North Indian family of 5 mischievous kids, we grew up singing the famous 80’s song – ‘Hamara Bajaj’, reminisces Amrita Dey, Group Creative Director, 4AM Worldwide, adding, “So much so that the first scooter was a Bajaj, of course. The core of the song was an innate sense of pride in the nation that it brought about.” 

Continuing further, she notes that this came at a time when many brands were struggling with establishing their imagery of being as good as a foreign brand. “Witness the acerbic ad from Onida, where it had to stand against the belief of superiority of foreign technology and brands,” she adds. 

“Time and again, several brands have stood for national integration – from Bajaj to Mahindra, Tata Tea to Amazon Karigar – but the enhanced sense of ‘Make in India, made by Indians’ is a narrative that sets everything apart,” according to Dey. 

Advertising has picked up this strong message, not just pre-pandemic but also throughout the pandemic with messages for homemade cloth masks during the peak Covid times. 

“There’s no doubt that when it comes to sustainable acts taken on Indian soil with Indian manufacturing in mind, any brand that speaks this language automatically elevates itself in the eyes of the consumer,” asserts Dey.