Mach City’s #FreedomHop on Instagram explores untold stories of India’s Independence movement

India’s Freedom Struggle is a saga told to us in the form of stories, by our textbooks and the older generations. But there are still the stories that slipped through the grandeur of the battles and the popular tales, and have waited for decades to be narrated.

Mach City – an urban cycling brand - took up the onus of finding and sharing these stories. In an initiative called #freedomhop, the Instagram account of the brand has urged followers to step out, with or without their Mach City, into their extended neighbourhoods. The users are encouraged to speak to locals and find anecdotes and information that connect their city’s story to the larger saga of India’s Freedom.

A movement to find and share the little, forgotten stories in our neighbourhoods, the Freedom Hop has evolved ever since its beginnings in mid-July. Conceptualised and executed by TI Cycles’ digital creative agency – Dentsu Webchutney (Bangalore), the campaign has found a large number of followers with its nuanced narratives and photographs, which can be found on its page. Participating cities currently include Chennai, Mumbai, Amritsar, Kolkata, Mcleodganj and Bangalore and the stories are being led by writers, travellers and photographers such asAbhinav Chandel, Varsha Ramesh and Shramona Poddar, among others.

“Mach City offers the perfect connect - cycling makes you feel younger and more curious and brings out the explorer in you,” says PG Aditiya, Creative Director (Copy) of Dentsu Webchutney, “We leveraged this sentiment to motivate people to rediscover their own cities in a new light – and what better opportunity than the occasion of our 70^th Independence Day? The Freedom Hop could have been focused on conventional social media platforms such as Twitter and Facebook, but since it plays on the strengths of Instagram as an aesthetic campaign, that’s where it is primarily hosted.”

To encourage people to explore and share stories about their cities, Mach City will be giving select participants a bicycle from their sleek range. The campaign continues until August 22, revealing more images and stories from different venues in the country.

“Cycling has been viewed only as a form of transport in our country. However, in the recent past, there has been a shift in attitudes among young adults who are taking to cycling for recreation and fitness. With Mach City, we intend to spearhead this movement, by helping them rediscover the joys of cycling,” says Kailash S, Head of Marketing, TI Cycles. "With the Freedom Hop project, we are encouraging cyclists to explore their neighbourhoods in search of untold stories of our freedom movement."

“We’re glad that the team at Mach City resonates Dentsu Webchutney’s innovative vibe when it comes to creating unconventional projects such as the Freedom Hop. Integrating the brand with the cause – that of finding the finer stories in our cities – has been seamless,” adds Gautam Reghunath, Senior VP, Dentsu Webchutney, ”We look forward to creating more such engaging campaigns that let us expand our imagination.”

Dentsu Webchutney Bangalore was awarded the TI Cycles mandate in March and has since been handling the digital marketing efforts of brands such as Mach City, Hercules, Roadeo, BSA, Lady Bird and more.

If you’re interested in participating in the Freedom Hop, head over to the Mach City page on Facebook or Instagram account for inspiration!