Diwali is celebrated differently around the country, with different mythologies, rituals, and traditions attached to it. One common factor that draws these myriad ideas together is hope, joy and a new beginning.
The year, South Indian Bank, released a film, created by Thought Blurb Communications that brought closer the distance between a holiday and a feeling of delight every individual feels in all joyous occasions. The campaign spoke about families, relationships and a sense of belonging.
Brand Introduction:
South Indian Bank has been a lynchpin in the lives of South Indian communities for close to a century. Since its establishment in Kerala in 1929, the bank has fortified its position in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Telangana as well. Families, over generations have rested their trust in the bank and its associated institutions.
Growing relationships with its customers has always been the guiding philosophy of the bank, which has led to its sustained growth and brand resilience. In the past decades, South Indian Bank has expanded to other parts of India in an inexorable push to bring its brand of stability and credibility backed by professionalism and constant innovation.
Objective:
This year for Diwali, the brand in association with Thought Blurb Communications set out to create a stand-out campaign that would cut through the clutter of similar looking and sounding advertising from a plethora of brands. The core objective was to build a campaign using a unique message and consumer insights to make the communication memorable, with a surprise component to it. As South Indian Bank makes a foray into territories in the rest of India the idead was to bring in a message that resonates in new markets.
The idea was to build a long format film that would stay on platforms like YouTube all year round and into the foreseeable future. The idea had to be relevant for long periods and not just for the holiday season. Unlike most other strategic or tactical advertising, festival ads are not relegated to brand or product categories. The messaging for all categories tends to stay in the same emotional area with imagery and visual treatments also overlapping.
Creative Idea:
‘Chaar din ki Diwali’ is what Diwali has been synonymous with. This is the concept that the creative team wished to challenge and changed with evolving times. The idea was to make Diwali synonymous with celebration and happiness and not just time-bound and cleaved to the holiday season.
The brand is about creating happiness for its customers all through the year, and be a constant companion in their every achievement, celebration and happiest hour. This required singular thought, different from the norm.
Execution:
The creative team compiled a set of situations for individuals, families, based on the products and services offered by the bank. Diwali comes to us in many ways. In the most important times in our lives. And in the moments of achievement that we hold so dear in our memories. Whether it is in the purchase of a new car, a new house, a graduation ceremony, or learning a new and exciting convenience that shines a new light on a task that used to be tedious.
The visual imagery moves seamlessly from Diwali decorations and celebrations to situations that are unshackled from the confines of traditional Diwali celebrations. The emphasis is more on moments of joy around the family and the pride of achievement.
Recognizing that the business of banking is about human relationships the message of ‘Rishton se hai Diwali, har din’ (Relationships make Diwali, every day) was created.
Link – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DafmGq5BdcY&t=8s
Outcome:
The film went viral within a week, garnering over 2.6 million views across digital medium, of Youtube, Facebook etc. This was through word of mouth and organic sharing via WhatsApp.
