Nostalgia hits different with these old Diwali Ads

Come the festive season in India, everything changes. At home, the smell of chaklis and sakarpas fills the air, safely kept diyas are brought out, fairy lights are hung, rangolis are made and Diwali cleaning becomes an excuse to peruse through old photo albums. On the streets, the festive fervour can be witnessed in every nook and corner, billboards with extravagant sale announcements are plastered across the city and weekend shopping trips are a must. Whether it was the Tanishq wali Diwali or Vodafone’s Diwali celebrations, Diwali ads in India have always captured the essence of the festive spirit—compassion, love and kindness. We put together a list of our favourite ones:

1.    The ad that gave us all the feels

Over the years, Tanishq’s Diwali campaigns have captured festive emotions at their best. Whether it's the warmth of celebrating Diwali at home in the Tanishq Divyam ad with Deepika Padukone and her parents or the feeling of excitement and joy while celebrating with a new family away from home and a craving for an adventure this festive season—Tanishq definitely aced it.

2. The ad that comes with a lesson

 

In a world of broadcast messages, WhatsApp forwards and copy-pasting the same old image, two years ago, Vodafone’s Diwali campaign stood for something more than just a generic Diwali greeting and perhaps a takeaway for us all, even today.

3. The ad that inspired us to be more empathetic

Known for its playful and vibrant ad campaigns, in 2017, Surf Excel’s Diwali campaign was one with a purpose. For a festival of lights, joy, love and being around family, the ad is a reminder to look beyond our own homes, to those who may not have the opportunity to celebrate the festival in its true spirit and maybe attempt to make their Diwali just a little better by the simplest of gestures.

4. The ad reminds us that celebrations have no boundaries

The tune of the original Idea ads, ending on their famous ‘What an idea sir ji’ tagline remains fresh in our minds. Back in 2013, their campaign stood for Diwali celebrations that went beyond the boundaries of religion.

5. The OG Diwali ad

For years Cadbury ad campaigns have evoked fuzzy and spirited emotions. From making amends with your grumpy next neighbour to making everyone feel included, Cadbury has always been a part of these intimate and warm moments.