Hector Beverages’ Paper Boat, known for giving traditional Indian beverages a makeover and its nostalgia-evoking advertising, recently released a video wishing everyone a new year. Featuring the iconic patriotic song Hum Honge Kamyab and several new-generation entrepreneurs, the video pays tribute to the startup industry of India.
On startups being the focus of this campaign, Neeraj Kakkar, cofounder and CEO, Hector Beverages, says, “Today’s young India is growing up in a different business environment than we did, and part of that story is definitely around startups! When we decided to start the year on a positive note, we collaborated with friends and fellow entrepreneurs as we are all part of the startup conglomerate experiencing the same barriers, struggles and joys.”
The video captures glimpses of successful entrepreneurs such as Pallavi Gupta of MK Dabbawalla; Shubhra Chaddha of Chumbak; Tanmay Bhatt of All India Bakchod; Sheelika Ravishankar of Team Indus, the country’s first independent mission to Moon; Vaibhav Chhabra of Maker’s Asylum; Jaydeep Mandal of Aakar Innovations; Amuleek Singh Bijral of Chai Point; and Shaheen Mistry of Teach for India, all singing the anthem.
Interestingly, the campaign was never meant to be an ad to showcase Paper Boat products, but only a tribute to the spirit of humankind that can go through any adversity and still come out of it with a sense of hope and optimism, explains Kakkar. “Social media is the best way to reach maximum people in the shortest span of time. If they love it, they will share it. It’s not a hit-or-miss thing like in traditional media. Every share means an endorsement of the campaign that we so passionately put together,” he adds.
Rajesh Ramaswamy, executive creative director, Lowe Lintas Bangalore, the agency behind the video, says, “When Paper Boat first told us about its desire to make this we were like ‘wow, who thinks like this?’. But then that’s Paper Boat. They have always taught us how to think from the heart.”
Though Paper Boat’s campaigns are designed to have a universal appeal, the primary objective is to reach out and connect with the audience. Whether it’s ‘a trip down the memory lane’ or the latest ‘Hum Honge Kamyab’ anthem; the audience for the brand has certainly developed a taste for dreams, drinks and memories.
BW Reporters
The author is principal correspondent at BW Businessworld and Digital Market Asia. He writes on marketing & advertising.
