As I sit dazed in front of the television - bombarded by advertisements of all types - I start feeling nostalgic about the times when ads were far and few between. No - don't think I'm THAT old. I'm talking of pretty recent times. In fact, around the late eighties and early nineties which I thought were the wonder years of Indian television advertising. Many of these ads stayed with us long after they played out, changed our views about various products, made our summers cool and have made us more aware of the world around us.
As a child I loved those advertisements when they were played on Doordarshan. To my little mind, they were short films with lovely jingles which we would sing along. At times I wished if I could be in one of them.
There are many advertisements which are still fresh in my mind and I believe the same would be for lot of people who watched Doordarshan during the early 80s and the 90s. I specially remember the Rasna and Fruity ads quite common during Sunday afternoon when we watched Spiderman. Also, the Bajaj bulb ad wherein dadu would say “Ab main bilkool budda hoon” and then looks at the Bajaj bulb. Who would forget the Hamara Bajaj song which would make every Indian father, brother and husband to buy atleast one; as if without the Bajaj the family would be incomplete.
I love to have papads, now and even then when I was a kid. A very popular advertisement that would come to my mind is of Lijjat Papad with the scary bunny coming up on the screen at the end of the song. Also, all girls and bride-to-be-women would remember the Vico turmeric nahin cosmetic ad.
I particularly remember Cinkara where Javed Jaffery would jump into the office breaking the glass wall in slow motion and then hands out a paper to the peon. It was kind of funny not knowing what the ad was all about; but the view of a thin man breaking into the glass wall would bring giggles to me and my sister.
Whatever these ads may be about, but every Indian family would buy them for their necessity; be it a health drink for kids, cream, scooter, bulb or toothpaste. People would buy what they see but then, that was what was available. Not only the products were branded but people had faith in what they bought.
I wish we could see those ads again on our television. The good old days when we would know the jingles by heart; when we would believe that even if get old the lights won’t let us down; pappads are still fun to have and dad would still be safe in his Bajaj.
As a child I loved those advertisements when they were played on Doordarshan. To my little mind, they were short films with lovely jingles which we would sing along. At times I wished if I could be in one of them.
There are many advertisements which are still fresh in my mind and I believe the same would be for lot of people who watched Doordarshan during the early 80s and the 90s. I specially remember the Rasna and Fruity ads quite common during Sunday afternoon when we watched Spiderman. Also, the Bajaj bulb ad wherein dadu would say “Ab main bilkool budda hoon” and then looks at the Bajaj bulb. Who would forget the Hamara Bajaj song which would make every Indian father, brother and husband to buy atleast one; as if without the Bajaj the family would be incomplete.
I love to have papads, now and even then when I was a kid. A very popular advertisement that would come to my mind is of Lijjat Papad with the scary bunny coming up on the screen at the end of the song. Also, all girls and bride-to-be-women would remember the Vico turmeric nahin cosmetic ad.
I particularly remember Cinkara where Javed Jaffery would jump into the office breaking the glass wall in slow motion and then hands out a paper to the peon. It was kind of funny not knowing what the ad was all about; but the view of a thin man breaking into the glass wall would bring giggles to me and my sister.
Whatever these ads may be about, but every Indian family would buy them for their necessity; be it a health drink for kids, cream, scooter, bulb or toothpaste. People would buy what they see but then, that was what was available. Not only the products were branded but people had faith in what they bought.
I wish we could see those ads again on our television. The good old days when we would know the jingles by heart; when we would believe that even if get old the lights won’t let us down; pappads are still fun to have and dad would still be safe in his Bajaj.
You just reminded me of " Kharram khurram ..." and one of my favorite "Pan parag pan masala...." where this huge guy comes and says "aur Mere liye?"
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