Aurora Magazine

Promoting excellence in advertising

A few of my favourite things

Published in May-Jun 2018

The Strategy Associate, Adcom Leo Burnett picks her eight favourite ads.

Pepsi – Generations

Category: TV/ Digital

This campaign grabs hold of the simple yet powerful emotion of nostalgia. Tying in with the core Pakistani passions of music and cricket, Pepsi reminds us of all the things we grew up with and in doing so, establishes how closely the beverage giant is associated with our memories.

Agency: IAL Saatchi & Saatchi, Pakistan


Davago – Davago Anthem

Category: Digital

With pharmacies not being on the communication radar and largely nondescript in advertising, Davago Anthem disrupts the landscape with its playfulness. The digital video picks on the insight that consumers in Pakistan are riddled with the fear of fake and mishandled medicines and engages the audience with a humorous, catchy jingle ‘Goli na do’.

Agency: Adcom Leo Burnett, Pakistan


Delta Air – Runways

Category: TV

Challenging the saying “Good things come to those who wait,” Delta Air beautifully quotes from its own experience of flying millions of go-getters, claiming “good things come to those who go”. I particularly enjoyed the symbolic runways identified in every day scenes, narrated in the invincible voice of Viola Davis – an overall inspirational ad.

Agency: Wieden & Kennedy New York, USA


Oculus Go – Open your eyes

Category: Digital

Done with breathtaking visuals and a deep-felt narrative, the Oculus Go ad entices the audience to experience the world by romancing the many “yous” there can be by wearing the VR headset: “a fisherman in the Pacific, a weaver in the Philippines, a journalist on the frontlines...” The copy ends on an emotional high, claiming when you experience the lives of different people, “the world becomes a little closer.”

Agency: Anomaly, USA


Philips – Dutch Master Juices

Category: Activation

In a stroke of creative genius, Ogilvy & Mather Amsterdam took the simple insight “Europeans don’t meet their needs of fruit and vegetables” and removed the fruit and vegetables from all the still life paintings in a Dutch museum. The activity beautifully emphasised how much this healthy food is missed in its absence and was simply brilliant in making Philips juicers the primary enabler of the common man’s healthy relationship with fruit and vegetables.

Agency: Ogilvy & Mather Amsterdam, Amsterdam


Eiwan Developments – Chal Dhoond Le

Category: Digital

Serene and captivating cinematography, heartfelt message, catchy jingle and a great tie-in of the product propositions. The digital video does a great job at drawing a picture relatable and aspirational to a lot of its audience. From conceptualisation to production, the film is completely made in Pakistan – Kudos for that!

Agency: Eiwan Developments in-house production.


Generation – Nai Rang

Category: TV

Generation won hearts with the important message of inclusive beauty in its spring launch campaign – and the execution was remarkable as well. Celebrating the spectrum of spring colours in all their glory sat well next to their models of diverse skin tones, adorned with poetic names. It’s vital that we support initiatives drawing the industry in a positive direction.

Agency: Generation in-house production.


Kenwood – DC Inverter Air conditioner

Category: TV

I really enjoyed this ad because while the slice-of-life experience was on point, the product remained the undisputed hero of the ad despite Nawazuddin’s great acting being the competitor. The humour was signature Kenwood – a playful skirmish between a married couple, scripted in crisp, familiar verbatim.

Agency: Arey Wah, Pakistan.


Maryam Tajalli is Strategy Associate, Adcom Leo Burnett. maryamtajalli@adcompk.com