Cadbury Dairy Milk – Kuch Acha Hojaye, Kuch Meetha Hojaye

Agency: Ogilvy Pakistan

I’ll be honest, this ad tugged at our heartstrings. A short but fittingly sweet film, where the younger, affluent man, in offering a Dairy Milk to the older, financially-constrained man, opens the door to a more ‘achi’ and ‘meethi’ kindness. This ad definitely reminds us of the importance of paying it forward

Pepsi – Ab Har Ghoont Strong

Agency: Cheil Dubai and Alt Story

If you are looking for an ad that hits the nail on the head in terms of ideation and execution, look no further. The ad needs nothing more than the punchy line of “Babar bhai, aap sahi kehrahe thai. Pepsi waqi strong hogayi hai.” With the vibe and visuals of an old Western, and the star power of Babar Azam and Naseem Shah, Pepsi delivers a ‘strong’ ad – and beverage.

Workday – Rock Star

Agency: Ogilvy

Featuring real-life rock stars Billy Idol, Paul Stanley, Ozzy Osbourne, Gary Clark Jr and Joan Jett, this tongue-in-cheek ad bursts the bubble of corporate professionals who think using Workday turns them into ‘rock stars.’ A good example of how to use drama, humour and irony to add the oomph to your commercial.

Sprite – Ghoor Mat, Thand Rakh

Agency: Soho Square Pakistan A bold, relevant ad that addresses social issues without being preachy. This Hania Aamir-starrer shows the actor envisioning how she would turn the tables on a sleazy man ogling at her, until… she is handed a bottle of Sprite, and regains her chill – even calling out the weirdo making her uncomfortable by sending a bottle of Sprite over to him!

Rahber & Eagle Star – Humara Rahber Sab Se Behtar

Agency: Manhattan International

Fawad Khan shines in this series of sketches, managing to be just the right amount of dramatically over-the-top, while placing the Rahber products front and centre in the most hilarious of ways. The ads follow through on the Rahber jingle playing softly in the background, ‘Humara Rahber Sab Se Behtar,’ showcasing the superior insulation offered by their hot pots, thermoses, coolers and ice boxes. All in all, this series is a lesson in making effective, funny and well-written commercials.

Shan – Khushiyan Banane Wali

Agency: BBDO Pakistan

Over the years, Shan’s communications have centred on topics that promote gender equality, such as the doctor bahu ad, and this one was no different. It emphasised that in most cases, women are bogged down with cooking and serving food during events such as parties, and therefore do not get a chance to actually enjoy themselves – much less savour the food they have spent hours preparing. This narrative stressed the importance of changing this dynamic.

EBM – Schoolgirl Newscasters

Agency: Impact BBDO Dubai and BBDO Pakistan

Three TV networks employed young schoolgirls as newsreaders on World Children’s Day (2022) and in March 2023 to stress the importance of educating girls. This innovative campaign gained further traction after winning the coveted Glass Lion for Change at Cannes earlier this year. Kudos to EBM for taking such a different tack and to BBDO for shining bright on a global platform.

Gucci – Chime for Gender Equality

Agency: Sunshine Gucci’s ‘Chime’ was established in 2013 to support gender equality and this year’s iteration included a video series directed by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy, a Chime advisory board member. It featured a host of well-known personalities, primarily women, ranging from Julia Roberts and Alia Bhatt, to John Legend. The campaign acknowledges that things have improved, but signals that there is still a long way to go towards gender equality – and that “we have to make it happen.”

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