MAM
Asus India releases new TVC – ‘The Edge of The World’
MUMBAI: The ever-changing market dynamics is pushing brands to be more experimental and adventurous with digital storytelling. After already piquing everyone’s interest with first-of-its-kind offering of dual-screen laptops, Asus has released a brand new TVC for the same. The short commercial adeptly captures the theme of ‘The Edge of the World’, as was palpable in Asus’ launch of world’s first Dual 4K Screen Zenbook Pro Duo, The Laptop of Tomorrow.
The world was once considered flat, until Ferdin and Magellan established the first circum navigation of earth. Similarly, set in the backdrop of the 1500s, the TVC has sailors setting out in the deep ocean to address unanswered questions. When the sailors in the lower deck discover that they are approaching the edge of the world, panic spreads like wildfire. Amidst the commotion, we see some sailors abandoning the ship while one seeks council with the captain who's positioned on the top of the masthead with the telescope. He alone seems composed as he takes the ship beyond the edge. The film is a fresh cut on laptop advertising and tells a unique story in a world that is cluttered by spec-talk and jargons.
Asus India business head – consumer, commercial and gaming PC Arnold Su said, “Asus has always believed in shunning the norms and pushing the boundaries of what is deemed to be possible through constant innovation. The latest range of dual-screen laptops are a testament to the same ideology. While the laptops space has not seen much innovation in the recent times, we take pride in introducing the 4K dual-screen laptops. Our first TVC captures the same spirit, taking inspiration from medieval times and sea voyages going beyond boundaries. We are affirmative that the short film will communicate the brand’s strong ethos of innovation, grit, and determination.”
FCB Ulka president Kulvinder Ahluwalia said, “The Asus ZenBook Pro Duo is a product that would out-spec even the most loaded laptops, but it was the dual screen that clearly demarcated it from the entire competition. It was that we chose to focus upon sharply, thus bringing alive the benefit that great things happen when one travels beyond the edge. The communication has a dramatic showcase of the dual screen in a manner not seen in the category globally. Thus, enabling us to position Asus as an aspirational and inspiring brand, which connects with the content creators of today.”
Essentially, a ship goes over the edge in the latest film by Asus, akin to how Asus went beyond the age-old designs of laptops, disrupting the status quo with its dual-screen offering of Asus ZenBook Pro. Until then, laptops have seen the least amount of innovation in the world of gadgets in the contemporary times.
The short film by Asus was conceptualized by FCB Ulka and is directed by Shashank Chaturvedi (Bob) and produced by Good Morning Films. The short film will run across India and APAC region.
MAM
VML India lands two finalist spots at Cairns Hatchlings 2026
The Mumbai agency is back in Australia with two teams, a UN brief and 24 hours to impress
MUMBAI: VML India is heading to Australia again. The Mumbai-based creative agency has secured two finalist spots at the Cairns Hatchlings 2026 competition, one in the Audio category and one in Design, making it the only Indian agency to have reached the finals in both editions of the contest since its launch in 2025.
Four people will make the trip. Senior copywriter Shilpi Dey and senior art director Raj Thakkar will compete in Audio. Art directors Shabbir and Shruti Negi will go head-to-head with the world’s best in Design. The finals take place at the Cairns Convention Centre from 13th May, culminating in an awards ceremony on 15th May.
The work that got them there is worth examining. For the Audio category, Dey and Thakkar tackled a brief for LIVE LIKE MMAD with a campaign called Inner Voice, Interrupted. Using spatial audio techniques, the campaign recreates the overwhelming self-doubt that descends after a long workday, physically panning negative thoughts left and right before cutting the noise entirely to reveal a confident inner voice. Strategically targeted at commuters via Spotify during evening rush hours, the campaign reframes the hours after work as an opportunity for personal growth and charitable action.
For the Design category, Shabbir and Negi worked on a brief for Canteen’s Bandanna Day, a campaign highlighting how cancer pushes teenagers out of their own defining moments. Using a pixelated design language to create stark contrast between a blurred world of isolation and a focused world of connection, the campaign, titled The Flipside of Cancer, shows teenagers fading into the background of birthdays, skateparks and school proms. As a Canteen bandanna appears, the blur flips and the teenager snaps back into sharp focus.
Kalpesh Patankar, group chief creative officer of VML India, made no attempt to disguise his satisfaction. “We are immensely proud to see our teams consistently excel on the Cairns Hatchlings platform since its inception,” he said. “They have masterfully tackled challenging briefs across diverse categories, demonstrating both layered storytelling and a unique creative approach. This exceptional teamwork is truly inspiring.”
Dey and Thakkar, returning to the finals after last year’s run, were candid about the demands of the audio medium. “It’s one of the most demanding mediums, where we only have a few seconds to capture a listener’s world with sound alone, so absolute clarity is essential,” they said. “The true measure of creative work is its ability to create positive change, and our audio submission was made to help those who need it most while encouraging people to silence the inner voices that hold them back.”
Shabbir and Negi, competing in Design for the first time, described the experience as “a completely different beast.” “We see it as an opportunity to showcase our expertise, raise the bar, and challenge ourselves in new ways, while also learning from creative minds from across the globe,” they said.
In Australia, the four finalists will face a live 24-hour brief from the United Nations before presenting in a live pitch session. Twenty-four hours, one brief, one shot. VML India has been here before. It knows exactly what is at stake.
