Brands
Cadbury Dairy Milk honours off-screen heroes with #ThankYouFirstCoach
Mumbai: Cadbury Dairy Milk pays homage to the unsung heroes behind the success of our beloved cricket stars with its #ThankYouFirstCoach campaign. Through a 2-part series of heart-touching films, the campaign shines a spotlight on the mentors aka our beloved cricketer’s first coaches who were the first ones to recognize and nurture their talent from grassroots to grandeur.
Echoing the brand’s purpose of generosity, Cadbury Dairy Milk’s #ThankYouFirstCoach campaign features the coaches of celebrated cricketers Surya Kumar of Mumbai Indians (MI) and KL Rahul of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), depicting their heartfelt tributes to their first coaches, who played pivotal roles in shaping their careers. From the vibrant streets to the electrifying stadiums, these films capture the profound gratitude and emotion exchanged between players and mentors. The campaign also encourages fans to participate by expressing gratitude to their own first coaches, highlighting the transformative power of appreciation in nurturing talent and fostering aspirations.
Over the years, Cadbury Dairy Milk has built on its core guiding principle of evoking generosity by regularly shining a spotlight on often unnoticed or unacknowledged people in society. As #ThankYouFirstCoach sweeps across the nation, Cadbury Dairy Milk invites everyone to share in the sweetness of gratitude and recognize the profound impact of first coaches in shaping the future of cricket.
Commenting on the campaign, Mondelez India VP of Marketing Nitin Saini said, “Over the past few years, the marriage between cricket and generosity at the back of impactful story-doing has driven strong consumption growth and saliency for our brand. And the aim is to only accelerate this journey in 2024 with Cadbury Dairy Milk’s #ThankYouFirstCoach campaign epitomizing the brand’s purpose of ‘generosity’. Through this emotional odyssey, we not only celebrate the transformative power of gratitude but also champion the profound impact of these guiding lights in shaping dreams and fostering talent- the first risk-takers, the first believers, the first mentors. As we honour the silent architects behind cricket’s success stories, we invite everyone to join us in this heartfelt tribute, embracing the sweetness of appreciation and the joy of acknowledging those who paved the way for greatness.”
Ogilvy India chief creative officer Sukesh Nayak added “Cadbury Dairy Milk has been using the biggest cricketing event in the country, IPL, to shine the spotlight on those important aspects of the game that don’t get the due recognition. This year it’s the first coaches of the stars of cricket. Our starting point was a simple question, when fans cheer for the players every time they play their famous shots, do they really know who would have helped them develop that shot before they become popular? We simply wanted to acknowledge these GURUs of the game and nudge the country to thank them for their contribution towards the game, moreover towards turning our favourite players into stars.”
Wavemaker India chief client officer & office head, West, North & East Shekhar Banerjee mentioned “Cadbury Dairy Milk’s latest campaign stands as a testament to the often overlooked heroes behind our cricketing legends—their first coaches. Through this campaign across multiple touchpoints and unique partnerships, we are dedicated to bringing in the limelight to these unsung heroes who shaped our cricket stars. Watch out as we unveil this heartfelt tribute to the first coaches during this highly anticipated IPL season.”
As part of the campaign, special jerseys are being designed for these mentors, honoured with the names of their star pupils from Mumbai Indians and Lucknow Super Giants. In addition to this, Cadbury Dairy Milk has introduced special packs that allow fans to join the #ThankYouFirstCoach movement, serving as a tangible symbol of gratitude for their own mentors. Furthermore, as a gesture of appreciation, the brand is extending an exclusive invitation to the first coaches of every IPL player to join them in the family box during matches. Here, cricketers will have the opportunity to publicly acknowledge and thank their coaches, symbolically bowing to them in recognition of their invaluable contribution to their journey. This unique experience not only celebrates the unsung heroes of cricket but also fosters a sense of connection and gratitude within the sporting community.
Brands
Godrej clarifies ‘GI’ identifier after logo similarity debate
Says GI is not a logo, will not replace Godrej signature across products.
MUMBAI: In a branding storm where shapes did the talking, Godrej is now spelling things out. Godrej Industries Group (GIG) has issued a clarification on its newly introduced ‘GI’ identifier, addressing questions around its purpose and design following a wave of online criticism. At the centre of the debate were two concerns: whether the new mark replaces the long-standing Godrej logo, and whether its geometric design mirrors other corporate identities.
The company has drawn a clear line. The Godrej signature logo, it said, remains unchanged and continues to be the sole logo across all consumer-facing products and services. The ‘GI’ mark, by contrast, is not a logo but a corporate group identifier intended for use alongside the Godrej signature or company name, and aimed at stakeholders such as investors, media and talent rather than consumers.
The need for such a distinction stems from the 2024 restructuring of the broader Godrej Group into two separate business entities. With both continuing to operate under the same Godrej name and signature, the identifier is positioned as a way to differentiate the Godrej Industries Group at a corporate level.
The rollout, however, triggered a broader conversation on design originality. Critics pointed to similarities between the GI mark’s geometric composition and logos used by companies globally, raising questions about distinctiveness.
Responding to this, GIG said its intellectual property and legal review found that such overlaps are common in minimalist, geometry-led design systems. Basic forms such as circles and rectangles appear across dozens of brand identities worldwide, the company noted.
It added that the identifier emerged from an extensive design process and was chosen for its simplicity, allowing it to sit alongside the Godrej signature without competing visually. While acknowledging that elemental shapes may appear less distinctive in isolation, the group emphasised that the mark is part of a broader identity system that includes a custom typeface, sonic branding and other proprietary elements.
Following legal and ethical assessments, the company said it found no impediment to using the identifier, reiterating that the GI mark is a corporate tool not a consumer-facing symbol.
In short, the logo isn’t changing but the conversation around it certainly has.
