MAM
Optimum use of humour, exaggeration in Hitachi AC ads
MUMBAI: A successful ad is one which is able to sell the product to consumers. And that’s exactly what the new ad for Hitachi’s miniature AC – the ‘Atom’ is doing for the product. The television commercial (TVC) which was launched in March this year has been conceived by Leo Burnett and has ample amount of humour and exaggeration to communicate the product’s USP – its size and its power.
The message that Hitachi wants to convey through the TVC for its latest launch, the Atom is that despite its small size, the AC is very powerful.
The ad has five spots, featuring a couple of geeky, shivering foreigners begging to have the AC turned down but the AC can’t be detected. The guests’ plaintive and frustrated cries of “But where is the AC?” are often met with blank looks – even the hotel staff doesn’t know because it’s so small.
Hitachi Home and Life Solutions India VP marketing and service operations Amit Doshi, “The Lambda technology in the Atom allows for a special coil design, which increases the surface area of the heat exchanger resulting in ‘super-efficient cooling’ and helps shrink the size of the air-conditioner by over 30 per cent. While it was launched simultaneously all over the world and touted as the smallest split AC in the domestic market, the company realised it would have to grapple with the impression that a small AC might come across as one that has compromised on power.”
Leo Burnett India account director Rameet Singh Arora added, “The Atom’s size had to be communicated so also the fact that this AC is by no means less powerful. The heroes of the communication the small AC and the Lambda technology both had to be communicated effectively. To demonstrate this we decided on exaggerating a situation where people feel its power but can’t see it.”
The need for an innovative clutter-breaking story saw the TVC feature two foreigners almost tearing out their hair in desperation as they, nor the locals, could ever locate where the too-cold AC was, wherever they were – their room in the hotel, the restaurant, the saloon and the boardroom.
The TVCs end with a magnifying glass zooming in on the Atom tucked away discreetly, to go with the ‘exaggeration’ tone of the ad. Leo Burnett created five short films to sustain interest in the campaign. The point is to let the viewer know what they are searching for in one ad and make them wait to see whether they find it in the next. But each film is complete in its own right thus ensuring that the message finds its target even if only one ad is seen.
This ad campaign was accompanied by a unique dealer promotion. Customers in select outlets were given magnifying glasses at the entrance and asked to locate the Hitachi Atom AC. Whoever succeeded, got a “small but powerful gift”.
MAM
Hyphen launches sunscreen campaign featuring Kriti Sanon as SPF Police
Campaign drives SPF habit; Blinkit tie-up enables instant sunscreen delivery.
MUMBAI: No SPF, no mercy Kriti Sanon is out patrolling your skincare routine. Hyphen has rolled out a new campaign film starring its Co-Founder and Chief Customer Officer Kriti Sanon, who steps into a playful alter ego as the brand’s “SPF Police”, turning sunscreen reminders into a full-blown public service announcement with a wink. The campaign kicked off with a cheeky social media tease suggesting Sanon had “stepped down” from her role, sparking chatter online before the brand revealed the twist: she hasn’t gone anywhere, she has simply taken on an additional avatar, one dedicated to ensuring people do not skip sunscreen.
The film leans into humour to drive home a serious point. In a slice-of-life setting, Sanon intercepts a gym-goer about to step out without sunscreen, promptly handing over Hyphen’s ‘All I Need Sunscreen’, which arrives instantly via Blinkit. The message is clear: forgetting SPF is no longer a valid excuse when it can be delivered in minutes.
Beyond the laughs, the campaign taps into a well-known gap in everyday skincare habits. Sunscreen, despite being one of the most recommended steps, is often the most ignored. By gamifying the reminder through an “SPF Police” persona, Hyphen aims to turn a routine into a reflex.
The multi-stage rollout from intrigue-led teasers to the final film has been designed to spark conversation while embedding the brand into daily behaviour. It also spotlights Hyphen’s quick commerce partnership with Blinkit, positioning accessibility as a key enabler of consistency.
Sanon, who remains closely involved in product development and brand strategy, noted that the idea stemmed from a simple insight: skincare works best when it is easy, habitual and hard to ignore. The campaign reflects that philosophy equal parts science, storytelling and a nudge you cannot quite escape.
The film is now live across Hyphen and Blinkit’s digital platforms, with further activations expected to extend the campaign’s reach and perhaps keep the SPF Police on duty a little longer.
