Brands
Surf Excel celebrates Ramazan with #madadekibadat
MUMBAI: “Kisi ki madad karna bhi ek ibadat hai. Aur agar madad karne mein daag lag jaye, toh daag acche hai” — is the message Surf Excel is conveying in the holy month of Ramazan.
The cute factor of Surf Excel campaigns with kids staining their clothes is something that we have always seen in its campaigns with the signature phrase ‘Daag Acche Hai’, but this time Surf Excel’s all new campaign has touched the chords of many hearts as innocent kids go out of their way to help an old samosa seller in need highlighting and bringing in #madadkiibadat.
The advertisement tagged #madadekibadat has been conceptualised by Lowe Lintas and produced by Absolute Productions. It is shot in Old Delhi. The campaign has gone viral on digital platforms owing to its feel good factor. The advertisement is directed by Vasan Mala and music is by Hanif. It was released only on digital platforms on June 10. Apart from India, the campaign is garnering eyeballs in Pakistan as well; the brand is planning to launch the campaign internationally.
“Surf Excel wished to create something with the divine feel of Ramadan, and the creative team of Lowe Lintas developed the story around it. We tried creating a story that people will connect to. We wanted to convey the true spirit of the holy month.” said Lowe Lintas CCO Arun Iyer.
The 2 minutes 20 seconds video starts with three adorable kids celebrating Ramazan evening by breaking their fast at Iftaar. In between the celebrations, where some people just pass by a broken cart of an old samosa seller, the three kids decide to go out of their way and help the old man. In their shiny new kurtas, they pick the samosa cart and run around to sell them; and manage to bring smile on everyone’s faces leaving the strong message that the festival is about helping others. Their mother is shown in the end with a proud smile. After all, if you stain your clothes while helping someone, then stains are good; Daag Acche Hai.
The vision came from pulling out a story that can touch viewer’s heart. The essence of the holy month of Ramazan is cleansing the souls and actions of people. The video reflects that perfectly – kids who could just carry on with their own evening, but instead decide to help an old man. That is a very strong message for people to realise that goodness and helping others is the true prayer. The makers of the video also explained that samosas and jalebis are very popular for Iftaar, which is another factor in developing a story like #madadekibadat.
Ad campaigns have seen a turn over with digitalization where 30 seconds adverts have stretched to 1-2 minutes short films. There are many recent well received campaigns which have appealing stories to tell and emphasise on a message rather than just promoting the product in conventional ways. Brands have turned to narrating stories around the inspiration of the product, which can leave a greater impact on consumer. The same formula has worked for #madadekibadat campaign. The human emotion of helping in the holy month is what consumers are connecting with. Despite the hassle of cleaning stains, a mother is happy because of the gesture her child made.
The agency seems very confident about the connection the story has with its viewers, and that the viewers will take it forward. It claims that the video had 21,000 shares and 142,586 views after going live.
Commenting on the kids’ factor of Surf Excel advertisements, Iyer said, “The brand is planning to stick to children as they are the ones with most stained clothes. Even in the present campaign, both factors have connected the audiences with the goodness of the holy month and innocence of kids”.
About making campaigns relevant to festivals, agency clarified it is not very focused on occasions but stories which will stay with people.
Brands
Devyani International names Sandeep Anand, Robinder Singh in key roles
Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee businesses see leadership refresh from April
MUMBAI: Devyani International has strengthened its senior leadership bench with a fresh set of appointments across its key brands, Pizza Hut and Costa Coffee, signalling a sharper focus on growth and brand momentum.
The company has appointed Sandeep Anand as chief marketing officer and business head for Pizza Hut. His appointment, approved by the board via a circular resolution on April 3, follows a recommendation by the Nomination and Remuneration Committee, as reported by CNBC-TV18. Anand will officially step into the role on April 6, 2026.
He takes over from Vijay Gogate, who currently serves as chief executive officer for Pizza Hut within the company’s operations. The move marks a strategic transition as the brand looks to sharpen its marketing and business playbook in a competitive quick service restaurant market.
Anand brings over two decades of experience across the food and FMCG sectors, with a strong track record in brand building and innovation. His career spans roles at major consumer-facing companies including Domino’s, Zydus Wellness, Zomato, GSK Consumer Healthcare, Reckitt and Ranbaxy, giving him a well-rounded perspective on both scale and agility.
Alongside this, Robinder Singh has been appointed business head for Costa Coffee and the company’s airport operations. He too will assume his new role on April 6, bringing more than 18 years of experience in operations, business expansion and customer experience transformation.
The twin appointments come at a time when Devyani International is doubling down on leadership depth to steer its portfolio through evolving consumer preferences and heightened competition. With fresh faces at the helm of two key verticals, the company appears set to brew up its next phase of growth with renewed energy.
