MAM
This Raksha Bandhan ICICI Lombard shows that ‘Protection’ is not always a brother’s strength
MUMBAI: On the occasion of Raksha Bandhan, ICICI Lombard, one of the leading non-life insurance companies in India, is celebrating the festival with the underlying message that ‘protection can come from anyone.’ The new digital campaign showcases how it is the sister who plays the role of protector, unlike what has been traditionally upheld.
Inherent in this campaign is ICICI Lombard’s core brand adage, ‘Nibhaye Vaade’. So, this Raksha Bandhan tie a rakhi on your sisters’ wrists too, as they can be the protector at times.
With today’s women venturing across all spectrum of business, sports, entrepreneurship, winning awards and touching new records, the campaign showcases the ‘promise of protection’ in a novel way. Today a rakhi is tied with a promise of mutual protection, without spelling out who the protector is, thus giving the deep-rooted protector-protected paradigm a required nudge.
ICICI Lombard’s new digital campaign drives the theme of ‘Raksha’ or ‘Protection’ that pivots around the paradigm of protection. Since human interest stories tug at one’s heartstrings, ICICI Lombard has opted for ‘storytelling’ as a medium of expression.
Set in the foothills of Northeast India, the film showcases a brother narrating the heroic stints of his ‘didi’. While buying ‘rakhi’ and ‘mithai’ for his ‘didi’, the brother recounts – how his sister saved him from bullies in school or empowered him to be brave enough to face hostility and threats in life. He then goes on to say that the first time she tied a rakhi, she told him that it was with the promise to ‘protect,’ between the two. It is only towards the end of film is when one realizes that his protector is none other than world champion boxer Mary Kom.
On the campaign, Sanjeev Mantri, Executive Director, ICICI Lombard, said, “On the campaign, Sanjeev Mantri, Executive Director, ICICI Lombard, said, “We are living in interesting times. Women are out in the world making a place and name for themselves. In this scenario, the festival of Rakshabandhan which symbolises the bond of a brother protecting the sister too needs to undergo a change When we discussed this emerging trend and how to communicate it effectively , we thought of none other than Mary Kom, who represents one facet of women power. And the story being narrated by her brother brings out the progressive yet emotional angle. Mary Kom represents the spirit of perseverance, discipline and determination and she protects – all the qualities which ICICI Lombard believes in, while endeavouring to deliver on its promises to its customers.”
Talha Mohsin and Mahesh Parab, Group Creative Directors, said "Doing a brand communication on Raksha Bandhan, a festival about keeping promises needs to be more than organic for ICICI Lombard. This year we wanted to make a statement as well, a progressive one. This campaign is a beautiful narrative of a brother, Khupreng Mangte and his sister that is a reflection of changing times. While shooting with Khupreng, we realized one thing, that his sibling stories reflected our sibling stories, his progressive outlook represented ours. The beauty about doing work that's a 'slice of life,’ is that it is a slice of everyone’s life."
Brands
Airtel, Jio, Vi quietly raise tariffs with tweaks ahead of major hike
Airtel, Jio and Vi test subscriber response with subtle plan changes
NEW DELHI: India’s top telecom operators, including Bharti Airtel, Reliance Jio and Vodafone Idea, are quietly reworking their prepaid plans in what appears to be a calculated run-up to a broader tariff hike expected later this year.
Rather than announcing headline-grabbing price increases, the operators are opting for subtle tweaks that are less likely to trigger immediate consumer backlash. Industry observers describe this as a “testing the waters” approach, where small changes help gauge subscriber sensitivity while gradually improving revenues.
Among the most visible moves is plan pruning. Airtel has discontinued its popular Rs 799 pack, widely seen as a high-value offering, while nudging up the price of its Rs 859 plan to Rs 899. The changes may seem marginal, but across millions of users, they translate into meaningful revenue gains.
Reliance Jio, on its part, has taken a sharper route by slashing the validity of its Rs 195 plan from 90 days to just 30 days. The price remains unchanged, but the value per day has dropped steeply, effectively raising costs for consumers without altering headline tariffs.
Meanwhile, Vodafone Idea is restructuring its “NonStopHero” packs, limiting unlimited data benefits to night hours in several circles. The move trims usage flexibility while keeping plan positioning largely intact.
Another common tactic is bundling. Operators are increasingly pairing plans with OTT subscriptions such as streaming services, framing price adjustments as value additions even when the core offering remains largely unchanged.
The broader goal behind these moves is to lift ARPU (Average Revenue Per User), a key profitability metric in the telecom business. Airtel is targeting an ARPU of around Rs 300, up from roughly Rs 250, while Jio is under pressure to demonstrate stronger revenue growth ahead of a potential IPO. For Vodafone Idea, the urgency is more immediate as it seeks higher cash flows to fund 5G expansion and manage outstanding dues.
Industry estimates suggest that these incremental changes are a precursor to a larger, industry-wide tariff hike of 15 to 20 per cent, likely towards the end of 2026. The delay in announcing a full-scale increase is partly due to macroeconomic concerns, including inflation and volatile fuel prices, which could dampen consumer sentiment.
The push to monetise 5G is also gathering pace. After investing more than Rs 3 lakh crore in next-generation networks, operators are expected to gradually phase out free 5G data and reposition it as a premium service.
For consumers, the impact is already visible in small but steady increases in monthly bills. For telcos, however, this is a carefully choreographed build-up, easing users into higher spending before the bigger pricing reset arrives.
