Advertisement 6Surf Excel’s Advertisement(Brother & Sister Duo)

Hindustan Unilever Limited introduced Surf in 1959, introducing the first detergent powder into the country. At the time, housewives used laundry soap bars to washclothes. Surf offered them significantly better clean, with much less effort. The promise of ‘superlative whiteness’ – the articulation of a great clean at the time, connected with consumers and helped to establish the brand. Surf was the first national detergent brand on TV; the brand used TV to effectively educate their consumers on how to use detergent powders in a bucket for a better wash. Surf Excel made a big “splash” with their “Daag Achhe Hain” advertising campaign. The following is an analysis of the first such commercial. The advertisement features a brother and sister duo walking home from school, when the little girl falls into a puddle of mud. Crying, she looks to her brother for help. Her brother gets an idea and starts “beating up” the puddle of mud, demanding an apology. After a time and a lot of mud on his uniform, he stands up and says, “Sorrybola.” The narrator then removes all apprehensions of dirt and stains and says, “Daag Acche Hain.”This advertisement is universally well-loved. This is so because it does a lot of things right. It makes use of children’s appeal to get the advertising message across.The advertisement does what seldom others do cater to the emotions and sentiments of the viewers – and succeeds with it. Not only do the children lower your guard to the advertisement, but the story, too, warms the heart of the viewers. The advertisement generates a sense of bonding. Viewers without siblings, too, can relate to the advertisement and the actions of the little boy. The advertisement also exudes certain warmth that reflects itself in the viewers. The advertising mantra, AIDA, is strictly adhered to.