Big B will narrate your Maggi tales, in new campaign

Taking the 'Me and Meri Maggi' campaign (2009) further, the instant noodles brand is urging consumers to share interesting experiences of theirs that involved Maggi, on Facebook and through SMSes. Asking them on Maggi's behalf in a new commercial is Amitabh Bachchan, who promises to narrate selected stories from among these on packs and on television. Thereby, the sender, if selected, gets to be in the limelight.

The ad highlights a few instances of such consumer experiences. One of these involves a biker on his way to Leh, coping with a breakdown enroute; yet there is a moment of delight that involves Maggi. Another shows a newly wed woman looking to establish her rapport with her mother-in-law through a Maggi dish. Then there are hungry kids, who light candles to heat and cook Maggi. And lastly, a lady who is petrified of being targeted by kids on Holi day, but is saved because of a bowl of Maggi in her hand.

Ritu Sharda, executive creative director, Publicis Capital, explained the brief for the campaign thus: "We had created the Me & Meri Maggi sometime ago and it had revved up the love for the brand among consumers. It was time we created some buzz around the campaign and took it to the next level." She added that the campaign aims to highlight how happiness is created within two minutes and that with this campaign Maggi wants to reward its consumers by bringing in the 'biggest storyteller' (Big B) of the country to narrate their stories.

The campaign led to a few conversations on social media right after it released (last week). There have been questions and comments on the brand's roping in of a celebrity, the argument being Maggi didn't need one.

Sharda responded, "If the campaign involved Big B glorifying the brand or himself, I could have understood the criticism. But the brand is still all about its consumers. We have just got the best storyteller in the country to be the narrator of their stories."

Unplugged moments:

Sharda shared some of the light moments from the shooting. "We wanted to show Big B in a fresh way, wanted to make him look young and dapper. If you'd notice his outfit, it involves a nice leather jacket, red shirt, torn jeans and boots. Everybody's heart skipped a beat to see him carry his new look," she reminisced.

Credits:
Client: Maggi, Nestle India
Client team: Shivani Hegde, Mukesh Kumar, Alamjit Sekhon
Agency: Publicis Capital
Executive creative director: Ritu Sharda
Creative directors: Auryndom Bose, Ayan Das
Creative team: Ravi Kant Tagore, Shwetang Upadhyaya, Chitra Gupta
Account management: Ashutosh Sawhney, S. Suresh, Gagan Sharma, Aurnob Godinho, Chandni Dalal, Ankita Singh, Kunal Vachhani
Director (film): Arun Gopalan
Producer: Ranadeep Oberoi
Production house: Storytellers
Media agency: ZenithOptimedia