TAFE (Tractors and Farm Equipment Limited) launched a film in the second phase of its #FarmDost initiative. The film themed #ThankYouTohBol has been conceptualised by Rediffusion Y&R Chennai.
The message is delivered through a young girl Maya on a drive in the countryside with her parents. Lost midway, her father seeks the help of a farmer at a mango plantation. In the car, her mother explains to her the importance of the farmer who works hard so that she gets to have her favourite aam ras (mango juice). As they resume the drive, the little girl asks her dad to stop, gesturing that she needs to relieve herself. She runs back to the mango farm and calls out to the farmer, thanking him for the best mangoes in the world, with a kiss. The film urges viewers to join Maya in thanking our farmers, inviting them to be a #FarmDost. It ends with the message #ThankYouTohBol as Maya walks back to the car with her arms full of mangoes.
The film went live on digital media in July and is being supported by ads on digital and radio. A nationwide on-ground activation is also being planned.
In its first phase in April of 2015, TAFE introduced the concept of #FarmDosts, a farmer-cause community.
It urged people to cultivate a one square foot farm, to empathise with the farmer.
The second phase is an appeal to express gratitude to farmers, by taking a pledge to meet and spend time with a farmer.
Sunitha Subramaniyan, head of corporate communications, TAFE, said, “Over the last five decades TAFE has been working closely with the farming community and has a deep insight into how hard farmers toil to nurture their crops and nourish us – for no other reward, but the love of the land. It was only natural for TAFE to champion the cause of the farmer – a cause we truly believe in. We launched the Be#FarmDost initiative last year to bring the invisible farmer back into our social psyche and create an environment of appreciation and empathy for them. We were sure that this message would resonate with everyone, but, the response truly amazed us; within a year the community of #FarmDosts has grown exponentially to over 800,000 on Facebook. The second phase #ThankYouTohBol is a humble effort to connect the urban population to the farming community – by imploring them to take the #ThankYouTohBol Pledge, meet farmers face-to-face and thank them for their unrecognised contribution of feeding the nation and the world at large.”
Ananda Ray, creative head, Rediffusion Y&R, Chennai, added, “It is rare to come across a client who invests in a cause that is not designed just to tick the CSR boxes or with an eye on the bottom line. TAFE has been dedicated towards improving the lives – and standing – of farmers within our society from their inception and the #FarmDost movement is but a natural extension of this vision. This is a cause that is easy to believe in and to work towards making happen – whether from an agency perspective or as a lay person. If even one viewer is moved to action after watching Maya’s story, it will mean a lot to both TAFE and us – and, most crucially, to the farmer.
Credits
Client: TAFE
Agency: Rediffusion Y&R, Chennai
President: Dhunji S Wadia
CCO: Rahul Jauhari
Creative head: Ananda Ray
Office head: Hari Ganesh Desikan
Account management: Geetha Raj
Production house: Kadhai Films, Chennai
Director: Farooq Mohamed
Associate director: George K Antoney
Producer: Hari Prasad
Music: Madley Blues
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