Fortune India
India has a rich advertising history. And these old ads, mostly from the 1990s, when TV began to percolate into the masses, will make you go all nostalgic. Guaranteed!
In ad after ad, during the 1990's, Titan perfected its image by adding a snippet from Mozart's Symphony No. 25. It became India's unofficial anthem for grace and elegance.
This 1999 ad, featuring a girl running on a cricket pitch, with no care, defined joy and love for a generation of Indians. It still brings a smile to everyone's faces.
Hamara Bajaj was not just a slogan. Released in the 1990s, when India was at the cusp of opening up its economy, this ad redefined middle class aspiration.
Reliving the magic of Aamir Khan’s iconic Coca-Cola ads — from a tapori to a Bengali babu, he proved that "Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola" wasn’t just a slogan, it was a cultural moment!
Yes this was when King Khan was in his peak. And when he featured in the iconic Pepsi ad, with that “Yeh Dil Maange More” catchphrase, it drove a generation wild.
A young girl singing 'All I want is English Marie' to her tutor, redefined innocence and fun. The ad for Bakeman's Marie biscuits is iconic.
The iconic Liril girl, playing and frolicking under a waterfall in a green bikini broke advertising norms when it first aired. The ad is part of India's advertising history.
This Dhara ad, featuring a little boy who runs away from home, but returns only for “jalebi,” tugged at our hearts strings like no other. It still does.
These ads are part of India's advertising history for a reason: they did not just create brands recognised everywhere, but also redefined human emotions, like joy, innocence, grace, and aspiration.