Iconic films, stars enjoy enduring appeal in ads

ADS AND MEMES IN OUR COUNTRY FREQUENTLY REFERENCE TO 'SHOLAY' AND 'LAGAAN', DEMONSTRATING THE POWER OF NOSTALGIA IN OUR MEMORY

- Shuchi Bansal

Cinema goers who may have seen Zoya Akhtar's 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara' (ZNMD) featuring Hrithik Roshan, Farhan Akhtar and Abhay Deol, recently enjoyed watching the trio's reunion in a series of five ad films for Abu Dhabi's holiday destination Yas Island run by Miral Destinations. A bit of its thunder may have been stolen by a new, clutter-breaking ad by fantasy sports platform Dream11 featuring big Bollywood stars and cricketers, but the Yas Island campaign evoked heart-warming nostalgia.

Rediffusion chairman Sandeep Goyal said, fundamentally, Bollywood and cricket stars help in greater noticeability of the communication and enhance recall. "Hence their usage has its undeniable advantage and Yas Island tried to benefit from that time-tested formula."

Zoya Akhtar and Reema Kagti were co-opted for writing the script for the campaign said to be the closest thing to a sequel, 14 years after the movie was released. Zoya Akhtar said the original film was about getting out of one's comfort zone and living life to the fullest. In the campaign, the Yas Island theme parks offer adventures, challenges and thrills, similar to those experienced by the protagonists in ZNMD on their trip of self-discovery.