Old DD Ads that cause nostalgia every time you watch
Back in the vintage days of the 80s and 90s Doordarshan was the only channel for our entertainment and only platform for brands to advertise. During these times only colour television made its entry into the Indian middle households. While people used to enjoy their favourite shows and movies, many also cherished these musical or funny advertisements.
These Doordarshan ads are simply iconic and great. Some melodies and jingles made us sing along with them and some made us emotional.
The list of commercials from the old days is surely a treat to watch for all. These ads brought smiles to our face then and will make us smile even now no matter how old or cheesy they may sound. Watching these ads you are surely going to take you back to the memories of your childhood. So, what’s the hold-up let’s begin.
Nirma – Washing Powder Nirma
Who doesn’t remember this classic old ad and everyday use popular product? The jingle was also a popular hit, one of the most popular ones to date. The ad has had many modern versions but the underlying jingle has become so strongly connected to the brand’s identity that the advertisers dare not change the jingle.
Titan
The Titan ad had a great combination of emotions and awesome music. Composed by A.R Rehman based on Mozart’s 25th symphony, this one is a classic. The emotional angle put in the advertisement was also a masterstroke making Titan watches a preferred choice for wedding gifts.
Classic Toothbrush
Laal kaala peela – gulaabi hara nila. Classic toothbrush. The jingle was so catchy that if you heard it the early morning, you’d end up humming it all day long. Not to forget that the fun tune and the dance moves made the ad a favourite amongst kids.
Action Shoes
Most of us wore these very shoes to school. Action Shoes. From the school bell to playtime this ad takes you back to your school days.
Dabur Lal Dant Manjan
The whole student-teacher act not only made this ad one of the most memorable ads of the 80s but also gave credibility to the product by associating it with the school environment. What created the most buzz though was the line “aur masterji aapke daant?” and it still remains a meme object today.
Swad Candies
This one candy must have been one of the favourites for all. One of the ads also featured Puja Bhat as a model (much before her Bollywood debut).
Pan Parag
The line “Hum itna chahte hain ki aap baratiyon ka swagat pan parag se kijiye” became a super-duper hit overnight giving birth to many jokes as well. The presence of Shammi Kapoor and Ashok Kumar made this commercial all the more appealing.
Pan Pasand
Well, this candy requires no introduction. It was eaten and enjoyed by all and is still loved by many. The first ad was an instant hit with the line “Shaadi aur tumse? Kabhi nahi!” being said angrily by Archana Joglekar and then repeated softly after having the candy.
Complan
Classic Indian ad serving everyone’s favourite Complan. The “Complan Boy” and the “Complan Girl” grew up to became Bollywood stars; Shahid Kapoor and Ayesha Takia. Seems Complan did help them early on!
Cadbury
Cadbury dancing girl ad, surely the melody is still very fresh in our mind. It was an out of the league ad, a bold experiment, an ad that paid Cadbury rich dividends. Cadbury presented a new persona of a modern Indian girl of the 80s and became every girl’s darling. Helped boys too, as they didn’t have to guess anymore on what might please their girl!
Amul Milk
Amul Ad featuring Smita Patil is one of the Indian Ads classics. Amul drew credibility from one of the most respected actresses and Smita Patil’s roles as a rural lady also helped them showcase that the product was indeed coming from rural India to communicate the purity of the milk and milk products.
Onida TV
Devil introducing us to the colour television this one was the coolest ads on Indian television. The ad was so modern-ish that without saying anything it projected an image of an international brand for a local brand being manufactured in Noida, Uttar Pradesh.
Cinkara
Well, who does not remember the dance moves of Javed Jaffery in this ad? A truly epic ad that made Cinkara a word in the colloquial dictionary meaning a dose of strength or energy.
Hamara Bajaj
“Buland Bharat Ki Buland Tasveer, Hamara Bajaj!” Well, this jingle is forever and so is the brand. “Hamara Bajaj” was used famously in the movie “Adnaz apna apna” which revived the recall of the brand.
Not to forget that the tag line was always used by those who had a friend with the surname “Bajaj” to tease or please them.
Dhara – Jalebi Ad
This one must be of the cutest commercials of all times. The whole act of leaving the house by a child and coming back on the mention of “Jalebi” is amazingly heartwarming and fills you with positivity towards the brand.
Lijjat Papad
Bunny in this ad was one of its kind, singing “Ah-huh-hah Lizzat Papad’. It was a very simple ad but the jingle was so sticky that it made Lizzat Papad one of the biggest names in cooperative brands in the country.
As the average Indianhousehold’s income increased, more channels came into being and the Indian advertising industry evolved, more public figures were roped in by the brands to promote their products. Some of these memorable ads were not limited to DD but they still bring to fore the good old memories of the earlier times.
Close-Up
Cricketers and Ad industry, this was a good combination and who hasn’t used red colour close-up toothpaste. And many must have not recognized Bollywood diva Bipasha Basu in those times.
Pepsi – Yeh dil mange more
When the Indian cricket team and Shahrukh Khan appeared together in this Pepsi commercial, it had desire results, the youngsters loved it! Sachin’s voice will make you feel nostalgic for sure.
Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola
The tag line “Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola” was one of its kinds. Aamir Khan played different roles in this series of ad commercials, each one being more hilarious than the previous ones.
That’s all for now folks! If you think we missed out on any of your favourite ads of 80s and 90s then please do let us know in the comments.