'Tanishq Ad Created A Movement, Many Are Buying Products To Take Stand': Ad Maker

Days after the Indian jewellery brand landed in a major controversy, Tanishq's advertisement campaign creator said that "more people have seen the now-withdrawn Tanishq advertisement as the controversy also created a movement where many are buying Tanishq products to take a stand".

Amit Akali, Managing Partner and Creative Head of "What's Your Problem", the agency behind the advertisement campaign, said that the ad showed realities and, after the controversy, a silent majority of people has started voicing out against a vocal minority.

Akali also said that no one would have anticipated the backlash because "communal harmony is the centre of our fabric".

He also referred to the brand as a "brave" company that considered the safety of employees in the face of the controversy.

"I would have taken exactly the same decision if I would have been in the client's shoes. Nothing is more important than the safety of an employee. It is a brave client and the client took a stance for the safety of its employees," he said.

The brand decided to withdraw the 45-second advertisement, which showed an inter-faith baby shower, in the wake of a stir online and resentment among certain people who claimed that the commercial promoted "love jihad" or "false secularism".

"People are going out there and telling us that we will not let this film get deleted, they are sharing the film on their own even though it has been removed. Or there is a movement where people are buying Tanishq and showing us the bills," Akali said.

"We are at that stage where the majority is speaking up and that is where the love for Tanishq started coming in. I think this is a normal phenomenon in any country," he said.

Clarifying that the intention behind the campaign was to show cultural realities that go along with a brand's promise, and not anything political, Akali said that the "Ekatvam" or unity campaign of Tanishq will continue.

"More people have seen the message than if it wasn't removed," Akali said, adding that the society sided with the jewellery brand because the message resonated with it.

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