Sixty years young, a category creator- and leader from virtually the beginning, Fevicol, one of India’s most trusted brands and amongst the best adhesives brands in Asia, is commemorating the upcoming milestone with something it hasn’t done before: its longest ever ad film yet,  and for the first time, it will play out the campaign in cinemas and also as standalone content on leading GECs, digital platforms, on radio and in cinemas. And for the first time ever (again) a Fevicol brands advertisement will be placed as content on OTT platforms like Hotstar, Sonyliv, Zee5 etc.

The total outlay on this 6-language campaign that’s been conceived, shot and produced like a movie, is around Rs 20 crore, which, for a once-in-six-decades celebration, is as smartly economical a spend as the other Fevicol campaign spends have been in the past.

The campaign will roll outon 23rd August in Bangla, Marathi, Hindi, Tamil, Telugu and Kannada.

I was privy to the brilliant ad campaign film created by Ogilvy and helmed by Piyush Pandey who for more than four decades has owned and driven the Fevicol brand with a passion that matches its MD Bharat Puri’s.

The film celebrating 60 years of Fevicol is a creative masterpiece that should easily rake in the awards. However, it will be released simultaneously in six languages on the 23rd of August, so till then, just imagine a brilliant film that has brilliant cinematographic conceptualization  syncopating with a truly remarkable lyrically worded script by Prasun Pandey, both riding an excellent background music score that is as beautifully earthy and Indian-at-heart at brand Fevicol itself -- all  seamlessly telling a story that travels across happy events in the lives of generations of loved family members, with an underlying emotional bond. The sights, sounds, togetherness and emotions of India. And how, exquisitely subtly, brand Fevicol appears in the end as a truly logical culmination of the story.

Significantly, the two pillars of most Fevicol communications – the human aspect, and humour – are what drive this campaign video too. The changing paradigms of the Indian social and cultural scenario, and the ever lasting strength of Fevicol.

The ad film is also a great example of how a primarily B2B (or rather, B2T where T is tradesmen like carpenters) keeps going B2C with universal resonance and relevance.

I’m deliberately not using an over-100-word description of the ad film storyline, because this is the kind of creative you should watch unwarned – your dive into delight will be that much deeper.

Bharat Puri, MD, Pidilite Industries Ltd, says, “Fevicol is one of the rare adhesive brands to feature in the most trusted brands in Indian households.

"It is loved by Indians for its reliable performance as well as its earthy, humorous and contemporary advertising.

"The 60-year Fevicol campaign celebrates its unbreakable bond with generations of Indians,” Puri says.

Piyush Pandey, Chief Creative Officer Worldwide and Executive Chairman India, Ogilvy, says, "To me, Fevicol is not just an adhesive, but a cultural glue that salutes the people of India.  Fevicol as a brand, has followed this principle for 60 years.

"Advertising came into the picture much later.  The 60-year TV ad and the entire communication salutes the carpenter and her or his craft.  Fevicol is the message.  Ogilvy is only the messenger."

Well, it takes two to tango in a creative equation – great product, and brilliant communication. The latter makes a great product a great brand, and Pandey and team have accomplished that consistently over decades, giving the complete lie to the clever saying that only a mediocre person is at his best at all times.

Yes, it is a phenomenal product, without a doubt. Launched with a single product, today Fevicol has over 75 variants like Marine, HeatX, Hi-per, EzeeSpray and defines the adhesive category. It has introduced many innovative products which have transformed the way furniture is made in India. Over the years, Fevicol has become the preferred choice of wood-working community across 70+ countries. In fact, Puri is on an international trip tomorrow – another factory coming up somewhere.

Fevicol advertising over the years: Always bold, topical, quirky

‘Loved for its superior quality, ease of application and iconic advertising, this synthetic resin adhesive has made its way to the hearts and minds of millions,’ says the Pidilite website. The iconic advertising from Fevicol has, from the very beginning, been unique, with bold marketing. It is known for its innovative and quirky marketing and communications strategy.

The brand engaged with the customers at multiple platforms to educate and create awareness. In 1997, Fevicol released its first TV ad – ‘Dum laga ke haisha’ featuring renowned filmmaker Rajkumar Hirani and that was just the beginning. While the initial stages of its advertising focused on the functional aspects, it later advanced to humorous real-life scenarios and contextual references.

Some of Fevicol’s memorable and iconic ads include ‘Egg’, ‘Vagabond’, ‘Dum Laga Ke Haisha’, ‘Moochwali’, ‘Bus’ and ‘Train’ spots. Its consumer engagement initiatives such as Free store, Fevicol Room at Lalbaugcha Raja, Kumbh Mela activity, Fevicol Runners at Mumbai marathon have been memorable for their peculiar approach.

Fevicol uses topical and quirky creatives on digital media including platforms like Instagram, Twitter and Facebook to further enhance its iconic imagery on creative advertisements among younger audience. Be it the latest episode of Game of Thrones or a trending topic like the #10YearsChallenge, the brand adapts the ‘Mazboot jod’ proposition in context of these topics to make it interesting for the audience.

No stakeholder left out

Fevicol engages its stakeholders including carpenters and end consumers through various platforms. It introduced Fevicol Champions’ Club (FCC) in December 2002. FCC is an ethnic social platform that brings woodworking contractors together to boost their personal and professional growth. It is a pan-India community-based program where people of the woodworking industry learn new techniques, build networks, and earn recognition for their work.

Its widespread presence makes it the single largest platform for contractors. Fevicol Design Ideas (FDI), another initiative by Fevicol, provides a platform for interior designers & contractors to showcase their work and consumers to select the best. It provides the consumers to search for the latest in home décor, hire a contractor, and acquire the decision-making power FDI’s knowledge kit.

Due to its widespread efforts Fevicol has partnered with more than 10,000 Interior Designers, 75,000+ dealers, more than 1000 Distributors and over 1,20,000 Contractors.

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