From a traveller's perspective

gggWe’re so used to certain face structures and skin tones that even a slight deviation from the norm makes us sit and notice.

Surf Excel’s new ad does not differ much from its earlier versions. The kid dirties her clothes because she wants to help a family member, and worries arise about stains, but moms know better because Surf Excel can get rid of the stains easily.

What’s different about this one is the presence of an entirely northeastern cast. As viewers, we’re so used to certain facial symmetry that this ad pops out from the rest. “If the cast had been north Indian or south Indian, you wouldn’t have asked this question,” says Shayondeep Pal, regional creative officer, Lowe Lintas. He tells us it was them (the agency) that pitched the idea to Surf Excel which came on board right away.

Pal remarks that somewhere this change was needed but “but not to make a statement that oh look we’re being inclusive… We’re a vast country, we’re looking for actors from different parts of the country… we’re used to seeing a set of actors across brands so how do you change that format, that was the whole idea?”

Equinox Films, the ad’s production house, quotes its director Deb Medhekar:

“How many times? How many times!!! Have we as filmmakers tried to pitch a client the idea of situating a film in a particular place, a particular community? All we ever heard in return is that the film has to work “Pan India”. So this time when the good people at Lowe wrote a film that was placed in the hills and said the client was keen on casting in the North East I was ecstatic!”