Letting Go of Legends: When Emotions Clash with Business Sense - Bajaj "Scooter", HUL "Pureit" and "Pawan Kalyan Hari Hara Veera Mallu"

In 2005, I witnessed a press conference that still lingers in my memory. A composed Rajiv Bajaj stood before the press and announced the discontinuation of one of India’s most iconic products, the Bajaj Chetak petrol scooter. Next to him sat Rahul Bajaj, crestfallen and close to tears. It was a moment that marked the end of an era.

Hamara Bajaj was not just a brand campaign. It symbolized middle-class India’s aspirations. In the 1980s, owning a Bajaj scooter was a dream so strong that families waited for years to get one. Sometimes, the only way to get a Bajaj allotment was through a foreign relative wiring USD 500 back to India. 

Along with an HMT Kanchan gold-plated automatic watch, the Bajaj scooter was the ultimate wedding gift and status symbol. However, with the arrival of cheaper and more fuel-efficient four-stroke motorcycles, the decline began. Despite its legacy, Bajaj couldn’t keep up with the changing market dynamics. As Ravi Bajaj himself later admitted, letting go of such a legendary product was like losing a family member. That’s the emotional price of being in business. Marrying memories to markets doesn’t always make sense.

A similar example comes from Hindustan Unilever (HUL). The company had a vast portfolio of FMCG products in India. However, Pureit, their water purifier brand, was an exception to the rule. It wasn’t sold through regular kirana stores or supermarkets. Instead, Pureit followed a medical distribution model, marketed directly to hospitals and doctors, with its own separate sales force and supply chain.

In 2024, HUL decided to offload Pureit to A.O. Smith, signalling a smart move to refocus on their core categories. Again, a difficult but strategic decision. Proof that sometimes, cutting emotional ties is essential for future growth.

Even the entertainment industry isn’t immune. The recent film Hari Hara Veera Mallu, with a reported budget of ₹300 crore and over five years in the making, faced a major setback. Starring Pawan Kalyan, the movie received heavy backlash after its regular release, particularly for poor visual effects. As a reaction, nearly 22 minutes were cut from the film post-release. But the damage was done.

The question arises. Why weren’t rational decisions made earlier? Why not test the film with a sample audience beforehand? Why wait for public backlash before making drastic edits? It’s a classic case of creators becoming too emotionally attached to their vision, blinding them to objective feedback.

As the saying goes, common sense is not so common, especially when emotions, legacy, and ambition take over reason.

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Can Symbols Protect a company? Reflections on Karachi Bakery and the Indian Flag

My post on Karachi Bakery elicited an enthusiastic response, and I am grateful for the same. Karachi Bakery remains the cynosure of the public for many reasons, such as its impeccable quality and the controversy linked to its name, Karachi.

As many have pointed out, Karachi Bakery is the brainchild of an Indian who migrated from Pakistan and set up an eatery in Hyderabad. Similarly, a bakery exists in Pakistan called Bombay Bakery. So far, no riots or attempts to vandalize Bombay Bakery have been reported in the press.

Yes, you are all right. As you have pointed out, the idea is to show that Karachi Bakery is Indian, and it is a clever attempt to distance itself from the “Pakistani connection.”

But as some of you might know, until 2004, the usage of the Indian flag was restricted only to Republic Day and Independence Day. There was a strict protocol about its usage, and only official government institutions had the right to fly our national flag.

However, in 2004, in a landmark judgment following an appeal by Naveen Jindal, a businessman, the Supreme Court ruled that all Indians had the freedom to fly the national flag without restriction.

Here is my contention. Yes, Karachi Bakery has been a target, and it has been vandalized. But can the Indian flag be used for commercial purposes—and that too as a shield against vandalism and stone-throwing? Can the proud national symbol of India become just another token of symbolism? Especially when the Indian government frowns upon the use of the word India for commercial purposes. Naming institutes as “Indian Institutes” is restricted only to IIMs and IITs.

The Emblems and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950 prohibits the use of certain names and terms—including those that suggest government or national patronage—without explicit permission from the Central Government.

But where there is a will, there is a way. Arindam Chaudhuri flouted the rule by naming his institute IIPM (Indian Institute of Planning and Management). How did he get away with it? He never went in for accreditation with AICTE. He made merry as long as the going was good but had to shut shop when his bluff was called. 

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De Beers, Your Desperateness Is Showing: What Happens When Western Luxury Meets Indian Sentiment – and Misses the Mark!!

Yesterday was Friendship Day, and very soon it’ll be Raksha Bandhan – that ever-resonant Indian celebration of love between brothers and sisters. Festivals like these are sacred, emotional... and yes, highly monetizable. And as always, brands want to climb onto the gravy train – chasing eyeballs, engagement, and, of course, money moolah. Fogg tried the brother-sister track for the first time. But not to be left behind, the elephant in the diamond room – De Beers – made its move too.

Nostalgia or Strategy?

Yesterday, De Beers unveiled its “Best from Bestie” campaign – in vintage black-and-white sepia tones, aiming to tap into the nostalgia of old-school friendship. But look closer, and you’ll see the play is deeper.

DeBeers tried it all. Gifting a diamond on the birth of a baby, Daughter getting a diamond from her  Father, Lovers for ever strategy and even a daring I, Me myself tack where a woman can gift herself a diamond! 

De Beers has long tried to crack the Indian market, but with limited success. India remains gold-obsessed, and De Beers’ "diamond forever" proposition hasn’t quite struck gold. Their previous “father-daughter gifting” angle fizzled – mostly because, let’s face it, in Indian households, gifting control lies with the mother. Dad is just a debit card. Or now, a UPI app.

So what next? Shift the lens. Enter: friendship day meets Raksha Bandhan gifting – with a 35+ women-centric campaign that walks a very thin line between intimate friendship and coded lesbian overtones.

Target Missed?

Of course, the LGBTQ+ audience might feel seen – and that’s a win. But what about the general consumer? The average Indian family watching ETV Win – a bastion of traditional entertainment – is left confused or worse, alienated. And then there’s the Western couple shown in the campaign. Aspirational? Possibly. Relevant to Indian gifting dynamics? That’s debatable.

The question isn’t whether the campaign is inclusive or bold. The real question is: Who is it for? Why push a message that doesn’t align with the behaviors, beliefs, or spending patterns of the core consumer base?

Final Thought

Some might accuse me of reading too much into an ad. But isn't that what an academician, researcher and a marketing blogger is supposed to do? Ask the uncomfortable questions, open the debate, and push brands to think deeper than surface-level sentiment? Because nostalgia may sell, but misplaced messaging? That’s a harder gem to polish.

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Fogg Neu: A Fresh Whiff in the World of Dodgy Perfume Ads - When “Shot liya kya?” gives way to “Where is the canteen, sister?”

 

Perfume ads have always walked the thin line between suggestive and downright sleazy. Traditionally, they tend to rely heavily on stereotypical tropes: the hyper-masculine man, the swooning women, and the metaphorical (sometimes literal) tearing of clothes – all to sell a bottle of scent.

Remember the infamous Axe Chocolate ad? Women clawing at a man made of chocolate like a survival instinct kicked in. That ad wasn’t just cringeworthy – it was the gold standard of objectification wrapped in "humour".

Then came Layer’s Shot with its now-banned "Shot Liya kya?" campaign – which was widely condemned for its disturbing tone, raising serious questions about ethics in advertising.

Enter Fogg Neu – And It Actually Smells... Different.

In this context, the new campaign for Fogg Neu is, quite literally, a breath of fresh air. The ad flips the old perfume narrative completely. Here's the scene:

A couple of young girls are seated in a library, immersed in study. A young man approaches and politely asks, “Where is the canteen... SISTER?” The girls exchange a look, shocked but amused. That’s it. No slow-motion hair flips. No predatory posturing. No innuendo. Just a small, clever twist. And that’s what makes it work.

Rewriting the Rules of Attraction

The ad smartly ties back to the product name: "Neu" – the new way to be. It tells us that friendship and human interaction need not always be framed through the lens of flirtation or romance. Sometimes, being respectful is enough to stand out.

In a world that’s still hyper-marketed to Gen Z and emerging Gen Alpha audiences, this one gets it right. It acknowledges a cultural shift – where ‘cool’ doesn’t have to mean ‘creepy’.

Final Take

Fogg Neu doesn’t just sell a fragrance – it sells a mindset. One where ‘bro’ culture evolves into something more respectful and nuanced. Where being decent is… attractive. Like Gen Alpha might quip: “Good one, bro.”

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Aamir Khan’s OTT Stand on Sitaare Zameen Par: A Brave Call or a Misguided One?

 

Aamir Khan recently stirred the pot with his announcement: Hindi movies should not be released on OTT platforms for at least six months after their theatrical release. Bold move, Aamir — but perhaps it's time to come down from the high horse.

Let’s be clear: if your content is good, audiences will show up at the theatres. You don’t need to impose artificial delays or windows. And let’s not forget, you can’t force people to consume content a certain way — be it in theatres or on streaming platforms. Audiences have choices now, and they’re using them.

Let’s take a quick reality check. Movies like Laal Singh Chaddha and Agent bombed at the box office — and later failed to spark interest even on OTT. No amount of release window manipulation can fix weak storytelling or lackluster content. On the flip side, Lapataa Ladies, produced by Aamir’s ex-wife Kiran Rao, found critical and popular acclaim only because of its release on OTT. It likely wouldn’t have made a dent in theatres.

OTT platforms have become an integral part of how audiences consume content. Trying to delay or deny access isn’t going to reverse that trend — it only risks alienating the very viewers who might have watched your film from the comfort of their homes. And let’s face it, Aamir: there’s no shortage of content. There are thousands of movies and shows available across platforms, and nobody is sitting around waiting for a film that’s stuck in a six-month theatrical limbo.

Even within the Hindi film industry, such a rigid model won’t hold. There will always be producers who choose to break the six-month embargo and go for quicker OTT releases — especially if it means recovering their investment. Down South, the model is already leaner. The OTT window is often just one month.

Take Thug Life, for instance — a case worth examining. Amazon reportedly agreed to a two-month OTT window. But the movie still flopped. Kamal Haasan and Mani Ratnam, recognizing the sinking ship, opted for an even quicker OTT release. Amazon complied — with a ₹25 crore cut. Business decisions always trump idealistic notions.

So, here’s the takeaway: OTT is not the enemy — it’s the reality. Those of us with home theatres and high-quality viewing setups won’t be swayed by a longer wait time. If you want us in cinemas, make grand, compelling, cinematic experiences that pull us in. Otherwise, it's Tata, goodbye.

Aamir, we appreciate the conviction — but practicality matters. Let your next film prove your point, not your pronouncements.