Deepashree Banerjee
Advertising

Remember Origami? Club Mahindra's print ad lures families with it...

...Through a recent full page ad in The Times of India, Club Mahindra paints a picture of a happy family using this ancient Japanese art form.

Indian advertising, has, for eons, been selling consumers 'the perfect family' image. But this one's a first - in a full page print ad (we spotted it in The Times of India earlier this week) resort chain Club Mahindra woos desi families using images of a family enjoying quality time together, with Origami. The ocassion is International Family Day.

We all remember those craft classes in school, when we spent hours folder paper to make bookmarks, puppets, boxes, dice, paper flowers and more. Well, this huge, colourful print ad is like a time machine in that sense. And this page is just one half of the advert; the entire creative stretches to yet another page.

After explaining the word Origami on the first page, the copy goes on to an elaborate demo of how to make a crane and a flapping butterfly using this Japanese art of paper-folding.

Remember Origami? Club Mahindra's print ad lures families with it...
Turning to the next page, the ad goes on to an elaborate demo of how to make a crane and a flapping butterfly using the Japanese art of paper-folding

Click to enlarge

This print leg is part of a larger 360 degree campaign titled #BringingYouCloser.

It makes sense for a holiday resort chain to present images of a family spending quality time together, especially in the day and age of way too much screen-time. After all, PUBG and Fortnite are ruling kids' free time nowadays.

In fact, we're reminded of a recent ad film from the same brand about a father tossing his phone aside - the office can wait! - to go chase his little son around the garden. The ad involved a fake lizard and a screaming mother, if we recall correctly.

The question the brand team is asking itself probably is: Will this happy family image get parents to look up, book or renew their Club Mahindra membership?

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