Dhara's Diwali campaign attempts to revive old tradition of making festive sweets at home

During our childhood, how did we know a festival was around the corner? Did the aroma of fresh delicacies being prepared in the kitchen waft across the house announcing the onset of the festive season? Did the errand of distributing the sweatmeats to the neighbours bring in the early excitement for the festival? Have these little indicators faded away from our homes with the passage of time? Have we stopped making these festive delights at our homes? And do we now prefer to gift store-bought delicacies?

Dhara, the edible oil brand from Mother Dairy, in its Diwali campaign, urges its consumers to return to this old tradition of making festive specialities at home. In its multi-lingual 360-degree campaign, titled ‘Ek Naya Riwaaj Dhara Ke Saath’, the brand also communicates the thought of spreading the festive happiness with those who make our life comfortable.

The campaign urges individuals to bring zara sa badlaav in the way they celebrate festivities, by cooking something special for people who’re special to them. The three-week-long campaign has been introduced across 15 markets of the brand and entails a TVC, featuring television actor Varun Badola.

The TVC is set in a bustling neighbourhood sweet shop on a Diwali evening. The shop owner (Badola) is surprised by his wife and son's visit in the midst of his work. She gives him a tiffin box containing jalebis and samosas. She then asks him, Har tyohaar pe, apni mithai hi khilayenge? (Will you eat only your sweets for every festival?) The ad ends with a voice-over saying, tyohaar ke ek riwaaj me zara sa badlaav layein, iss Diwali apno ko apne haath ka khilayein.(Make a small change in one festive tradition, this Diwali feed your loved ones with something made with your hands.)

The campaign has also been rolled out in regional languages to make a stronger connect with the brand’s target group. The campaign is further spread across print, radio and digital mediums, including Dhara’s social media pages.

Dinesh Agrawal, business head – Dhara, Mother Dairy Fruit & Vegetable, said, “With this new campaign, we urge our consumers to bring a badlaav in their festivities and make one and all feel special by cooking something special for them, rather than just passing on gift boxes. The spotlight is on relations, within and outside one’s family, who are a part of our familial ecosystem and the contentment of home-cooked food."

"Earlier during the festival period, preparations were made at home. But now that tradition is forgotten and we normally pick up some sweet box from a shop and hand it over. The preparation made in home, has its emotional meaning as well as it gives a special effect to the festival," he adds.

The campaign reminds us of the lockdown time when people were trying out different delicacies at home as ordering in was no longer an option. Agrawal confirms that in-house cooking has increased during the pandemic time, however festive cooking, like making laddoos and jalebis, continues to be outsourced. That's where Dhara is asking people to make the 'small change'.

The campaign is targeted to men and women of the age group of 24-30 years. These are the youngsters who have stayed away from the tradition of making these delicacies at home. This could be due to a lack of time in their hectic schedules or a sheer disinterest in undertaking such ardous processes to make something that can be easily ordered now. Also the prohibitive price of edible oil now, can really put anyone off the idea of making such rich food at home. However, Agrawal feels that the price has nothing to do with this as it costs almost the same to purchase it from outside.

Iraj Fraz Batla, executive creative director, DDB Mudra North, said, “This Dhara Diwali campaign intends to restore the fast-fading tradition of making sweets and celebrating food at home. After all, no professionally made sweets can ever match the warmth and wonder of homemade mithai. And, Varun Badola’s performance adds that syrup to make the story that much sweeter!”

The campaign also includes five digital micro-films, which embrace the thought of spreading happiness to the people who make sure our Diwalis are bright. The micro-films can be viewed across Dhara’s social media pages.