The nostalgia of making 'Mera Pehla Achaar'...

Remember the days in summers when grandmother used to buy unripe mangoes more than ripened ones? She would simply buy as much as possible and not bother on their texture or stiffness unlike when selecting ripened mangoes. You would wonder as to why she is buying those when the sweet juicy ones could be brought more for the same money.

The answers were mostly lost in oblivion in our childhood but as we grew up, we realized why those tiny green mangoes were the real gems. The ones that would last beyond the season and would one day bring a smile or a tear. They were the ones used to make pickle.

Pickle or as known in Hindi, achaar, is a staple side for almost all dishes.

Making a pickle was in itself a mini project during childhood. From cutting the mangoes into tiny pieces, to mixing them well with the spices, to dipping them in the mustard oil, and then storing them in those big jars; patience surely ran out while mixing so eating a small slice never harmed! Didn’t it amaze us when we used to see our grandmothers follow all these steps and yet after all the toil the achaar was never ready for consumption!

We all have such stories of amazement and moments of sheer joy when the pickle ripened enough to be eaten. Fortune Foods in its latest campaign ‘Mera Pehla Achaar’ explores the nostalgia of making achaar and asks people to share their stories of making their first achaar. The campaign is themed around the process of making achaar and how the mustard oil from Fortune Foods turns the achaar from good to great.

The brand released a video to kick-start the campaign. The 40-seconder shows a mother mixing spices. Her daughter asks about a childhood friend, who, when she sends him a picture of the spices, still loves the achaar. The video ends with the mother asking her daughter to get her oil and only Fortune Foods oil. In addition to the video, the brand also created a microsite where people are sharing their first experiences while making achaar.

In a short span, since its release, the campaign has gathered a combined reach of over 4 million across Facebook, YouTube and Google. Moreover, over 250 entries have been submitted on the microsite, wherein people have shared their 'first achaar' story.

Appreciating the video, the audience also posted comments on the brand's post on Facebook. Some of them have been attached below-

Speaking about the campaign, Sanjay Adesara, Head Media and Strategy, Adani Wilmar Limited, shares, “We can’t deny how important a role achaar plays in our daily diet. Keeping aside this indispensable nature of achaar in our lives, it also brings alive the good old memories of childhood, the fun of making achaar and that of getting caught while trying to steal a handful. The Mera Pehla Achaar campaign by Fortune Kachi Ghani Mustard Oil helps you revisit your fondest memories with achaar.”

The campaign brings back the nostalgia of something that has been forgotten yet yearned for. We all have had days when a small bite of the pickle has resulted in friendships, stories, and revisiting the old recipe books. Brilliant, simple, and heart-warming, the campaign is one of the simplest yet potent and tickles the right taste buds in all of us.