I grew up with the Vividh Bharati and Radio Ceylon, tuned to the programmes and songs and of course the ad jingles. I still remember the Mumbai VB programme airing Marathi songs at 11-30 AM as I walked to school. It took me about 25 minutes and the shops along the route were tuned in to this station and so I could listen to the songs without interruption, the sound from one shop fading as the next one picked it up.
But it was the jingles punctuating the songs that helped me time my walk, sometimes with friends and sometimes alone. I would be watching out for the particular ad which would tell me if I was a tad early or late depending upon at which point that jingle normally played on the route. As I grew up I used the jingles to time my work in the morning as I rushed to school/college/work. The songs were often incidental. And when some jingle was removed from that slot, it would disorient me for a few days till I got used to new one and associated it with the time I should be bathing, rolling out rotis or packing lunch. Now tell me, has it ever occurred to you to use a jingle as a timer? More importantly, would I have done it had they not been catchy and grew on me?
The radio ads of the 60s and 70s with the voice-over by the likes of Hamid Sayani, Pratap Sharma, Ameen Sayani and Brij Bhushan were as delightful as the jingles and the fact that I remember them a half century later proves how good they were. And what’s more, they were effective without help from visuals as in TV ads.
They were not just catchy but evocative too. When one heard the tandoorusti ki raksha’ Lifebuoy jingle, it brought to mind cleanliness and health, the unforgettable ‘la…la la la……’, of Liril, conjured up freshness long before one saw Karen Lunel cavorting in the waterfall; the beautiful Ok bath soap jingle which I loved (but never felt like buying), made one imagine a huge bar of soap that it told us about; the Only Vimal jingle convinced the listeners that it was really the only one and sold a million saris in the bargain. They were worth dying for, believe me!
Likewise, the ‘gale mein khich khich..’ Vicks lozenges ad, Glucon D’s ‘jaan mein jaan daal de…’, Elpar Suitings jingle with its lilting tune, that of S.Kumar Saris (ever heard of them?)….and the Dipy’s jams and ketchups jingle of ‘Dipy Dee Dipy Doo, Dipy dum dum…’ (oh how I loved that one!), Vicco Vajrdanti toothpaste jingle, were all uniformly good. I could go on and on but will leave you to recollect and share some of your own favourites.
Some jingles like the ones advertising cold drinks actually made one experience whatever they said about the brand. ‘Gold Spot, the zing thing!’ peddled lifestyle as most cold drink ads do today, but one actually felt a zing going up the spine as one sipped it. (I doubt if we feel as if we are doing something ‘toofani’ while drinking Thums Up.) And then the simple yet evocative Frooti jingle – ‘Mango Frooti, fresh and juicy,’ conjured up the juiciest mangoes and one felt as if one was actually drinking from the fruit while sipping Frooti!
Some of these famous radio jingles went on to become memorable TV ads in the 80s and 90s. (Lifebuoy, Nirma, Frooti, Glucon D, Gold Spot).
The Nirma jingle was so effective in imprinting the product on my mind as a washing powder that when they came out with a toilet soap I wouldn’t touch it, even though it was called Nima with the R removed from its original name! And you can only imagine my feelings when they introduced salt. I could actually smell soap in the subzi!! Incidentally there is a Nirma University in Gujarat. I am not even beginning to visualise anything about it!
Anyway, Nirma made Hindustan Lever run for cover — a classic case of David and Goliath and the fairy tale birth of an Indian brand. HLL had come up with a series of ads including the one with Lalitaji played so ably by Kavita Choudhary, to fight the threat posed by Nirma. But the company didn’t know that it had created a powerful brand enemy in me.
If I may go off at a slight tangent, some ads are effective because they are irritating. I must probably have been the only Indian woman consumer who hated the Lalitaji ad and it effectively put me off the product for life. With her superior air and tone as she talked of ‘samajhdari’, she made me feel like an idiot if I even thought of buying the detergent. So when Ariel came along, I jumped into its bandwagon with relief. It has been my brand for over a quarter century now. So loyal I am I to the brand that even the mortifying Mrs.Tip-Top ad of Ariel, featuring a doormat housewife preening when her husband calls her that because her clothes are sparkling clean — wasn’t repugnant enough to push me into Lalitaji’s arms!
Another ad that put me off a product was the Promise toothpaste ad where the beautiful Maya Alagh ‘uf ohs…’ her children to brush their teeth looking like a million dollars at the end of an exhausting day. Bah! Who wants to see such role models who are held up unfavourably to you by your own brood?
Coming back to jingles, TV spots took jingles and visual ads to a new level in the late 70s and after. Some of the signature tunes are hummable even today. ‘Take the world in your stride,’ of Dinesh Suitings with the debonair Sunil Gavaskar signing a baseball bat immediately comes to mind, the Titan watches’ signature piano tune, the delightful Bajaj bulbs and lights jingle, ‘ab main bilkul buddha hoon,’ are other great tunes with visuals which are my favourites.
The latest trend is to have full-fledged songs doing duty as ads. Take for instance the tribute-to-indian-values-and-culture ads of Bajaj scooters with the catchy ‘Hamara Bajaj’ song, the immensely uplifting ‘Ummeedon wali dhoop’ Coca Cola song, the youthful ‘Har ek friend’ of Airtel, the Hero Motocorp theme song, composed and sung by A.R.Rahman and the Indigo Airlines song.
But no matter how well made and popular these TV spots and their songs are, I would still vote for those long ago radio jingles with the great voices that managed to carve a niche for so many small and big brands with the consumers. Besides, today’s ads don’t help me in keeping time — what with so many channels on both radio and TV. And who wants to listen to pathetic clones of Ameen Sayani and Pratap Sharma anyway?
The Cybernag 
How true. You have successfully stirred my nostalgic memories of the golden years of the late 1940s and early 1950s when Radio was the only medium of entertainment. Most of us have been definitely influenced to go for a particular brand after listening to the jingles and we cherish the memories of these highly innovative force of persuasion even to-day. Thank you so much, Madam.
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By the way, whatever happened to Shri Brij Bhushan, the background voice in countless ads and also the compere in “Amritvani” [sponsored by Mafatlal fine and Mafatlal Industries “Santan ki man Rahat hai; sab ki hit ki baat …”] that used to be broadcast Sundays 12 Noon ? Brij Bhushan had that impeccable Hindi accent and also a ‘honey-liquorice’ tinge to his voice … I still possess some of those Amritvani recordings, but not able to locate Brij Bhushan even in Google …
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Oh yes, I remember his voice too. Wonder how I missed mentioning his name! I remember his music for the movie Milap, Ek nao do kinare and Pathan. Lovely music, but typically no one remembers him as a music director. I am curious to know how you reached my blog 🙂
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I was searching Google for “Brij Bhushan” which threw up some Brij
Bhushan Sharmas and Brij Bhushan Sahnis but no photographs. I am not aware of his surname. Just Brij Bhushan … Since I was keenly
searching, I clicked Google buttons/pages 1,2,3,4 etc and one such
click took me to your blog. Left a message there, hoping for a handle
that would lead me to Brij Bhushan … !
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I think he was Brij Bhushan Sharma, but you are right, there is no result for his name. I am sorry I couldn’t provide any link. BTW, I liked your description of the honey-liquorice voice 🙂
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Could you put up the amritvani “santan ke man rahat hai sab ke hit ki baat, ghat ghat dekhe alakh ko pooche jaat na paat” on you tube please? The flute piece in it gave so much peace
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I love amritvanis too. I’m afraid though, that this being a post on jingles, I can’t add it to the post. I am sure you can find the song on YouTube if you search with the lyrics.
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True. The Ads of those days do have their placed etched in our hearts. The Hamara Bajaj ad, for that matter. It conveyed what it was supposed to convey. Ads of these days are so pathetic. Most of them!
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Loved the post!! Took me back to those days (golden, olden days) of beautiful radio and TV ads, marking time through them (yes, I used to do that too!), and of the shutter-wala black-and-white TV (as Jas says!)
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Ah, this was one of the plagiarised posts of mine. Glad you harked back to those days and enjoyed the nostalgic trip. Visit again 🙂 And am I glad to find another one who kept time with the jingles. 🙂
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I grew up with DD more than radio…hence remember all the TV jingles 🙂
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I am gratified on one level that most of my readers are of the TV jingles generation. 🙂 But the radio jingles used to be great fun too 😀
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Loved this post as it brought back many memories. I remember the more irritating jingles than the good ones, as I am more of a visual ad person. The Vicco Vajradanti jingle/ad still sets my teeth on edge, as does Lifebouy’s ‘Tandursti ki raksha karta hai Lifebouy’ which for some reason always made me want to snap to attention or do a march past. Some of the nicer ones I remember are the Dipy dee dippy doo dippy yum yum yum 🙂 and Vicks’ “Gale me khich-khich”.
BTW, Lalitaji is long gone, so don’t you think it is time to drop your antagonism towards Surf? 😉
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But I loved the Lifebuoy ad — both the radio and TV jingles 😀 And Lalitaji has made the brand so obnoxious for me that recently when Vinni bought the automatic washing powder I almost gagged 😀 😀
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I remember every one of those ads. And yes, I grew up with VB (still am ;-)) and Radio Ceylon. I even remember the movie trailer ads. K L Saigal was signal to be out of the house.
I still hum the jingles to myself – and yes, I worked in the advertising industry for a couple of years – and am sure I have some of the tapes.
Nostalgia is a good thing! The other day we were playing antakshari… and I tried to get away singing an ancient jingle but got found out 😀
Used to die for Binaca Geetmala!
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Oh yes, my fav ones are the titan ads, all old dairy milk ads, the amul ad ‘ser to bas bahana hain, papa ko kulfi jo khana hain;, the dhood dhood ad, and the ‘jalebi’ dhara ads. Sigh sigh!
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And add my sighs to yours too 😀
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Wow! Although I was not around in the age of radios, I did get a chance to spend time with the black and white TVs. This post is full of nostalgia, taking us back to the ‘simpler’ times. Agree, ads today bring in zero votes when compared to the ones then. Apart from the ads, I also loved the epics sagas of Mahabharata and Ramyana and the endearing Jungle book , Duck tales and tales spin! Sigh, times then were really real good! Wonderful post this is Zephyr. Seriously didnot want it to end 🙂
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I wonder why things old are always so cherished? Is it because we appreciate the good things only after they go away? Anyway, today we do have some good ones that might remain with us for many years to come. But the sweetness and emotional connect are so missing! Thanks for the lovely compliment on the post. 🙂
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hahahaha….ROFL…omg, how did I miss your posts all these days? It was so hilarious. Brought back too many memories…how could you recollect the names of the actors and singers? wonderful! As kids, we would make parodies of these ads…Washing Powder Nirma, Shankar Dayal Sharma…haha..
Takshan Shakti glucose..I am a complan girl..(though I drank complan, I am a pretty short girl..)
And the street cat bicyle ad which says, “Boom boom shaka laka, boom boom shak, street cat’s gonna knock you back” was one of my fav songs..
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Since I studied media & communication and advertising was part of it, we were often shown these ads on a big screen in the classroom, and what a pleasure it used to be! One ad that I think we all particularly liked was the Dairy Milk ad shot with the dancing girl on the cricket pitch. It had a high aspirational value back in the 90s and reminded everyone that there existed a spark in everyone which they mustn’t lose! Here’s the link : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fOrfFhLTrCs
And ofcourse, the Raj Kumar Hirani Fevicol ad, a hit among us kids in my house 😉
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I liked that ad too. There is something very charming about it, isn’t it? Thanks for the link. I have added some old ads to my list and view them when I feel nostalgic. Can you look for some radio jingles from the 60s and 70s for me?
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I will definitely try 🙂
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My favorites were Tata Steel “Ispaat bhi hum banate hain” that aired right before Bharat Ek Khoj. They showed all the benefits they offered employees and the last line was “We also make steel” as though that was just one aspect of the company. I loved the concept and it formed the basis of one of my papers during my MBA. The others included the BPL print ads featuring Amitabh Bachchan. The funniest though was Halls Mentholyptus. The jingle “Gale mein ho kharaash, ya bandh ho naak.” And I went along singing “Gale mein ho kharaash, ya bagal mein ho laash.” My mother finally caught me singing one day and burst into laughter 😀 Si till prefer singing it my way, though. Far more interesting… And for the record, my whole family hated Lalitaji. the whole “Bhaisahab” was like nails on a chalkboard.
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Visual ads were much more effective, especially the ones like Tata Steel. I loved that one too. Something charming about old world companies like Tata and Bajaj, right? What’s with the ‘laash’ thing? You seem to have a sense of humour indeed 🙂 And am I glad I found another Lalitaji hater! She is the sole reason why Surf will never enter my house 😀
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Arey, kharaash and laash rhymed so much better than kharaash and naak. I was all for rhyming as an 8 year old :).
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Oh, it was just a rhyme and at eight? That explains it. 😀
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Even after realizing what I was singing, I stuck with my version. It was comforting somehow to think that even if you had a laash next to you, Halls mentholyptus would somehow comfort you. Remember “Gale mein ho kharaash, ya bagal mein ho laash. Halls mentholyptus aaraam dilaaye foran.” 😀
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LOL Vintage Meera!
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Oh..my memories about my childhood days seem to make a quick visit
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Glad you did a hark bark into your childhood. Visit again 🙂
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I entirely agree with you. We live with memories of the good old days and perhaps rooted in our past, we are derisively looked down upon , by the present generation, who live for the moment and do not bother to cherish the golden memories of the past. . They really miss the bus and at a later date are able to catch up with it, it will be too late. They flip flop from one fantasy to another every alternate second and the mental ecstasy we experienced seems to be not worthy of being a goal post for happiness and remain for ever elusive and intangible for them. . G.N. Balakrishnan
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Our children are already nostalgic about their young years — youth as young as 20 and 22 are talking of nostalgia and take trips down memory lanes 🙂 so they miss the old (which to us is new 😀 ) and hanker after them. But they also want to be in the present and think that this is very good too. When an overload of the new hits them, they begin pining for the old. They have to learn to appreciate the old as they age, I guess. 🙂 And yes, we are the old fogeys who talk of bygone days 😀 Welcome to the club, sir!
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Loved this post! I went back to read your post on Rafisaab and Ameen Sayani. Both had smooth and soothing voices I agree, and I loved the Bournvita Quiz Contest, made me feel smart listening to it, even if I did not know many of the answers! Thanks for bringing back the memories.
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I am glad you read the earlier post and enjoyed it too. They were and still are my two favourite voices and I can swoon thinking about Rafi’s voice gliding like silk on all the impossible octaves and nary a false note. Sigh.
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O I loved loved absolutely loved this post……tuk me back to quite a few ads of my childhood. Such beautiful memories of the Indian television and even some of the radio ads n their memorable jingles…
And such simplistic writing….totally down to earth and connects well with the one reading…I actually hummed quite a few of the jingles while reading this post…
I still remember coming to my grandmom’s place in mumbai……the ever clean mumbai of the 80’s..thats how i wud always remembr Bombay… and early morning waking up to the voice of amin sayani’s ‘Binaca Geet Mala’ i think it was….and the ads in between would be so peppy and hummable…. Marie biscuit ad being the one i remembr the most and every ad change wud bring a Ting Tong kinda tune… such peaceful days those were…
From the tv ads I can neva forget the Dhara Oil Jalebi ad, Vicco Vajradanti (I still remembr the jingle so well), O and who can forget the Doodh Ad….doodh doodh piyo glassful doodh. I sing it to my son now…and he gives me such weird looks.
Very few ads of today actually have the sensitivity factor in them……otherwise the rest all border on soft porn.
You will not believe I actually downloaded quite a few of the Indian Ad’s after reading this post….to just let my mind wander to the happy memories of my childhood in Bombay…
Lots of Hugs for this post 🙂
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I am glad you were reminded of the jingles which you sang along 🙂 They were immensely hummable, weren’t they? But Binaca Geetmala didn’t air in the mornings. You must have heard Ameen Sayani’s voice in some other ad. The ting tong used to be a wonderful punctuation. Thanks for reminding me of that 🙂 Vicco Vajradanti came in the market in the early 70 and together with the turmeric cream ad, created quite a stir in the market.
I agree with you about most ads falling back on sexual overtones and undertones to make their points. Some of them are so bad but I guess the activists and consumer forum are not reacting much perhaps because they show women as being aggressive.
Hey your name sounds familiar. Do you have a blog? I keep visiting new ones from links and am wondering if I have. Do give the link for me to come again.
And hugs for the post or the post writer? 😛
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Hey ya,
Thanx for the reply back…… truly appreciate.
Nopes dont have a blog… Thou I do follow a lot of blogs…. yea I did register on 2 and then just didnt know what to write… Got so many ideas to pen sumthing but dont know wat happens the minute i reach the blog page…. (sheepish smile)
I do write in my diary….wheneva I can…But on a blog neva dun tht 🙂
Hugs for the post writer for this wonderful post….
I admire simplicity in writing….And from the post you get to know how the writer would be…your post was so simplistic…connected so well with me as a reader…such a down to earth kinda feeling 🙂
And thanx for correcting me on the Amin Sayani bit……I loved his voice. And binaca geet mala was a favourite… thts my beautiful memory of my grand mom’s house…. 🙂
Currently reading your earlier posts…….and u hav a new admirer now 🙂
Mumbaiyaa Alvidaa to you 🙂
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Thanks for liking my blog and writings. And thanks for the hugs too 😀
Did you know that blog is the short form of a weblog? So what you write in your diary could go in your blog, of course only the ones you would like to share with the world. 🙂 Visit again!
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Ah, this brought back so many memories! I also remember the Maltova jingle ‘You’ve become a Maltova mum’ and that ECE bulbs ad ‘bhool na jaana, ECE bulb lana’. One of the jingles had Sridevi dancing to it–i think it was Cema bulbs and tubes ‘Ghar ghar me ujiara laaye ‘. i loved the Amul chocolates ad too–‘I am too old for karate, too young to give up chess—-but I think you’re just right for Amul chocolates!!!”
My all time favourites jingles though is that of Bajaj scooters–buland bharat ki buland tasveer! Our tall and hefty Maths teacher(female) was very unkindly nicknamed just that by us :-). And oh, how can I forget the Cadbury’s ‘ kya baat hai zindagi me’ jingle–wonderful!!!
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Oh I forgot the Amul Chocolate ad! It used to be so heart warming! But even my favourite is Bajaj scooter ads. Mainly because it touches a chord with everyone. I had also forgotten the Maltova mum ad. I think that one made minor dents in the popularity of Bournvita 🙂 Come to think of it, using ordinary models to drive home the message is better. Today we have celebrities peddling everything from cars to Coke. I wonder if the products sell because of the star power or because they are already lifestyle items and so sell. Buland Tasveer? What a nickname 🙂
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nice laidback post! 🙂
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Glad you liked it Deepak!
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Glad you liked it Deepak 🙂
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Ha, ha…This post reminded me of”jab mein chota baccha tha badi sharart karta tha…” the Bajaj bulb ad.
The models too had become synonymous with the brand..Digjam with Shekhar Kapur, Dinesh Suiting with Gavaskar…today they switch loyalties depending on the contract and money.
Have you noticed how the ads are depicting soft- porn these days…all the deo, soap and talcum powder ads?
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This is second of my ad posts. I think one more at least is in order about how ads are dictating behaviour and lifestyles today. Why just deo ads, there are other sleazier ones. But I thought we have to be aware of our sexuality in today’s ‘modern’ world and so these ads are just doing us a service. Grow up, Alka and wait, let me join you in the growing up! 😀 😀
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Love the post – Awesome! you remember the vicco tu”r”meric ad???
And the nirma ad – well i wanted a frock just like that girl to go round and round with!!!
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I think Vicco turmeric took a whole generation of women by storm. The product was really good. I think it really had turmeric and sandal that it boasted of, since the skin cleared of pimples and acne too. The Nirma girl was Karsanbhai’s daughter who tragically died when she was very young. 😦
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I could just imagine a young Zephyr merrily minding her business, timing herself to the jingles and then suddenly stopping in her tracks when someone changed the tune next day. Yes, you brought back all those memories, the first movie shows that rush back with the jingles of Glaxo D, Lifebuoy, Vicco Bajradanti; the tingle of first colas with that zing thing Gold Spot and the first TV programmes and it didn’t just stop there, I could see a little boy too anxiously ogling at humongous screens, or trying to suck each and every drop of the zing through that straw. And hey, I also hated Lalita Ji from the bottom of my heart!
I have liked quite a few jingles in the past and if I stop to think of them, they have always been simply worded, just as the Hero Honda line” You’ve got a good thing going, Hero Honda…” But that was probably sung by Remo Fernandes.
I agree with you however in that nothing can beat the magic an Amin Sayani could weave with mere words.
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I watched all the ads and then picked out these, including the Lalitaji one. I am so glad I found someone else besides me who couldn’t stand her 😀 And you are right! The ads back then were simple and to the point and one didn’t have to look for hidden meanings. I can also see the young boy trying to suck the last drop Gold Spot! For one thing we couldn’t afford to waste any, right? 😀
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Loved the old jingles though I remember the TV ads along with them. My memories of the radio were more of the Chhaya Geet, binaca top 10, Bhoole Bisre Geet and other programs with requests coming from Bhata Para, Majnu Ka Teela and some such exotic places. There were those NFDC songs that I loved Ek chidiya, mile sur mile tumhara. Ah bachpan ke din bhi kya din the, udte phirte titli ban!
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Yeah, some radio jingles are still doing duty on TV and must be appreciated for their enduring quality. Unlike kids of today, you must not have been too enamoured by the offerings on ads and so were content with songs 🙂 you forgot Jhumri Talaiyya, which is now in Jharkhand! I believe it holds a record of sorts for sending in the maximum number of song requests.
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Oh! What a nostalgic trip. Seeing the topic, I had already started humming ‘tanndroosti hai jahan….’
Ads have been on my mind for my next post. Of course, from a different angle.
Our generation has seen ads evolving on TV. In one of my posts I had mentioned, how we waited for one and now…. how we wish there were none. But as you rightly said some ads hook you. My current favourite is Airtel’s ‘har ek friend zaroori hota hai’
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That Lifebuoy ad did conjure up visions of health and cleanliness, didn’t it? Waiting to read your take on ads. I am sure it will have some unique perspective. When are your holidays starting? Get writing soon!
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I am more than half way through my holidays. Just not getting time to relax and write.
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Don’t tell me! and I was thinking that like in Delhi you guys also have the same system of holidays in June! Better sit down and put some of the ideas on the blog then!
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Oh yeah, those were the days…..you transported me back to my school/college days zephyr when we were totally hooked to everything being played on the radio – and the catchy jingles were an added bonus to our listening pleasure !
A superlative post ! Just loved it !
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I used to even listen the movie stories that used to be aired on Sundays! Wonder how they managed to edit them so well to condense them into one hour. I even remember the name of the editor — Sheikh Mukhtar! But always, but always the jingles won out 😀
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Yeah, we too listened to movie stories aired on sundays ! And do you remember “geetaon bhari kahani” where they acted out scripts interspersed with movie songs ? Almost like the movies….
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Superb post. Brought back memories of school and Bhilai and how amma would be irritated that more than her I would pay attention to the jingles 😀
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I am so glad to have take my readers back to the time when things were simpler and we were a lot happier despite much less in terms of material things. Your poor mother! She should have made up a jingle to get your attention 😀
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My favorite was “jab main chota baccha tha badi shararat karta tha .. aur main pakda jaata jab roshan hota bajaj” . Currently I am in love with Umeedon waali dhoop sunshine waali asha !
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The Bajaj ad was indeed a classic and played on such an endearing failing in old people 🙂 But do you remember any radio jingle?
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No ! sadly I don’t remember any jingles rom AIR. I vaguely remember a program called Hawa Mahal that had songs and stories from movies.. also the baritone voice of a news reader .. don’t remember his name ….I guess I belong more to the TV generation that to the radio one
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You most certainly are! The voice must have been Melville de Mello. I used to drool over that voice, but he didn’t give voice overs to ads, sadly.
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Aww…My favorite used to be Vicco Turmeric TV Ad.Apparently I used to jump out of sleep just to watch the girl getting married.And I never used to allow my parents to fast forward the ad’s in the movie cassettes.
When I listen to these old ad’s on you tube,it is like being transported to another era.The days when I was under 4 feet.Ah,those days.
I remember only songs,news and voice over movies from AIR.
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Life was simple, joys simpler back then, right? We earn more, want more, spend more ans still hanker for more. This is indeed the ‘dil maange more’ generation but it is still restless.
Don’t you remember the jingles? Really? I can’t believe it! They were the soul of a radio programme 🙂
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Sadly I remember only few of the radio jingles.But then they are all malayalam ones.Not sure if you’ll be able to connect.Like Radha’s soap,Vanamala washing soap bar and jewellery ads…
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Do you remember the Cuticura powder radio jingle? Maybe not. It was there in the 50s and 60s. Those were the days when the south indian women thought that if they covered their faces with talcum powder, they can become fair! It is an obsession still, isn’t it, only now we have creams professing to make the whole body white 🙂
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hehehe,I’ve done the cuticura facial when I was four or five.My dad even called me something amounting to “whitewash-girl”
(kummaya pennu).God!I had resolved to make a fair damsel out of me!!!
*Blushes*
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Oh yes, I remember your post for me, Mirror, mirror! one which is among my favourite guest posts. I miss those posts from you. you should write more. You are a fair damsel, fear not. Hugs.
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I remember some of the jingles–the Nirma, Vimal, Titan…yes, they were very catchy!!! I never paid much attention to jingles until I went to USA. I hated their ads–too much loud voiceovers and not enough of artistry and music. I use to miss our jingles and our ads then. Now I don’t watch TV much and if I do, I usually use the jingles to time myself to get food or water.
But it must have been lovely to walk to school hearing the VB songs on the way–such a special way to synthesize your work and environment–a way to be in the moment!!!
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I have seen those ads abroad too. They lack the melody and imagination that our ads have. My DIL loves catching up with the ads when she comes to India 🙂 I used to feel grounded with those jingles, and as I pointed out to Journomuse, it used to throw my schedule off gear when the spots changed. I still remember the signature tune of the the Marathi programme that told me that I should have been at the end of our road, when it started! Great help, you know 😀
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I loved all those ads…I think I watched TV only for these ads.. Liril, Nirma and Bajaj being my favourites
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Nirma and Bajaj seem to be the favourites of so many 🙂 But Nirma still uses the same jingle even on TV! Goes to show what an enduring melody it has!
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Absolutely nostalgic and refreshing!
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Thank you SRA 🙂
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There was a time when ads added that touch of glamour to my world of make-believe. I used to have massive crushes on Vimal and Bombay Dyeing models. Karan Kapoor, Feroze Gujaral, Monica Dutta were the epitome of glamour for me.
But look what commercial overkill has done to the ad industry! Besides a few good ones, the rest of them are crass and jarring.
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Ads adding glamour was fine and the products they sold demanded that too, but peddling lifetyles that are too frothy and frivolous is what ads and celebrity models are doing today. Most of them just use sexual overtones to sell every product or go overboard being corny. But I maintain that there is nothing to beat the radio jingles.
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Lovely post. Do you know all these adverts are on youTube? I created a playlist sometime back and it was fun to go though all of them. 🙂
I especially loved the Dabur Lal dant manjan ad – Tumhaer daant to motiyoon jaise chamak rahe hain!
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I searched for the radio jinlges but couldn’t find them. I found the old TV ads which I have given in the post. I would love to go through your playlist 🙂
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While in college, the rowdy gang of girls that I was part of used to spend lunch breaks playing jingles antakshari..:) And funnily between all of us, the Doordarshan-Chitrahar weaned generation we knew a lot of jingles..:) Extra points were given for those jingles that were largely forgotten..like Jab mein Chota Bachcha Tha, Badi Shararat Karta tha – Bajaj Bulbs and Lijjat Pappads and Vicco Turmeric Nahin Cosmetic jingle..:) SInging the whole jingle perfectly gave more marks too..:D Ohhhh I’d love to be back in college!!! Sigh…those were days of innocent fun…Loved the bit where you talk about timing your chores to the timing of jingles..:D
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Jingles antakshari sounds like fun! But tell me, who would be able to know if the jingle was sung perfectly or not, when they didn’t know it? If someone like me made the words up extempore they could have easily got away with it, right? Psst…I used to do it all the time with forgotten old songs and fill in with my onw lyrics 😀
The timing chores was dicey because when the ads changed slots, it used to completely throw me because I would get late thinking there was still time because the OK sabun ad had not come 😦
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Yeah, all those jingles are back in my head. and I am singing along :-).
WE enjoyed all those stuff. The dowside of it is, they added plastic junk in landfills, refusing to degrade for decades.
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Yes, how right you are about the degradation of the environment!
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Loved loved loved loved the post! Can I just say that? Big hugs to you 🙂
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Of course you can say that and hugs right back to you too. 🙂
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A very nice post which took me back in time! The jingles were very enlivening and became a part of process in growing up as you rightly mentioned. Who can forget Bournvita Quiz Contest, Binica Geet Mala,and lovely jingles which accompanied and negative advertisement of Neighbors Envy, Owners Pride of Onida and so many more!Now one can only take solace in watching some skimpily clad advertising angels who one is not even sure about what product is being endorsed till the name appears( AXE!,few deodrant ones and some more)!
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Ads are becoming both crass as well as classy today. But nothing to compare with the radio jingles that brought alive the brands and made them irresistible and part of our daily lives, right? I just wanted some nostalgia and am glad it helped you remember those golden days too 🙂
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I also rememebr Amin Sayani and his voice..what a sweet tinkling voice it was…rememebr that..khaana meri jaan sunday ke sunday..
now a days I like that ad where husband asks for the keys…their the girl in sari is looking gorgeous and boy.his eyes are so mischieveous:)
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Ameen Sayani was the greatest! I have done a post on him and Rafi which I have lined in this post. Do read that 🙂 Which ad is this you are talking about? A car ad?
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I think its about some moisturising lotion..
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Ok. Haven’t seen it then 🙂
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Ok sabun se nahaye.. and Liril ads … just took me back to shutter wala tv and chitrahaar days at Doordarshan… absolutely wonderful… 🙂 amazing days they were, weren’t they!
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I remember Ok sabun because I used to pack the lunch boxes when that played 🙂 And oh, the shutterwala TV! 😀
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Hey, lovely one.. Brought back rush of memories from the old days. Remember “the one bright spot in a man’s morning” ad for Godfrey shaving creme and the bearded man turning around and asking “who, me.” in a tounge in cheek tone?
I miss Amin Sayani’s voice and even his brother Hamid Sayani’s who used to host hour vita quiz contest.
Enjoyed reading this one;-)
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Oh yes! But I was more into the radio jingle days and only Lalitaji made me come to the TV ads phase. Oh how I dislike(d) her! Those ads actually made one look for the brands. I used to ask for Vimal saris based on the ‘only Vimal’ ads 😀 They were absolutely smashing!
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an outstanding post!!!!! yes, those ads were supercool. and i loved gold spot, not only the ad but the drink as well :D. hey, what happened to that Rasna ad?
would love to see those ads again. i guess people are becoming dumb with time coz some of the ads of these days are absolute despicable.
an absolutely delightful read and it was really nice of you to put my blog link here. thank you 😀
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I could just imagine that three-legged dog singing the Nirma jingle and the floodgates of memories opened right there 😀 Thanks for the inspiration 😀 I loved Gold Spot too! It is the time of explicit messages. There are no mild nuances anymore and often they jar.
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Took me back .. I will say the good old days .. all the ad’s remind you of the time .. me do mam, t ome it still works and does the trick those good old ads…
Liril , hamaam and lifebouy soap ad’s
As we progress new technology and ways have made them even more good in visualization
I had a laugh at reading .. Ab main bilkul budha hoon.. goli khake jeeta hoon .. lekin aaj bhi dil ke andar .. i forgot what was aage 🙂 he he he h
Bikram’s
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The Bajaj ad was so true to life. Every family has at least one elder member who indulges in midnight snacks which are not allowed to them 🙂 You are talking of the TV ads, I am talking of the times long before that when the ads had to drive home the point with just audio. That was their beauty and efficacy. Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
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