Good morning [%first_name |Dear Reader%],

The smoggy smell of Delhi air reminds me of last October, which was when we launched the storytelling vertical at The Ken. The premise was simple:

It has been over a year now—conducting workshops, narrative masterclasses, and decoding narratives in this newsletter (which was also launched last October). And if I had to pick the most crucial lesson I’ve learnt since last Diwali, it’s this: 

When stories are earnest, evoke emotion, and are told keeping the audiences in mind—they work. When they are simple, honest, and humane—they work. 

But before I get to why the stories told by Mondelez India Foods, the maker of the brand Cadbury, on Diwali have been so powerful year after year, for nearly three decades, I want to wish you all a very Happy Diwali. As cliched (and cringe, maybe) as it sounds, I am sending you love and light via this newsletter. And I hope you have a great time with your loved ones.

Now, it’s story time. 

Purpose trumps all

This week, communications agency Ogilvy India won several London International Awards for the ‘Cadbury Celebrations’ advertisement campaign launched just before Diwali last year. 

Yes, the ad did star a popular Indian actor, but then, almost all major advertising campaigns do that. I think the reason for its success lay somewhere else. 

At its foundation, the campaign sought to leverage a simple universal emotion—care. 

It asked you to care about your neighbourhood retailer. That ubiquitous local grocery store that’s been with you through thick and thin. And it did so with a great deal of personalisation. The ads were customised based on the viewers’ pincodes, featuring local stores in their respective localities.