NEW DELHI: “Many a small thing have been made large by the right kind of advertising,” Mark Twain once said. Indeed this timeless wisdom has proved true, etched in the dazzling smiles of celebrities, bold taglines and eye-catching hues of iconic products. Yet, beyond the mere glitter of endorsements lies a trove of forgotten stories. Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) is about to open a portal to the past to transport people through decades of India’s advertising heritage.
This special archive opens its doors on March 25 and will illuminate the evolution of Indian consumer culture from the 1950s to the present day. The inaugural compilation is a nostalgic hymn to brand heritage, with each name testifying to campaigns that were imprinted on the collective consciousness. Ashok Kumar’s dignified endorsement, the graceful allure of Shashikala, Nimmi and Waheeda Rehman, the magnetic presence of Rajesh Khanna – all these are gateways to eras gone by.
The launch event will be a confluence of industry stalwarts, media mavens and advertising aficionados, gathering to dissect and celebrate the transformative power of advertisements. Sachchidanand Joshi, member secretary, IGNCA, and the man behind the project, said, “Advertising deserves recognition as an artistic expression. Unlike cartoons where the artist’s brushstrokes are evident, advertisements often mask the creators behind layers of brand narratives.” This realisation birthed the project, with the hope that it would draw in historians, artists and marketers to weave an archival tapestry.
Beyond the aesthetics and slogans, there’s a psychological depth in advertisements, noted Joshi. They are not just marketing gimmicks but mirrors reflecting human behaviour, desires and cultural nuances. He emphasised the archive’s role as a reservoir for researchers, media scholars and industry professionals and said it was a lens to study the metamorphosis of advertising techniques over the years.
“Vintage ads create profound psychological connections,” added Joshi, “evoking warmth, trust, and a comforting familiarity.” This exploration into nostalgic advertising seeks to decode how past campaigns still resonate with modern sensibilities, bridging the generational divide. Advertising, he observed, transcended the realm of commerce and mirrored societal aspirations, captured cultural zeitgeists and chronicled the ebb and flow of collective values.
Anurag Punetha, media head, IGNCA, said the new archives would do more than just preserve ads. “It safeguards the creative narratives and emotional tapestries that have shaped India’s brand engagements,” he said. Indeed, every advertisement in the collection is a time capsule, every slogan a heartbeat and every image, a mirror reflecting India’s soul through the ages.
The journey to assemble this archive was as dramatic as the ads themselves. Iqbal Rizvi, project associate, shared tales of his relentless quest for old ads, sifting through dusty corners of scrap dealers, navigating the bustling lanes of Daryaganj’s Sunday book market and engaging with niche social media groups. His pursuit was often met with hurdles and disappointment when promising leads led eventually to nothing. Yet, each ad he salvaged was, for him, a fragment of history reclaimed.
