‘Humans Respond to Humans, not Code'

We may not notice it anymore, but AI has stopped being our future, it has now become our present: writing our emails, mimicking our voices and even recommending movies like a friend. But don’t you think, somewhere down the line, the world grew a little quieter? Not literally. Of course, notifications still buzz endlessly, reels autoplay into infinity, and virtual assistants insist on playing that song you never asked for! But it’s quieter, in the sense of lacking the human noise that filled the gaps, real conversations, enduring glances and shared laughter. This shift is visible in advertising too. While many campaigns have registered their name in the world of AI-driven virality, there are still some brands leaning into human connection. They’re telling tales of love, loss, hope, nostalgia with honesty. And data supports this instinct. According to Kantar’s 2023 Global Advertising Trends Report, emotionally resonant campaigns deliver 2.4x more profit than purely rational ones.

In the age of technological perfection, emotionally-driven ads remind us that even in endless scrolls and screen time, it’s still heartbeats we’re chasing. As one of India’s leading creative voices, Josy Paul, Chairman and CCO of BBDO India, puts it, “In the age of algorithms, empathy is the edge. It’s about emotion and execution. AI and intuition. AI is an amplifier - a tool that clears the clutter so we can go deeper into the feeling. It gives us speed, but emotion gives us soul. Creatively, what fulfils us is that moment when an idea gives someone goosebumps. That can’t be coded. It’s not just what we make, it’s what we make people feel”

But emotion alone doesn’t make a successful campaign. Behind every ‘teary-eyed moment’ or ‘nostalgic rush’ is also a carefully crafted strategy. Because to truly understand what makes an advertisement reach hearts in the digital age, we have to look beyond the story, and into the intent. What was the brand trying to do? How was it tailored for today’s hyper-distracted, AI-filtered audience? That’s where the real magic of these campaigns lies, where empathy meets execution.

Take Zomato’s ‘Let It Out’ campaign, for instance. Released during Mental Health Awareness week of 2025, it stood out for quiet compassion. In place of discounts and offers, Zomato took a vulnerable route. Rooted in the belief of an ‘8-minute friend’ (the belief that just 8-minutes of conversation with a friend can shift your mood), this film was shot at a ‘chai ki tapri’ where, there’s not just the tea that’s brewing but conversations too, conversations between two friends, colleagues or siblings. Each pouring out what weighed on their hearts- worries, dreams, fears and insecurities and closing with a simple line: ‘Kaafi accha laga tujhse baat karke.’

The ad taps into something rarely spoken about: emotional release. It’s about exhaustion, isolation, burnout—shared over two cups of tea. In a world of performative, clickable ads, this one simply chose to feel. It stayed quiet, and that’s what made us lean in. While Zomato’s film leaned on silence and emotional depth, another set of campaigns use AI to drive visual impact and narrative speed.

AI is actually great at grabbing attention. It knows what we like, paused on, or might click next. For example, consider ‘The Protinex Anthem’ ad conceptualised by Rediffusion along with the production house, Aesthetic Intelligence Lab, is a clear example of how AI is being used to craft high-impact visuals that catch instant attention. It’s less about aesthetics, more about efficiency. Carol Goyal, Managing Director, Aesthetic Intelligence Lab, described this process in detail, “The narrative had many different scenes and locations. We wanted AI to deliver diverse locations through minimal cost. The diversity of situations and people was core to the message. AI gave us huge flexibility in storytelling. The creative team kept many different situations and executions with various combos of characters. The gym shot alone, had a dozen variations that were rendered and discussed and further worked upon. And it was ‘flexibility with speed’ and with minimal cost additions.”

AI enables multiple visually compelling scenes assisting the brand to grab the viewer’s focus within seconds. This becomes a powerful tool: designed not necessarily to connect emotionally, but to stand out, be noticed. In fact, emerging WARC data suggests that AI-driven visuals can boost social engagement by up to 40%, making it a powerful asset in digital storytelling.

But isn’t there a difference between holding someone’s attention for a second and actually touching them? That’s where human connection makes all the difference. Abhijat Bharadwaj, CCO, Dentsu Creative Isobar, expresses, “Tech-first ads get seen. Emotion-first ads get remembered. Whisper’s ‘Missing Chapter’ or Cadbury’s ‘AI-powered SRK ad’? Both used AI, yes. But what people walked away with wasn’t the tech- it was the truth. That’s the bit that gets shared. That’s the bit that sells. Emotion-led campaigns pull 20–30% higher recall, double engagement, and often triple shares. Because in the end, humans respond to humans. Not code.” According to Nielsen study findings, ads with above-average emotional response from consumers deliver 23% more sales than those with a weaker emotional response.

When an ad mirrors our emotions: loss, joy, belonging or hope—it stops being just an ad. It becomes a moment, a memory. To understand this better, let’s look at the Urban Company’s ‘Chhoti si Doori.’ A simple service call turns into a heartfelt chat between two strangers from Bihar—one an engineer, the other a skill labourer. A pause highlights their social gap, until a soft truth highlights: both left home chasing a better life.

Tarun Menon, Senior Director, Marketing, Urban Company, expands on this, saying, “Working on an emotionally-driven narrative offers a different creative satisfaction, because the stakes are human and the challenge is emotional honesty. You’re trying to hold up a mirror to real social bias: not through preaching, but through provocation. The intent is to try to shift how people see certain kinds of work, often work they’ve been trained to overlook. The narrative has to cut through –and land with truth. So the creative bar is higher. But when it lands, the payoff is deeper too.”

What sets this apart is not just the emotional storytelling but the strategic clarity as well. This ad chose to engage with deeper societal themes like class dynamics and dignity of labour. The narrative’s grounded tone and avoidance of melodrama weren’t just creative choices, they were deliberate strategic calls. In today’s cluttered ad space, this shows that empathy isn’t separate from strategy- it is strategy. Through a simple chat, it breaks social hierarchies and builds empathy. A similar feeling comes through in Cadbury Dairy Milk’s ‘New Neighbour’ ad. What stood out wasn’t drama or humour, but the empathy, inclusivity, and solidarity—when a woman switches from Hindi to broken English just to make someone feel included. It didn’t talk about sweetness, it showed sweetness.

While the intention is upfront in these ads, there’s also a kind that isn’t loud or instantly visible, but it’s there, like a presence which you can rather feel. It shows up in the form of quiet care existing in everyday routines, unspoken gestures, or in the way someone or something makes you feel safe.

This same warmth shows up in ‘Mary Ki Barfi’, GIC’s 2025 campaign conceptualised by Lowe Lintas. Told from a dog’s perspective, the film follows his bond with Mary Aunty. It taps into the feeling of care, reminding us that sometimes, the strongest impact doesn’t come from clever targeting, but from the comfort of knowing someone cares enough.

Sarvesh Raikar, President – Creative, Lowe Lintas, echoes this sentiment, saying, “The GIC campaign is a herculean attempt to change mass behaviour and beliefs when it comes to insurance. No AI, no celebs – but we leaned into the campaign with strong insights and relatable human stories that connect with the masses. In fact, since the campaign has come out, we have consistently got similar feedback – that it’s the ‘old school charm’ that makes it fresh. It proves a point we believed from the start – storytelling is timeless.” The film let relatability do the work. In a category that often uses fear to sell, Mary Ki Barfi stood out by choosing love—and letting empathy do the work.

Now let’s pause at the ‘Aai Jaisi Mumbai’ ad by Mother Dairy created by Ogilvy India. Released on Mother’s Day, the ad reimagines Mumbai as more than just a city-a mother. One who shelters, scolds, and serves, as a living, breathing emotion. But behind this warmth was a smart strategy: instead of pushing products, the ad drew parallels between Mumbai’s and Mother Dairy’s care. Reflecting on this human-first approach, Sujoy Roy & Nitin Srivastava, Chief Creative Officers, Ogilvy India (North), shares, “At Ogilvy, we believe in embracing both worlds, technology helps us craft sharper, smarter campaigns, but emotions are what make them unforgettable. Emotional Intelligence isn’t just relevant, it’s irreplaceable. While we borrow help from the algorithms to optimise and enhance, it’s the human stories, the ones that tug at your heartstrings, that truly leave a mark. The ones that make you smile, cry, or pause for a moment on a busy day.”

While the earlier ads leaned on emotional resonance through storytelling or performance, there’s another layer that often goes unnoticed, the human instinct guiding production itself. AI can generate visuals and presets, but the emotional depth of an ad comes from thoughtful production—silent cues between scenes and crafting of the scenes. These are emotional instincts, not just technical decisions. As Sharat Kumar, Director at Crazy Few Films, explains, “AI can do a lot of things. But you need an advertising mind to clearly define the tone of the communication, the tone of the brand—and that’s coming more from instinct and experience as opposed to pure data. I do believe nuanced emotion, rhythm, and tenor are irreplaceable when it comes to human performance.” Sometimes, it’s the quietest moment—a sigh or maybe a glance—that makes an ad felt, not just seen.

A powerful example for this, is the Protean’s brand film conceptualised by Ogilvy India, featuring Pankaj Tripathi. With 15+ million views on YouTube, the ad traces a boy’s journey from a small village to the city, tapping into universal themes—dignity, growth, and new beginnings. The production supports the story with simple visuals and a pace that lets the emotion come through. The strategy lies in portraying everyday triumph and honouring the quiet courage behind every dream.

The effectiveness of all these ads lies in the strategic balance between emotional resonance and market relevance. AI can definitely optimize targeting and reach, but human-centric storytelling establishes genuine brand trust and long-term loyalty-factors that algorithms alone cannot build. They acknowledge one fundamental truth: data can predict behavior; it cannot grasp humanity. Quoting Josy Paul here, “Emotionally-driven campaigns don’t just perform, they transform. Tech can get your ad seen. But only emotion can make it unforgettable.”

By prioritising connection over technology, brands establish themselves as participants in their audience’s lives. They tell us that a brand sees us: not just as data points or consumers, but as people with stories. In a world where everything’s tailored, timed, and tracked, this kind of honesty feels refreshing. It’s not the most high-tech move, but sometimes, being a little more human is the smartest strategy of all.