"Working with animals proved to be both the biggest challenge and the ultimate truth test for the campaign. In the ‘Mary Ki Barfi’ film, the entire narrative hinged on a single emotional moment, the dog running back to Mary Aunty.
Despite multiple takes, it simply wasn’t happening. The shoot was eventually postponed, nerves were stretched thin, and it became clear that without that reunion, there was no film. The breakthrough came unexpectedly when the dog handler stepped in, dressed as the rickshaw driver from the story. The dog ran instantly. In that moment, the campaign found its heart, a reminder that animals can’t fake emotion, and that honesty is sometimes what makes storytelling truly powerful.
General Insurance Council (GIC)’s brief was deceptively simple yet incredibly challenging: How do you talk about general insurance to the nation?
Insurance as a category has long relied on fear of accidents, illness, loss. We wanted to move away from that and instead positivise insurance by telling stories people would actually want to watch. As a society, we often believe ‘Kuch nahi hoga, maine achche kaam kiye hain,’ and rarely celebrate people who plan by buying insurance.
From there, the storytelling followed naturally. Our research showed that bad things don’t only happen to bad people (Achche logon ke saath bhi bura ho sakta hai) So we created familiar characters who’ve always done the right thing, yet face life’s unpredictability. The ‘good thing’ they did was simply taking insurance, keeping the narrative emotional, positive, and free of fear.
The trigger was cultural relevance. The stray dog issue has long been simmering across housing societies and remains deeply polarising even in my own building. We saw it as a live, emotionally charged topic people instantly relate to. The idea of a stray dog as a campaign’s ‘ambassador’ felt fresh, and that novelty rooted in empathy struck a real chord.
The council comprises 20 CMOs from leading insurance companies, and they took a brave call with us: no celebrities. Instead, we chose the most unexpected characters to carry the story.
The ad film was part of the larger ‘Achha Kiya Insurance Liya’ campaign, which comprised six films set across different regions: South India, Bengal, Indore, and Lucknow. The entire campaign was shot over 20 days, with the films released in phases over the month that followed.
People responded strongly to the choice of Indies over pedigree pets. What audiences appreciated even more was the tone: the ads didn’t rely on fear. Instead, they brought back a sense of warm, emotionally led storytelling, elevated by thoughtful casting and Brijendra Kala’s magical narration.
While the decision to avoid celebrities was clear from the start, it was equally important that every animal felt like a character with a distinct personality, almost Disney-like. Several voices were considered, but director Shirish’s suggestion of Brijendra Kala proved perfect.
In the next phase of the campaign, Farida Jalal will lend her voice to another character. Some of the most memorable moments emerged organically on set, the dog’s now-famous neck twist and lines like ‘Apun toh pehle se smart hai na, aunty’ weren’t scripted discoveries. The script itself evolved in three phases: before the shoot, after the shoot, and once the narration came on board.
Choosing animals as spokespersons, instead of celebrities, was both the biggest risk and the greatest strength. But every time we narrated these stories, they made people smile and that instinct is what we ultimately trusted.”
About Sarvesh Raikar
Sarvesh Raikar is the President – Creative at Lowe Lintas, where he leads creative strategy across India, South Asia, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Africa. Raikar joined MullenLowe Lintas Group in 2015 as Executive Creative Director, rose to Regional Creative Officer in 2020, and was appointed President in July 2024. His career spans leadership roles at Scarecrow Communications and Sorento Healthcare Communications. His work has earned top honours including Cannes Lions, D&AD, One Show, Spikes Asia and multiple Effies.
Advertisements I loved in 2025
- Native RO (Urban Company): ‘Lambi Judai’
- Chupa Chups Jellies: ‘Samajh Ke Bahaar’
Best Campaigns
Lifebuoy Indonesia: ‘Get Possessed by Freshness’
Lifebuoy India: Lifebuoy ‘Shah Rukh Relaunch’
Tata Commercial Vehicles (Tata Intra): ‘Success ka Mantra’
Macho Hint: ‘Ek Hint Toh Dete’
(As told to Yash Bhatia)
