The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), in partnership with The Times of India and Tghtr, has been inducted into a leading advertising hall of fame for its campaign featuring R.K. Laxman’s iconic Common Man.
The campaign marked the return of the Common Man in a nationwide print-led initiative focused on digital payment safety. Using humour and everyday situations, the comic-strip series educated readers on avoiding frauds such as phishing and OTP scams. The visuals showed the Common Man outsmarting conmen, making messages around digital vigilance simple and relatable for a wide audience.
By leveraging a character deeply embedded in Indian popular culture, the collaboration addressed contemporary digital risks in a familiar and accessible format, helping communicate important financial safety practices to the masses.
The campaign was evaluated as part of the IMPACT Hall of Fame 2025 by the magazine’s editorial board. Entries were assessed on parameters including idea strength, originality, narrative impact, execution, and cultural relevance.
