Iconic Ads: Fevicol – Moochwali

Pidilite was celebrating the Golden Jubilee ( 50 years) of Fevicol and to celebrate this Ogilvy made a commercial

The relationship between Pidilite and Ogilvy had reached such a stage where a brief was not required. Ogilvy was an extended arm (Piyush Pandey now sits on the board of directors)

The extended creative team was working on a new creative idea when Piyush remembered that around 3 years back, Abhijit Avasthi had presented an idea that was shelved. Abhijit had forgotten about it. Now was the time to revisit it and present it to the client

That’s how Moochwali was born. Billed as the ‘World’s Shortest Feature Film’ with a duration of  80 seconds

It was an oxymoron of sorts. A moustache stands for masculinity and a girl having one – jolts you to attention. The moustache has an interplay with the ‘bonding’ of Fevicol. It emphasized the now famous line – ‘Fevicol Aise Jod Lagaaye, Achche Se Achcha Na Tod Paaye!’ 

Supporting Abhijit was Rajiv Rao, Amitabh Agnihotri, Sameer Sojwal, Suyash Khabya and Ganesh Nayak. Prasoon Pandey filmed it.

The song used is a Kutchi Bhajan, sung by Hemant Brijwasi of Zee TV’s Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Li’l Champs fame. The music director is Dhruv Ghanekar.

This media activity & promotion around this commercial was similar to a normal entertainment film. Teaser campaigns at 240 movie theatres and 65 multiplexes across Indian cities. Press ads in leading dailies advertising that Moonchwali was “coming soon”; and finally a premiere on a Friday! There were bus panels and billboards used too.

The message was that what a relationship stuck with Fevicol remains so for life and beyond that.