Iconic Ads: Bombay Dyeing – Dreamlover

Maureen Wadia is best known for launching some of the famous models/ film stars in India.

In 1976, she put forward a proposal to Nusli (her husband and Managing Director of Bombay Dyeing) that she would handle advertising for Bombay Dyeing, and he could do without the agency. She was hired.

Maureen was looking for a South East Asian looking model with a martial arts background to be the Bombay Dyeing model. She reached out to her friend, Ardhendu Bose (Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose’s nephew), who was shuttling between the UK and the US as a leather technologist. He agreed, thinking it would be a one-time assignment but soon he became the Bombay Dyeing man and stayed on until 1985. Ardhendu got bored and decided to call it quits, to which Maureen agreed.

She soon identified her next model – Karan Kapoor (Shashi Kapoor’s son). He has said he agreed to model for the love of Mrs Wadia’s fish curry!!

And they created history along with Kunal Kapoor (Shashi Kapoor’s other son) who had set up Adfilm Vallahs. It was Kunal’s first assignment. It helped that the brand’s personality was style, sensuality and individualistic attitude.

Unfurled was the “Dream Lover’ campaign.

It was around the same time that Indian television had entered more Indian homes and the campaign created hysteria. The women fell for his dashing looks and, the men, for the aspirational value.

It was not easy for Maureen Wadia as she faced a lot of flak for a seemingly bold campaign.

The campaign started for Cezari suitings but soon covered the whole gamut of fabrics.
Funnily enough, there was a positive rub off on the bedsheet collections of Bombay Dyeing and for a long time, they were the number one brand in bedsheets!

Till this day the older generation of people gushes over the Dream Lover!