Iconic Ads: M-Seal – The Obliterated Will

In the early 2000s, Pidilite had been selling an epoxy compound adhesive under the brand ‘M-Seal’, as a B2B product. It was used by professionals like plumbers, mechanics, masons and the like to seal leaks in overhead tanks, flush tanks, pipes etc. Moreover, M – Seal was a technical and boring name.

Pidilite wanted to reposition the brand as a consumer product. Madhukar Parekh, the chairman, believed this small brand had the potential to be big.

Pidilite briefed Piyush Pandey and the team of Ogilvy, who got cracking.

Piyush worked out a script which he was very excited about. He asked his friends and colleagues, and they also thought he had struck gold. In the script, he had written that the drop of water from a leak above would fall directly on the signature on the will and obliterate it.

He called up Abhijit Avasthi, creative director at Ogilvy, and his nephew early the next morning, and told him that he had a great idea/ script for M-Seal, and read out the script to him. Abhijit heard him out and was silent for the next few seconds. Abhijit loved the idea, and he responded with one suggestion – instead of the drop falling on the signature, let the drop fall on the digit one that precedes the many zeros, the spectacle and impact would be much greater.

Prasoon Pandey directed the film that featured Honey Shahi and Manoj Pahwa.

A big 12% increase in the sales plus it became known as a consumer product.