Every year, around this time, a plethora of brands ride on invoking patriotism as August 15 nears. Many of them are about how and what to celebrate on this day of national pride and importance for every Indian. Bajaj Avenger’s new Independence Day digital film, however, touches on a highly relevant issue, indiscriminate use of plastic.
The agency behind the campaign, Mullen Lintas – Mumbai, has consciously steered away from clichéd content seen around 15th August. Last year the brand had shown us a glimpse of a utopian India – where women of the nation are truly free and liberated. This year it draws the attention to the unpleasant reality currently plaguing the nation.
The film opens on an Avenger rider heading out of the city. The shot is followed by a few relatable situations where hawkers try to sell the national flag to the rider. Curiosity is piqued when he refuses to buy a single flag in spite of several attempts to persuade him, leading one to question his sense of patriotism.
But all of this is laid to rest in the final sequence, with ‘Saare Jahaan Se Achha’ playing in the background, as he walks into an area where an Independence Day celebration has ended, leaving behind used plastic cups, plates and scores of flags scattered all around. He then proceeds to pick them all up, carefully segregating the flags from the other plastic junk.
In essence, this film sends out a dual message – a warning about the overuse of plastic that threatens our environment as well as a counterpoint to the increasing trend of tokenism that has crept into the celebrations during Independence Day.