The chorus is growing day-by-day to bring back the 90s. You can often find people getting nostalgic and remembering those glorious years. Economic liberalisation was initiated very early in that decade. That paved the way for many companies to enter India. The businesses started flourishing and so were the advertisements.
Back then, Doordarshan used to be a prominent television channel with few cable channels at the turn of the 90s. When the decade ended, we eventually had many other channels. There was so much happening in that idiot box. You could see a rising number of couch potatoes.
It was also an opportunity for businesses to utilise the television medium to augment their sales. They started investing time and money in producing good advertisements. In turn, we saw many iconic ads which became instantly famous. There was something about those days and those ads were something else, so much so, they are remembered even today. Recently, a video of people enjoying advertising jingles of the 90s' at a Goa restaurant took the internet by storm. Many people were seen relishing those days by singing the famous jingles in unison. It was quite a sight. It also proved how much we loved those ads.
Today, we turn back the clock and bring to you the iconic ads of the 90s. It will definitely bring back so many memories of those days.
Cadbury's
In the ad, a girl is seen dancing in joy as she breaks into the field when a batsman hits the winning run. It was such an iconic ad that we remember it today as well. While the jingle, “Kuchh khaas hai ham sabhi me” plays, it brings immense joy to the viewers. The ad was produced by Ogilvy & Mather.
In an interview in 2017, adman Piyush Pandey said that the ad had changed the way jingles were used in an ad.
Pan Parag
The ad featuring stalwarts like Shammi Kapoor and Ashok Kumar witnessed instant popularity in the early 90s. The jingle “Pan parag pan masala” would surely make you nostalgic. In another ad, words like “Aur mere liye?” and “Ek se mera kya hoga?” became staple sentences in real life. The conversation would end with “Toh aap do lijiye.” The ad will surely take you down the memory lane.
Maggi
Maggi, and its ads, were among the most popular ones those days. It was a breakthrough product from Nestle. It is still ruling the roost. Maggi used to be prepared in just two minutes without any hassles. In the famous ad, a group of kids can be seen saying, “Mummy, I am hungry.” The mother says, “Two minutes.” You can revisit the ad and relish those times.
Hamara Bajaj
“Ye zameen aasmaan, hamara aaj, buland bharat ki buland tasveer, hamara bajaj,” these iconic words can give you goosebumps. The iconic ad was produced by Lintas. The original ad is believed to be the brainchild of Alyque Padamsee.
Zandu Balm
The iconic jingle, “Zandu balm, zandu balm, peedahaari balm, zandu balm,” is still a household jingle. Every mention of zandu balm invited this jingle to be sung aloud. Years later, Salman Khan immortalised the jingle by using it in one of his hit songs.
Pan Pasand
This ad would bring an instant smile on your face. Who can forget those legendary words, “Shadi aur tumse, kabhi nahi.” It was hilarious. The candy with pan flavour was very popular in the 90s. According to the admakers, the candy was so sweet that it could actually sweeten one's mood.
Onida
Those were the days when television used to be a prized possession. Onida was one of the most prominent television companies in the country. Its ad was able to achieve a cult status in India. The iconic ad is talked about even today. A devil can be seen listing the features of the television. It ends with a punchline, “Neighbour's envy, owner's pride.”
