BBDO India Wins Dadasaheb Phalke Award

BBDO India’s latest campaign for Visa, ‘Dream2Advance’, has been awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award at the 4th Dada Saheb Phalke Film Festival, the country's most prestigious cinema awards, presented annually by the Government of India.

The film, which focuses on female education and empowerment, features a young lady who uses her Visa card to mobilise village women to design and stitch the Hindi alphabet on their sarees so that they can teach themselves while going about their daily routine. You can view the film below

“The creative idea builds off the first Dream to Advance campaign, which tapped into the expansive growth of consumers all over India transacting online to open a world of possibilities. We wanted consumers to be aware that with your Visa Debit Card, you can securely transact online. There was also the aspirational component, which captured Indians’ intrinsic desire for empowerment and advancement and how Visa can help you get there”, Rajiv Kapoor, Visa’s Head of Marketing for Asia Pacific, commented.

‘Dream2Advance’ currently has 6.4 million hits on YouTube, and was lauded by the festival jury: “the film is very creatively shot, an excellent ad film on female empowerment. A well-deserved award for this category,” said Mr Ram Bhulsingh, the festival director. 

Amit Sharma, the film’s director added: "A challenge transformed into an exploration and a shared experience is how I would define the execution of Visa Debit - Dream to Advance. This film holds special memories firstly for having defied manifold odds amid the deserts of Rajasthan; secondly for successfully connecting the quaint essence of such a sterile setting. Additionally, what truly invigorated our team was the task of communicating a simple yet strong message of optimism, access to education and empowerment among women. That said, Gulzar Saab's lyrical touch not just affirmed the mood of the film but also amplified the belief in one's dreams - regardless of circumstances."

BBDO is well-known for creating work with an emphasis on ‘acts not ads’. This is the latest in a series of high-profile campaigns which focus on brands taking a stand.