Striking the right note

Though almost three decades old, the Vicco Turmeric commercial still stands out for its right mix of tradition and modern nuances

The Vicco Turmeric commercial

Seldom has a television commercial meant so much for anybody’s career. For Sangeeta Bijlani, later to have a brief but reasonably successful career as an actor, Vicco was the moment. Back in the early ’80s, Doordarshan reigned supreme. And Vicco Turmeric’s advertisement at primetime, telecast before a popular comedy show, stayed in the viewers’ memory for long. And Bijlani, cast as a demure bride-to-be made such an impression that when she finally took the plunge in the film industry, she was easily the most recognisable newcomer. All the viewers recognised her as that fair girl with shapely legs. Was it because of Vicco Turmeric or otherwise, nobody bothered. However, the sales of the product did show an upswing and cast a stone for Indian companies at a time when many Indians were beginning to afford foreign products.

Made by S.S. Oberoi, who passed a way a few years ago, the advertisement stands out for two reasons. One, it conveyed to the buyers that the age-old methods of beautifying were worth adopting as they were based on natural and organic ingredients. Secondly, it depicted a perfect amalgamation of traditional values and modernity.

Choosing an important family event, a daughter’s wedding, it begins with customary

shehnai music depicting floral decorations and making of

rangoli –– all lending an Indian ambience –– and pans on a mother escorting her daughter (Bijlani) to be dressed and decorated in the run-up to the wedding by her friends and well wishers.

Turmeric paste mixed with sandalwood, an age-old tradition, is applied on the bride’s face and limbs under the watchful eye of the parents who betray mixed emotions of happiness and sadness wondering how fast their girl has grown up. This ancient ritual which is performed to make girls look radiant on one of the most special days of their life, is the pivot of the TVC as audiences relate to it instantly.

“The properties of turmeric have been highlighted in ayurveda and since the cream was based on it, we had to develop that particular attribute of the product,” explains Oberoi’s wife Sunanda Oberoi, who was part of the team making this commercial. About choosing the wedding scene to focus on skincare she explains, “The turmeric and sandalwood paste has been used since time immemorial and the ambience, folk music and the setting of the event convinces people about the efficacy of the product.”

The producer who conceptualised the TVC and was involved hands-on from production to airing it just had the product and the brief about its attributes to guide him in designing the ad. “He along with his team developed and turned it into reality,” comments Sunanda, adding, “The late Vinod Sharma, its scriptwriter, played an important part among others.” The choice of the TVC medium by Vicco Laboratories was based on their earlier experience of using it to publicise their toothpaste.

Bijlani is the limelight of the advertisement exuding innocence and shyness while glowing with happiness and joy of marital bliss subsequently. She adds the beauty and glamour quotient to the commercial. “Being a producer he had many models in touch with him. Sangeeta was chosen by my husband because of her Indian looks and her good skin texture,” explains Sunanda.

Having said that, she adds, “He was blessed with great instincts. Many of his decisions could neither be explained nor understood by us but they always turned out to be right.”

The post-marriage visuals, parts of which had been filmed outdoors, underline the modernity of the society with the couple getting to know each other in scenic places. It is now that the product makes an appearance with the confident Bijlani, referred to as Banno earlier, applying it. On the question of blending of tradition and modernity, Sunanda says, “This was done to appeal to the target audience, namely the young ladies, who are conventional yet modern.”

One thought the last shot showing the husband using the anti-septic cream was good.

“In those times skin creams and men did not go together. Though now there are products for men, then it was an indirect affirmation by the male of the product. A truly brilliant touch,” she says.

The ad was regularly beamed during the telecast of the comedy serial Yeh Jo Hai Zindagi on Doordarshan which incidentally was produced by S.S. Oberoi, and both went on to achieve a legendary status in terms of popularity.