FCB India’s campaign #NoConditionsApply for The Times of India wins 12 Abbys at Goafest 2018

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Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman and CEO, FCB India.jpgThe campaign #NoConditionsApply, a revolution kicked off by The Times of India, aimed at drawing attention to need for gender equity and social inclusion in celebration and festivities was one of the most awarded campaign at Goafest 2018!

 

Crafted by FCB India, the campaign has won 12 Abbys – 4 Gold, 5 Silver and 3 Bronze .

 

Extending TOI’s #NoConditionApply to call for inclusive celebrations, Calcutta Times, the entertainment and lifestyle supplement of The Times of India, launched the campaign #NoConditionsApply: Shindoor Khela during the Durga Pooja in September 2017. The campaign derives insight from the 400-year-old tradition of Shindoor Khela on the last day of the auspicious Durga Pooja, an annual Hindu festival. The campaign aimed to highlight the societal discrimination amongst women – basis their marital status. United by gender, divided by society, various members of women face social seclusion year after year at various celebrations and festivities – including widows, transgenders, separated, divorcees and single mothers.

During the festive time, the warrior goddess, Durga, is worshipped by the Bengali community in India, for a period of 4 days at the onset of autumn. On the last day of this vibrant, rich, communal celebration, married woman endorses the goddess’ and their own marital prosperity by applying Shindoor on to the idol’s face and then to each other. It’s a mad riot of vermillion celebration which includes married women and unwedded girls. But while the married women come together the rest of sisterhood looks on…uninvited. Widows, separated, transgender, single mothers, lesbians, divorcees are not a part of this social celebration. Contextualizing the campaign to Durga Pooja, the messaging urged everyone to put No Conditions on social inclusion. The campaign included multiple messaging with leading women like Vidya Balan, Rituparna Sengupta etc. and hosted an all-inclusive Shindoor Khela at one of the prestigious Pooja Pandal – Tridhara Sammilani in Kolkata.

 

Excited on the win, Sanjeev Bhargava, Director, Brand TOI said, “It is an honour to be appreciated for a cause that has helped to positively impact the lives of millions of women. At TOI, we believe in positive change that is inclusive and progressive. The campaign #NoConditionsApply was conceptualized keeping in mind the current social condition of women, enabling them to support one another building a stronger bond of sisterhood among them. We are glad to see that our core aim to bring a revolution in the nation towards the way women from different walks of life are treated, has borne fruit and are thankful to the jury at the GoaFest / Abby’s to recognize the same. We look forward to building on the campaign in its next phase.”

Rohit Ohri, Group Chairman and CEO, FCB India (pictured above) said, “Sindoor Khela is our labour of love. When a brand message is embedded in the culture of a people, behaviour change happens. Calcutta Times embedded it’s message of ‘No Conditions Apply’ in the cultural context of Durga Puja. The message stirred the Bengali consciousness and created a new relevance and local connect for Calcutta Times.”

“For 400 years this tradition has divided women into the married and unmarried, the revellers and the watchers, the privileged and the lonely….I am so so happy that THE male jury got that! Every brave piece of work needs a client who trusts. THIS MOMENT OF GLORY IS NOT OURS ALONE… this belongs to all the hundreds of women who danced and sang and came together as one!” said Swati Bhattacharya, CCO, FCB Ulka.