ITC Savlon takes on mask offenders in a new campaign

You’ve got to make people understand that wearing a mask is not a joke.

A mask is no longer a tool, or a weapon, to protect us from the spread of an unwanted virus. It’s not just our civic duty to wear one whenever we step out, but also a sign of our responsible side and that we also care about others’ safety.

Unfortunately, there are individuals who still don’t understand the importance of wearing a mask. They take it lightly and put others in their vicinity at risk, as a result.

ITC Savlon has decided to take on these so-called ‘mask offenders’ in its new 'Mask Hai Mazaak Nahin' campaign. Conceptualised by Ogilvy, there are two ads in the campaign, where an individual, in a relatable setting, takes these offenders to task. But, don’t worry, it’s not a serious ad with heart-pumping music. On the contrary, it’s light-hearted and manages to deliver the message.

The first ad takes place inside an elevator where a young guy is worried about two others in there who’re not wearing their mask the right way.

Here, we’re in front of a vegetable cart and a woman refuses to take the vegetables from the seller because he has lowered his mask.

In both these ads, the two protagonists make sure to correct the ‘mask offenders’ through a series of facial movements, such as a nod, a stare, and an eye roll.

"While most of us know how essential it is to wear a mask, a lot of people still don't realise the importance of wearing it properly. With this new 'Mask Hai Mazaak Nahin' campaign by Savlon Swasth India, we have tried to educate people about this in a fun way and hope that it instills a positive behavioural change," says Nasar Husami, group creative director at Ogilvy.

At the end of August, we saw an R. Balki-directed ad for the government, featuring Bollywood actor Akshay Kumar. Called Thookichand, the actor, playing a common man, shames another man for pulling down his mask and spitting in public. Spitting is not only unhygienic, but it also increases the risk of the Coronavirus spreading.

In April, ITC had launched the Savlon Hexa sanitiser. In June, it released an ad for it. Then in August, the FMCG major also introduced Savlon Hexa soap and bodywash.