upGrad highlights ‘kaam ki degree’ in new MBA course spot

The edtech platform talks about how to pick options that offer a career-outcome linked MBA degree instead of a namesake certificate.

upGrad’s ongoing campaign is the brand’s attempt to showcase the rat race amongst students for pursuing MBA since a young age. The ad film highlights how they still have to compete in a crowd to secure jobs even after receiving their degrees.

The higher edtech platform talks about how to pick the relevant courses that offer a career-outcome linked MBA degree instead of a namesake MBA certificate.

Arjun Mohan, CEO- India, upGrad said, “While saving up to pursue a higher education degree, working professionals often have to halt their career. This is where edtech leaders like upGrad are working rigorously to bring Indians a variety of online MBA options which offers quality content pedagogy backed with global university credentials and can be pursued without having them to quit their lucrative jobs.”

“Since the pandemic hit the world, quite naturally even the traditional offline MBAs migrated to become ‘online MBA’, thus blurring the divide between the two. Furthermore, even the recruitment of 2020 and 2021 pass-outs happened online. This has bolstered the trust in online MBA for aspirants as well as recruiters. Therefore, our strategically timed campaign is a wake-up call for the youth and working professionals to invest in real value-adding, outcome-oriented education that can result in employability and career progression,” Mohan added.

“The ad reflects on the nostalgia of the quintessential childhood game of musical chairs and highlights the dearth of outcome-oriented MBA degrees thereby reinforcing the brand positioning of ‘Sirf Naam Ki Nahin, Kaam Ki Degree’. It is a poignant take on the MBA education system, admissions & outcome infrastructure in the country – a palpable dissonance which leading edtech players like upGrad are bridging,” said Navin Talreja, co-founder, The Womb, the agency that conceptualised the ad.

The MBA ad campaign by upGrad was first released on YouTube and Star Sports followed by over 50 TV channels in a range of regional languages like Hindi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, and Telugu.

Agency: The Womb Communications

Founding Partners: Kawal Shoor and Navin Talreja

Creative Team: Suyash Khabya, Arnab Manna & Shreyas Manjrekar

Planning & Research Team: Mittu Torka, Kunal Jha and Ishita Agarwal

Account Management: Richa Shah

Production House: Nirvana Films

Director: Prakash Varma

Executive Producer: Sneha Iype

Producer: Nandini Gowda