Castrol India launches new EDGE range with TVC featuring Shah Rukh Khan

The TVC is part of a comprehensive 360-degree marketing campaign that spans multiple platforms, including a teaser video, print, digital, influencer amplification, and OOH advertising.

Castrol India has launched its latest range of high-performance lubricants under the Castrol EDGE line. This new series caters specifically to SUVs, hybrids, and European vehicles, addressing the evolving needs of modern drivers. Products will be available at online and offline stores as well as Castrol workshops across the country.

The launch is backed by a dynamic television commercial (TVC) campaign titled Stay Ahead, featuring Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan. The commercial premiered on 9 June 2024 during the highly anticipated India vs Pakistan T20 match, portraying Khan in a fresh and exciting avatar.

A playful take on paparazzi culture

The TVC taps into the contemporary paparazzi culture, showing Khan playfully outmanoeuvring photographers. The ad opens with Khan displaying his dance moves next to his car, holding a pack of Castrol EDGE. The scene then shifts to a flashback of an intense chase where paparazzi struggle to capture clear photos of Khan, who consistently evades them, leaving them with only blurry images.

In a humorous twist, the film highlights how Khan stays ahead of the paparazzi by using Castrol EDGE. Despite the photographers' efforts, Khan reveals his secret—a pack of Castrol EDGE engine oil—and zooms past them once again, reinforcing the tagline, "Castrol EDGE, Stay Ahead." The campaign even offers the paparazzi Khan’s first-ever custom photo gallery, providing them with free access to these pictures.

Targeted performance for modern vehicles

The EDGE range includes three new variants: EDGE Hybrid, specifically formulated for hybrid engines; EDGE Euro Car, targeting leading European OEMs like Audi, BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, Land Rover, Volkswagen, Skoda, and Porsche; and EDGE SUV, designed for high-performance and premium SUVs. Castrol EDGE is formulated to deliver at least 30%^"1" improved performance compared to stringent industry standards, thanks to its PowerBoost TechnologyTM which enhances power and acceleration on demand.^"2"

Disclaimer:

1. Average performance improvement versus the limits of engine tests from ACEA and API industry specifications.

2. More power and acceleration demonstrated in Castrol engine testing and/or modelling vs 5W-40 baseline; distance ahead measured over road load accelerations.

The TVC is part of a comprehensive 360-degree marketing campaign that spans multiple platforms, including a teaser video, print, digital, influencer amplification, and out-of-home advertising. It is released in seven languages to reach diverse audiences across India.

The video leak strategy

The campaign's narrative extended beyond traditional media, incorporating a ‘video leak’ strategy. The premise was that Castrol EDGE gave SRK’s car on-demand performance to stay ahead, even from the paparazzi. PAPs (paparazzi) posted this "leaked" backstage video with witty, heart-warming captions, expressing their continued admiration for SRK and having fun with the video access they had gained.

The campaign began with a print ad that featured advertorials in newspapers, displaying blurry pictures of SRK. The reveal occurred on the last page, where a QR code led readers to an SRK image gallery created by Castrol. PAPs shared this print innovation on their stories, linking to the image bank and highlighting SRK’s ability to Stay Ahead, courtesy of Castrol EDGE.

Castrol is also leveraging its role as an associate sponsor for the T20 World Cup and Wimbledon broadcasts on Disney Star to promote the new EDGE range. This strategic sponsorship aims to boost brand visibility during these major sporting events, reaching a broad and engaged audience.

Talking about the launch, Rohit Talwar, Vice President and Head of Marketing, Castrol India Limited shared, “We are excited to launch Castrol EDGE, our range of high-performance car lubricants, with this engaging multimedia campaign featuring Shah Rukh Khan. The campaign uses SRK as himself, showing a part of his life where the brand can benefit him.”

“With the introduction of Castrol EDGE, our focus on innovation meets India’s growing demand for better performance from their cars. The new Castrol EDGE range features products specifically engineered for a range of vehicles, from Hybrids to European Cars and SUVs providing cutting-edge technology that exceeds the requirements of the highest industry standards. This launch reaffirms our leadership in the lubricant sector, and we are confident that Castrol EDGE will set a new benchmark in engine performance and drive business growth,” he said.

The new Castrol EDGE products are poised to set a benchmark in the automotive lubricants market, offering advanced solutions that meet the growing demands for efficiency, performance, and reliability in vehicles. By addressing the specific needs of different vehicle types, Castrol aims to capture a larger share of the market and solidify its position as a leader in automotive lubricants.

Discussing the TVC’s creation, Sukesh Nayak, CCO, Ogilvy India said, “We had to do something magical on Castrol. With SRK on board, we wanted to creatively maximise his potential. Then the question we asked ourselves was “Why does SRK need on demand performance?” Stay Ahead was born. This isn’t just a TVC, it’s a full-blown campaign replete with fun teasers, first ever SRK image gallery, roller coaster chases and a tongue in cheek humour that’s sure to keep consumers engaged.”