Hello everyone! Team BUSFAM, a premier creative advertising agency is once again excited to welcome its readers. We are happy to introduce our popular segment #BreakingtheAds where we present our thoughts on inspiring advertisements. In this episode, we will dive into Vicky’s heartwarming ad campaign “Touch of Care.”
Advertisements are a powerful tool which can greatly influence public opinion, change society and foster empathy. We have often seen popular brands going beyond the promotion of their products to drive societal change and create a lasting impression. One example of such an advertisement is Vicks campaign, “Touch of Care.”
Vicks is a famous brand known for its over-the-counter medications giving relief to symptoms like sinus & nasal congestion, sore throat, fever and more. The brand is committed to providing care across various generations.
Their campaign, “Touch of Care” is a wonderful advertisement that arouses the audience’s emotions. It was a bold approach by the brand that aimed to challenge society’s traditional thinking—a family is not just only about bloodline or surname. Rather, the ultimate definition of a family is care which requires no boundaries, irrespective of gender, roles or family structure.
The campaign highlighted a delicate issue in society—transgender rights and adoption. It is based on the true story of an orphan girl named Gayatri who was adopted by a transgender activist, Gauri Sawant, well-known for fighting for the rights of the transgender community.
The ad opens up showing a young girl travelling in a bus on her way back to boarding school after vacation. She is an orphan; she does not know who her father is and even lost her mother. Her thoughts serve as the background where she remembers the difficulties faced by her foster mother. She remembers how her mother raised her against all odds and gave her love and compassion for her overall development. Her mother wants her to be a doctor but she wants to become a lawyer.
Later in the video, it is shown that her mother is a transgender who has to bear the discrimination of society. She thinks that the constitution gives equal rights to its citizens, yet her mother is ostracised and treated badly by society just because she is transgender. Hence, she aspires to become a lawyer to fight for her rights.
The campaign ends with the tagline, “Where is care, there is family”, thereby challenging the societal definition of a family.
The “Touch of Care” was created by Vicks to evoke emotions among the viewers, encouraging them to reflect on the true meaning of care in their lives. Vicks believes that everyone in society has equal rights and deserves care no matter what their gender and physical features are about.
The ad perfectly aligns with the brand’s values, a symbol of care and trust among generations, especially family ties.
Vicks’ “Touch of Care” beautifully illustrates the importance of love and empathy. There is a deep-rooted perception of transgender in the society. Though they come under the definition of third gender, they are deprived of their basic rights. Till now, no basic reasons have been established why they are denied human rights.
The campaign is an eye-opener to address the societal issue which we don't bother to pay heed to. Additionally, the campaign also tried to broaden the definition of a family.
There are several orphans in our country who deserve a family where they can be cared for. On the other hand, there are individuals who long to experience the joys of motherhood. The idea of a family goes beyond biological connections. It is the compassion and support to be with each other.
Overall, “Touch of Care” has tried to uphold the values that determine true human connections and that every individual has the right to live with dignity.
With the campaign, Vicks has tried to create a positive brand image and its message is going to be remembered by the audience whenever they come across the brand.
This was BUSFAM, a creative advertising agency’s thoughts on the campaign.