I remember walking down the lanes of Calcutta with my Grandpa. He pointed out to a now-shabby-looking building and told, “Birlaji kuch time yahan raha karte the”. Birlaji – A highly respected name within the Marwari community. He would go on and on about the impact Birlaji had made to the city of Calcutta and the stories mesmerised me. Without a doubt, Aditya Birla Group was a household name for me.
There are a few brands in the market that touch upon us in everyday life, and ABG is the umbrella which houses them. Growing up in a construction PSU, it was hard not to come across Ultratech Cement, the gem in the cement offerings.
In terms of clothing, I still remember when I visited a Pantaloons store, for the first time, in New Delhi. It was a special day. I was going to buy my first pair of Jeans, straight out of the shelf. Being stout, ready-made clothes were not my cup of tea. But this was special. I had lost a good chunk of weight and could not wait to buy a pair of Jeans. Pantaloons opened the door to so many brands for me to choose from, that like a kid in a candy shop I was wooed away.
How can one be untouched by the mega campaigns of IDEA Cellular? I still remember when my parents bought the first mobile and had IDEA as the carrier. “An IDEA can change your life”- this is by far the most successful campaign that ever ran on Television. The values it showcased had a positive impact on us-“the 90s kids”.
For the people, by the people- A minister connected with people through IDEA’s network and asked for the public’s opinion on a decision.
Walk when you talk – addressed the issue of obesity and provided solution by promoting walk when you talk.
Education beyond schools- MOOCs are so common these days. Video lectures are available to us at a click of a button. But before the YouTube, before the smartphone, IDEA shared an idea of teaching children, who had no access to schools, through mobile. With this ad, IDEA gave ‘connectivity’ a new dimension.
These ads had a theme- Movement. They inspired a movement for a cause, touched by IDEA cellular. This inspired me.
Every year in the month of July, thousands of Kanwadiyas visit the Neelkantha shrine in Uttarakhand. Rishikesh is the last stop before one visits the shrine. Unfortunately, they litter around and the town looks disgusted. It pained me to see the city and Ganga being depleted. I had to do something. I discussed about it with my principal. I told him that we would organise cleaning drives on every Monday evening throughout the city. Students from classes 9 to 12 were involved and support from teachers poured in. These drives gained momentum, with other schools joining in on different days. It felt like a movement whose vibes resonated with those from the IDEA ads. Even, the mayor of the town acknowledged our efforts. The impact of the drive was, since that year, municipality of the town started recruiting daily labourers in the month of July and August for temporarily increasing the workforce to keep the town clean.
Be it connecting people, building New India or clothing, Aditya Birla Group has left a deep impact in my life.
