| Title | MUMBAI'S BEAUTY IN YOUR HANDS |
| Brand | JANHIT MANCH |
| Product / Service | JANHIT MANCH |
| Category | A04. Ambient/Alternative Media |
| Entrant | GREY WORLDWIDE INDIA Mumbai, INDIA |
| Entrant Company: | GREY WORLDWIDE INDIA Mumbai, INDIA |
| DM/Advertising Agency: | GREY WORLDWIDE INDIA Mumbai, INDIA |
| Name | Company | Position |
|---|---|---|
| Malvika Mehra | Grey | National Creative Director |
| Amit Akali | Grey | National Creative Director |
| Rohit Malkani | Grey | Senior Executive Creative Director |
| Karan Rawat | Grey | Executive Creative Director |
| Goral Ajmera | Grey | Group Creative Director |
| Kunj Shah | Grey | Senior Creative Director |
| Anushka Shivdasani Rovshen | Running Cow Films | Director |
| Goral Ajmera | Grey | Art Director |
| Amit Akali/Rohit Malkani | Grey | Copywriter |
The target audience comprised every responsible Mumbai citizen, from across age groups, socioeconomic backgrounds and cultures. Illegal hoardings are an ugly reality that Mumbaiites have started living with. Despite efforts from powerful media houses, celebrities and civic bodies, attempts to bring these illegal billboards down have failed. The strategy was simple. Get Mumbaikars to join hands and make a change.
The idea was simple. We used the offending medium (illegal hoardings) against itself. What better way to show citizens the beauty that illegal hoardings are hiding than project the message on them? Projections on the hoardings were a sure-fire way of getting people to notice what was going on and get them talking. And in campaigns such as these, generating a buzz and awareness is the key. Using the hoardings as a tool ensured that the message was both relevant and appropriate.
The creative solution placed the power to protest against the illegal hoardings in the hands of citizens. Literally. We chose Mumbai's most talented shadow artistes and allowed them to ambush 500 of the city's hoardings with hand cast shadows, showing citizens all the beautiful things the hoardings were hiding. The message too appeared as a shadow. The guerilla attack was expected to generate a buzz and a tangible protest, both of which happened. After the campaign, a petition has been presented in the Mumbai High Court, demanding strict action against these illegal structures.
The protest was initially registered on the illegal billboards themselves. But as a result of this activity and with the guidance of the Janhit Manch volunteers, spectators took matters into their own hands. Social media was soon abuzz with a 'Mumbai's Beauty in Your Hands' Facebook page. A petition was introduced and received 14,000 signatures in support, in addition to 1450 SMSs and 370 emails. 8000 illegal billboards came tumbling down in 20 days. And today, with the help of the petition, Janhit Manch is pushing for stricter action against these eyesores in the Mumbai High Court.