Did a soap name inspire Horn OK Please?, and the history of Air India | #75
Fun Facts about your passport!
Hello
In the past year and a half, “Did you wash your hands?” has become a greeting which precedes a sheepish “Hello”. Though the pandemic aggressively reiterated its importance, hand washing has always been encouraged as a healthy practice. So much so that there is a day dedicated to it — October 15 — as part of a global campaign to improve this habit around the world.
In this week's newsletter we talk about what made clean hands possible - soap.
Things we learnt this week 🤓
Philip Hermogenes Calderon painted ‘Captain of the Eleven’ which depicts a fresh-faced Victorian boy preparing to defend his cricket wicket. It represented the innocence of childhood, which was a popular theme among the Victorians who viewed children as models of truth and honesty. Thomas Barratt, managing director of Pears and also a famous figure in advertising, spotted the potential of this painting and included it in an advertising campaign. This image became one of the most recognizable images in the 19th century. In 1926 a local councillor bought the original painting and handed it to the Thames Primary School in Blackpool, Lancashire who then sold it in 2012 for £300,000.
One of India’s most iconic ads was the Liril soap ad conceptualized by Alyque Padamsee. His research team discovered that the only time an average Indian housewife had to herself was 15 minutes a day in the shower. This inspired him to create a concept of a woman under a waterfall in the ad. The ad showcased freedom of the woman, rather than just showcasing the product and proved to be very successful over the years. In fact, there hasn’t been very little change to the concept in a Liril Ad, only the faces have changed.
OK Soap by Tata Oil Mills Company was India’s first indigenous produced branded soap. The brand’s advertising launch hit the market at a time when Lever Brothers’ Lifebuoy soap dominated not just the market, but also the ordinary Indian’s. Lifebuoy was already positioned as an affordable soap so OK Soap’s strategy to cater to the same market was counter-intuitive and ended up promoting their rival. While the brand fizzled out, there’s a theory that it inspired the iconic ‘Horn OK Please’ found on the back of India’s trucks.
All we can say is, “Soap OK please” 🛁
Only in India 🇮🇳
An Flipkart Customer expecting an IPhone 12 delivery received two bars of soap instead. Now, that’s a dramatic way to remind someone to wash their hands. Source
IWTK Recommendations 💌
Fun Facts about your Indian Passport because…why not?
The fascinating history of Air India
Contest Time 🏆
Last week we asked you five questions on Indian festivals. Here are the answers:
Which festival begins on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar? Eid ul Fitr
The festival that commemorates the birth of Buddha, Buddha Jayanti is also known as? Vesak or Budh Purnima
Which festival is celebrated during Amavasya in the month of Kartik? Diwali
Which festival is associated with the story of Yama (God of Death) and Yamuna? Bhaidooj
Kambala is a traditional buffalo race held in the State of? Karnataka
The person with all the correct answers was Mohammed Shabz! Well done, mate. We will be in touch with your prizes. And speaking of quizzes on the weekend 👇🏽
Quiz Alert 🔎
This Friday won't have the same TGIF vibe with the festivities coming to an end. But don't get bummed just yet. We're bringing the FREE Kyun & A Quiz this weekend that will have you learning and laughing through the post festival blues with actor and comedian Kumar Varun hosting the finals.
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