Is Burger King's 'Feel Your Way' ad impactful enough to spread mental health awareness?
Industry experts say that the ad film was able to connect with the audience through empathy

The month of May is regarded as Mental Health month by the Mental Health of America Association. Keeping this month in mind, fast food giant, Burger King produced the ad film #FeelYourWay to spread awareness of mental health whilst introducing their new menu range called ‘Real Meals’.
We spoke to industry experts on whether the ad film instills brand awareness or not, whether the theme of mental health awareness was portrayed clearly to the audience and why there is a lack of such ad films in India.
Nilanjan Dasgupta, EVP & Executive Creative Director, Rediffusion said what stands out about this piece of communication in connection to the brand is the way they have integrated the product by innovating the ‘meals’ and naming them. “The idea is relevant to today's youth as global mental health statistics reveal one in four people in the world is experiencing mental health problems currently. In terms of competition, by addressing the mental health issue they have tactfully dealt against McDonald's Happy Meals”, he remarked,
Dasgupta added that the ad definitely creates brand awareness as it taps into the right consumer psyche of today's youth. He stated, “The job here is not to create a ‘call for action’ but to spread the awareness regarding mental health and getting associated with the cause.”
On the other hand, Raghu Bhat, Founder & Copywriter, Scarecrow M&C Saatchi felt that the ad film doesn't create empathy for mental health patients which is the main objective. The main reason for this is their characterisation in the video. “The attempt to cast the patients as 'victims' and 'heroes' leads to a caricature that fails to connect emotionally. It doesn't tell the viewer a compelling story of what Burger King is doing to support the cause”, remarked Bhat.
Speaking about social ads in India, Dasgupta pointed out, “The campaign done by Deepika Padukone’s ‘Live Love Laugh’ foundation seemed realistic with #NotAshamed campaign. The testimonials had a feeling of being real and authentic. It also empowered people to talk freely about their mental problems breaking the social stigma.”
Talking about why India is lacking behind in such ad films Dasgupta stated, “Mental health is still not talked about in India. So we shouldn’t be expecting brands to get associated with it on a larger scale. However, there’s a need to do that and hopefully, the brands who can get associated with a relevant insight will surely do it in the future.”
Bhat is of the opinion that the lack of such social approach ads is due to depression being an issue that needs to be talked about, even in India. “Brands like to associate with 'visible' causes and this isn't one. So, the communication needs to work much harder to educate”, remarked Bhat.
Krittika Chakraborty, AVP, Strategic Planning & Planning Head (Bangalore), Dentsu Impact says that the film does more than creating brand awareness, it creates empathy. “As a brand that takes on the entire platform of individuality in taste and form, extending this core into the domain of mental health is an inspiring proposition. What is even more inspiring is tying that in with a simple product innovation that breaks the forced stereotype that every eating out occasion is supposed to be a happy one. There is sincerity in the tone of voice, so much so that the obvious dig at a prominent competitor who is known for ‘happy meals’ is handled well and stops short of being gimmicky”, stated Chakraborty.
The ad film has the ability to awaken people to this reality, which most would relate to but not many would acknowledge given the constant social pressure to be a certain way. Chakraborty said, “The theme of mental health is not a very obvious connect, the ad is more in the zone of the different emotions that people go through on any given day. The mental health angle only comes through at the end through the CTA and is not a very deep connection.”
“Brands like Mirinda’s Release the Pressure and Prega News’s attempt at taking on the taboo topic of post-natal depression are all steps in the right direction. But a lot still needs to be said and done to make this extremely relevant issue a part of the Indian social consciousness”, remarked Chakraborty.
For Jagdeep Kapoor, Chairman and Managing Director, Samsika Group the ad definitely created relevant brand awareness. “The strategy is prudent to not only brand awareness but awareness of mental health as well. It is sensitively done in a graceful manner”, remarked Kapoor.
Ankit Nalotia, Founder, Mo Mantra said that Burger King and McDonald's are the pioneers of brand war sagas. "This ad unequivocally is an attempt made to take on McDonald's Happy Meal. The lyrical narrative #FeelYourWay barely hints at the product and keeps the audience guessing until the end. This new commercial on mental health is hoisting the importance of emotional wellness and is expanding discourses around topics like depression and peer pressure. They are not selling meals. They are selling emotions", commented Nalotia.
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E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
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Swapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
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Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
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Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
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KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
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