Ola Launches New Campaign Video Starring Varun Thakur and Supriya Pilgaonkar

COVID-19 has taught us to stop and appreciate all the things that we usually take for granted, like meeting our loved ones, and the freedom to do so, without any reservations.

The essence of this new Ola Ad is summed up when Supriya Pilgaonkar says, “Main Tere Liye Nahi Aaye, main apne Tupperware ke dabbe lene aai hu.” The ad not only touts the safety precautions the cab-hailing app offers, but it also plays on mother-son relationships for a fun.

The Coronavirus pandemic isn’t over While we’re in ‘unlock’ mode, we must also keep this in mind, and we should step put only if it is necessary. It’s exactly what Varun Thakur, who plays Pilgaonkar’s son in the ad, repeatedly stresses while pulling her leg about her tech prowess. “I think I should open tuition classes to teach moms how to use their phones,” he says.

The ad was conceptualized by OML (Only Much Louder). In this ad, we see the regular mother-son relationships that have played forever. The son, who is living alone, fails to remember ‘daal’ names and asks his mom. He can’t find his boxers and again asks his mom. He teases his mom about her ability to use a phone, she has a smart comeback. You know the usual drill by now.

The interesting part is when Thakur falls sick and video calls Pilgaonkar to ask how one makes ‘kadha’ at that time we see the deep mother-son bond. Pilgaonkar drops everything and visits her son with ‘kadha’. While sipping it, he asks her how did she manage, because it’s not safe outside. She then shows him a self-shot video. In it, she describes how she took an Ola and all the safety features it offers.

In the self-shot video she refers to Ola’s ‘5 Layers of Safety’:

• Drivers and customers must wear masks at all times.
• All exposed areas of the cabs are cleaned before every ride.
• All cars are fumigated thrice every week.
• Drivers have regular temperature checks.
• There are protective screens between drivers and passenger seats.

Ola has released several ads to highlight its new safety protocols to suit the new normal. Last week, it encouraged people to book an auto via its app, while extolling the safety features it offered.