Cadbury's latest 'shubh aarambh' ad is in poor taste

Cadbury continues with their (till now) successful Shubh Aarambh (auspicious beginnings) campaign. The campaign tag-line is a delightful interpretation of a clearly Indian sentiment, bringing the traditional thought alive in contemporary situations. Each of the TVCs, so far, has struck a chord, making one smile/laugh/chortle. Here are a few of the earlier TVCs: And, as Cadbury comes out with another, one was anticipating another winner, another commercial that made one smile, instantly. Here it is: No, this doesn’t make me feel warm and fuzzy. This is not a Shubh anything. The commercial shows a few students being ragged at their college – and a number of other students, the seniors, enjoying the discomfiture of the freshers. It shows bullies and the bullied. And, tragically, it shows the ‘clever’ victim bribing his way out of trouble. [caption id=“attachment_303628” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“Screengrab of the latest Cadbury commercial.”] [/caption] Has no one at Cadbury or their ad agency kept abreast of what a menace ragging has become in India? Of the number of kids who are traumatised thanks to ragging? Of those who die each year? No? Read about it here . The Shubh Aarambh campaign had a great aarambh, but this one is in poor taste. To anyone who has been ragged, this is a needless reminder. To the parents of kids in college, this is a needless provocation for worry. Hey, Cadbury and the agency, talk to those who represent the protagonists in your scripts, please.