Remember `Kuch Khaas Hai` ad? Cadbury wins hearts with a gender-swap twist this time

Cadbury has re-imagined its iconic ad, changing little except gender roles, wherein a girl hits the winning run and a man cheers for her.

New Delhi: Timeless creations, a term generally used to define things, are not bound by any particular time or date. However, sometimes making tweaks to the original creation can lead to the formation of an even more impactful outcome, and this is what the new advertisement from Cadbury Dairy Milk is all about.

The confectionery giant, back in 1994, had launched an iconic advertisement featuring a girl in a blue floral dress, eating a Cadbury chocolate while watching her boyfriend play cricket on the field. As soon as the guy scores the winning run, she, in a burst of joy, runs past security onto the field and dances her heart out, as the song `Kya swaad hai zindagi mein` plays. 

While the original ad showed a girl dancing to celebrate her boyfriend`s cricketing heroics, now 28 years later, Cadbury has re-imagined its iconic ad, changing little except gender roles, and the result is simply beautiful. The 2021 remake features a girl hitting the winning run and a man cheering for her.

More than a quarter of a century later after the original ad aired, this time, a women`s cricket match is in progress that`s being observed by a man on the stands, while munching on Dairy Milk. When his girlfriend scores the winning six, he breaks into a celebratory dance in a similar manner to the original ad and rushes onto the field to hug her. 

In a country where cricket has, for decades, been largely synonymous with men`s cricket, the advertisement marks a shift in the popular perception of this game. Undoubtedly warm and adorable, the ad also shows that one can enjoy a sport, irrespective of the gender of the sportsperson. More importantly, it also celebrates the success and achievements of women`s cricket by normalizing a women`s cricket match.

Cadbury Dairy Milk had shared the video on their Twitter handle, along with the message, "Join Cadbury Dairy Milk in celebrating and cheering for our girls who are making spectacular success stories and emerging as powerful role models for the youth."

With social media users hitting major nostalgia and appreciating the thought behind the much-needed new twist, the ad soon went viral. One user wrote, "Much needed twist...nicely done @DairyMilkIn....honestly this brings so many memories of childhood..kudos. Leading the way for our daughters!" Another wrote, "Remake of one of India`s most loved ads. With this role reversal ad, it can be seen how much women have progressed in the Indian society whilst the emotions of success and victory still remain the same."

A third user wrote, "A long overdue awesome ad waiting since 90s. This clearly shows how women have progressed in Indian society ....more to go!! #Cadbury @DairyMilkIn."

"I am in love with @DairyMilkIn all over again. Also loved the way u empower women cricket through this ad," wrote a fourth user. Women athletes have always been at the forefront of achieving vital milestones, but are seldom recognised. Taking such small yet significant initiatives to acknowledge their efforts and achievements would provide them with that extra push so that they can achieve much more and greater. With a little gush of nostalgia promoting gender inclusivity that the world needs to see, this ad from Cadbury does just that.