young and successful Indian in a foreign city receives a call from his mother asking him to 'come home'. The next frame shows him in the midst of a procession in a hot, dusty village, and then obviously, like a good boy brought up on Indian values, he touches his mother's feet before meeting his lady love. Yes, that is vintage Siyaram's.

The 'ghar aaja' concept has been the brand's platform ever since it started advertising in 1989. The Siyaram man is an achiever who, after getting fame, fortune and riches, still feels pride for his roots and returns to his place of origin. The theme touched consumers with different appeals - aspirational, cultural, emotional and to some extent, even patriotic - and it seems to have paid off. In fact, through a research carried out by AC Nielsen earlier this year, executives on the brand got a shot in the arm. The research put Siyaram's brand awareness at 95 per cent. ... more