Wake-up call

India – Tata Tea’s latest advertising campaign urges India’s youth to wake up to the country’s injustices.

• The advert aims to plant the notion of ‘preactivism’ in the public psyche
• The campaign details many of India’s current crises, such as the suicide rate of farmers and the prevalence of rape

The campaign is the latest iteration of the brand’s Jaago Re initiative, which champions various social causes in India. The ad – Alarm Bajne se Pehle Jaago Re, or wake up before the alarm rings – aims to persuade the country’s youth to engage in ‘preactivism’ to stop crises before they start, rather than merely being reactive.

Detailing several of the most pressing concerns facing Indian society, such as the suicide rate of farmers and the rape epidemic, the film criticises how many of the population feel comfortable protesting in person and on social media after the fact, but take little tangible action to prevent such incidents.

‘From complete apathy, as a nation we have become reactive,’ explains Sushant Dash, Tata Global Beverages regional president for India. ‘Preactivism is a new dimension – not reflecting on culture but creating one. This is hopefully the start of another new wave of social uprising that India will see.’