Sylvester daCunha: Remembering the man behind iconic Amul Girl
Most of us have grown up loving butter solely because of the iconic Amul Girl who made her first appearance in the 1960s and continues to be seen even today. And with a heavy heart, GCMMF announced the passing away of Sylvester daCunha, the advertising stalwart and creator of this 'Utterly Butterly Delicious' campaign! Here's everything you should know about him.
Jayen Mehta, managing director, GCMMF shared the news
Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF)'s managing director Jayen Mehta shared the news of daCunha's demise. "Very sorry to inform you about the sad demise of Shri Sylvester daCunha, chairman of daCunha Communications last night (Tuesday) in Mumbai," he told. Per reports, the advertising maestro was in his 80s. His son, Rahul daCunha, will now head his advertising agency.
It was daCunha who wanted to change Amul's "boring image"
DaCunha was the ultimate game-changer for Amul in terms of marketing and advertising as he wanted to change the "boring image" that was being used by the brand before he was roped in. During an interview, he was quoted saying that the idea was to have a girl character who would "walk her way in the Indian kitchen and the housewife's heart."
'People loved it. I remember it was our favorite topic'
"It was the first Amul hoarding that was put up in Mumbai. People loved it. I remember it was our favorite topic of discussion for the next one week," said a Mumbai resident named Sheela Mane to Asian Age in 1997.
Clever captions and social satire
Cartoonist R.K. Laxman's The Common Man, and the Amul Girl are perhaps India's earliest memes. The Amul Girl's witty take on current events is evident through clever wordplay. Examples of social commentary include: "Dhoniya uski mutthi mein" celebrating India's 2011 World Cup victory; "Yeh to unearth ho gya" commenting on global warming in 2018; and "Exit the Dragon" advocating Chinese goods' boycott in 2020.
A recent take on the discontinuation of Rs. 2000 notes
Amul celebrating International Yoga Day
He gave many versions to 'Amul Girl,' some controversial too
DaCunha came up with "Hurry Amul, Hurry Hurry" in 1969 during the Hare Rama Hare Krishna movement and "Bread without Amul Butter, Cholbe na! Cholbe na" during Kolkata's Naxalite movement in the '70s, both of which were taken down owing to controversies. Some of his most iconic ads for the brand also include, "Taste tube baby Amul" to commemorate India's first test tube baby.
Amul Girl is among the longest-run, most successful campaigns ever
Ever since it was first rolled out in 1966, the Amul Girl took no time in becoming an instant favorite. Even today, it's the brand's face, which makes it among the longest-run and most successful campaigns in the history of Indian media and advertising. With a buttered toast in one hand, she is an ageless popular mascot that has stood the test of time.
