Amazon, Cadbury's, RHB Bank, British Airways and more light up Diwali in 2021

After spending two years mostly indoors, consumers across APAC, especially those celebrating the festival of Diwali or Deepavali are ready for a healthy dose of happiness, light and life. Across the region, brands and agencies are tugging on the heartstrings of consumers, leaning on their need to reunite with family after a hard slog of lockdowns and often being shut off, often far away from home. Away from this sweet sentiment, there are also those advertisers who have taken a different path, using this opportunity to support unsung heroes and long-suffering business owners who have barely kept their heads above water. 

• For even more Diwali ads, see Campaign India's large collection from that market. 

Brand: Amazon 
Agency: In-house
Why it works: Most brands tend to focus on uplifting the sentiment of consumers—and those around them—but this time around Amazon took a different path. The campaign pays thanks instead to someone who quietly helped a family in desperate need of a bed during India's sharpest spike in cases.  

Brand: Air Selangor
Agency: Reprise 
Why it works: In a multi-cultural geography we tend to forget that Diwali celebrations don't come in one shape, size and colour. This animated film reminds viewers of the heterogeneity of celebrations during this festival.  

Brand: RHB Bank 
Agency: FCB Malaysia 
Why it works: Moving away from usual notes of family, love and happiness, this campaign tells the true story of Dr Nisha Thayananthan, who is not only the reigning Miss Earth Malaysia, but also a doctor who fought on the frontlines to help the nation battle the Covid-19 pandemic.

Brands: British Airways and Vivo
Agencies: Ogilvy and Dentsu Impact, respectively 
Why it works: Diwali is all about being with your friends and family and for many people the last couple of years have been hard, with lockdowns and international barriers shut or difficult to cross. As restrictions have eased, these campaigns tap into the deep urge to reunite. 

British Airways:

Vivo:

Brand: Axis Bank and Cadbury's
Agencies: Autumn Grey and Ogilvy, respectively
Why it works: Covid has been especially hard on small-business owners, who've had to down their shutters when lockdowns were instituted and even when they lifted wary consumers preferred to shop from the safety of their homes. While the Cadbury campaign uses artificial intelligence and superstar Shahrukh Khan to promote the virtues of buying from these small businesses, Axis Bank's campaign pleads with people to refrain from haggling with embattled store owners.

Axis Bank: 

Cadbury's: 

Brand: Petronas 
Agency: Ensemble Worldwide 
Why it works: A hard-working mother on the frontline against covid, a young girl battling to keep her infant sister safe from the virus, and a gamified segment showing the hard battle waged during this pandemic all tie together for an interesting animated Diwali campaign. 

To all those celebrating, Campaign Asia-Pacific wishes you a happy Diwali!