MUMBAI: Sylvester daCunha, the creator of the iconic Amul campaign featuring the 'Utterly Butterly' Girl, has passed away in Mumbai. Alongside his art director Eustace Fernandes, daCunha conceived the idea in 1966 with the intention of capturing the Indian kitchen and housewives' hearts. The campaign celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2016, during which daCunha served as the Managing Director of the advertising agency ASP.
Prior to the campaign, Amul had a rather mundane image. daCunha aimed to change this by introducing a girl who would leave a lasting impression. He was quoted as saying that the girl would "walk her way in the Indian kitchen and the housewife's heart." The first advertisement, released in 1969, parodied the Hare Krishna movement, featuring the caption "Hurry Amul, Hurry Hurry."
The Amul campaign gained popularity for its humorous and mischievous nature. The Amul Girl, portrayed with rosy, chubby cheeks and donning a polka-dotted frock, fearlessly poked fun at prominent figures in India, including former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, current Prime Minister Narendra Modi, and Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, among others.
The Amul campaign holds the distinction of being perhaps the longest-running hoarding ad campaign, prominently displayed at Mumbai's picturesque Chowpatty. It featured numerous memorable quotes and even found its way into local newspapers.
Pavan Singh, General Manager-Marketing at Amul India, paid tribute to Sylvester daCunha on social media. Singh expressed sadness over his passing and acknowledged daCunha as a legend in the Indian advertising world. Singh had the privilege of learning the art of brand communication and advertising from daCunha over nearly three decades. Together with the renowned Dr. Verghese Kurien, daCunha initiated the immortal and iconic topical campaign in 1966, which stands as one of the world's longest-running advertising campaigns. Over the years, the campaign seamlessly transitioned from out-of-home to print, TV, and digital and social media, expanding its reach and popularity across multiple generations.
"Very sad to learn that Sylvester daCunha, the legend of the Indian Advertising world, is no longer amongst us. It was an honour to have learnt the art of Brand communication and advertising, from him over nearly 3 decades," said Singh.
"This campaign scaled new heights, moved seamlessly from OOH to print, TV & then digital and social media, enhancing its reach and popularity across multiple generations!," Singh said in his tribute to the legend.
Singh also mentioned that daCunha once revealed that he designed the famous mascot for Amul Cheese, known as the Amul Cheese boy, in the late 1990s or early 2000s, with Singh's image in mind—a gesture that acknowledged Singh's contributions to building the category. Singh fondly remembers his interactions with daCunha, highlighting his advertising expertise, gentle and fatherly nature, remarkable wit, and sense of humor, all of which left a lasting impression.
The legacy of Sylvester daCunha will endure in the minds and hearts of advertising and marketing professionals in India, as his contributions to the industry remain cherished and celebrated.
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