The chapter of Cherry Blossom
There was a time when shoe polish in India was synonymous with ‘Cherry Blossom’ – the iconic brand. Almost every Indian home stocked the little tins.
Launched in the UK in 1906, ‘Cherry Blossom’, a wax-based, non-transferable shoe polish that lasted through the day, became an instant hit!
Despite stiff competition, the innovative marketing strategy of the founders - Dan and Charles Mason from Chiswick, UK, helped the brand rule the market.
The outbreak of WWI and the consequent surge in demand for polished leather products, such as army boots and belts, and, in turn, polish further drove sales of ‘Cherry Blossom,’ and it quickly became popular worldwide.
Arrival in India
Under the British rule, Cherry Blossom became exceedingly popular in India but by the 80s its recognition had died down and sales stagnated as shoe polishing started being viewed as more of a chore by most people.
A comic revival!
Lintas, the renowned creative agency, was tasked with reviving the brand. Led by Pronab Ghose, Rema Ezra, and Anand Bhardwaj from the Calcutta team, the agency made the bold move of reimagining the beloved king of comedy, Charlie Chaplin as the brand’s mascot.
The idea was to infuse humor into the mundane activity of polishing one’s shoes.
Thus, was born Cherry Chaplin, a tramp who, despite his shabby appearance, wins at life and love by polishing his shoes with ‘Cherry Blossom.’
Veteran actor Rajesh Puri was cast to play this character.
Launched in 1983, the Cherry Chaplin campaign was a huge success. It not only rejuvenated sales but also garnered multiple awards at the prestigious Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity.
Through laughter and nostalgia cleverly interwoven in the Cherry Chaplin campaign, Cherry Blossom would continue to remain relevant for decades to come.
The good ol’ polish was here to stay.
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