The curiosity & positive view towards India at Cannes is very uplifting: Rohan Mehta

Imagine a superhero whose ‘Vigil Suit’ consists of a saree with a pallu that serves as a cape, and a bindi called the ‘Vigil Symbol’ that signifies caution with its stop sign. To add a touch of coolness that keeps shady characters away, she sports sunglasses, a smartwatch, and trendy shoes. That’s Vigil Aunty, the quirky and heroic figure. Her superpower is fighting against financial fraud in India.

Created by HDFC Bank and FCB Kinnect, Vigil Aunty was born from the need to alert a diverse audience about fraudulent behaviour in the finance sector. Her origin story highlights how many Indians have experienced financial fraud due to the influx of technology, prompting the creation of a relatable character who could entertain and educate across generations.

HDFC Bank's recent campaign, ‘Lulumelon EOSS’, End of Scam Sale, which clinched a Silver Lion at the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, was an extension to the Vigil Aunty campaign. Using AI and deepfake technology, the campaign featured Bollywood actress Nora Fatehi posing as the face of a fictitious fashion brand, ‘Lulumelon.’ The online presence, complete with unbelievable discounts, lured in unsuspecting users who were then met by Vigil Aunty revealing the scam and educating them about online frauds. This twist captured attention and highlighted the campaign's effectiveness and creativity on a global stage.

Rohan Mehta, CEO, FCB Kinnect and FCB/SIX India walks us through the inspiration and creative process behind the campaign. He explains why it was submitted to Cannes, noting its inventive use of technology and real-world impact.

In the inaugural interview of our series, 'The Inside Stories', Rohan Mehta reflects on India's growing recognition in the global advertising landscape and emphasises the importance of client relationships in developing successful campaigns. 

Edited Excerpts:

Lululemon EOSS's campaign for HDFC won a Silver Lion at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity. Could you walk us through the inspiration and the creative process behind this campaign?

We are very, very happy to have won at this level, but I think more than anything, ‘Vigil Aunty’ has been two and a half years of HDFC fighting financial frauds in the country. The icing on the cake is, of course, winning at Cannes, but the work has been impactful on people every single day, which makes us very happy. Vigil Aunty’s main mission was to fight frauds. 

With end-of-season sales, we also saw certain types of frauds really picking up last year, especially with AI becoming mainstream and audio, video, and picture manipulation happening all over. This was a time when many frauds occurred, and people were susceptible to them. 

The thought process was to immerse individuals into the entire process of fraud happening rather than just providing edutainment. This was a real experience, so we created a website for Lululemon with various versions and crafted an experience where people became part of the fraud themselves, creating awareness about these frauds.

The entire journey was crafted in tandem with HDFC, our internal teams, and Vigil Aunty, and Nora Fatehi came together to dupe the customers but actually gave them an experience that taught them how to be vigilant against these kinds of frauds.

What do you think made this campaign stand out?

A bank attempting to fraud its customers or the market at large is something that has never been thought of or done before. Typically, BFSI campaigns are quite serious. HDFC went beyond that to humanise themselves and make campaigns that people would love to see today.

What stood out was the use of technology, the real experience, and a campaign that has been consistent over time. These aspects really made the campaign stand out.

What were some of the challenges the team faced while executing this campaign?

Fraudsters spend a lot of time creating very real experiences for the people they target. To recreate that experience took a lot of effort on the celebrity side, the tech side, and the website side. We also had to get this approved through the right channels within the bank and the government to ensure everything was above board. There were many difficult parts of the journey, but by working together as a team, we were able to overcome them.

Why did you choose to submit this specific campaign to Cannes?

Solving a problem the nation is currently facing, done in an interesting manner, utilising technology, and the scale at which it was executed made it a very strong entry for Cannes.

Rohan, what role do you think client relationships play in the development and execution of successful campaigns like those sent to Cannes?

First and foremost, trust is not built overnight; it develops over time. The second is giving the agency some freedom and bravery. The client relationship is core to this campaign and others submitted to Cannes because it requires deep partnership at both ends. It involves a lot of toiling and hours of work. While you see the campaign in two minutes in a case study, it sometimes takes years to build. Especially with Lululemon, it was this deep partnership that made it possible.

How does winning at Cannes impact one's professional reputation and career trajectory?

It provides the perspective of being graded on a global scale, showing that your ideas, craft, execution, creativity, and ability to drive business outcomes are comparable to the best in the world. While the direct correlation to business or career trajectory isn't easily measurable, it is a testament to the quality of people and the work they produce.

Can you share your experience of attending Cannes this year?

Cannes is always a fantastic experience. You learn so much from international counterparts and your team. This year was especially special because the entire FCB team went together, sharing a common vision and good times. The youth, energy, and warmth of the group stood out, along with meeting my counterparts at FCB Global. 

Sitting through some of the talks, like the one by Elon Musk, was eye-opening.

Any special memories that you're taking back home?

A special memory was holding a Cannes Lion together with our client at the event and receiving feedback from the jury and audience that they loved the campaign. Winning by yourself is good, but when others want you to win, that's even better.

Looking at the broader industry, what trends or shifts have you noticed in the types of campaigns winning at Cannes?

We've gone through a tough phase globally, but there's some positivity returning. Humour made a comeback in the work we saw. Traditional craft was also central, with one of the biggest campaigns from Coke focusing on typography. 

It was simple yet impactful, showing that while tech is important, it must drive business value. That's the kind of work that won at Cannes this year.

Cannes also gives you an opportunity to look at global work. Any lessons you picked up from viewing global work through an Indian lens?

Cultural context is very important. When viewing global work, you need to spend time with someone from the country to understand their cultural context. What might be relevant in India might not be in Brazil or Southeast Asia, and vice versa. 

Do you have any tips for agencies for next year?

Don’t keep Cannes at the centre of your mind instead create fantastic, behaviour-changing, business-driving work. When you do that, it builds great case studies that can win at Cannes. Always keep the client and consumer at the centre, ensuring that your work drives value for them. This approach helps in building pieces of work that you will be happy to showcase on a global stage.

What do you think about India's representation at Cannes?

India's representation at Cannes is growing year by year. I don't measure it by the number of metals won but by the interest in India, which is undoubtedly at the centre of everything. The curiosity and positive view towards India in all our conversations are very uplifting. What happens in the jury room is beyond our control. I'm proud of India, my colleagues, and the industry. There is a growing trend towards India, and it's our responsibility to drive change and ensure we cement our place among the world's top countries.