Jindal Steel celebrates the grit of India in new campaign

Jindal Steel has launched an integrated campaign that celebrates the 'steel-like' resolve of Indians, which has been aiding the relentless progress of the nation in the last few years.

Titled “The Steel of India”, the campaign juxtaposes the physical attributes of steel, and its omnipresence, with its more intangible and emotional aspects: Grit, strength, and growth.

In a high octane two-minute film and a series of powerful portraits, the campaign captures the grit of Indians across the sub-continent, performing diverse range of challenging activities. It also subtly showcases people going about their daily lives with “steel” being a constant companion.

Sabyasachi Bandhopadhyay, managing director of Jindal Steel, said, "Our goal was to craft something powerful for India. Beyond the physical strength, we wanted to showcase steel in all its glory—capturing not just its tangible attributes but what we truly stand for as a brand. The strides we've taken as a nation made this the opportune moment to celebrate the steely resolve of all Indians.”

To bring the brand’s vision to life, Jindal Steel roped in some notable talent from the Indian creative industry for this campaign, including Amrish Kondurkar, founder and creative director of Kondurkar Studio, an award-winning film director, Ayappa K.M. and Bharat Sikka, one of India’s most versatile photographers. The track for the campaign has been composed by the famous music director, Sneha Khanwalkar.

Kondurkar shared of the campaign, “We set out to unleash the resounding, steely voice of India, encapsulating steel in its essence—grit, strength, and growth. Our quest for raw authenticity found a perfect expression through Ayappa K.M and Bharat Sikka.”

The print campaign shot by Sikka features powerful portraits of individuals from various backgrounds, celebrating the unyielding resolve of Indians in its raw form. As for the film, Ayappa K.M emphasises the journey of steel from grit to fire, blending image and music. From Jindal’s steel factories to Kerala's Kalaripayattu, the film traverses diverse landscapes, offering a visual ode that’s rooted in culture.

Campaign’s take: In this latest campaign, Jindal Steel has brought together all of the salient features of steel under one umbrella again. It's heartening to see that despite some competitors going with Bollywood brand ambassadors or others taking a more frivolous and humorous marketing route, they are sticking to highlighting their core competency, while also aligning their success with India’s remarkable progress. What truly stands apart is the audio-visual element of this campaign along with impeccable editing and quality of production. Beat-by-beat, the sounds of steel, connect different people, from different occupations and walks of life, facing diverse challenges, together with the common purpose of striding forward.

The campaign is now being executed across TV, digital platforms, cinemas, billboards, and newspaper ads.