Vicks #TouchOfCare Campaign Urges Us to Think About What Really Makes a Family

Vicks, a brand synonymous with care globally, has launched a heartwarming new campaign ‘Touch of Care’. It reasserts the importance of care while challenging and seeking to redefine what family is in contemporary society. The campaign leads with the idea that ‘Family is where Care is’ portraying the real life story of an orphan and her newfound ‘mother’.

Created by Publicis Singapore, the story is told in the first person by the orphaned girl Gayatri herself. The film beautifully captures how Gauri cared for Gayatri as her own, against all odds, with deep compassion and love. The story reflects the challenges that Gauri faces from the rest of society, as a transgender woman.

The Vicks Brand has stood for family care in India for over 50 years. However, family today is not always as tightly defined as it once was. With the changing face of life across India and an increasing number of people living away from their traditional environments –the idea of family now goes far beyond just biological connections or sharing a surname. Vicks has therefore adopted this bold and progressive stance- that above all else, it is care that is the ultimate definition of what a family is.

According to Mr. Nitin Darbari, Chairman and CEO P&G Teva JV China, Marketing Director Asia, Middle East and Africa: “Vicks has always been about the gentle touch of a mother’s care, as she caresses and gives relief to her child. With the #TouchOfCare campaign we are going a step further and expounding the importance of care beyond just the traditional perception of family.The campaign shows how people who, though not connected by blood, end up being family through care itself”.

Ajay Thrivikraman, CCO, Global Clients, Publicis Singapore commented “Looking for a way to express this powerful idea was both a heartening and humbling experience, once we realized that stories of extraordinary care are all around us in real life, and we are honoured that Gauri and Gayatri gave us an opportunity to share their story of care with the world.”

Ed Booty, Chief Strategy Officer, Publicis Communications APAC said: “Great brands don’t just reflect safe and accepted norms, instead they dare to set agendas in culture at large. That is our ambition with this work for Vicks – to give the timeless idea of Family Care a fresh and contemporary meaning.”

Neeraj Ghaywan, Film Director said: “It was an immensely gratifying and inspiring experience to put together Gauri and Gayatri's story. #TouchOfCare questions our conventional understanding of a mother and what constitutes a family. In a contemporary society, it is essential for us to be inclusive of everyone and accept the universality of care with love and empathy. And the best way to begin that would be the most basic human emotion of all- a mother's care. ”