Mumbai: Ed-tech major upGrad’s latest digital film features actor Amitabh Bachchan in his 70’s popular persona of the ‘Angry Young Man.' Conceptualised by upGrad’s creative agency The Womb, the ad spot announces the launch of its new vertical upGrad Abroad.
Directed by Amit Sharma of Chrome Pictures, the ad film shows Big B on an uncharacteristic rampage annoyed by the fact that upGrad Abroad offerings did not exist during his college days. The film aims to reassure parents and young aspirants that learning opportunities from globally recognised institutions need not be limited by societal or financial constraints anymore. The film is now live across upGrad’s digital platforms.
According to the ed-tech, aspirants who seek to attain academic qualifications from global institutes or universities can now pursue their dream through upGrad Abroad’s diversified portfolio of 20+ programs that comes with the flexibility to complete the first 12 months online, followed by the on-campus learning in the subsequent months.
“Over decades, the world has seen Bachchan on 70mm, KBC on TV and in numerous ads,” The Womb creative head Suyash Khabya. “So, how do we show him differently now? And that's where the idea of bringing back 'Angry Bachchan' struck us. At the shoot, he was as fit as a fiddle even at 80...kicking, punching, and breaking stuff. We felt as if we were reliving the Zanjeer or Deewar era again. We're confident that just like he breaks upGrad’s office in the commercial, the ad will break clutter.”
“Times have really changed. We live in a world where opportunities are booming across all walks of life," remarked Amitabh Bachchan. "I enjoyed doing this ad film because I want to remind today’s youngsters and their parents that in life appreciating and seizing opportunities is what will lead them ahead. Experiencing learning in newer ways as offered by upGrad Abroad, puts forth such an opportunity where you can access global education at affordable prices.”
“While our recently launched upGrad Abroad vertical is a breakthrough, we realised that the bigger challenge is to first reach out to the relevant target audience and create maximum visibility for them to be able to make an informed decision," commented upGrad India CEO Arjun Mohan. "In this regard, it was extremely critical for us to understand the market sentiment and then make a strong marketing move. And that’s when the decision of joining hands with Amit ji to further our upGrad Abroad mission, came to life; whose on-screen persona and charm will undoubtedly make heads turn and will leave a lasting impact on the audience, thus hitting the bull’s eye.”
