06/10/2025
Hutch (1994–2007)
Ad: The Hutch Pug Ad – “Wherever you go, our network follows.” (2003)
Agency: Ogilvy India
Director: Prakash Varma, Nirvana Films
Concept: A little boy is followed everywhere by his pet pug → symbolizing Hutch’s network reliability.
Impact: Instantly iconic. The pug became Hutch’s brand mascot and one of India’s most loved advertising symbols.
🔴 Vodafone (2007–2018)
Ad: Vodafone Pug Transition Ad (2007)
When Hutch became Vodafone, the same pug reappeared, now running with the boy into a new world of red.
Tagline: “Wherever you go, our network follows. Hutch is now Vodafone.”
Insight: Seamless continuity — reassuring customers that only the brand name changed, not the service.
Later (2009), Vodafone launched the ZooZoos during IPL, another legendary campaign.
📶 Vodafone Idea (2018–Present)
Ad: Vodafone + Idea Merger Announcement Film (2018)
Concept: Vodafone and Idea brands came together, announcing the merger with the line “The future is exciting. Ready?”
It highlighted the combined strength of both networks, with creative visuals of red (Vodafone) and yellow (Idea) merging.
Agency: Ogilvy handled much of Vodafone’s creative; Idea’s merger campaign was co-led with Lowe Lintas inputs.
Vodafone – Stronger Together
Thought Behind It
After the Vodafone–Idea merger, the challenge was to reassure millions of subscribers that the combined brand would mean better connectivity, not confusion.
The solution? Bring back the pug, but not just one — an army of pugs following a boy, symbolizing the strength of Vodafone’s upgraded 4G network and the power of unity.
The line “Stronger Together. For You.” captured the merger’s promise in a single phrase: bigger, better, and more reliable.
Impact
The pug, already an emotional brand mascot, became a metaphor for scale and strength.
The campaign reassured Vodafone and Idea users at a critical time of industry change.
It highlighted how legacy assets (the pug) could be re-imagined for a new story.
