A fake Amul-style advertisement recently went viral on social media, riding on the back of a trending public controversy. Designed to look exactly like Amul’s iconic topical creatives, the visual featured the familiar Amul girl, witty wordplay, and a commentary-style punchline elements that have defined the brand for decades.
The illustration stopped people mid-scroll.
A woman in a Nike T-shirt stood her ground, facing a police officer. Behind her, a crowd of everyday Mumbai citizens. The line read “Question karna allowed hai.” Signed off with “Amul. Always speaks up.”
It looked exactly like something Amul would say. Even Shiv Shivakumar, operating partner at Advent International and former PepsiCo India chief, initially called it “a remarkable ad.”
However, he later edited his post after Amul clarified that the creative was not official. In his update, Shivakumar noted that the ad did not appear on any of Amul’s official platforms neither Twitter, Instagram, nor Facebook where the brand typically publishes all its topical creatives, often alongside outdoor releases. He acknowledged that the visual had been created by someone else using Amul’s branding, inadvertently lending it legitimacy through reshares.
Link to the post:
The poster was created in response to a viral incident where a Mumbai citizen confronted a minister after a political rally caused a traffic jam. As the image spread rapidly across platforms, people assumed it was Amul’s take on the situation. It had the tone, the timing, and the cultural sharpness the brand is known for.
Amul’s iconic topical campaign has been running since the 1960s, commenting week after week on whatever India is talking about cricket, politics, films, public moments. Long before “moment marketing” became a buzzword, Amul had already mastered it.
