Making of a hero

Tall and sturdy, they come with masks and capes and sweep you off your feet, quite literally. And rescue you just in time from the big bad guys. Despite them being fictional characters in a book or movie, we all have a superhero we worship. But, what happens in real life? Do we really know who is a true hero? Merck India’s leading vitamin brand Neurobion identifies four such stalwarts in its latest campaign.

Honest and inspirational, the narration of all the four films in this series play on classic themes that are bound to tug at your heartstrings — be it a lone fighter for those wronged or a celebration of the underdog’s victory or a gracious act of kindness. The listed Indian arm of the German healthcare company joined hands with The Better India this June to invite contributions and shortlist stories of such unsung heroes. “These are people who through their acts of compassion have touched and transformed the lives of many Indians. Through this initiative, we reached out to them to appreciate, motivate, and support them in their selfless work,” says Anand Nambiar, MD, Merck India.

And how did the drug manufacturer identify these individuals? "The Better India has a large network of contributors who help us discover such extraordinary individuals. So, we were a natural ally for the powerful campaign," says Dhimant Parekh, director, The Better India. The seeds for the initiative were sown way back in 2015 when the nutritional supplement brand did a typical TVC that showed a user’s improved lifestyle thanks to the product. Titled as ‘Asli Hero’ then, the campaign took a step further in 2016 with it’s ‘True Heroes’ web clips that finally shaped into the current tagline. Sabiha Khan, AVP (strategy), WATConsult, recounts the month-long execution process. “We had about 13-14 stories that were collated and further shortlisted. Nonetheless, the effort these people put to make a difference in someone’s life is commendable.”

And Merck India wants you, to not just know who these men and women are, it wants you to pitch in too. Now, would you rather continue to be the fan of a fictional figure or work alongside a real-life hero?