Brooke Bond Taj Mahal Tea, owned by Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), has appointed Oscar and Grammy-winning composer A.R. Rahman as its brand ambassador. The association marks the launch of ‘Awaken Your Masterpiece’, a new campaign platform that explores the role of mindful pauses in inspiring creativity.
The campaign builds on Taj Mahal Tea’s longstanding connection with music and its positioning around craftsmanship, artistic expression and excellence. Known for its ‘Hazaaron Mein Ek’ positioning and the iconic ‘Wah Taj!’ tagline, the brand sees Rahman’s creative journey and global recognition as a natural extension of this legacy.
The campaign film features Rahman experiencing a creative block before turning to a freshly brewed cup of Taj Mahal Tea. The pause helps him find renewed inspiration, leading to the creation of an uplifting melody that concludes with the brand’s signature ‘Wah Taj!’ expression. Through this narrative, the campaign presents tea as a moment of reflection that can help creators regain clarity and discover new ideas.
Ishtpreet Singh, VP – Beverages, HUL, said the partnership carries forward the brand’s association with music, which began with tabla maestro Ustad Zakir Hussain and the iconic ‘Wah Taj!’ campaign.
“Over decades, Taj Mahal Tea and music have been inseparable, a bond that began with the legendary Ustad Zakir Hussain and the iconic ‘Wah Taj!’. As we carry that legacy forward, there could be no better custodian than A.R. Rahman, an artist whose genius is truly one in a thousand,” Singh said.
He added that the brand’s approach to carefully selecting and blending tea leaves reflects Rahman’s pursuit of finding the perfect note in music.
Harshad Rajadhyaksha and Kainaz Karmakar, Group Chief Creative Officers at Ogilvy India, said the collaboration builds on the brand’s musical identity and its emphasis on finesse and excellence.
“Music and Taj Mahal Chai have been inseparable. It has been a beautiful journey of building a brand with music at its core and we’re thrilled to partner with A.R. Rahman this year. The brand story of finesse and the search for excellence sits really well with everything that A.R. Rahman stands for,” they said.
Conceptualised by Ogilvy India, the campaign’s creative team was led by Fritz Gonsalves and Jayesh Raut. The film has been directed by Prakash Varma of Nirvana Films, who has been associated with the brand’s visual identity for over a decade.
With Rahman’s appointment, Taj Mahal Tea is extending a music-led brand association that has been part of its identity for decades. The ‘Awaken Your Masterpiece’ platform connects the everyday ritual of drinking tea with the creative process, giving the brand a fresh way to communicate its longstanding focus on inspiration, finesse and artistic excellence.
