Advertising industry veteran Sylvester daCunha who created the iconic 'Amul Girl' campaign passed away on June 20, 2023. He was 80. Sylvester daCunha was the brain behind the 'Utterly Butterly' campaign for Amul and the one who introduced the 'Amul Girl' to the world in 1966.
Jayent Mehta, managing director of GCMMF (Amul) shared the news of his sad demise on Twitter.
He wrote - 'Very sorry to inform about the sad demise of Shri Sylvester daCunha, Chairman of daCunha Communications last night at Mumbai A doyen of Indian advertising industry who was associated with Amul since 1960s. The Amul family joins in mourning this sad loss @RahuldaCunha ॐ Shanti'
Sylvester daCunha's Career
In 1966, Sylvester daCunha, the Managing Director of the advertising agency ASP, teamed up with his art director, Eustace Fernandes, to create the legendary Amul Girl campaign. The campaign featuring the Amul Girl captured the adoration of millions and garnered widespread recognition, especially during her celebrated Golden Jubilee in 2016.
The ads that featured had mischievous Amul Girl in a polka-dotted frock, with rosy, chubby cheeks who poked fun at the high and mighty in India, including the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, the present Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Amitabh Bachchan, and many others. The Amul girl has played the role of a social commentator with a special humor that offered a tongue-in-cheek take on almost every significant event in India.
The Amul brand is widely recognised for hosting one of the longest-running hoarding ad campaigns at the picturesque Chowpatty in Mumbai. Over the years, this campaign has become synonymous with the brand, featuring numerous memorable quotes and even making appearances in local newspapers.
Sylvester daCunha's Personal Life
Sylvester daCunha is survived by his wife Nisha, and their son and advertising guru Rahul daCunha. He was the brother of the late advertising genius, Gerson daCunha.
Sylvester daCunha's Personality
In a tribute post on Instagram, former adman Bharat Dabholkar wrote, "Sylvester daCunha broke all established rules of conventional advertising and media usage and created the amul girl and wrote the jingle, of which the last line we continued using till now. Amul is the answer to your wishes, its utterly butterly delicious " was his creation."
He said in advertising there are two kinds of people. Those who are extremely creative themselves. And those who recognise and encourage creativity in others and Sylvester daCunha was a rare combination of both. Dabholkar said that daCunha not only gave him a free hand to do work but also in a short span of a few years, made him the managing director of the agency. Dabholkar credits the concept of Hinglish to Sylvester daCunha.
Sylvester daCunha Tributes
Ex-Amul Chief RS Sodhi on Wednesday paid tribute to the Founder and Chairman of daCunha Communications with a heartbreaking post on Twitter. Sodhi shared a picture of the daCunha's creation, Amul girl in tears mourning the death of the ad genius.
Many politicians, businessmen, and advertising professionals expressed condolences to Twitter to convey their sorrow regarding the demise of daCunha. Expressing his grief, Congress lawmaker Sashi Tharoor expressed his sadness over the news. "We have lost an era. Rest in peace," he tweeted. Derek O'Brien, a Trinamool Congress politician and former quiz master, shared one of his favorite Amul advertisements and expressed deep respect and admiration for daCunha.
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