The hook
The film opens with a young expecting couple from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community imagining the future they want to build for their child. The early frames establish Indian Sign Language as the primary voice: the story begins in the couple’s language, not in a voiceover explaining them.
That choice is the hook. It withholds the familiar pattern of a brand-led financial ad and asks the viewer to lean in and follow the conversation on the couple’s terms.
The structure
The film moves from a universal worry—what future can we give this child—to a specific solution. The couple’s uncertainty becomes confidence once financial information is available in a language they understand. Only then does the brand introduce Bharosa, its financial literacy platform built entirely in Indian Sign Language.
“Access alone is not enough.”
Navneet Munot, MD & CEO of HDFC Asset Management Company, said financial inclusion has long been measured by access to products and services. But people also need information in a form they can follow before they can weigh their choices with any confidence.
The arc is optimism, not pity: the couple are planning, not pleading.
Why it spread
The campaign spread because the accessibility is not a wrapper; it is the product. HDFC Mutual Fund is the first Indian asset management company to build a dedicated financial literacy platform entirely in ISL. The film features actors who are members of the DHH community, and the platform offers one-on-one sessions with coaches from within the community.
- Representation on both sides of the camera gives the story credibility and gives the community a reason to share it.
- The “first” claim gives news outlets and marketers a concrete milestone to pass along.
- A universal parenting fear—planning for a child’s future—invites audiences beyond the DHH community to care.
The share trigger is identity. Passing along the film lets marketers and founders signal that they care about inclusive design, not just performance.
The numbers
Launched in August 2025, Bharosa has engaged around 6,000 individuals from the Deaf and Hard of Hearing community through ISL-based investor awareness sessions. Users can select goals such as retirement or a child’s education, watch curated ISL videos, and schedule one-on-one sessions with DHH coaches.
Steal this
Three moves for a smaller brand:
- Make the problem visible before the product. Show the gap—here, financial information is rarely offered in Indian Sign Language—then present your fix.
- Hire the community, not just as extras. Cast actors from the DHH community and put community members in coaching roles.
- Organise content around existing goals. Curate videos around retirement, education and other things people already save for, rather than around product categories.
Watch the original: HDFC Mutual Fund on YouTube
Source: ETBrandEquity.com
