How the Amul girl became a cultural icon for India

Dubbed simply as the Amul girl, she has steadfastly reminded us of our heroes and villains, all the while bringing a smile to even the most cynical.

The cartoon mascot with the memorable tagline Utterly Butterly delicious created in 1967 for the Indian dairy brand Amul, was the brainchild of ad agency ASP’s Sylvester da Cunha and his art director, Eustace Fernandes.

It was created as part of the dairy cooperative’s efforts to capture market share from rival brand Polson, which had dominated the butter market since 1900, when it was established by Pestonji Edulji Dalal. From the time she appeared on hoardings, bus panels, and posters in Mumbai, the girl has been omnipresent in India’s socio-cultural life.

A girl with unmatchable wit

From “Hurry Amul, Hurry Hurry”, a reference to the Hare Rama, Hare Krishna movement in 1967, to “O Captain, Mahi Captain” in praise of M.S. Dhoni, the one-liners have kept coming, in approval or disapproval of current events.

At times, her gentle digs have invited the ire of some people; mostly those whose egos have been bruised. In 2001, an ad criticizing an Indian Airlines strike prompted the airline to threaten that it would stop offering Amul butter on its flights, while the 1980s slogan “Ganpati Bappa More Ghya” during Ganesh Chaturthi offended the Shiv Sena party, which threatened to destroy Amul’s Mumbai office if it was not removed.

In July 2011, a billboard mocking Congress party member of Parliament Suresh Kalmadi over the 2010 Commonwealth Games corruption scandal, with the line “Maine kyaa khaya”, led to party workers in Pune pulling down Amul hoardings. Some of these incidents turned ugly and highlighted existing tensions in society. It is also true that the mascot’s wit is less tolerated today amid rising sensitivities.

An endearing friend

Yet, the fact that it has endured and stayed relevant for so long points to its universal appeal, which cuts across generations of Indians. Part of this can be attributed to several interconnected factors, including anthropomorphism, the human tendency to attribute human traits to non-human entities, which makes the Amul girl feel like a relatable, endearing friend rather than a mere advertisement. The gentle humour also creates emotional connections and trust, as people naturally respond to visual stimuli that mimic human characteristics, such as her expressive face and childlike innocence.

“Humans have a strong motivation to form social connections, and when deprived of human interaction, they anthropomorphize non-human agents to satisfy this need,” explained psychologists Nicholas Epley, Adam Waytz, and John Cacioppo in their 2007 work on the subject.

In the Amul girl’s case, her consistent portrayal as a clever, opinionated yet non-confrontational child allows people to project familiarity and affection onto her, turning the brand into a much-loved cultural companion.

But the central role in the ads has been that of humour, with the unexpected blending of unrelated elements leading to surprise and delight. The ads often juxtapose serious news events with playful puns tied to butter (think divide and drool; makhan ki rani, maske ka raja; marad ona to aisa hona, butter hona toh Amul hona).

Nostalgia further cements the engagement, as the Amul girl evokes fond memories of childhood and shared cultural moments. Her unchanging look and evolving yet familiar commentary create a sense of continuity in a rapidly changing India. Amul’s use of family-oriented, culturally relevant stories often reminds older Indians of their youth while introducing younger ones to a playful national icon.

India’s ad icon

Just like her international cousins, like Ronald McDonald flipping burgers, Tony the Tiger hyping up American breakfasts, or the Michelin Man bouncing down tire-strewn roads, the Amul girl is more than a mascot. She’s part of a tradition of ad icons in India that includes familiar faces like the Air India Maharaja, Asian Paints’ cheeky Gattu, the ever-twirling Nirma girl, and the mischievous Onida Devil.

These characters don’t just sell us things. They become part of the family, showing up ever so often, shaping our memories, and giving us something to smile about during our morning commutes or chai breaks.

In a world that’s constantly changing, there’s something comforting about a butter-loving girl in a polka-dotted dress still cracking jokes from her billboard perch.

For more such stories, read The Enterprising Indian: Stories From India Inc News.