Gulzar pens an ode to #NewspaperMornings in latest TOI campaign

The pandemic has brought about massive changes in the way we live. Social distancing, work-from-home, online schooling, virtual events, etc., are all visible changes that are affecting our everyday lives. The world is grappling with uncertainty and it is more important now than ever to be equipped with accurate information to fight rumours and fear.

Newspapers have always enabled trustworthy and insightful journalism that prints the truth without fear or favour.  As we yearn for normalcy in the new normal, The Times of India has launched a beautiful ode to #NewspaperMornings that highlights the power of the printed word and its intimate relationship with its readers in shaping their mornings.

#NewspaperMornings:

The poetry #NewspaperMornings is penned by and narrated by poet and lyricist Gulzar and weaves in the close relationship a reader shares with his/her newspapers. Sometimes a companion with the morning chai, sometimes feeding our thirst for intense debate and sometimes newspaper is a discovery of new and unknown. The pleasure of reading a newspaper is in the intensity of the words that are printed, not its decibel. Newspapers don’t just bring us news and views every morning, they empower us to create our own opinions. TOI’s campaign #NewspaperMornings showcases this personal relationship that a newspaper has with its reader as the reader holds it, folds the pages and immerses oneself in the platter of news. The core messaging of the campaign ‘some relationships never change’ builds on the legacy of brand TOI, its commitment to bring fact-checked news to the readers and authenticity of the role of newspaper in the life of its readers.

Sanjeev Bhargava, Director, Brand TOI, said, “Across the world, newspapers are the most trusted source of news, and our readers already know that.  Reading a newspaper is not merely flipping through pages. We all have our unique way of reading our newspapers – some sit on a table, some lounge on the floor, some start from the front page, some go reverse and so on. The charm of reading a newspaper is an intimate and uninterrupted immersion into news that is both relaxing and intense depending on the pace of its reader. The poetry narrates this experience from the eyes of the reader. During uncertainty, access to accurate information is critical. And, we stay committed to our readers to bring them unbiased and authentic news to ensure our relationship with our readers strengthens further.”

#NewspaperMornings is a multi-platform campaign and will engage in a dialogue with TOI’s readers. The film featuring Gulzar Saab’s poem is available on TOI’s digital and social media handles. The campaign will be further amplified across television, OTT and digital platforms.