As India navigates the COVID-19 pandemic and with the economy opening up, local citizens wearing masks has become an essential part of their daily lives. Gemini® Sunflower Oil, the flagship brand of Cargill’s oils business in India and Maharashtra’s leading cooking oil brand has launched #MaskBanaoMovement with a new campaign. Gemini’s ‘Waqt Kuch Auro Ke Liye Banane Ka’ campaign is a rallying call to everyone to extend a helping hand by contributing masks to people in the community who lack access to them. This movement aligns with Gemini’s existing brand campaign ‘Waqt Kuch Apna Banane’ that encourages homemakers to chase their dreams and make something of their own.  In this case, we are encouraging them to help others by contributing homemade masks.

This is a three- week movement starting from 12th June 2020 till 3rd July 2020. To execute this initiative, Gemini® Sunflower Oil is working with Concern India Foundation to collect the finished masks in Mumbai and Pune. Consumers can login to www.geminicookingoil.com where they can learn how to make masks at home through easy Do- It- Yourself steps and share their location details for collection. These masks will be collected from home and at the end of the campaign all the collected masks will be sanitized by Concern India Foundation and donated to the people in the community, who need them the most.   

This #MaskBanaoMovement is supported by the TV personalities and influencers including Genelia Deshmukh, Sonalee Kulkarni, Swapnil Joshi who are actively involved in making masks and spreading the message.

Speaking about the movement, Mr. Piyush Patnaik, Managing Director said, “Gemini® is a brand which understands homemakers and helps them free up their time and channelize it into something creative and enriching. In the current scenario, through the campaign ‘Waqt Kuch Auro Ke Liye Banane Ka’, we are encouraging consumers to support their community. We should undoubtedly come together and lend a helping hand to those who need it the most. Given the fact that wearing masks is a key part of our lives for the foreseeable future, this movement is aimed at encouraging consumers to be a part of this endeavor. Together we can overcome this unprecedented difficult situation.”

Commenting on the initiative, Kavita Shah, Chief Executive Officer, Concern India Foundation said " We are happy to partner with Gemini® Sunflower Oil for the #MaskBanaoMovement. The movement has the potential to encourage us to participate and play a role for the greater good of the community. We are fortunate to take forward this opportunity to bring the masks created by women from the community to those who need them. We are sure this initiative will see a great deal of participation from consumers and their support will make the movement more impactful."

With the view to make movement more impactful, Gemini® Sunflower Oil has curated an audio visual that pivots around a little child who is asking for his mother’s help with some stationery such as marble paper, glue, rubber band, and scissors, etc. Initially the mother assumes that her child is working on an art project; however, post taking a closer look, she realizes that he is trying to make a mask at home, for his family and those around him like the milkman, house helper, etc. The mother appreciates his thoughtfulness and alertness of the young one towards the community and eventually joins him in the task. The AV showcases the mother accessing Gemini’s website to understand the step by step process of mask making. The AV can be accessed here.