Indian government’s own soft drink and its amusing jingle
In 1977 after the Emergency was lifted, for the first time there was a non-Congress government at the centre. In the Morarji Desai-led government, the Minister of Industry George Fernandes’ tasks were cut out. He began by asking foreign companies to dilute their stake in Indian operations to 40 percent. Among the 35 companies that refused to comply was the soft drink giant Coca-Cola which returned only in 1993 after the market had opened up.
The Janata Party responded by introducing Double-Seven, their own soft drink, at the annual Trade Fair at Delhi’s Pragati Maidan. If the government was to be believed, it was supposed to be better than Coca-Cola, the name a not-so-subtle reminder of Indira Gandhi’s defeat and the end of one of independent India’s greatest struggles for freedom. The soft drink died out because neither Indira, who soon returned to power, nor consumers, whose taste buds did not match that of Janata Party’s, had any sympathy for it.
But even if not in taste, the Double-Seven was remarkable at least in some way. Here’s a rather interesting ad jingle written for its lime-flavoured Tingler. It is a user manual. It is a poem. Oh no, look closely at its suggestive meanings. That government was a breath of fresh air. Here begins the government-sponsored erotic poem.
“Hey, see! I’m Tingling!”
Let me tell you about a fantastic
new way of enjoying yourself.
It’s called Tingling
Tingling is like laughter, only it
isn’t fattening.
Tingling brings a kind of
attractive gleam to your eyes and
highlights the fluttering of your
eyelashes.
Tingling is irresistible. And you
can do it anywhere.
You can Tingle at home. You
can Tingle at a party. You can even
Tingle with someone you love!
“How do I Tingle?”
First of all, you need to know a
little about your body and its
sensitive zones.
There is one part of your body
which is the most sensitive of all.
And that is your tongue.
(Tickling yourself behind the
knees with a goose feather is a very,
very far second.)
It is therefore important for you
to concentrate on your tongue
when you want to Tingle.
“Now, do this carefully.”
Very, very lovingly open up a
chilled frosted bottle of the Tingler.
It should open with a pop, but
ever so soft a pop. (If you open it
fast, you’re wasting some Tingle.)
Now, pour the bubbly drink
carefully into a chilled glass. Gently
does it.
Take large sip and don’t
swallow.
Move your tongue around, and
you’ll discover the Tingle at that
moment.
Thousands of tiny bubbles will
explode against your palate.
“Whew! Just telling you
about it makes me Tingle!”
Follow the procedure, mouthful
after mouthful. Take your time.
Don’t hurry.
You now know the secret of
Tingling.
But a word of advice here. Don’t
forget to concentrate on what
your tongue feels.
Otherwise you won’t taste
the crisp, clean flavour of the
the Tingler.
“Don’t give up!”
After some practice you will
learn how to make the Tingle.
spread to other parts of your body.
Right now I can make the Tingle
reach the base of my spine.
Now I’m practising to make the
Tingle reach the back of my knees.
Then I can do without that silly
goose feather.