Happydent hosts a first-of-its-kind stand-up comedy show for the hearing impaired, this World Smile Day

~The event Sign To Smile was organised in partnership with India Signing Hands~

Mumbai, 18 October 2023: Happydent, Perfetti Van Melle India's beloved chewing gum brand, has always been known for enabling sparkling smiles through its brand proposition "Dikha Battissi Kar Baat Achhi Si”. For the first time ever in India, Happydent hosted a one of its kind stand-up comedy show “Sign to Smile” in Mumbai on World Smile Day for the hearing impaired, breaking the barriers and embracing inclusivity. The show witnessed some of India’s favourite stand-up comedians taking the stage including Abhishek Upmanyu, Urooj Ashfaq, Anirban Dasgupta, Shreeja Chaturvedi, Shashwat Maheshwari, Madhvendra Singh along with three sign language translators who played a pivotal role in translating the show seamlessly. It also featured Shubham Chaudhary, an ISL (Indian Sign Language) performer and actor, who added a unique comedic dimension to the show while making it accessible to all.

In line with the World Smile Day theme ‘Do something kind and make someone smile’, the event proved that humor knows no boundaries. Happydent's pioneering initiative not only showcased its dedication to spreading sparkling smiles but also underscored the importance of making the world a more inclusive place for all.

Link to the event film: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GKj3PDrQyWos

Commenting on this exceptional initiative, Mr. Gunjan Khetan, Chief Marketing Officer, Perfetti Van Melle India stated, “On World Smile Day, we brought smiles that radiated from ear to ear. Happydent is all about sparkling smiles, and our unique event “Sign To Smile” exemplified our commitment to enabling smiles. We are proud to partner with India Signing Hands in creating an unforgettable evening of humor and inclusivity.”

Alok Kejriwal - Founder & CEO, Indian Signing Hands (ISH), expressed their pride in being part of the 'Sign to Smile' show. They said, "Translating humour for the hearing-impaired audience is a rewarding experience, and 'Sign to Smile' by Happydent exemplifies the power of a smile in breaking down barriers. We are delighted to have contributed to this one-of-its-kind initiative, making smile accessible to all and fostering inclusivity through sign language."

Harshil Karia, Founder and MD of Schbang, the creative, media, and technology transformation company that partnered with Happydent on the 'Sign to Smile' campaign, shared his thoughts, stating, " Our collaboration with Happydent for the 'Sign to Smile' campaign has been an inspiring journey into the realm of creativity and inclusivity. This initiative celebrates laughter's universal appeal and aims to make humor accessible to everyone, breaking down barriers and uniting people from all walks of life. Happydent has entered a territory where humor becomes a universal language, and we're excited for more innovative collaborations in the future."

“Sign To Smile” transcends the boundaries of a typical comedy show and celebrates inclusion and the power of laughter to unite us all.

About Perfetti Van Melle India Pvt. Ltd.

Having started India operations in 1994, Perfetti Van Melle India Pvt. Ltd. (PVMI) today enjoys the reputation of being market leaders in the confectionary space with a diverse portfolio of brands across segments (i.e. candies, jellies, gums & chewies) which provide a differentiated consumer experiences across age groups. PVMI’s extensive distribution footprint spans 4 million outlets across India and the manufacturing facilities are located in Manesar (Haryana), Rudrapur (Uttarakhand) and Karanaipuducherry (Chennai). 25 years since its inception, Perfetti’s power brands like Center fresh, Center fruit, Alpenliebe, Happydent, Mentos, Alpenliebe Juzt Jelly, Chupa Chups continue to both delight and engage with the consumer with innovations across category expansion, variants, flavours, promotions and clutter breaking advertising campaigns. Regarded as a ‘great Place to Work’ owing to its strong people culture, PVMI drives continuous improvement by way of external benchmarking and exposure to global best practices and building sense of pride amongst its employees. As a responsible corporate brand, Perfetti is committed to bringing about a positive influence in the community it operates in and adheres to its three pivot areas of sustainability - education, water conservation and environment. PVMI is a fully owned subsidiary of the global confectionary conglomerate Perfetti Van Melle, headquartered in Amsterdam. Visit: http://www.perfettivanmelle.in