Sunfeast Marie Light targets phone obsession with quirky campaign

MUMBAI: Love may be in the air, but for many couples, the phone seems to be stealing the spotlight one scroll at a time. Tapping into the growing concern around digital distraction in relationships, Sunfeast Marie Light has rolled out a cheeky new initiative under its #MarieLightMode campaign, urging couples to swap screen time for conversation time. The campaign, launched in partnership with Swiggy Instamart, delivered more than just groceries to households across Tamil Nadu. Over 20,000 couples received a mock “Divorce Agreement with Phones” tucked inside their orders, turning an ordinary doorstep delivery into an unexpected relationship reality check.

Styled like a playful legal contract, the insert encouraged couples to “separate” from their phones for a while and reconnect through real-world conversations and shared moments. The campaign leaned into humour, but its underlying message hit close to home in an increasingly screen-first culture.

The initiative stems from a survey conducted by Sunfeast in Chennai, which found that 53 per cent of respondents admitted they spend more time with their phones than with their partners. The survey was conducted online between 12 March and 15 March 2025 among heavy phone users spending over four hours daily on their devices.

What makes the campaign stand out is its choice of medium. Instead of relying solely on social media to discuss digital overload, the brand inserted the conversation directly into consumers’ daily routines through quick commerce deliveries. In a world dominated by notifications, reels and endless scrolling, the campaign attempted to create a pause button in the middle of the chaos.

ITC Limited vice president and head of marketing, biscuits and foods division, Suraj Kathuria, said the insight around phones becoming the “third person” in relationships inspired the activity and shaped its light-hearted tone.

Meanwhile, Swiggy senior vice president and chief business office, Hari Kumar Gopinathan, highlighted how quick commerce platforms are increasingly becoming part of consumers’ everyday emotional moments, not just transactional ones.

The campaign also reflects a wider advertising trend where brands are moving beyond product messaging to address behavioural habits and emotional wellbeing, particularly among younger urban audiences navigating hyperconnected lifestyles.

For Sunfeast Marie Light, the message was simple: before couples lose signal with each other, it might help to first switch off the screen.