MAM
The new Poco C31 campaign pushes the smartphone to its limits
Mumbai: Homegrown online smartphone brand Poco launched a campaign called ‘Life Tested,’ showcasing the build and sturdiness of its recently launched budget entrant, Poco C31. The campaign, conceptualised by DDB Mudra, is a testimony to the smartphone’s robust quality through a series of relatable, slice-of-life tests.
The campaign draws inspiration from the use of smartphones in real-life scenarios bringing out the durable features of Poco C31 with a tested approval from the real experts- the consumers. Featuring two short films, the campaign puts a refreshing cap on smartphones subjected to rigorous lab tests by scientists in controlled environments.
“We have all seen ads of products being tested in labs, scientists asking you to buy them because they recommend it, etc. But here we had the POCO C31 that was – yes, tested in labs, but for life. And that to us, made for a very interesting story,” said DDB Mudra Group creative director Saritha Rajgopal, adding a creative perspective.
“We imagined intellectual, serious scientists sitting in their labs, testing the phone in real-life conditions, and getting a little carried away while in the process. So, we created a lab, brought in scientists, and got them to not just lab-test the phones, but life-test them,” she added.
The first video ‘Hi Garmi’ begins with a man preparing a meal in his kitchen and simultaneously enjoying a cricket match on Poco C31 under extreme heat and humidity, even as a bunch of scientists keep an eye on the performance of the smartphone from the other side of the wall.
The second film titled ‘Anybody Can Dance’ features a work-from-home scenario wherein the woman, totally bored and uninterested in the conference call discussion around business targets of the year, starts grooving when a distant dance music starts. As she unfolds into loud cheers, she accidentally drops her handheld mobile, while the scientists look on.
“While the Poco C31 comes with some great specs and delivers on performance, what we really wanted to bring the consumer’s attention to, was the fact that this phone has gone through several rounds of rigorous testing,” stated Poco marketing lead Raghav Chitra. “The team at DDB took a leap from here and brought to life a very important insight, that for a smartphone to survive ideal conditions, just lab-testing won’t do. It has to be life-tested. And that’s what speaks volumes about this campaign.”
The Poco C31 is available exclusively on Flipkart.
Brands
Big Bowl appoints Lyxel & Flamingo as social and media partner
QSR brand eyes next growth phase after crossing Rs 100 crore ARR milestone
MUMBAI: Big Bowl, one of India’s largest bowl-format quick service restaurant brands from Lenexis Foodworks, has appointed Lyxel & Flamingo (L&F) as its social and media partner as it prepares for its next phase of growth.
The partnership comes after the brand crossed the Rs 100 crore annual recurring revenue milestone in 2025 and aims to help accelerate its journey towards Rs 150 crore ARR in its fifth year since launch.
Big Bowl currently operates more than 250 kitchens across 50 cities and has emerged as a major player in India’s organised bowl-format food segment. Built around hearty portions and delivery-first convenience, the brand offers a wide mix of Indian, Chinese and fusion bowls designed for quick, affordable and portable consumption.
As urban consumers increasingly gravitate towards easy-to-carry and value-driven meal formats, the company sees the bowl category as a scalable format aligned with modern eating habits.
With the appointment of Lyxel & Flamingo, Big Bowl plans to consolidate its social media and digital media operations under a single partner. The move is intended to sharpen its digital reach, strengthen youth-focused storytelling and improve performance marketing outcomes.
Lyxel & Flamingo, one of India’s largest independent digital-first agencies, manages more than 350 brands and oversees advertising spends exceeding $100 million across its network.
Under the mandate, the agency will handle Big Bowl’s social media strategy, content development, digital performance marketing, media planning and buying, as well as campaign amplification across platforms.
Commenting on the partnership, Lenexis Foodworks founder and director Aayush Madhusudan Agrawal said, “Big Bowl has scaled rapidly to cross Rs 100 crore ARR and established itself as one of the largest bowl-format brands in the country. As a delivery-first, digitally native brand, our next phase of growth will be driven by sharper performance systems and stronger brand storytelling. Consolidating social and media with Lyxel & Flamingo allows us to integrate data, creativity and media precision as we scale towards our next revenue milestone.”
Lenexis Foodworks marketing head Vikas Iyer, added that the delivery-led category requires content, media and performance marketing to work closely together.
“With Lyxel & Flamingo, we aim to build a sharper social voice, stronger acquisition systems and measurable impact, ensuring the brand scales not just in presence but also in precision,” he said.
Lyxel & Flamingo chief executive officer Dev Batra, said the agency will combine data-driven marketing with creative storytelling to support Big Bowl’s growth. “Big Bowl brings the flavour, and L&F brings the fire. Our strategy combines data-led performance with engaging storytelling to help build a strong digital brand presence while delivering measurable business results,” he said.
With this partnership, Big Bowl is looking to strengthen its position as a digitally driven QSR brand, blending brand-building with performance marketing as it scales within India’s rapidly growing organised food delivery market.
