MAM
FCB India in partnership with Networkbay launches ‘Retail: Day 1’
MUMBAI: FCB India in collaboration with Networkbay today announced the launch of ‘Retail: Day 1’ a special initiative to work with brands and retailers to ‘manage, redefine and transform’ their retail experiences in the post-COVID era.
It’s time, we adapt to the new normal, unlearn the old formulas, redefine the business of brands and brand communication with the evolving consumption pattern. The launch of ‘Retail: Day 1’ therefore beckons the first day of contactless retail experience. Through this collaboration FCB India and Networkbay will work with brands and retailers to quickly adapt to this new scenario. By leveraging digital tools and spatial design innovation, ‘Retail: Day 1’ is aimed at creating enhanced new retail virtual experiences which are engaging and at the same time fulfilling business requirements of conversion and sales for brands.
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A recent survey by National Retail Federation (NRF) deduced:
· Nine in 10 consumers have changed their traditional shopping habits
· More than 50 per cent of consumers have ordered products online that they would normally purchase at the store
· Nearly six in 10 consumers say they are worried about going to the store due to fear of being infected
Some of these changes would be temporary while others will be permanent. As the community moves beyond the survival mode, the digital-adoption momentum is likely to carry forward and become permanent. As a matter of fact, consumer behaviour will be dependent on two factors – the reluctance to mingle in crowded public places and higher propensity for digital adoption. While the survey by NRF represents finding in America, but the human sentiments resonate with the changing behaviour across the globe.
A study by Deloitte published on 30 March 2020 shared an outlook on the retail industry with the emphasis on changing behaviour.
· Non-contact demand during the pandemic is expected to boost sales at smaller stores that can host smaller crowds at a time. However, supermarket chains have ensured supply of products at regular prices
· Due to the pandemic‘s impact on consumer behaviour and habits, “online-sales” are expected to witness a significant surge, even after the industry recovers
· The establishment of online platforms is expected to become indispensable for offline stores, and online–offline service integration is expected to increase
A Nielsen study unveiled in March 2020 looked at the retail purchase in traditional, modern and e-commerce channels, and evaluated consumer attitudes. It tracked this behaviour for several weeks from the time the disease first surfaced in India till the country went under a lockdown. First, it observes an increase in consumer interest in health and hygiene products, leading to purchase of safety items such as hand sanitizers and face masks. As the disease spread, consumers started stockpiling their pantry with shelf-stable food and broader assortment of health and safety products. Store visits went up and the basket size expanded. The quarantine stage, followed by restrictive living, led to a rise in online shopping, fewer store visits, purchase of essential goods.
A story published by Mint gave a deep dive into the auto sector, ‘Executives at automobile companies said their mass market cars may see a spike in sales in a post covid-19 scenario. They argue that customers will shun shared cabs and public transport as the fear of the disease, a global pandemic that has killed thousands, lingers. Some car companies are expecting their affordable hatchbacks to do well as the middle-class consumer puts hygiene and safety above all else.’- Source Mint newspaper dated 2 April 2020
The recent McKinsey study in China suggests, consumers are likely to opt for online shopping even after the outbreak ends, especially for categories such as groceries and personal care. This trend is likely to continue long after the lockdowns are called off as people would still be apprehensive to visit crowded areas like malls or supermarkets.
The aforesaid data and research excerpts imply that it is time for contactless retail experience for brands and it is here to stay. Even after the lockdown is lifted, consumers will still be apprehensive about stepping out and visiting stores. The footfall would be very low. China is a precedent for this consumer behaviour pattern. With the emergence of the online platforms that empower the consumer whilst ensuring their safety, engagement will be driven more on the basis of the ‘experiential’ rather than ‘material’. The post-covid retail environment will surely be a default online retail preference. And with the launch of ‘Retail Day: 1’, we announce our day one at the new normal, as we adapt to the new game.
Speaking on current challenges, FCB India group chairman and CEO Rohit Ohri said, “This lockdown period will change our world forever. When we emerge on the other side of this crisis, retail experiences will be redefined. Our research shows that shopper behaviour will dramatically change. Even though retail stores may be open, customers who shop there will not engage with the stores as they used to. Retail needs to urgently reinvent itself for the post-COVID world. We’re hoping that our Retail Day 1 initiative, we are able to help our clients rapidly build back their business.”
Adding, Networkbay co-founder Hozefa Attari said, “Our platform combines the strengths of some of the leading retail design, technology and service brands to develop every retailer’s Store of the Future. Project ‘Retail: Day 1’ will allow us to work closely with FCB, taking advantage of their deep expertise in brand and customer behaviour, to develop radical customer journeys, be it contactless automotive dealerships, virtual stores or even connected packaging and Augmented Reality.”
Brands
Champions again: How India’s brands roared after the T20 World Cup win
From food delivery apps to dating platforms, Indian brands wasted no time riding the wave of India’s historic back-to-back T20 World Cup victory over New Zealand
Ahmedabad: On March 8, 2026, which also happened to be International Women’s Day, India scripted history by clinching the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup for the second consecutive time, defeating New Zealand in a thrilling final. As fireworks lit up stadiums and streets across the country, another kind of celebration erupted simultaneously: India’s marketing machine kicked into overdrive.
Within minutes of the final whistle, brands from every sector, tech giants, quick commerce players, streaming platforms, and even a condom brand, were racing to craft the cleverest, most culturally resonant posts. Here’s a breakdown of how India Inc. celebrated the nation’s historic win.
Zomato: The Repeat Order
Zomato, India’s ubiquitous food delivery app, kept things refreshingly simple. Playing on its own product language, the brand posted: “Repeat order delivered 🏆 #INDvsNZ.” It was short, punchy, and perfectly on-brand, a nod to India’s back-to-back title, framed through the lens of what Zomato does best: delivering again and again.
Netflix India: Now Watching History
Netflix India leaned into its streaming identity with a clever checklist format: “2007 ✅ / 2024 ✅ / 2026 ✅ / NOW WATCHING: HISTORY BEING MADE 🇮🇳💪.” By bookending India’s three T20 World Cup victories as a watchlist completed in real-time, Netflix framed the nation’s triumph as unmissable content, the kind of story only live cricket can tell.
Reliance Jio: Typing the Win
Telecom giant Reliance Jio delivered a wordplay masterclass: “India typed ‘WIN’ in Black Caps today. 🏆” The double entendre, referencing both the act of typing in capital letters and the Black Caps (New Zealand’s cricket team), was crisp, witty, and instantly shareable. It was a reminder that in the age of social media, the best brand moments often come in a single sentence.
Google India: Teen Bhai
Google India took a more data-forward approach, posting “Teen bhai… 🔥” alongside a screenshot of Google Search’s AI Mode highlighting India’s three half-centurions in the final, Abhishek Sharma (52 off 21 balls), Sanju Samson (89 off 46 balls), and Ishan Kishan (54 off 25 balls). It was a subtle showcase of its AI search capabilities wrapped in patriotic pride. “Teen bhai” (meaning “three brothers”) referenced the trio of batting heroes who powered India to a massive total of 255/5.
Zepto: The Women’s Day Double Whammy
Quick commerce platform Zepto scored the most culturally savvy moment of the day by merging two celebrations into one. Earlier on Women’s Day, Zepto had posted: “Women’s Day gift idea: World Cup trophy 🏆 #WomensDay2026.” After India’s win, they quote-retweeted their own post with the simple reply: “Gift delivered 🇮🇳💜.” It was meta, timely, and perfectly executed, riding both national pride and the Women’s Day conversation in a single stroke.
CashKaro: They Tasted So Good, India Ate Them Twice
Cashback platform CashKaro went for bold visual storytelling with a striking creative: a tiger sitting over the T20 World Cup trophy with a plate of kiwi fruit, accompanied by the tagline, “They tasted so good, India ate them twice.” The use of the tiger as India’s symbol, paired with a cheeky jab at New Zealand’s kiwi identity, made this one of the most talked-about creatives of the day.
Manforce: Round 2 Always Gives the Best Satisfaction
In perhaps the most audacious play of the lot, condom brand Manforce posted a creative featuring the T20 World Cup trophy against a stadium backdrop with the copy: “Guess Round 2 always gives THE BEST SATISFACTION.” The innuendo-laden post, hashtagged #BackToBackChampions, was quintessential Manforce, a brand well-known for consistently using cricket moments to drive cheeky, double-meaning campaigns that generate massive engagement.
Parle-G: Pehle Dip Se Aakhri Cup Tak
Beloved biscuit brand Parle-G went the emotional, illustrative route with a vibrant artwork showing Indian cricketers lifting the World Cup trophy superimposed onto a giant Parle-G biscuit. The tagline, “Pehle dip se aakhri cup tak / Parle-G humesha saath rahega” (From the first dip to the last cup, Parle-G will always be with you), was a masterstroke of nostalgia marketing, connecting the simple act of dunking a biscuit in tea to an entire nation’s cricket journey.
Domino’s India: No Kiwi on This Pizza
Domino’s India served up a deliciously savage quip: “India mein pineapple on pizza chala nahi, Kiwi toh kya hi chalta 😜🏆 #Champions #India.” By invoking the age-old pineapple-on-pizza debate, Domino’s made a clever statement: if Indians won’t accept pineapple on pizza, there’s certainly no room for the Kiwis (New Zealand) either. It was the kind of post that got fans and foodies alike sharing in equal measure.
JioHotstar: History Repeated, History Defeated
As the official streaming home of the ICC T20 World Cup, JioHotstar had the most at stake and arguably the biggest platform. The brand’s post was thunderous in its simplicity: “HISTORY REPEATED, HISTORY DEFEATED!” A bold, all-caps declaration that served as both a celebration of India’s second consecutive title and a subtle flex for the broadcaster that streamed every ball of it.
Tinder India: It’s a Match Again
Dating app Tinder India proved that no brand is too far removed from cricket fever with a perfectly on-brand line: “India just matched with the world cup again 💙🇮🇳.” By using its own core product concept, a “match”, to describe India’s World Cup triumph, Tinder struck a note that was both clever and effortlessly native to the platform’s voice.
Snabbit: Sabko Dho Diya
Home services startup Snabbit rounded out the celebrations with a pun-driven visual: an Indian jersey hanging out to dry, with the copy “Sabko dho diya, ab champions hawa khayenge,” roughly translating to “Washed everyone clean, now the champions ride the breeze.” The laundry-meets-cricket metaphor (“dho diya” means both “to wash” and “to thrash completely”) was a crowd-pleaser that perfectly captured the irreverent, punchy spirit of Indian moment marketing.
The bigger picture
What these posts collectively demonstrate is the extraordinary maturity of Indian digital marketing. Brands no longer simply congratulate, they connect their core product identity to the cultural moment in ways that feel earned rather than opportunistic. In the space of under an hour, the same victory inspired a food app to talk about repeat orders, a dating app to talk about matches, a laundry startup to talk about washing opponents, and a telecom giant to make a pun about capital letters.
The convergence of India’s World Cup win with International Women’s Day added yet another dimension, as Zepto demonstrated brilliantly, showing that the best brands are always watching for the intersection of multiple cultural conversations.
India’s cricketers gave the country a night to remember. And India’s marketers, it seems, were ready and waiting.
