Brands
Election fever on brands: What organisations are doing inline with elections 2024
Mumbai: The 2024 Lok Sabha Elections are the central topic of discussion in the country currently. Interestingly it’s not just the political parties or the politicians emphasizing people to practice their democratic right and encourage people to become an active part of electoral discussions but many unconventional brands are taking initiative to start conversations among voters regarding the political landscape.
Amid increasing concern regarding the election outcome and political environment, many politicians are turning to astrology. Astroyogi, the leading and country’s first Astro-consultation platform has recorded a 10x increase in enquiries and consultation about the parliamentary elections as compared to the previous cycle of the lok sabha elections. Families of the politicians are turning to astrologers to seek insights into the potential results and the fate of various political candidates. The spike is witnessed in accordance with the increased uncertainty and higher uptake of astrology apps.
The use of polls to engage the audience on a social discovery app Hunch is capturing the attention of the young population between 18-25 years of age group in the country. The polls are posted on the app by the GenZ users, thereby reflecting the opinion of the larger democratic population of the country by engaging in common exchange of questions like “Who according to you is the most eligible political leader, who should win the elections?”. This community engagement strategy is not only helping in extracting valuable data but is also allowing the people to express, discuss and debate about the political scenario of the country.
In a strategic move to stay relevant and resonate with the electoral atmosphere, Blinkit, the popular quick-commerce platform, has temporarily rebranded itself as “Inkit”. This change is more than just a playful twist on words; it symbolizes the brand’s commitment to being in tune with the public pulse. By doing so, Blinkit is positioning itself as a brand that supports and encourages civic participation.
These are the testimony to how brands are creatively leveraging and engaging in the historic event of quinquennial elections to connect with their audiences, and drive conversations.
Brands
Ujjwal Jain steps down from PhonePe’s Share.Market to start new chapter
Founder behind WealthDesk and OpenQ exits after decade-long fintech journey
BENGALURU: Ujjwal Jain, the entrepreneur behind platforms such as WealthDesk and OpenQ, has stepped down from his role as chief executive of Share.Market, the investing platform backed by PhonePe, marking the end of a decade-long journey in India’s capital markets space.
In a reflective note, Jain described his journey from launching WealthDesk in 2016 to building a broader ecosystem that eventually became part of PhonePe. Over the years, his ventures focused on bringing data-driven investing tools and model portfolios closer to retail investors, a space that has seen rapid evolution alongside the rise of discount broking.
WealthDesk introduced curated “WealthBaskets” to simplify portfolio investing, while OpenQ expanded access to quantitative research and analytics. Both platforms were later acquired by PhonePe, forming the backbone of Share.Market, which Jain helped scale as a mass-market investing product.
Calling the experience “brutal” yet deeply fulfilling, Jain credited colleagues, investors and industry partners for shaping the journey, highlighting the role of the PhonePe team in building Share.Market into a large-scale platform.
His exit comes at a time when artificial intelligence is beginning to reshape financial services globally. Jain indicated that his next move will focus on this shift, hinting at a renewed push into the intersection of AI and capital markets.
Prior to his entrepreneurial stint, Jain worked with MSCI Inc. on index products and technology, and with D. E. Shaw India Financial Services in algorithmic trading and high-frequency systems.
While he has not disclosed specifics of his next venture, Jain framed the move not as a departure but a reset, signalling that his next chapter will aim to tackle even larger challenges in India’s evolving investment landscape.
With one chapter closed and another underway, the focus now shifts to what Jain builds next in an increasingly AI-first financial world.
