MAM
Swiggy smashes creative sixer this IPL season
MUMBAI: Food ordering and delivery platform Swiggy has launched six relatable and witty television commercials this IPL season to celebrate two of India’s biggest passions — cricket and food.
The multi-lingual campaign is conceptualised by Lowe Lintas, Bengaluru. Swiggy roped in seasoned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle and former cricketer and commentator Aakash Chopra to lend their voices to the TVCs.
The campaign highlights how Swiggy has changed consumers’ food-ordering habits with some of its unique differentiators such as ‘no minimum order’, ‘lightning fast delivery’ and ‘variety of restaurants’ to choose from. Considering the relevance of the campaign, apart from Hindi and English, the ads will be aired in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu and Bangla.
Swiggy VP marketing Srivats TS says, “The IPL-themed advertisements are fun and intriguing to watch as they explore relatable scenarios that have made Swiggy a household name today. Whether it’s a married couple or a full-fledged party watching the big matches, the idea is to showcase Swiggy’s role in changing the way India eats, by bringing out the brand benefits in a likeable and engaging manner while delivering a full entertainment experience to millions of people and fans.”
The TVCs have a simple storyline with minimal dialogues that cut straight to the chase. What makes them stand out is the execution including the comic expressions of the characters and the subtle yet smart interweaving of the spirit and sounds of the sport. It drives home the message that Swiggy is here to satisfy even the smallest of their consumer’s hunger pangs and food demands at lightning fast speeds. The TVCs are a right mix of consumer insight, targeting and product communication that is clutter-breaking and makes a mark. The films are directed by Abhinav Pratiman of Early Man Films.
“Cricketing jargon has always been part of the popular lingo in India. What we’ve tried to do with this campaign is to present the brand’s benefits in a fun, light-hearted, everyday context with cricket commentary delightfully punctuating the life situations,” mentions Lowe Lintas chairman and CCO Arun Iyer.
Besides the T20 in-game ad, the campaign will run on digital and across the brand’s social media platforms. Swiggy has also collaborated with Jordindian to create a couple of videos showcasing how cricket is best enjoyed with food ordered from the platform.
At the start of the T20 cricket season, Swiggy launched Match Day Mania, a 51-day long food festival that offers discounts across 13000+ restaurants in the cities Swiggy operates in. This integrated campaign, apart from television is being promoted across print, radio, digital platforms, as well as in restaurants.
Brands
33 per cent of women believe the salary scale is rigged: Naukri report
Voices @ Work study finds rising calls for equal pay audits and lingering bias
MUMBAI: Progress may be visible in India’s workplaces, but many women still feel the need to tread carefully. A new report by Naukri reveals that one in two women hesitate to disclose marriage or maternity plans during job interviews, worried that such information could influence hiring decisions.
The findings come from the second edition of Naukri’s annual Voices @ Work International Women’s Day report, titled “What Women Professionals Want.” Drawing insights from more than 50,000 women across over 50 industries, the survey sheds light on evolving workplace aspirations alongside the biases that continue to hold women back.
One of the report’s most striking insights is the growing demand for equal pay audits. The share of women calling for regular pay parity checks has climbed to 27 per cent this year, up from 19 per cent a year ago. The demand now stands alongside menstrual leave as the most sought after workplace policy.
Interestingly, the call for pay transparency grows louder higher up the income ladder. Nearly half of women earning between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore annually say equal pay audits are a priority, suggesting that pay gaps become more visible as women move up the career ladder.
At the same time, confidence and ambition appear to be rising. About 83 per cent of women say they feel encouraged to pursue leadership roles, a significant jump from 66 per cent last year. Cities in southern India appear particularly supportive, with Hyderabad leading the way as 86 per cent of respondents there reported encouragement to step into leadership positions. The education sector recorded the highest sense of encouragement at 87 per cent.
Yet the report also highlights a growing trust deficit around pay equity. Nearly one in three women, or 33 per cent, say they do not believe men and women are paid equally at their workplace. That figure has risen from 25 per cent last year, pointing to widening perceptions of disparity as careers progress.
Bias in hiring and promotions continues to be the biggest hurdle. About 42 per cent of respondents say workplace bias is the main challenge for women from diverse backgrounds. The concern is consistent across major metros, with Chennai and Delhi NCR reporting similar levels.
Reluctance to discuss personal milestones during hiring processes is also widespread. While 34 per cent overall said they hesitate to share marriage or maternity plans in interviews, the anxiety increases with experience. Among professionals with 10 to 15 years of work experience, the figure rises to 40 per cent.
Info Edge group CMO Sumeet Singh, said the data reflects both progress and unfinished work. “Behind every data point in this report is a woman who is ambitious. The fact that 83 per cent feel encouraged to lead is something to celebrate. However, the fact that one in two still hide their marriage or maternity plans in interviews tells us the work is far from done. As India’s leading career platform, it felt not just important but necessary for us to shine a light on these gaps through the second edition of our report,” he said.
The report suggests that while ambition among women professionals is growing, structural changes around pay transparency, fair hiring and supportive policies will be key if workplaces hope to keep pace.
