e-commerce
Flipkart turns Pongal’s boiling pot into a playful digital Win
MUMBAI: When the Pongal pot boils over, Tamil Nadu stops to watch. It is a fleeting second, but one loaded with meaning. Prosperity, joy and fresh beginnings all rise with the foam. This year, Flipkart took that cherished moment and gave it a distinctly modern twist.
To mark Pongal, the homegrown e-commerce marketplace rolled out a tech-led activation that transformed the ritual into a game. Conceptualised by 22feet Tribal WW, the campaign invites users to time the Pongal boil just right on an interactive microsite. The higher the foam climbs, the better the deals unlocked on Flipkart. Simple, playful and rooted in tradition.
The launch timing was no accident. Pongal weekend is also prime time for Tamil cinema, when big stars, packed theatres and whistle-worthy releases take centre stage. Leaning into this cultural overlap, Flipkart unveiled the idea through a theatrical-style trailer, matching the scale and drama of the season.
Flipkart vice president, growth and marketing Pratik Shetty, said the brand wanted to honour the spirit of Pongal while making it relevant for digital-first audiences. By turning a symbolic ritual into a participative experience, the campaign aimed to feel celebratory rather than sales-driven.
22feet Tribal WW national creative head Vishnu Srivatsav, added that the boiling pot is the emotional high point of Pongal. Building a tech-led idea around it allowed the brand to blend excitement, culture and cinema into one seamless moment.
By weaving technology into a deeply familiar tradition, Flipkart created a festive experience that felt both local and lively. A reminder that sometimes, all it takes is perfect timing for things to boil over in the best possible way.
e-commerce
Instamart and Duolingo launch street spell check campaign for Instaprint
Duo the owl fixes signboard typos across cities to showcase instant printing.
MUMBAI: If spelling mistakes had a sworn enemy, it might just be a bright green owl with a printer. Instamart has teamed up with language learning platform Duolingo for a quirky nationwide campaign that turns everyday spelling errors into a public spectacle while promoting its instant printing service, InstaPrint. The playful activation takes aim at the many misspelled shop boards and public signs scattered across Indian streets. From “saloons” that promise haircuts rather than drinks to menus and posters peppered with punctuation mishaps, the campaign sends Duolingo’s mascot Duo on a mission to restore linguistic order.
Armed with Instamart’s instant printing feature, Duo prints corrected versions of the mistakes on the spot and pastes them over the originals. The result is a series of humorous street interventions that have quickly begun circulating on social media.
Photos and videos of the grammar correcting owl have been widely shared online, with amused users reacting to the unexpected spell check patrol. One user joked, “Ab ayega na maza bhidu,” capturing the internet’s delight at the unusual campaign.
Behind the humour lies a practical message. The activation is designed to showcase the capabilities of Instaprint, Instamart’s printing service that allows users to print documents and posters almost instantly.
The company says the feature is meant for everyday needs such as printing resumes, visa documents or last minute posters without the usual scramble to locate a print shop.
Instamart introduced Instaprint in 2025 across select metropolitan cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai and Delhi. The service allows users to order printed materials directly through the platform, extending the quick commerce model beyond groceries and household essentials.
By combining Duolingo’s famously persistent owl with India’s street level spelling quirks, the campaign taps into the internet’s long running fascination with grammar mistakes while demonstrating a real world use case for instant printing.
After all, in a world full of typos, sometimes what you really need is a quick printer and a very determined language teacher.
