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 gold dig event at Hussain Sagar goes viral
Hyderabad activation ties to gold price lock offer ahead of Akshaya Tritiya
MUMBAI: All that glitters isn’t just gold, it’s also great marketing. A quirky on-ground activation by Instamart at Hussain Sagar Lake has turned into a viral spectacle, with videos of people digging for gold coins flooding social media feeds this week. The campaign, executed in collaboration with Moms, transformed a patch of the city’s iconic lakefront into what online users quickly dubbed a “mini gold rush”. Armed with spades, participants dug through a mud-filled pit in search of hidden gold coins, an activity that drew crowds, cameras and plenty of commentary online, ranging from amused disbelief to outright fascination.
At the heart of the frenzy was a promotional push for Instamart’s ‘Gold Price Lock’ feature, which allows users to secure prevailing gold rates between April 10 and April 16 and complete their purchase later during Akshaya Tritiya, a period traditionally associated with high gold buying. The mechanic cleverly blended physical participation with digital conversion, turning curiosity into a potential transaction.
Branded as ‘Gold Diggers’, the activation leaned into gamified engagement. Those who struck lucky walked away with coins, those who didn’t were nudged with a simple message: lock the price now, buy later. The result was a steady stream of footfall and a surge in user-generated content, as onlookers and participants alike documented the spectacle.
The timing is significant. India remains one of the world’s largest consumers of gold, with demand peaking around Akshaya Tritiya. Data from the World Gold Council suggests the festival alone accounts for roughly 25–30 tonnes of gold purchases annually, making it a high-stakes window for brands looking to tap into consumer sentiment.
As the ‘Gold Price Lock’ feature remains live until April 16, the campaign has already done its job turning a simple product feature into a citywide moment. Because sometimes, the quickest way to get people talking about gold isn’t to sell it, it’s to make them dig for it.
