The ads that make up Swiggy’s IPO order

Most companies born during the social media era rely on advertising and marketing to shape their fortunes, and Swiggy is no exception. In its updated Draft Red Herring Prospectus (DRHP) to market regulator SEBI, Swiggy disclosed plans to allocate Rs 1,115.30 crore from its IPO proceeds to brand marketing, an increase from the previously stated Rs 929.50 crore.

“Our marketing initiatives may require continued investments as we expand our operations or due to competition… Additionally, the evolving marketing approaches and tools may require us to experiment with and incur additional expenses for new methods to keep pace with industry trends and user preferences,” the DRHP remarks.
Swiggy, founded in 2014, will go public on 6 November 2024. Over the years, it has diversified into grocery delivery through Instamart, parcel pick-up and delivery via Swiggy Genie, and the restaurant reservation platform Dineout.

It’s worth noting that Swiggy was a relatively late entrant to the food delivery business, with its main rival Zomato having started in 2008. At that time, other established players included Foodpanda and TinyOwl, among others. Today, only two giants remain in the market, both investing heavily in advertising.

In 2018, Swiggy rolled out its first set of TV ads, created by Lowe Lintas Bangalore. “Our latest campaign and first set of TVCs showcase how Indians turn to Swiggy every time an occasion calls for delicious food and enjoy a wonderful food-ordering experience,” said Srivats TS, Swiggy’s former head of marketing, in a press release at the time.

A set of seven ads depicted various scenarios—unexpected guests, parents out of town, house parties—that prompted people to order food online.

However, it was during the Indian Premier League (IPL) the same year that an innocuous ad catapulted Swiggy to new heights—the 'Swiggy Uncle' ad. “We decided to create a campaign for the IPL that highlighted Swiggy’s functional benefits in a unique, engaging, and IPL-centric way,” says Srivats in the book Brands To Stands by MullenLowe Lintas Group CEO S. Subramanyeswar (or Subbu).

The ad, featuring a sweet uncle sneakily ordering a single gulab jamun on Swiggy and enjoying it without his wife’s knowledge, became one of the most viral ads of the decade.

For young and emerging brands, the IPL served as an excellent media platform for building brand awareness. After the massive success of the ‘What a Delivery’ campaign, Swiggy returned to the 2019 IPL with a three-ad series in which cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle’s voice humorously narrated everyday household scenarios.

Despite its affinity for the IPL, Swiggy also addressed a pressing issue in a 2018 campaign called ‘What’s in a name?’ that encouraged customers to address delivery personnel by name rather than calling everyone “Swiggy.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Swiggy’s role as an essential service provider became evident. Another campaign encouraged Indians to support their favourite restaurants by dining out or ordering from them once lockdown restrictions eased.

Post-lockdown, with a surge in 'revenge consumerism,' Swiggy continued its advertising efforts, now targeting a populace highly engaged with digital content. Ads for Swiggy Instamart began to appear, initially focused on building awareness, particularly around its quick delivery times.

Over time, these ads have developed a unique style, leaning towards virality. Recently, they have focused on either enlisting influencers or tapping into nostalgia marketing, a strategy similar to that employed by CRED.

For instance, consider Swiggy’s recent Dhanteras ad featuring the yesteryear actress Karisma Kapoor attempting to dance to her hit song “Sona Kitna Sona Hai.”