Dineout's new social media campaign catches netizens off guard

The first-of-its-kind ads released on Facebook and Instagram have been tweaked to address some common Indian names to peak the interest of prospective users.

As a part of its efforts to promote the sixth edition of India’s largest restaurant festival, the Great Indian Restaurant Festival (GIRF), Dineout has rolled out a series of personalised video ads featuring digital creator Kusha Kapila.

These first-of-its-kind ads released on Facebook and Instagram have been tweaked to address some common Indian names to peak the interest of prospective Dineout users. And, they (the ads) are leaving Indian netizens in splits.

At a time when social media platforms are struggling for a user's real estate on their mobile screens amongst a plethora of ads, the hyper-personalised communication by Dineout is thumb-stopping and grabbing the user’s attention.

Using data-led creative marketing, Dineout has created personalised targeted messages for its users, with top common first names like Ankit, Abhishek, Rohit, Neha, and more.

The video starts with Kapila, a well-known social media influencer, calling out the first name, followed by talking about Dineout's GIRF.

The response to these ads has been full of surprises and shocks. Netizens are left wondering how an ad has been personalised with their first name. Some called it AI, while others called it a convention of uniting all the 'Abhisheks' and 'Rohits'.

Speaking on the runaway success of this creative marketing effort, Nikhil Bakshi, co-founder and marketing head, Dineout, said, “At Dineout, our marketing team is always on the lookout for newer and more creative ways to reach prospective users, but we’ve truly outdone ourselves this time.”

“Most of us have grown up hearing common Indian names like ‘Rahul’, ‘Neha’ and ‘Abhishek’. With this edition of GIRF, we married this insight with data learning to create ads that will be not only a pleasant surprise for users but also truly thumb-stopping in a sea of unlimited content and the plethora of ads they see on their phones today. These personalised ads where Kusha greets you by your name, and talks about the latest GIRF are surely among the quirkiest and most memorable ads ever produced by the Indian F&B industry!”

These ads are a part of Dineout’s ‘Dineout Par Dekho’ campaign. It is based on the simple insight of how Indians love to save and get value for their money, marrying it with their love for food and how it is enjoyed best when served hot and fresh.

The festival is on until March 31, 2021 at 10,000 leading restaurants across 20 cities. As a part of this festival, Dineout is offering flat 50 per cent off on restaurant bills at a host of leading restaurants, including JW Marriott, Radisson, Mainland China, Punjab Grill, Oh Calcutta, The Irish House, The Great Kabab Factory, Mad Over Donuts, Pizza Hut, Burger King, Barbeque Nation, Cafe Delhi Heights, and many more.