Overview

It started with a film that felt like a blockbuster, bringing together a cinematic universe of stars from Amitabh Bachchan to Jannat Zubair. This was the hero piece of Flipkart‘s new marketing playbook. But the ‘magic’ it promised wasn’t just on screen. It was brought to life through revolutionary innovations, such as transforming an 80,000 sq. ft. field into a QR code. This wasn’t just a campaign; it was a statement. We sit down with Pratik Shetty, Head of Marketing at Flipkart, to understand the drive behind this new chapter, how it honors a legacy of innovation, and why ‘magic’ is the new metric.

Q1: This year’s marketing was led by that massive, multi-celebrity hero film. This was then supported by equally audacious activations, like the 80,000 sq. ft. field. What was the central drive behind this ‘hero film’ – first strategy?

The drive was to bring back the magic. Over the years, big sale events across the industry risk becoming purely transactional. It can become a conversation just about discounts. We took a step back and asked, ‘What does BBD mean?’ And we realized it’s a ‘festival of possibilities.’ It’s a time when a billion aspirations come online.

The hero film was our way of setting that stage. Our creative articulation for this was ‘Yahaan kuch bhi ho sakta hai’ (Anything can happen here). The film establishes that magical world. Then, innovations like the 80,000 sq. ft. QR code become proof points. They’re not just ads; they’re real-world manifestations of that ‘anything-is-possible’ feeling.

Q2: Let’s talk about that hero film. You brought together an unprecedented cast — Amitabh Bachchan, Mahesh Bhatt, Alia Bhatt, Aman Gupta, Bhasin, Farah Khan, and Gen Z influencers like Jannat Zubair. What was the strategy there?

“The strategy was to put the customer at the absolute center of the narrative. The film is a direct reflection of the India they live in, and the customer is the hero, not the stars. That’s why this wasn’t about just ‘hiring celebrities’ — this was casting.

We wanted to build a ‘universe of BBD’ where all these diverse audiences and generations could see themselves reflected through these icons. You have a legend like Mr. Bachchan, cinema icons like Alia and Mahesh Bhatt, an entrepreneur like Aman Gupta, and creators like Jannat and Sakshi who own the social space. They were chosen because they mirror the exact, diverse audience set that comes to Flipkart. The goal was to use these familiar, loved faces to build deep connectivity that spans generations and platforms, making every single customer feel like they have a place in this festival.”

Q3: This is a long way from Flipkart’s original ‘kidult’ ads. How do you, as a leader, connect today’s strategy to that legacy of innovation, which also included sharp jingles like ‘Sasa Lele’?

We stand on the shoulders of that incredible, iconic work. The Flipkart marketing DNA has always been about innovation, but the problem we’re solving has evolved.

Those early ‘kidult’ ads were genius at building trust, normalizing e-commerce, and teaching India how to shop online. After that campaign was discontinued in 2022, the brand needed a new, and most importantly, clear identity. The ‘Sasa Lele’ campaign is a key part of this year’s concerted effort to forge a new, more contemporary and quirky identity. It’s a masterclass in creating a sharp, unmissable, audio-first call-to-action that effectively owns the moment.

Today, e-commerce is mature. The customer is savvy. Our challenge is no longer just ‘trust’ or ‘remembrance.’ It’s connection. We have to move from a transactional relationship to an emotional one. So, we’re taking that same DNA of innovation and applying it to a new problem: How do you turn a ‘sale’ into a ‘festival’? How do you make 1.4 billion people feel something? The ‘magic’ of today is the evolution of the ‘trust’ we built yesterday.

Q4: How do you translate a big, magical idea like ‘Yahaan kuch bhi ho sakta hai’ into tangible action for so many different customers?

The ‘magic’ can’t just live in one film. It has to be experienced. So, we first created unmissable moments — like revealing offers with RD Sharma re-writing math problems. That’s blending entertainment with commerce.

Second, the magic has to feel personal. This is where our new product constructs came in: Personalized coupons, a Discount Pass, and ‘Steal Deals’ made the possibilities tangible for each user.

Finally, we targeted that magic. We had a digital-first approach, but with a TV + CTV integrated plan to match evolving media habits. We scaled our affiliate and influencer programs and had dedicated media impact plans for Women, our customers in the South, Gen Z, and Tier 2 audiences. It’s about delivering that one big idea in a million different, personal ways.

Q5: A new piece of this was ‘Marketing for Minutes Customers.’ How does ‘magic in minutes’ fit into the larger BBD festival?

This is a game-changer and a first for India. We’re in a unique position to bring the ‘magic’ of BBD — that aspiration, that deal, that joy — to a consumer within minutes. It’s the ultimate expression of ‘anything can happen.’

This was tightly integrated into the main strategy, but it also had its own dedicated media plan. We targeted affluent consumers and even users of competing platforms in the cities where ‘Minutes’ is serviceable. It’s a powerful new layer on top of the BBD promise, turning possibility into instant reality.

Q6: Looking beyond any single campaign, what is your long-term vision for the Flipkart brand narrative, building on this new ‘festival’ approach?

To be the narrator for a billion Indian aspirations. We are moving from being a ‘brand’ to being a ‘partner’ in people’s lives. My vision is for our marketing to not just reflect culture but to be an active, joyful part of it.

The next big campaign won’t just be an ad; it’ll be a seamless, delightful end-to-end experience. It’s about ensuring that every touchpoint — from the influencer content you see, to the personalized coupon in your app, to the delivery executive at your door — tells one consistent story: We’re Flipkart, and we’re here to make possibilities happen.