In a recent twist, comedian Samay Raina’s roast of Zomato has been transformed into a marketing opportunity by Swiggy. This insight comes from Harshil Karia, the founder of the ad services company Schbang.
What Happened: Karia shared that Raina’s roast of Zomato, where he humorously criticized their services and revealed a Swiggy t-shirt, quickly gained traction online.
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In a LinkedIn post, Karia explained that Schbang capitalized on this moment by having Swiggy Genie respond to the post, engaging other brands in the conversation. This strategy resonated with the audience, boosting engagement and generating buzz.
“The audiences are seeing them in the right place and the right time and probably saying – ‘hey, these brands are cool – they get me,’”
Karia wrote. He noted that the engagement each brand received was potentially on par with their daily interaction. Karia emphasized that brands can effectively participate in creator conversations if they engage thoughtfully and maintain a consistent tone.
Karia also underscored that this incident highlights effective ways for brands to stay relevant within content and the benefits of working with an agency to amplify their impact. The Schbang team received praise for their innovative approach.
Why It Matters: This event coincides with Swiggy’s preparations for a potential IPO later this year, amidst reports of early investors diluting their stakes in secondary transactions. The food delivery market is highly competitive, with Zomato investing heavily in its quick commerce division, Blinkit, to strengthen its position against rivals like Swiggy and Zepto. The roast and ensuing engagement provided a unique marketing opportunity for Swiggy, particularly as reports suggested Swiggy’s growth was slower than Zomato’s.
It’s noteworthy that Karia had previously apologized for a controversial stunt involving Indian model and actor Poonam Pandey, who posted a hoax death news on her Instagram to raise awareness for cervical cancer.