In a recent turn of events, a video featuring a woman clad in a Zomato delivery executive T-shirt riding a Yamaha motorcycle without a helmet went viral, sparking debates on social media.
The footage, posted on X (formerly Twitter) by user Rajiv Mehta, alleged that the woman was hired by the marketing head of Zomato in Indore, Madhya Pradesh, to ride around with an empty Zomato bag as a promotional stunt.
The video garnered attention as it showcased an unconventional sight of a woman delivering for Zomato, attracting the gaze of onlookers and fellow commuters. Mehta’s caption claimed, “Indore Zomato marketing head had this idea. He hired a model to drive around with an empty Zomato bag for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. Zomato is on a roll.”
Watch the Video:
Indore #Zomato marketing head had this idea. He hired a model to drive around with an empty zomato bag for one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening. @zomato is on a roll… đđ pic.twitter.com/kuwVpNzewu
— Rajiv Mehta (@rajivmehta19) October 16, 2023
After the video circulated widely, Deepinder Goyal, the CEO of Zomato, took to his official social media account to issue a clarification.
Goyal vehemently denied the allegations, stating that Zomato had no involvement in the purported marketing stunt. He specifically refuted claims of having a marketing head in Indore and emphasized that Zomato does not endorse helmet-less biking.
In a sarcastic tone, Goyal remarked that it seemed someone was “free-riding” on the Zomato brand. He emphasized that Zomato does not support or promote such activities and disapproved of any association between the video and the company’s values.
Hey! We had absolutely nothing to do with this.
We donât endorse helmet-less biking. Also, we donât have a âIndore Marketing Headâ.
This seems to be someone just âfree-ridingâ on our brand. Having said that, thereâs nothing wrong with women delivering food – we have hundreds⌠https://t.co/xxNPU7vU8L
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) October 17, 2023
Goyal further defended the role of women in Zomato’s delivery services, pointing out that hundreds of women across the country work diligently to earn a livelihood for their families by delivering food. He expressed pride in their work ethic and reiterated that there is nothing wrong or unusual with women being an integral part of the food delivery workforce.
As the controversy unfolded, numerous netizens expressed their astonishment and shared varied opinions on the video.
Without helmetđłđ˛. No wonder they are losing market share. A marketing campaign should be designed well.
— Mahima (@BahuRaani) October 16, 2023
Idea taken from suryavansham movie
— ASAN (@Atulsingh_asan) October 16, 2023
pehle to chalaan nikaliye inka đ
— Alok Jain ⥠(@WeekendInvestng) October 16, 2023
May be they were not getting enough riders. So he thought of glamorising this. Good idea đ
— kamal kumar đŽđł (@kamalkumarBJD) October 16, 2023
Women is the biggest marketing Tool Now a Days From Education To Corporate!
— Anurag Tyagi (@TheAnuragTyagi) October 16, 2023
The incident shed light on the challenges of managing brand reputation in the age of viral content and the importance of swift responses to dispel misinformation.