What’s the ad?
Did you know Zepto recently advertised a commercial called “Make Soan Papdi Great Again”? It is not just any ordinary campaign, it is a revival campaign in a bid to take what has been known as an modest Indian sweet, Soan papdi, out of our kitchen shelves and into the ‘star-light’. This campaign was cultural because nostalgia with a twist of humor was used to attract a combination of viewers, which made it outstanding.
The “Make Soan Papdi Great Again” was promoted from the 18th to the 20th of October 2024 in which customers could get a free Soan Papdi. The campaign was specifically aimed at getting the sweet back in the forefront during Diwali – a period which is typically associated with happiness and gifting.
Ad creatives
In its recent campaign, Zepto made Soan Papdi not just a sweet treat but it’s actually the star of a beautiful narrative. Meet Soan Papdi, the layered Indian sweet which has of late been much in conversation due to the negative impressions created by social media… For years, Soan Papdi has been the Buffer, one of the festive sweets for which nobody has any affection but which is always being passed around.
But then, just like in any classic movie of the redeemer to the rescue, came Zepto into the scene. Zepto did what no one could have imagined by turning Soan Papdi into a character who in fact has emotions and desires and these are- to be loved again. The ad portrays Soan Papdi as being lonely and dejected, sitting untouched on store shelves and at the family gatherings, wondering why it’s never the chosen treat.
At this point of the story, Zepto announces a special promotion which gives the company a turn. To be specific, from October 18th to 20th, with every single delivery made by Zepto, a Soan Papdi is being offered, not as a grocery, but as a symbol of affection and rebirth. Contrary to what might have been expected, the television advertising campaign that Zepto is running is not only a campaign to sell groceries, what it is doing is to give back the lost honor to a sweet, to make sure Soan Papdi gets to those who will cherish it. This act of goodness places Zepto not only as an application that delivers quick commerce but as the good guy ready to reignite the now distant relationship between customers and this delicacy that is actually part of our culture.
Why did we choose this ad?
We chose this ad because this campaign isn’t just about selling sweets, It’s about storytelling. One of the best features about the commercial is a political shocker in the form of a slogan: ‘Make Soan Papdi Great Again’.
Attracting attention is always a great goal especially when it comes to things like political pop culture crossed with traditional confectionery.
What’s the core emotion Zepto is trying to communicate and to whom?
Zepto’s “Make Soan Papdi Great Again” campaign taps into a blend of nostalgia and contemporary humor to engage two key demographics. For the older generation, the campaign evokes warm, festive memories, reconnecting them with a traditional treat. Meanwhile, younger consumers, who thrive on meme culture and social media trends, are drawn in by the campaign’s playful, modern twist on Soan Papdi.
This strategic emotional appeal is crafted to resonate with urban Indian audiences in major cities, bridging a generational gap and revitalizing the cultural relevance of Soan Papdi among both nostalgic consumers and trend-seeking youths.
Why was the ad launched at this time period?
Zepto’s “Make Soan Papdi Great Again” perfectly plays off the sentimental-innovative targeting two major groups of consumers. For the older generation the campaign brings back the feelings associated with the festive time, associating the product with childhood.
This is a strategic emotional appeal directed towards the urban Indian population in major metropolitan cities and a demographic that spans generation by linking back to the cultural memory of the product and presenting Soan Papdi to the modern generation youth as a product they have heard of and perhaps enjoyed in their childhood, their parents have enjoyed and can vouch for, therefore offering them something new to try.
Soan Papdi Character Analysis.
The product Soan Papdi experiences the connection between two generations since the old generation becomes attached to the product due to its traditional tasty value, while the new generation is drawn to it because of its reinvention and popularity within the meme culture.
The campaign associates Soan Papdi with Diwali and in turn with joy, celebration and gifting that suit Indian culture perfectly.By using a proactive slogan as a political statement that is philosophical but more ironic in a way, transforming Soan Papdi into what represents modern concern and modernity in general makes Soan Papdi easier to be consumed or identified with by a larger population of today’s more socially and politically awakened and engaged consumer base.
In contrast to conventional marketing visuals, there are colorful and stylish graphics on Soan Papdi, which play a role in changing the look of this product and making it noticeably different from others in the digital environment.
Why does this ad resonate with the Indian Audience and what sort of cultural impact did/does it have?
- Blending Tradition and Modernity: The campaign creates a connection between the old world culture of India and new world thoughts which is loved by a country that has great reverence for its culture but is also looking forward to the future.
- Refreshing Brand Identity: So the long standing old festive delicacy called Soan Papdi needed an image overhaul and this is where the fun factor comes in to appeal to all people.
- Appeal to Older Generation: It reminds the eldest generation of the occasion, people togetherness, and value behind Soan Papdi as a cultural icon.
- Connection with Younger Generation: Young people feel that the traditional sweet is trendy when consumed in a form of humor and meme culture for sharing on social media or online conversations.
- Cultural Meaning: The slogan and design remind people of a much-loved snack and begin a clever intergenerational chatter.
- Cultural Impact: It effectively brings back consumption, by selling Soan Papdi repeatedly, but also helps the young audience connect with the traditional Indian sweet with a new perspective. It creates a common historical background, traditions and transition to the ‘modern.’
What were the results of this campaign?
Quantitative Results:
Impressions: Over all, the impression touched over 800 million on several platforms, which gave the campaign a very high success rate. This shows that the post received a diverse audience, which probably aided its strong interaction rates.
Engagement Increase: Each survey resulted in a 74% increase of users compared to past campaigns. It also speaks of the campaign’s success on the part of how many interactions in terms of likes, shares, comments, opinions, and views it elicited.
Search Impact: This campaign greatly raised the curiosity and interest of Zepto and Soan Papdi. Zepto received a 500% higher visibility on all platforms during the course of the campaign and Soan Papdi was one of the most searched products. This implies favorability as well as brand and product recognition which in turn if true could be as a result of the laid down campaign.
Social Media Growth: The funny and culturally relevant video made 10000 people follow Zepto, the company, on social media increasing its online presence and perhaps the pool of potential consumers.
Qualitative Results:
Industry Recognition: The campaign was well appreciated by the marketing and advertising fraternity. Prominent communication gurus like Karthik Srinivasan appreciated the campaign for its creativity and relevance to culture as it stood out as a powerful way to both carve the interest of the targeted professionals.
LinkedIn Engagement: The ‘Come Back Officer’ mascot built up the persona and the posts starting trend and were featured and shared by important pages such as Humans of Bombay further helping the campaign reach and make a difference among the professional working class of the country.
Influencer Collaboration: Similarly involving well-known celebrity photographer Viral Bhayani provided the extra visibility on a more extended campaign outreach in a variety of ways.
Cultural Impact: Most memorably, PM’s ‘satirical’ political message succeeded in turning around what many people consider a frivolous stereotype of constant gifting of Soan Papdi into a source of national pride and joy. Not only did this reversal evoke discussion but it also produced a neocultural significance for the sweet, making it much more valuable during the festive season.
All the information is collected from Social Samosa for the compilation and publishing of such useful statistics that represents the campaign dynamics and digital marketing span in general.
Campaign Creatives :
