Branding Activity for Marketing Purposes

You ever see an ad that doesn’t even try to sell you something directly but still makes you feel like pulling out your wallet?

Let me introduce you to the Zomato 16th Janamdin Special—the ultimate masterclass in branding that left all of us saying ‘god-damn’ without even realizing why.

In this gem of an ad, Zomato celebrated their 16th birthday, not by pushing you to order food (which, duh, is what they do) but by making it a senti-fest. 

They went full desi, using phrases like “koti koti dhanyavaad” and “sirf aur sirf aaj ke liye” like some old-school government campaign.

Honestly, it looked more like they were announcing the launch of a new government scheme than telling us about Zomato Gold for ₹30!

The ad featured their founder, Deepinder Goyal, and a few other team members, making them look like the neighborhood government officials you didn’t know you needed.

It wasn’t about selling directly, but rather, creating a moment. A quirky, emotional connection that reminded us Zomato isn’t just a faceless app—it’s your buddy, celebrating with you.

Here’s What They Did Right:

1. Celebrating with Emotion: Instead of shoving a “Buy Now” in your face, they thanked you like you’d been friends for years. It was like getting sweets at a wedding—you feel good even though you didn’t expect it.

2. Nostalgia + Humor: They gave off heavy Doordarshan vibes with the language, making it feel both official and hilarious at the same time. Who knew Zomato could make you feel like a minister was personally inviting you to enjoy an offer?

3. Perfect Social Media Content: While this might have passed you by in a newspaper, it’s social media gold. Quirky, shareable, and perfect for a meme. Zomato was practically begging people to snap a photo of it and share it online.

When you’re branding, stop thinking about direct conversions. Instead, create emotional moments.

Tie your milestones to something personal, something that feels like it was meant for the audience.

And above all, never be afraid to make people laugh!

Because at the end of the day, Zomato’s ad wasn’t about food—it was about fun, family, memories and most of all, relatable.

And that’s what good branding is all about.

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