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Food delivery platform Swiggy, which recently marked a major milestone by debuting on the stock market, was founded in 2014 by Nandan Reddy, Rahul Jaimini, and Sriharsha Majety. But Swiggy’s story didn’t begin with piping hot meals; it started with logistics.
Back in 2011, BITS Pilani graduates Majety and Reddy launched Bundl, an e-commerce venture focused on courier and shipping services within India. Bundl faced headwinds and was put on pause in 2014.
The duo decided not to give up just yet and thought of reimagining their venture. Recognising the untapped potential in hyper-local delivery, they pivoted to food. To bring their vision to life, they teamed up with Rahul Jaimini, then a Senior Software Engineer at Myntra, and in August 2014, Swiggy was born. Jaimini rejuvenated this vision with a principle site.
Starting small in Bengaluru’s Koramangala neighbourhood, Swiggy partnered with a handful of local eateries and committed to delivering food to customers in 40 minutes. Soon after this, in May 2015, Swiggy raised its initial round of financing and received its first funding of 2 million. It then came up with the application. The service, powered by a user-friendly app, quickly gained traction.
In its early days, Swiggy relied on functional advertising to establish its presence on social media. These campaigns focused on highlighting key features such as no minimum order requirements, lightning-fast delivery, and live order tracking.
As Swiggy expanded its operations to more cities, the brand's communication began to focus on its growing network. Its social media videos showcased the increasing number of partner restaurants and the expanding delivery fleet. The messaging was about reaching more people and making food delivery accessible to everyone.
As the platform grew, so did its ambitions. In 2018, Swiggy took its first major step in leveraging mass media with a TV campaign conceptualised by Lowe Lintas Bengaluru, marking a shift from its early digital-only approach to a broader audience reach.
This campaign not only highlighted functional benefits like convenience and quick delivery but also struck an emotional chord with its audience. The ads infused humour and relatability, portraying everyday scenarios with a lighthearted touch like the chaos of unexpected guests, a party that needed rescuing, or a cooking disaster. These narratives were designed to evoke a sense of relief and delight, showcasing Swiggy as the dependable hero of modern urban life. Swiggy’s ads expanded to outdoor and digital channels.
Swiggy and IPL: A ‘match’ made in ad world
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has long been a playground for brands to capture the attention of millions. For start-ups, especially, it is a golden opportunity to hit the awareness level.
Recognising this, in 2018, Swiggy made a bold entry into IPL advertising with short, witty spots that seamlessly blended cricket fever with its unique service propositions like ‘no minimum order’ and ‘lightning-fast delivery.’
One of these campaigns introduced Naresh Gosain, fondly dubbed ‘Swiggy Uncle,’ a character whose relatable antics resonated with audiences. Whether it was his obsession with gulab jamuns or cleverly hiding Swiggy orders from his wife, Swiggy Uncle quickly became a mascot for the brand's quirky appeal.
Building on its success, Swiggy rolled out a series of short, relatable ads during IPL 2019. These spots captured everyday situations infused with cricket mania like roommates arguing over who would cook during a match or a husband casually inviting friends over to watch the game. The storytelling remained simple, and the humour hit home.
The pandemic year brought back Swiggy Uncle a new twist. Instead of an angry wife catching him sneaking in orders, she was shown happily indulging in Swiggy deliveries—a nod to how online food delivery had become an integral part of life. This campaign also featured the voices of cricket commentators Harsha Bhogle and Aakash Chopra, whose commentary added a flavorful touch of contextual humour.
Swiggy’s ability to evolve with the times has been key to its success, particularly during the pandemic. When lockdowns disrupted food delivery in 2020, the brand quickly pivoted to meet new consumer needs by introducing Swiggy Genie, a pick-up and drop-off service, and Instamart, its quick-commerce platform for grocery delivery.
The communication during this period focused on qualities such as trust and reliability, showcasing how over one crore Indians depended on Swiggy.
Swiggy’s focus on these qualities during this period was a direct response to the pandemic, which disrupted consumer confidence in e-commerce and quick commerce (Q-com). With safety and hygiene becoming top priorities, many were skeptical about the reliability of online services. By emphasising that over one crore Indians depended on Swiggy, the brand aimed to reassure customers of its commitment to quality, safety, and dependability.
The brand’s strategy allowed it to stay relevant in a shifting landscape. Post-pandemic, Swiggy expanded its offerings with services like Swiggy Minis, catering to micro-orders.
Building on its earlier campaigns, Swiggy revisited its beloved ‘Gulab Jamun Uncle’ character in 2021. The films showed Gosain struggle with his identity as the 'gulab jamun' uncle. Meanwhile, ads encouraged customers to experiment with new cuisines, showcasing Swiggy’s expansive restaurant network.
This evolution didn’t just highlight Swiggy’s knack for leveraging familiar characters but also showcased its ability to weave brand messaging seamlessly into ongoing narratives, keeping audiences entertained and engaged.
Swiggy continued to ride the cricket wave, cementing its position as the platform for satisfying game-day cravings. The brand’s IPL 2022 campaigns shifted focus to the joy of watching matches with friends and family, creating ads that celebrated togetherness during cricket season.
According to YouGov BrandIndex, Swiggy recorded the most significant growth in Ad Awareness among IPL 2022 sponsors.
In 2023, the communication strategy during IPL was again around the offers during the match hours. It was a strategic move to capitalise on the intense viewer engagement and social camaraderie that IPL matches inspire. By promoting discounts during these peak viewing times, Swiggy tapped into the natural demand for snacks and meals that accompany game-watching.
These campaigns leveraged humour and courtroom drama to highlight discounts, ensuring audience engagement while promoting value-driven choices during India’s favourite sporting event.
In one ad, chaos erupted as Neena Gupta, playing the judge, suspected a secret settlement, only to discover it was a Swiggy discount. Amid the commotion, she shouted "order order" for the court and subtly for food. Another ad had the judge quipping, “It’s a court order, not a Swiggy order,” before offering pizza to the defense lawyer, who cheekily replied, “No objection, your honour.”
This approach cemented Swiggy as the go-to companion for cricket fans, making every match an opportunity for food and fun.
With its clever cricket-themed campaigns, Swiggy turned every match into a celebration of food and fandom, cementing its bond with cricket-loving Indians.
The diversification of wits
Swiggy’s entry into grocery delivery through Instamart in 2020 was an evolution of its promise to cater to consumers' everyday needs. Staying true to its brand DNA, Instamart’s marketing was infused with Swiggy’s signature wit and quirk, ensuring its campaigns resonated with a wide audience. The messaging blended humor with relatability, intending to position Instamart as the go-to solution for last-minute grocery needs and unplanned requests, an extension of Swiggy’s promise of convenience.
Swiggy Instamart’s recent campaigns, created by Moonshot, took the internet by storm, furthering the brand’s promise to fulfill every request, no matter how unusual with speed and reliability.
One standout ad featured a hilarious wedding scene. In it, two Swiggy Instamart delivery partners mistakenly picked up a groom instead of a broom due to a typo in the order. Amidst the chaos of the wedding, the delivery partners hurriedly stuff the groom into an Instamart bag, only to realise that the actual request was for a broom. They quickly return the groom to the venue, unbag him, and wish him well on his wedding day, leaving viewers in splits.
Another ad featured the iconic Juhi Chawla in a playful twist. In the film, the customer types 'Chawla' into the Swiggy Instamart app. The scene hilariously cuts to Juhi Chawla, who is preparing for a shoot in her vanity van, suddenly leaving with delivery partners. She arrives at the customer’s doorstep, only for everyone to realise that the customer had meant to order 'chawal' (rice).
Both ads conclude with the tagline, 'You name it, we'll get it.' The aim behind these ad films was to showcase the promptness with which Swiggy Instamart ensures anything and everything that the users need reaches them instantly.
These films reinforced the brand’s core message and showcased its knack for combining sharp humor with a sense of reliability, making the mundane act of grocery delivery delightful and memorable.
Swiggy Instamart's social media communication is characterised by a more unfiltered and casual approach compared to Swiggy’s.
Swiggy Instamart’s marketing extends the brand’s personality and strengthens its positioning in the quick-commerce market. This venture marked a transformative chapter for Swiggy. Instamart rapidly became one of Swiggy's most vital divisions, with its adjusted revenue soaring to ₹513 crore in Q2FY25, more than doubling from ₹240 crore during the same period the previous year.
At the parent company level, this diversification fueled significant growth. Swiggy’s overall revenue climbed by 30% in the July-September period of FY25, reaching ₹3,601.5 crore, up from ₹2,763.3 crore the previous year.
This robust performance demonstrated how strategic diversification strengthened the Swiggy revenue model, solidifying its position today in the competitive Qcom market and establishing it as a stronger player worthy of stock market recognition.
Memes, collaborations, and online buzz
Swiggy’s marketing strategy shines brightest on social media, where it has mastered the art of engaging millennials and Gen Z. With over 580K followers on Instagram, 224.8K followers on X (formerly Twitter), and 328K subscribers on YouTube, Swiggy’s presence isn’t just extensive but impactful. The brand has built a community of food lovers through humour, relatability, and timely content.
Whether it’s a post about midnight food cravings or a post poking fun at everyday food dilemmas, Swiggy strikes a chord with its audience by speaking their language. It’s not just about promoting food; it’s about creating a personality that users can connect with.
One of Swiggy’s strongest strategies lies in tapping into trending topics and memes, ensuring its content is highly shareable and resonates with younger users. By embedding itself into cultural moments, the brand becomes part of the conversation rather than just an advertiser, making its social media presence feel organic and authentic.
Swiggy’s collaborations with popular content creators and food bloggers further amplify its reach. These creators produce authentic, fun content showcasing Swiggy’s services, helping the brand build trust and attract new audiences.
Additionally, Swiggy's social media campaigns often include user-generated content, encouraging customers to participate. This is to foster a sense of community and engagement among its audience. By involving customers directly in campaigns, the brand creates a two-way interaction that makes users feel valued and connected. UGC also adds authenticity to Swiggy's messaging, as content created by real users resonates more with potential customers. Additionally, UGC amplifies Swiggy's reach, as participants share their contributions within their networks, effectively turning them into brand advocates.
One such example is the #SwiggyVoiceofHunger campaign on Instagram, where users recreated the shapes of their favorite dishes like kebabs, pancakes, and nachos using the platform’s voice note feature. Participants varied their pitch, loudness, and sound sources to replicate the dish’s waveform.
The campaign garnered over 1.5 lakh entries in just 10 days and boosted Swiggy’s Instagram followers by 30K. This campaign crossed borders, receiving entries from Italy, Japan, Thailand and Canada – countries Swiggy didn’t even deliver to.
This campaign won three Lions at Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, 2019.
Swiggy has continued to innovate with its marketing campaigns by also creatively leveraging viral internet personalities. To promote its group ordering feature—allowing up to 40 customers to place simultaneous orders and add diverse items to one cart—Swiggy collaborated with popular figures like Puneet Superstar, Dolly Chaiwala, Chandrika Gera (the famous vada pav girl), Laxmi Sharma, and others. Their distinct charm and humour made the campaign both relatable and entertaining.
To promote its Bolt service, which delivers meals and beverages in just 10 minutes, Swiggy’s Instagram ad featured popular figures like Keshav Jha, Sharon, Naman Arora, Suryansh Tiwari, and Sewashree Burah. The ad creatively blends their India’s Got Talent personas into a humorous and engaging storyline, capturing attention with relatability and humour.
By consistently weaving humour, relatability, and cultural relevance into its digital campaigns, Swiggy has transformed social media into a key ingredient of its marketing success story.
New chapter of growth
Swiggy’s ability to evolve with the times has been key to its success, particularly during the pandemic. When lockdowns disrupted food delivery in 2020, the brand quickly pivoted to meet new consumer needs by introducing Swiggy Genie, a pick-up and drop-off service, and Instamart, its quick-commerce platform for grocery delivery.
Celebrating IPO
After a decade of operational growth, cultural relevance, and innovation, Swiggy made its debut on the stock market in 2024.
To celebrate this major milestone, Swiggy released a 35-second ad film that creatively linked its journey from food delivery to financial success. Featuring the ceremonial bell at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) alongside delivery executives' iconic doorbell sound, Swiggy paid homage to its journey while celebrating growth and ambition. The ad highlighted Swiggy's offerings, including Swiggy Food, Instamart, DineOut, Genie, and Minis5.
The debut saw a fully subscribed IPO, drawing interest from investors and reactions from the public, brands, and even rival Zomato.
Humour has been Swiggy's secret sauce in building a deep connection with its audience. Whether it’s the iconic ‘Gulab Jamun Uncle’ series or cricket-inspired ads, the brand has consistently delivered laughs that resonate with everyday moments. With its IPO debut, the brand has entered a new league, along with its recipe for success—humour, creativity, and innovation.