Sunder Balasubramanian on Myntra Fwd’s Gen Z marketing playbook

In the fashion industry, staying relevant isn’t just about keeping up with trends, it’s about speaking the language of the generation setting them. Enter Gen Z, the digital-first cohort that isn’t just consuming culture but actively shaping it. Myntra Fwd, a vertical dedicated to this audience, has built its identity by tapping into what makes them tick: subcultures, digital communities, and a preference for viral trends.

But Gen Z isn’t a monolith. “We identified eight different segments within this demographic, each with unique emotional and psychographic needs related to fashion,” says Sunder Balasubramanian, CMO of Myntra. This insight has helped the brand create personalised experiences that feel less like marketing and more like a natural extension of Gen Z’s online world.

When Gukesh Dommaraju became the youngest World Chess Champion, it wasn’t just a sporting milestone; it was a cultural moment. Gen Z thrives on stories of young disruptors rewriting the rulebook, and Myntra Fwd saw an opportunity to weave that narrative into fashion. Pairing Gukesh with chess legend Viswanathan Anand, the campaign wasn’t just about clothes; it was about showcasing the contrast between generations in a way that felt fresh, humorous, and entirely in sync with Gen Z’s want for content that entertains while making a point.

And there’s a reason why brands across industries are competing for this audience’s attention. Accounting for nearly 25% of the global population, their spending power is on a meteoric rise, expected to hit $12 trillion by 2030. But beyond their purchasing power, their influence is what truly sets them apart; what they like today dictates what the world wears, consumes, and talks about tomorrow.

With other e-commerce players launching their own Gen Z-focused segments, the battle for this audience’s loyalty is stronger than ever.

So how does Myntra Fwd ensure its campaigns don’t just go viral but actually resonate? And what’s next for the brand as it continues shaping the Gen Z fashion narrative? Sunder Balasubramanian takes us inside the brand’s marketing playbook.

Edited Excerpts: 

The Gukesh and Vishwanathan campaign was a massive hit, and now the Sehwag and Mandira Bedi campaign is generating buzz. What was the core insight behind these campaigns, and why were these personalities chosen? Can you take us through the entire brief, conceptualisation, and execution of these campaigns?

Our starting point was to determine what we wanted to offer Gen Z through Myntra Forward. Over the last 18 months, we've gained significant insights, one of which is that Gen Z is not a homogenous group. We identified eight different segments within this demographic, each with unique emotional and psychographic needs related to fashion. Forward aims to cater to all these variations.

From a communication perspective, we looked at ways to connect with Gen Z in a relevant manner. One recurring theme we noticed is how Gen Z differentiates itself from the millennial cohort. This insight led us to explore storytelling that contrasts Gen Z with millennials, which helped position Forward as a Gen Z-specific platform.

Subcultures also play a crucial role in our campaigns. One subculture we leveraged was the "underdog" narrative, which is widely resonant in India. This is why we featured Gukesh and Viswanathan Anand — chess is an underdog sport compared to others, and these personalities challenge conventional fashion norms.

In our latest campaign with Saiba, Sehwag, and Mandira Bedi, we tapped into nostalgia—a significant trend among Gen Z. Nostalgia resonates across various areas, including music and movies, so we applied this to cricket. Mandira Bedi, as the pioneering female anchor in cricket commentary, and Sehwag, known for his iconic triple centuries, represented that nostalgic appeal. Our focus remains on trend-first communication while integrating relevant subcultures—chess for one campaign, nostalgia through cricket for another—and we plan to continue evolving in this direction.

Gen Z has a short attention span and quickly scrolls past inauthentic content. How does Myntra ensure its campaigns don’t just trend but actually stick with this audience?

The notion that Gen Z has a short attention span is actually a myth. This is the same audience that binge-watches an entire season on an OTT platform in a single weekend. If content is engaging, authentic, and well-structured, they will invest their time in it.

Data supports this — Gen Z has a 15% higher watch time on movies and a 30% higher watch time on creator videos compared to other demographics. Our approach is to focus on compelling storytelling. The long-format content we produced for Forward, featuring Gukesh and Anand as well as Saiba, Sehwag, and Mandira, has performed exceptionally well in terms of view-through rates across different audience segments.

The key takeaway is that attention span is not the issue — it's the quality of content. As long as storytelling is strong and authenticity is maintained, Gen Z will engage.

With the vast landscape of influencers, how does Myntra FWD identify and collaborate with individuals who truly align with the brand’s ethos and Gen Z’s interests?

The key to working with influencers is allowing them to maintain their authentic storytelling. Influencers succeed because they bring a unique perspective that resonates with their audience, whether it’s related to their personal lives, fashion, beauty, or travel.

Our role is to ensure that Myntra Forward integrates naturally into their content rather than forcing a brand message that doesn’t fit their style. As long as we respect their creative freedom and provide a contextual brand fit, the collaboration remains authentic and impactful.

Traditional celebrity endorsements seem to be losing weight compared to influencer-driven campaigns. How does Myntra strike the right balance between celebrity-driven campaigns and influencer-led engagement?

It’s not a question of choosing one over the other. The decision depends on the brand’s life stage, its target audience, and its category.

For a platform like ours, which caters to multiple demographics—including millennials and other cohorts beyond Gen Z—it makes sense to leverage both. Some brands may rely solely on celebrity endorsements, while others might focus entirely on influencers. There is no one-size-fits-all approach; it depends on the brand’s audience and their consumption patterns.

Beyond digital platforms, are there any traditional mediums Myntra is leveraging? How does the brand approach a multi-channel strategy?

Even within digital, our approach has evolved. Earlier, influencer marketing and performance marketing via platforms like Meta and Google were the two primary digital strategies. Now, the landscape is far more diverse.

For instance, we engage over 20,000 creators every month on an affiliate model, where they earn commissions based on sales generated through their content. This approach allows us to scale influencer collaborations significantly while maintaining measurable performance metrics.

Additionally, we have a program called "Ultimate Glam Clan," where Myntra shoppers can upload image and video reviews on our platform. If someone clicks on their review and makes a purchase, they earn a commission. Over 400,000 people have joined this program in just a few months, and 67% of sign-ups are from Gen Z. This initiative aligns with their digital-first behaviour and desire for side hustles.

Gen Z strongly advocates for sustainability, yet they also engage with fast fashion. How does Myntra address this contradiction, and what steps are being taken to align with their environmental values?

Sustainability is an ongoing conversation with Gen Z. Like any consumer group, they make trade-offs, but sustainability remains a priority for them.

As a marketplace, we curate brands with different sustainability initiatives. From our end, a significant step has been transitioning to environmentally friendly packaging, a practice we have maintained for years. We recognise that sustainability will continue to gain importance for both brands on our platform and our operations as a whole

There are multiple platforms catering to Gen Z fashion. How is Myntra FWD positioning itself differently, and what marketing strategies have helped it stand out?

We’ve identified three key differentiators for Gen Z:

1. Being trend-first: Unlike traditional fashion, which is brand-led, Gen Z prioritizes trends. Trends emerge in real-time — whether from a new show like Emily in Paris or a Beyoncé music video. Our focus is on continuously curating and refreshing our selection based on real-time trends.

2. Immersive shopping experiences: Gen Z is highly visual and video-driven. Our catalogue visuals resemble Instagram posts rather than standard studio-shot images. We also incorporate more video-based shopping experiences.

3. Community-driven engagement: Programs like "Ultimate Glam Clan" empower users to participate in fashion conversations, making shopping more interactive and community-centric.

Are there any emerging trends or technologies — like AI, AR, the Metaverse, or live shopping — that you see playing a bigger role in engaging Gen Z?

Absolutely. Gen Z is deeply engaged with digital experiences, and emerging technologies are playing a significant role in shaping how they interact with brands. At Myntra, AI has been a game-changer, especially in enabling hyper-personalisation. We use AI-powered recommendation engines to enhance product discovery and create a tailored shopping experience based on individual preferences, past purchases, and browsing behaviour.

Live shopping is another trend that has seen rapid adoption. With the rise of social commerce, interactive and influencer-driven shopping formats are gaining traction. Myntra’s M-Live has been instrumental in making shopping more engaging by integrating content, entertainment, and commerce in real-time. These live shopping experiences, often hosted by influencers and fashion experts, allow for direct interaction with customers, making the process more immersive and dynamic.

Augmented Reality (AR) is also playing an increasing role in bridging the gap between online and offline shopping. Features like virtual try-ons and 3D product previews enhance customer confidence in their purchase decisions.

As for the Metaverse, while it remains in an exploratory phase, we are closely monitoring developments to understand how digital fashion and virtual shopping environments could evolve in the future.

What are some key short-term and long-term marketing goals for Myntra?

In the short term, our focus is on enhancing engagement with Gen Z by leveraging personalisation, influencer collaborations, and live shopping experiences. Our efforts are geared towards making shopping more interactive and community-driven, ensuring that our platform remains the preferred destination for fashion-conscious young consumers.

Expanding our brand portfolio is another priority. Myntra continues to onboard new premium and international brands, catering to the growing demand for diverse and high-quality fashion choices.

On the long-term front, Myntra aims to be at the forefront of tech-driven fashion commerce. We are continuously innovating to improve personalisation and customer experience, using AI to refine recommendations and engagement strategies. Additionally, we are committed to making sustainability a core pillar of our business, working towards expanding our selection of eco-friendly brands and responsible fashion choices.

Our broader vision is to strengthen Myntra’s leadership in the Indian fashion and lifestyle market by staying ahead of evolving consumer trends and providing a seamless, digitally-driven shopping experience.