Great one Zepto, "Make Soan Papdi Great Again" Campaign

In a world filled with overstimulation, overexposure, and Deja vu, I had to be triggered off my Sunday slumber to write this piece. This campaign shook me up!

In India, everything is a status symbol including sweets. Once Padma, my wife hesitatingly asked me, what is your favorite, "sweet?".  Without batting an eyelid, I answered "Ravaladdu". Padma watched me with a wide-open mouth. She was astonished "Ravaladdu?". 

She expected that my answer would be Ajmer Kalakand, Kaju Katli, Badam roll, dry fruit laddu, Matka rasagulla, or something costly and exotic. She sheepishly told me that her favorite was an equally humble sweet, "Jilebi". 

I could never understand how sweets could even become status symbols. I worked in a country where eating sweets was considered a sissy (girlish) habit. There are no sweet shops in entire Ethiopia!!

I am puzzled why Soan Papdi is the Butt of all jokes when it comes to sweets. It is not preferred and is among the least-liked sweets. It is rarely gifted during the festivals and even if gifted, is rarely consumed and the lovely Soan Papdi hardens into lumps and finally is thrown into the dustbin. 

What a pity. This mouthwatering sweet that is easy to eat, and ridicule is actually quite tough to prepare. It needs great muscle power to prepare Soan Papdi. It does not create a mess like the syrupy Gulab Jamoon or the Rasagulla. 

Thus it is heartening to see Zepto partner with a Soan Papdi maker to run the,  “Make Soan Papdi Great Again” campaign  

This festival season with every delivery,  Zepto customers would receive a free box of Soan Papdi and stand a chance to win prizes worth 5 crore rupees. 

Brilliant campaign Zepto!! You have hit the bull’s eye. This one resonates. Triple whammy I would Say. Firstly Zepto is giving a sweet box and receiving a sweet box is considered auspicious, secondly as the sweet is Soan Papdi, Zepto would get a great deal as it is a generic promotion for the product.

The cost of Soan Papdi is reasonable and Zepto would not have to burn a hole in its pocket to get huge quantities. The well-known Soan Papdi makers would give their Soan Papdi free to get favourable word-of-mouth publicity and to garner eyeballs. 

Thirdly as there is a chance to win Rs 5 crore worth of prizes many customers would switch to Zepto for their parcel deliveries. Great way to go Zepto,  a man biting a dog campaign.

update 23-10-2024

My Cousin Mrs. Vasundhara Nanjappa from Bangalore sent a WhatsApp message saying that 100 grams of Soan Papdi was given. Karachi Bakery a Hyderabad based company has tied up with Zepto for the supply of Soan Papdi. Thanks for the update.