Flipkart's latest promotional video for its Big Billion Days sale has stirred controversy for its portrayal of relationships and its use of humour. The animated ad, which features a woman hiding her shopping spree from her husband, quickly sparked negative reactions for its offensive content.
The video uses popular meme formats, presenting quirky storage solutions with lighthearted commentary. However, it crosses a line when the female character refers to her husband with derogatory terms, while creating a secret space for her new "special friend."
Here's the ad in question:
Despite the company’s intent to tap into the viral trend of meme-inspired videos, the response from viewers has been largely critical. Many found the portrayal of the husband as "Aalsi" (lazy), "Kambakkht" (worthless), and "Bewakoof Pati" (dumb husband) to be problematic.
The NCMIndia Council for Men Affairs, an advocacy group for equal rights, condemned the ad, calling it harmful and demanding an apology from the company. It argued that such content reinforces negative stereotypes and fosters toxic perceptions in relationships.
What Was Flipkart's Response?
After receiving backlash, Flipkart removed the video and issued a public apology on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "We’re sorry for the offending video which was posted in error, and took it down as soon as we realised our mistake. We will do better in the future"
While using memes in marketing has gained popularity, Flipkart's attempt to engage in this trend seems to have missed the mark, leading to calls for more thoughtful advertising strategies.