Zomato: Current Developments and Challenges

Backlash for T-shirt Color Differentiation:

• Faced criticism for differentiating delivery partners’ uniforms based on religion.
• Sparked a debate on social media about religious discrimination and inclusivity.
• Sustainability Initiatives:
• Actively working on reducing plastic waste.
• Encouraging the use of eco-friendly packaging among restaurant partners.

Expansion of Hyperpure:

• Hyperpure, a B2B initiative supplying fresh ingredients to restaurants, expanding to more cities in India.
• Investment in Startups:
• Investing in various food tech startups to diversify its portfolio.
• Aiming to improve technological infrastructure.

Swiggy: Expansion and Innovation

Dineout Acquisition:

• Acquired Dineout, a dining-out and restaurant tech platform.
• Expanding services beyond food delivery into the dining out sector.

Swiggy Instamart Expansion:

• Aggressively expanding grocery delivery service, Swiggy Instamart.
• Aiming to capture a larger share of the quick commerce market.

Focus on Sustainability:

• Emphasizing sustainable practices, such as biodegradable packaging.
• Reducing carbon footprint through electric delivery vehicles.

New Funding Round:

• Raised significant funds in the latest funding round.
• Boosting valuation and enabling further expansion and innovation.

MakeMyTrip: Adapting to the New Normal

Partnership with Airlines:

• Partnered with various airlines for exclusive deals and loyalty programs.
• Enhancing the travel booking experience.

Focus on Domestic Tourism:

• Promoting domestic tourism through campaigns and partnerships with state tourism boards.

Sustainability Efforts:

• Promoting eco-friendly travel options and sustainable tourism practices.
• Encouraging travellers to choose greener options.

Technology Integration:

• Integrating advanced technologies like AI and machine learning.
• Offering personalized travel recommendations and enhancing user experience.

Zomato

Viral Billboard Ad: Zomato’s creative billboard ad campaign recently went viral on social media. The campaign featured humorous and relatable messages that resonated with a wide audience. One notable billboard used the line, “Trend mangoge trend denge,” which translates to “Ask for a trend, and we will give you a trend.” This campaign played off a popular meme and was widely shared and appreciated for its wit and relatability. The ad series quickly became a topical trend with other brands joining in with their versions, further amplifying its reach and impact​​.

Backlash and Response: Zomato faced backlash for introducing a ‘PURE veg’ service with delivery partners wearing green uniforms to signify they only handled vegetarian orders. This move was criticized for potentially fostering religious and dietary segregation. Following the backlash, Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal announced a change, stating that all delivery partners, whether handling vegetarian or non-vegetarian orders, would wear the company’s traditional red uniforms to avoid any physical segregation​.

Swiggy

Viral Fake Ad: A sarcastic ad that mocked Zomato’s ‘PURE veg’ service went viral, despite being unofficial and not created by Swiggy. The ad titled “Eviction-safe food delivery” implied that Swiggy’s delivery fleet wouldn’t reveal customers’ dietary habits, thus avoiding potential discrimination. Swiggy quickly distanced itself from the ad, clarifying on social media that it was not an official advertisement and was created by a third party. This incident generated significant discussion online and highlighted the sensitivity around marketing strategies in the food delivery industry​​​.