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Dunzo recounts its deeds during the lockdown
Through a six-minute-14-second ad, the delivery services company tells us how it got things done during those nightmarish few months.
"We will not let go of anybody. This is a tough time for everybody out there. This is the one time that you do want organisations to stand up next to the people who built those organisations," said Kabeer Biswas, CEO, Dunzo, to CNN-News18.
Biswas' words stand out when you look at the multitude of layoffs and firings across industries during the Coronavirus-induced lockdowns. After all, things weren't getting done so companies thought it’s best to let go off people to preserve resources and bank balances.
Dunzo has come out with a six-minute-14-second ad to explain how it got things done during lockdowns.
Right off the bat, the video illustrates the magnitude of change the virus, combined with the lockdowns, brought into our lives: social distancing, working from home, Zoom (video) calls, etc.
We're then told about how Dunzo decided to concentrate on 'safety' as the COVID numbers swelled in India. We see the delivery personnel equipped with the right safety gear, including the brand's mascots, Dunya and Hari U.P., who get into some slick animated moves and defeat the virus.
The next stage of Dunzo's efforts during lockdowns comes from its app. It offered to deliver nearly everything, including items from categories such as 'health and wellness', 'fruits and vegetables', 'daily grocery', 'pet supplies', etc., from 'any store in the city'.
It then illustrated the challenges faced by the customers and merchants during lockdowns. It was a harrowing time for everyone.
An interesting aspect of the ad is the mention of brands patting each others' backs, instead of going after each other. Cue in social media posts that include all the online delivery giants that evoke a 'Hum Saath Saath Hai' feel.
Throughout the ad, we learn what all Dunzo has done during lockdowns. Things such as delivering notebooks to children, free deliveries for senior citizens, milk deliveries for children, among other things.
We (afaqs!) had interviewed Sai Ganesh, marketing lead, Dunzo, in June where he'd told us about the brand's social media game, which was one its USPs during lockdowns.
"When consumers look at brands, they’re looking to see positive news and they have a strong bullshit radar. They know when a brand is just trying to sell itself, or stay relevant to current times. What we look at is creating content that people want to see. This includes posts on trending topics, moment marketing, etc. We started a trend where we were congratulating partners from Swiggy, Zomato, Amazon, PharmEasy, etc. People want to see brands and other people helping others at this time."