Swiggy Instamart’s Mother’s Day ad wants you to add yourself to the cart

Swiggy Instamart's latest Mother's Day advertisement has taken the concept of gift delivery to an entirely new dimension. Known for its lightning-fast delivery of everyday essentials, the quick commerce platform now suggests that the best item you could possibly add to your cart is... yourself.

The charming advert opens with a woman browsing through Instamart's virtual shelves when she encounters an unexpected prompt to "add yourself to cart". Intrigued by this curious option, she taps it—only to find a delivery partner materialising beside her, ready to transport her like any other parcel.

What follows is a montage featuring the woman being carted about town on the back of a delivery scooter, strapped in like an Instamart. The bewildered reactions of passers-by add to the comedic effect as she's whisked through traffic junctions and narrow lanes to her final destination—her mother's waiting arms.

"Your mother's biggest gift is you, so add yourself to the cart and get delivered," declares the advert in its closing moments, delivering its message with a generous dash of whimsy.

Beyond the laughs, there appears to be substance behind the silliness. The campaign reportedly includes a contest where lucky winners will receive a sponsored journey home courtesy of Instamart—though presumably through more conventional modes of transport than being strapped to a delivery executive's scooter.

This represents something of a departure from last year's Mother's Day effort, which highlighted Instamart's speedy 10-minute delivery service alongside a catalogue of potential gifts for mums.

While the brand hasn't abandoned its swift delivery proposition entirely, this year's approach places mothers themselves at the heart of the message.

The campaign marks a refreshing twist in Instamart's communications strategy, which has traditionally focused on showcasing product variety. Recent months have seen the platform release numerous advertisements highlighting everything from skincare to electronics, gifting essentials and festive must-haves.

This Mother's Day pivot comes amidst encouraging signs for the quick commerce sector as a whole.

According to recent industry reports, daily average orders across the top three quick commerce platforms have surged to approximately 4.5 million in March, more than doubling from around 2.2 million orders in the same period last year.

While Blinkit dominates the market, delivering approximately 1.7-1.8 million daily orders, Zepto manages approximately 1.5 million, and Swiggy Instamart holds its own with about 1-1.1 million orders delivered daily.

Together, these three firms command over 85% of all quick commerce transactions.

As the sector continues to flourish, one can only wonder what other unconventional delivery concepts Swiggy Instamart might conjure up next.

In the meantime, if you notice any unusually large parcels being ferried around your neighbourhood this Mother's Day, it might just be someone's adult offspring being delivered home—the ultimate gift that no amount of 10-minute shopping can replace.