Shopsy turns trendy with Ayushmann Khurrana for young male shoppers

Shopsy by Flipkart, a hyper-value e-commerce platform, has rolled out a TVC for its latest campaign, titled ‘Aaj Shopsy Kiya Kya?’, starring Ayushmann Khurrana. While the brand has always catered to women’s preferences for kurtis, sarees, tops and more, this particular campaign marks a shift towards a new audience.

“This time around, we are engaging with a younger male audience (25 and above), who predominantly shop for fashion essentials like T-shirts, shoes and shirts from us,” says Madhuvanthi Ananth, head of marketing and growth, Shopsy.

She points out that while everyone talks about fashion, no one addresses fashion at a lower price point, especially for men. Shopsy is now extending its reach to a new audience with a fresh perspective.

The campaign is created and conceptualised by Talented, and reinforces Shopsy’s commitment to fulfilling the value-seeking consumers’ dream of buying fashionable products within their budget.

Speaking about consumer insights, Ananth mentions, “Our conversations with customers highlighted a recurring desire for validation in their choices. This has nuanced implications. Usually, validating a woman’s choice brings happiness, while for men, it’s about confirming both their style and smart spending.”

“Some of our consumers openly shared their preferences. The younger demographic places value on aesthetics, whereas older individuals prioritise financial prudence, aligning with their savings and financial objectives. They assess cost-effectiveness before opting for a prudent decision. This distinction in validation preferences - women in one context and men particularly in terms of financial acumen - finds its spotlight in this campaign,” she adds.

The film features a young woman chatting with her aunt (‘chachi’) at a bus stop, as Khurrana enters the frame. The woman is mesmerised by his style, while her aunt quickly brushes it off, saying that he must have spent an entire month’s salary to look this chic. Khurrana then shows the Shopsy app to the aunt and says that he bought his shoes for just Rs 50!

The aunt is taken aback at the price and exclaims in disbelief. Khurrana then points to a larger-than-life phone beside him to say that Shopsy has value-based deals on not just shoes and shirts, but sarees and kurtis too.

The film concludes with the woman and her aunt sitting at the bus stop, the latter still in awe of the price, and Khurrana holding a glass of water to calm her down.

“Based on the deep understanding of our customers, Shopsy’s new campaign communicates that style and affordability can go hand in hand. By partnering with Khurrana, one of Bollywood’s most celebrated stars, we aim to further strengthen our commitment to provide budget-friendly styles and variety,” Ananth shares.

Last year, the brand had unveiled a TVC for the ‘Aaj Shopsy Kiya Kya?’ campaign, featuring Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan. The TVC was built on the insight that in Indian families, parents tend to get annoyed when their children spend a lot of money on shopping. The campaign showed how online shopping on Shopsy is affordable and can actually give you better value across multiple categories such as kurtis, sarees, watches, etc.

“We brought Khurrana onboard as we wanted to connect with our male audience through a male protagonist,” explains Ananth.

What’s new about this campaign is that it has a lyrical tone.

Ananth states, “This time around, we thought of doing something different and also not lose sight of what Shopsy had been doing all this while, i.e. a bit of quirk, humour. By experimenting with a lyrical tone, we aimed to gauge whether it could effectively captivate the audience’s attention.”

The campaign is TV-heavy, and will be running across all languages in India.

Launched in mid-2021, Shopsy is a B2C offering from Flipkart that aims to encourage local entrepreneurship. It claims to be a zero-commission marketplace that sells a range of products - fashion, beauty, electronics, home decor and more.

Shopsy’s product portfolio is below the price point of Rs 200. In this campaign, we see products priced for as low as Rs 25.

How does the pricing work for the brand?

“Rs 25 and Rs 50 products are for first-time users. Since our TG includes those new on e-comm platforms, we have to lower the barrier for customers. If new users are able to experience the entire e-comm platform at a price point of as low as Rs 50, then that’s what actually builds trust. We maintain an average selling price of Rs 200.”

Shoppers across Tier-II/III regions play a big part for the brand. Recently, it celebrated two years of delivering value across Tier-II/III regions. It surpassed a milestone of 200 million app downloads. During the second edition of its ‘Mega Anniversary Sale’, the platform witnessed a 2x uptick in units sold, of which sarees, men’s T-shirts and kurtis were the most shopped products.

Shopsy has observed that 60% of the demand comes from Tier-III regions, and millennials have contributed significantly to the demand over the last two years. Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal have emerged as the top three markets for the brand.

Ananth shares, “Looking beyond demographics, the key is understanding what new customers seek in an e-comm platform. Building trust is essential, so that they can return for more purchases. Whether our customers are in Sarjapura, Bengaluru, or Tamil Nadu, their shared concern is making the right choice. Shopsy guarantees quality and reassures a satisfying experience.”

“The needs of customer vary. Men focus on fashion and smart shopping, while women prioritise family and value for money. The versatility of Shopsy serves this intricate landscape, addressing a range of requirements. Thus, the perspective transcends mere demographics,” she adds.

As per the brand, a wide range of products across attractive price bands, the ‘trusted’ Flipkart brand, and innovative and customer-friendly features such as voice and image search, vernacular interface and, most importantly, AI-driven chatbots, have been instrumental in fueling this adoption.