Zomato turns 16: Food delivery giant posts hilarious ad campaign; Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma reacts

Zomato, the food delivery platform often associated with India's urban elite, has thrown everyone a delightful curveball with its latest advertisement celebrating its 16th anniversary. Residents of Delhi NCR woke up to a full-page Zomato ad in a leading newspaper, but this was no ordinary marketing campaign. Instead, the brand opted for a dose of self-deprecating humour by mimicking the style of Indian political billboards.

Taking centre stage was a larger-than-life photograph of Zomato founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal, flanked by smaller images of other C-suite executives. The accompanying text, written in Hindi, read: “16th janamdin par aap sabhi ko apna pyar barsane ke liye koti koti dhanyavaad (On our 16th birthday, a big thanks to all of you for showering us with love).”

Adding to the humour, Goyal's image was captioned "Company Pramukh," a playful nod to the often-used term in political campaigns. The ad concluded with a sweet deal for customers, inviting them to join the birthday celebrations with a special offer on Zomato Gold memberships.

The advertisement quickly went viral, garnering praise for its creativity and self-awareness. Paytm CEO Vijay Shekhar Sharma joined the chorus of appreciation, sharing a picture of the ad on X (formerly Twitter) with a message for Goyal and team: “On the 16th birthday of Zomato, heartiest congratulations to chief executive Mr. Deepinder ji and all the members of his team! May God always grant us such praiseworthy advertisements.”

Zomato's journey began in 2008 as FoodieBay, founded by Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah. Since then, it has evolved into a food delivery behemoth, connecting millions of users with restaurants across over 1,000 cities in India and expanding its reach internationally.