Selling Biryani with Memes
In a world of boring corporate ads, Zomato chose chaos. Instead of "Buy Now" buttons, they sent notifications like "Did you eat? Mom is asking."
This wasn't accidental. It was a calculated Brand Voice Strategy to lower Customer Acquisition Cost (CAC). By being "shareable," Zomato turned its users into free billboards.
The "Viral Loop" Funnel
Insight: High 'Top of Funnel' awareness reduces paid CAC.
The "Zomato Gold" Economics
Zomato Gold (now Gold/Pro) is a classic "Loss Leader." They lose margin on delivery to gain volume and habit formation.
Profitability: Gold vs. Non-Gold Order
Customer pays delivery. High margin.
Free delivery eats margin. But frequency is 3x higher.
The Strategy:
Zomato trades margin for frequency. A Gold user orders 10-15 times a month compared to 3-4 times for a regular user.
Revenue Engine (FY24)
Copywriter Challenge
It's Valentine's Day. Push notification open rates are highest at 5 PM. Choose the winning copy.
Blinkit Growth (GOV in ₹ Cr)
The Blinkit Gamble
In 2022, Zomato acquired Blinkit for ₹4,447 Cr when everyone said Quick Commerce was a bubble.
The Marketing Synergy: Zomato realized that food is a "want," but grocery is a "need." By acquiring Blinkit, they captured the customer's wallet for the entire day, not just dinner.
- Higher Frequency (Groceries > Food)
- Cross-selling Opportunities
- Efficient Last-Mile Logistics
Classroom Brainstorming
Q1: Brand Dilution?
Does Zomato's overly casual/funny tone hurt its image when serious service failures happen (e.g., late food)? Discuss the risks of a "funny" brand.
Q2: The Duopoly War
Swiggy focuses on "Utility/Convenience" branding. Zomato focuses on "Foodie/Emotion" branding. Which strategy wins long-term?