“This isn’t an advert. It’s a perception in effort over every little thing else.” That is how Zomato founder and CEO Deepinder Goyal describes on X (previously often known as Twitter) the meals supply app’s newest marketing campaign, Gas the Hustle, which the model has dropped not too long ago.
This is not an advert. It’s a perception in effort over every little thing else.
Every single day, thousands and thousands of Indians faucet ‘Place Order’ on @zomato in between their routines, tasks and desires. Some are constructing startups. Some are elevating children. Some are taking a break.
Completely different tales, one… pic.twitter.com/ObZ0XWJ7o8
— Deepinder Goyal (@deepigoyal) July 15, 2025
The movie, which has already been collab-tagged with Shah Rukh Khan’s official Instagram account, incorporates a greyscale montage showcasing a few of India’s most iconic figures: Shah Rukh Khan, AR Rahman, Mary Kom, and Jasprit Bumrah. Nonetheless, quite than specializing in meals supply, the advert shifts its emphasis to a philosophical message.
It flips the script from product to function
The advert poses a sequence of reflective questions: “What’s their secret ingredient?” “What’s their secret sauce to greatness?” “What do they know that others don’t?”
The movie intersperses grainy, throwback footage that includes Mary Kom in coaching, a youthful Bumrah bowling in isolation, Rahman throughout his early studio days, and Khan in his struggling years.
One clip highlights an outdated interview with Khan, the place he says, “Koi khaas baat hona jaruri nahi hai apne aap mai… aap aam raho, mehenat karo toh khaas baat khudh hojaigi.” (The anomaly of the minimize speaks louder than something he would possibly’ve stated subsequent).
The narration continues: “They know the style of sweat. The salt of tears… . They know what it takes, the retakes, and the errors.”
Then comes the twist: “The reality is, they’re similar to you and me. Possibly there isn’t a secret recipe. They only wished it extra.”
The movie ends with its key message: “The key ingredient is hustle. Gas to your hustle.”
There’s no app plug, no order immediate, no meals visuals; only a flash of the Zomato emblem and a closing title card: The key ingredient is hustle. Gas the Hustle | Zomato
Not promoting meals — promoting mindset?
Zomato appears to be present process a story shift from utility to ideology. Gas the Hustle is much less of a industrial and extra of a manifesto. It glorifies the grind, pays homage to effort, and subtly aligns Zomato because the behind-the-scenes enabler of ambition.
The basic positioning was “Order meals on-line,” however now it’s extra about saying, “We’re right here to your 2 a.m. edits, missed flights, or failed auditions.”
Is Zomato promoting perception now? What subsequent — a TEDxTalk powered by ‘Mother’s paratha and hustle’?
This isn’t an advert,
However It’s being pushed as an advert :v pic.twitter.com/mSJR6bi2XG— Uphar Dutta (@DuttaUphar) July 15, 2025
The web is questioning: If it isn’t an commercial, why is it being promoted as one?
Social media, particularly Instagram and X, is flooded with commentary, half awe, half evaluation. Whereas many praised the star energy, craft, and cinematic tone, others questioned the positioning.
A consumer in contrast the advert with Apple’s Loopy Ones: “This is sort of a low cost model of the Loopy Ones advert by Apple.
One other consumer questioned the marketing campaign’s finances, suggesting that as an alternative of roping in a number of celebrities, Zomato may have redirected the spend in the direction of its supply companions.
The quantity spent on stars may hv been used for hardworking riders or affords for htlrs & make an advert on their struggles..nothing flawed with the Advert or stars. We hv seen their battle and rise. Service and High quality examine is Imp. SRK JB AR MK ROCKS. However cash spent should be in crs.
— Shilpa (@shilpais) July 15, 2025
A sample of emotional pivots
Zomato is not any stranger to sharp pivots in model storytelling.
2021: Zomato launched a heartfelt advert displaying a drenched supply companion within the rain — which, whereas extensively shared, was additionally criticised for romanticising gig work.
2022: The model adopted this with a marketing campaign titled Zomato Immediate, which once more confronted criticism for its unrealistic supply timelines and potential for burnout amongst supply personnel.
2023: Zomato vs Zomahto was a witty, self-referential marketing campaign that performed on the talk: ‘Zomato or Zomahto‘. That includes actor Ranveer Singh and cricketer Chris Gayle, the marketing campaign captured consideration by humour and generated widespread on-line conversations.
In the identical yr, the model launched Zomato On a regular basis with a deal with ghar jaisa khana, subtly addressing India’s rising health-conscious customers whereas pitting itself towards cloud kitchens.
2024: An IPL-driven advert was launched with Ranveer Singh, together with actors Samantha Ruth Prabhu and cricketer Cheteshwar Pujara, which leaned into hype, humour, and scale — a basic mass-market play.
Minimize to 2025: Gas the Hustle stands out from earlier campaigns. It’s essentially the most thought-provoking work the model has performed, and the truth that Goyal needed to make clear, “This isn’t an advert,” says lots.
Why now?
Zomato (now rebranded as Everlasting Ltd) reported a web revenue of Rs 175 crore in This fall FY24, marking its second consecutive worthwhile quarter and demonstrating momentum in its monetary turnaround. Whereas This fall FY25 noticed a year-on-year dip in revenue to Rs 39 crore, the corporate nonetheless delivered a full-year revenue of Rs 527 crore in FY25, up from Rs 351 crore in FY24, indicating stronger underlying fundamentals.
On the identical time, the corporate is aggressively increasing its premium and loyalty choices for Zomato Gold and Zomato Professional whereas doubling down on cloud kitchens and intercity supply.
These strikes replicate a broader technique to deepen engagement and diversify buyer worth propositions.
On this context, a marketing campaign like Gas the Hustle may serve a number of strategic features:
Employer Branding: As a cultural tone-setter to draw and retain prime expertise in a aggressive tech market.
Model Affinity: Positioning Zomato as greater than a transactional meals supply app—one which helps the on a regular basis hustle of its customers.
Comfortable Launchpad: Serving as a artistic platform or temper board for introducing future product extensions round wellness, hustle-fuel meals, or productivity-linked choices.
Written with the View : afaqs
