How this video with ~10mn+ views was created

Observation: 2021 - Along with medical staff, delivery people were a lifeline to Indians in the throes of the pandemic.

Insight: Amidst the chaos of the pandemic, they unintentionally became thankless heroes; hidden behind masks, barely acknowledged through unopened doors.

Despite an incredibly tight timeline (think 10 days from brief to go-live) and strict covid regulations (a producer’s nightmare), this simple insight was the seed that grew one of Flipkart’s most shared videos. Here’s what it took to create it:

TRUST

From the CMO, to the Head of Brand, to the agency and the production house – this film is a great example of what happens when people trust one another and their own capabilities.

The agency was able to create a script that captured the pulse of the audience beautifully. They accepted feedback when reasonable and pushed back with justification when required. The production house was able to stand their ground on decisions (such as the soundtrack) when they truly believed they knew what would work better than the brand managers did.

Most importantly, everyone trusted that all of India would resonate and show gratitude for the unsung heroes of the pandemic.

Takeaway – Choose to work with people who know what they’re doing and then trust that they do.

CONTEXT

Call it trend jacking or moment marketing, context can either make a break a piece of content. A brand getting involved in a moment that has nothing to do with them with an unthought-through creative can destroy them. When done right, though, the context or situation is what can make a piece really travel too.

Takeaway – You don’t have to talk about everything. But when the context applies, go all in.

INSIGHTFUL DETAILS

0.04 – Delivery people are often women too

0.10 – They manage their personal lives and professional lives simultaneously

0.26 – On practically empty streets across the country, they were the few to be seen

0.32 – Getting to customers required crossing several police checkpoints and justifying their job

0.40 – Most often, they were unseen as people asked them to leave packages at doorsteps

0.56 – For many, life continued online. But many of these ‘online’ experiences stood on the grounds of some very offline deliveries.

1.09 – When a heavy package comes to your door, it’s easy to forget that someone carried it there

2.10 – Most delivery people didn’t even have their face seen by a customer, leave alone a ‘thank you’

2.25 – Delivery people deliver more than joy

Takeaway – every second of attention is earned. Earn it.