To promote its Big Billion Days 2026 sale, Flipkart-owned Cleartrip has taken a playful route. It issued front-page “apologies” to Swiggy and Zomato for the employees who might take leave and head off on a holiday. The Apology to Brands campaign ran in The Economic Times (Bengaluru edition) and The Gurgaon Times on October 10.
The ads never name the brands outright. Colour does the talking instead, with an orange backdrop for one and red for the other. One ad addresses the team that delivers three biryanis every second and regrets that only three people may show up at the office next week. Another warns that an entire office could soon be empty, and says the blame lies with Cleartrip, not the chief of staff.
The idea itself is familiar. When travel deals are too good to resist, employees are tempted to switch off from work. Cleartrip’s twist is to wrap that truth in a cheeky, very public apology that gets readers smiling on the front page.
The timing also helps. As India’s festive shopping season gathers pace, Redseer estimates that e-commerce platforms recorded around Rs 24,000 crore in GMV during the first two days of the 2026 festive sales. That figure rests on roughly 8-9 crore orders across marketplaces including Amazon, Flipkart, Meesho and Ajio. By joining that conversation, Cleartrip reminds consumers that festive deals are not only about shopping. They are also a chance to plan a getaway.
