Ahead of Valentine’s Day, Instamart launched Phools in Love, a digital-first campaign centred on a public installation in Bandra, Mumbai. The activation featured two oversized sunflowers placed on a bench, inviting passersby to pause, sit and interpret the scene-without any explanation.
Link: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DUYVc_gEj08/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
Inspired by a classic Bollywood visual trope-where flowers often symbolised unspoken romance-the installation relied on subtlety rather than direct messaging. The idea was to observe how people across age groups responded to an ambiguous romantic cue rooted in nostalgia.
The resulting film captures spontaneous reactions from couples, families, children and solo visitors, weaving together humour, imagination and generational perspectives. Within 12 hours of release, the video garnered nearly four million views, indicating strong online traction.
Participants were surprised with Valentine’s Day-themed gifts-including flowers, chocolates and small tokens-delivered immediately after their interaction. The brand presence remained understated, with the narrative focused primarily on authentic, unscripted responses.
Mayur Hola, Head of Brand at Swiggy, said the campaign draws on India’s long-standing tradition of expressing romance through suggestion rather than overt declarations. He added that Instamart’s role was to ensure that meaningful gestures could be delivered instantly when the moment called for it.
The film forms part of Instamart’s broader Valentine’s Day initiative, which also includes curated, limited-edition gift assortments built around unconventional and personalised combinations, reinforcing the brand’s positioning around timely, thoughtful delivery.
