Social media has spawned a bunch of unusual ‘viral’ sensations who are now being used by brands to strengthen their connections with younger audiences.
Names like Ganji Chudail, Puneet Superstar, Vadapav Girl and Dolly Chaiwala have caught brands’ fancy, despite them creating bizarre content through memes and reels, and having short shelf-lives—as short as a few weeks, experts say.
For consumer firms, even this short-term attention is a marketing opportunity. So, when Ganji chudail, a cartoon green, bald witch, became viral on social media with people making memes and reels and imitating it, brands like Swiggy, Netflix and, recently, Nykaa leveraged it to draw engagement from younger audiences on social media.
Amiya Swarup, partner, marketing advisory at consulting firm Ernst & Young L.L.P., said internet sensations are proving to be valuable for brands despite their fleeting relevance.
“These personalities offer brands a short but intense burst of visibility, making them irresistible for marketers looking to tap into the rapid-fire world of online trends,” he said. “While their fame may fade quickly, their viral moments generate unmatched engagement levels.”
The brands’ motive, while marketing with the likes of Ganji Chudail, is not just to drive sales but also to grab eyeballs and create a buzz.
Abhishek Shetty, marketing lead at Swiggy Instamart, said that beyond visibility, these campaigns generate conversations and not just transactions, which is key to deepening connections with customers.
“In new-age marketing, the platform and context of the message are far more important than the longevity of an individual influencer’s fame,” Shetty said, emphasizing that the company’s goal, while working with these internet sensations, is to integrate them into a broader campaign that lives across multiple platforms, reinforcing the message and creating a more enduring impact.
Nykaa and Netflix did not respond to Mint’s queries till press time.
Other instant social media sensations include Puneet superstar, whose real name is Prakash Kumar and who is known for his outrageous and loud rants and reactions. Chandrika Gera Dixit, known as the Vadapav Girl, went viral for running a vada pav stall. And Dolly Chaiwala, or Sunil Patil, who served tea to Bill Gates at his tea stall in Nagpur without knowing his identity. They didn't respond to Mint's queries during press time.
Experts point out that such social media phenomenon may not fit all brands, especially high-end luxury brands.
“Each brand has its own perceived value to take care of,” said Jagdeep Kapoor, managing director of integrated and marketing strategy firm Samsika Marketing Consultants. “A Ganji chudail might not be a right fit for all brands, especially luxury or traditional brands.”
The fall of the meme characters is as quick as their rise is. It's like a spike—when they grow, they garner attention and big-ticket campaigns, but ultimately vanish into obscurity or do outrageous things to stay relevant.
This is unlike the natural growth curve that influencers who grow naturally see with a steady rise, a sustained peak, and a gradual, eventual slide to irrelevance.
“People are trying to create such memes and sensations that can bust the internet every day, but only a few of those suddenly take off to that scale,” said Sumanto Chattopadhyay, an independent creative consultant and former chairman of 82.5 Communications, Ogilvy group. “Ultimately, these things are self-destructive, like a rubber band that stretches on social media for a while until it snaps and becomes irrelevant.”
However, Ganji Chudail’s creator, animation company Majedar Kahani, says the cartoon nature of the influencer would help sustain its growth.
“We can maintain a character’s peak period and sustain it for long, unlike other creators,” said Shriram Panchal, lead of operations at Majedar Kahani. “We continuously monitor the progress of our characters closely to understand what works well with the audience and modify our characters accordingly. We can also introduce new characters whenever needed.”
