Paytm ropes in Kokilaben to raise awareness against fraudsters

New Paytm campaign features a fiery Kokilaben explaining how not to fall for fraudsters calling in to help with expired KYCs.

When a brand leverages a meme trend for a topical post, there is a lot at stake. Hashtag searches show their post placed next to jokes, which may or may not be in good spirit, and they almost always risk receiving flak from consumers. However, when done right, they are able to create conversations that stay with the consumers for a long time. Paytm is one of the most recent examples for whom the risk seems to have paid off well.

Responding to the Rasode Mein Kaun Tha trend, Paytm has roped in Saath Nibhana Saathiya's Kokilaben (Rupal Patel) for a campaign. In the video, she can be seen raising awareness against fraudsters, talking to viewers in her own unique style. Certain keywords and phrases that became famous with Yashraj Mukhate's rendition of a scene featuring her, like 'kaun tha' and 'chaddha diya' have been used for effect.

Also Read: Lucky aunty to be a swag star in Pepsi campaign

Speaking on the campaign, Abhinav Kumar, Vice President at Paytm said, "A brand's long-term resilience and recall lies in adaptability and staying in tune with the current trends. Rupal's popularity has soared after musician Yashraj Mukhate turned a scene from her previous show into a song that was widely liked and shared on social media. It made sense for us to capitalize on the ongoing trend. We knew she would be effective in delivering an important public service message, in a manner that is not only understood but also liked and shared by our users."

In earlier instances of brands leveraging a viral person-related trend to create campaigns, Pepsi had come up with one featuring Charulata Patel aka Lucky Aunty. Dancing Uncle had been roped in by Bajaj Allianz and later DSP Mutual Funds for their respective campaigns. Pringles had created one featuring Priya Prakash Varrier and her infamous wink. Clearly, this is a tried and tested way. So as long as the brand fits.