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Diwali ads on Blinkit and Zepto tell us one key thing: at the moment when shoppers are ready to buy, performance marketing is the winner. The secret is this – a sharp, eye-catching Diwali ad flashed on an app where the product can be shipped fast, right when the customer is about to pull the trigger.
But that doesn’t necessarily mean throwing more money at it, since festive ad prices go up 30% to 40% on these apps. So the ones that come out on top are the ones with the right stock, the right margins, and a creative that really fits in.
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Key Takeaways
- Intent Beats Reach – Quick-commerce ads work as bottom-funnel inventory.
- Quick commerce is a media channel – Ad spend hit ₹4,000 crore in 2025.
- Culture converts – Humour-led campaigns drive shares.
- Small-ticket gifts win – Under ₹500, 3x to 5x better conversion.
- Diwali costs more – Premium placements up 30% to 40%.
- Stock matters – Out-of-stock SKUs waste ad spend.
- Start early – Launch festive campaigns 2 to 3 months ahead.
What is the Main Lesson from Diwali Ads on Blinkit and Zepto?
Buying intent now lives inside the app. Shoppers on Blinkit and Zepto are not browsing for inspiration as well. They need sweets, gifts, décor or puja items right away.
Redseer describes quick commerce as becoming the default for impulse-driven festive gifting. It notes that its growth stayed above 120% through the season with no separate festive spike.
This changes the job for performance marketers. In-app search slots, sponsored listings and category banners deserve a place in the core media plan, right beside Google and Meta.
How Big Was Quick Commerce During Diwali 2025?
Big enough that ignoring it became expensive. Here are the numbers that matter:
| Metric | Figure | Source |
| Festive e-commerce GMV | ₹1.15 lakh crore+, up 20–25% | Redseer |
| Quick commerce share of festive e-commerce GMV | About 10%, up from about 5% | Redseer estimate |
| Quick commerce order-volume surge | About 120% | Unicommerce |
| Blinkit daily orders, Diwali week | About 30 lakh | Reported (Moneycontrol) |
| Zepto daily orders, 18–20 Oct 2025 | 20.1 lakh, 23.7 lakh and 21.3 lakh | Zepto (company-stated) |
| Swiggy Instamart daily orders | About 14.4 lakh | Reported (Moneycontrol) |
| Quick commerce ad spend | ₹1,325 crore (2024) to ₹4,000 crore (2025) | Pitch Madison Advertising Report |
| Zepto advertising revenue | ₹651 crore (FY25) to ₹1,636 crore (FY26) | Zepto’s updated DRHP |
Order figures for Zepto come from the company itself, so treat them as self-reported.
How Did Quick Commerce Change the Festive Funnel?
It squeezed days of browsing into minutes of deciding. A reel or WhatsApp forward sparks the idea, and the purchase happens inside the app almost immediately.
Blinkit even brands itself “India’s Last Minute App”. This tells you exactly which moment it wants to own.
| Dimension | Traditional E-commerce Funnel | Quick Commerce Funnel |
| Decision window | Days of browsing and comparison | Minutes; “I need it today” |
| Where intent starts | Marketplace search, brand sites, ads | Social or WhatsApp spark, then in-app search |
| Key metrics | Impressions, CTR, CPC, ROAS | In-app search share, add-to-cart rate, conversion, contribution margin |
| Creative focus | Brand storytelling | Utility, a clear offer and a cultural hook |
| Inventory | Wide assortment | Curated festive SKUs, small packs, gifting bundles |
Timing really does matter too. On average order values tend to rise 8% to 10% in the week of Diwali. And as it happens Instamart saw a crazy five-fold jump in gold and silver coin sales on the day of Dhanteras.
It is a simple fact – the demand on these apps surges around the time of gifting and ritual buying, not just when people are browsing.
Which Diwali Ads Worked Best on Blinkit and Zepto?
Three patterns stood out in 2025.
- Zepto’s Mithai Wars (10 to 14 October)
In partnership with Haldiram’s, every order came with a mystery mithai box, and customers “voted” for their favourite sweet. The idea made the delivery itself the campaign.
- Instamart’s Dhanteras push
Their whole “Sona Kitna Sona Hai” campaign tied together a cultural moment of celebration with the idea of a purchase that could be done in minutes – and was basically begging to be bought.
- Co-branded festive drops
Brands like boAt and FabIndia joined forces with Blinkit to create co-branded Diwali drops. This used a really eye-catching app redesign, push notifications and homepage banners to get people engaged in their city.
The thread that ran through all of these campaigns is simple: the creative and the offer are the same single thing. You could use humour or tie in a ritual. But either way the product had to be one click away.
Which Performance Metrics Matter Most?
We need to track the whole journey from when folks see you to when you finally make a profit – not just clicks.
| Metric | Why it matters |
| In-app search share | Shows whether you appear when shoppers type festive keywords |
| Sponsored listing CTR and add-to-cart rate | Measures intent, not just attention |
| ROAS | Redseer figures cited in Zepto’s filing mention 5x to 8x, but treat that as a ceiling, not a promise |
| Contribution margin | Reveals profit after platform margin, logistics and inflated festive ad rates |
| Availability and fill rate | Protects spend from stock-outs |
| Incrementality | Checks whether ads create new sales or just claim organic ones |
Costs deserve special attention. Storyboard18 reported premium placements running 30% to 40% above normal in the Diwali weeks. Zepto alone had 2,468 advertising brand partners in FY26, so auctions are crowded.
How Should Brands Plan Their Quick Commerce Festive Strategy?
Work backwards from the festival. Diwali 2026 falls on 8 November. So the final stretch is already here.
| Planning window | Priority |
| 8–12 weeks out | Lock festive SKUs, small packs and creatives; raise purchase orders |
| 4–6 weeks out | Run teasers on social; go live with listings; test bids and keywords |
| Final 2 weeks | Scale winning creatives; check stock daily; shift budget to peak hours |
| Diwali week | Push gifting, last-minute and puja bundles |
| After Diwali | Compare incremental sales and margin by SKU and city |
Three habits separate strong campaigns from wasteful ones:
- Build for the app
Design festive bundles and small packs for impulse and gifting, and keep prices easy to say yes to.
- Run two creative sets
Use story-led content on social and offer-first banners in retail media.
- Budget from margin
Set bids from contribution margin, not from platform ROAS promises.
Looking ahead, a report cited by Storyboard18 projects festive quick commerce GMV to grow 110% to 120% in 2026, against 16% to 18% for the rest of e-commerce.
Quick commerce is on track to capture nearly 18% of all the cash people spend on online shopping in the lead up to Diwali – up from about 11% last year.
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Conclusion
The bottom line with Diwali ads on Blinkit and Zepto is this – performance marketing is no longer just about reaching as many people as you can.
It is about showing up with an ad that feels right for India, an offer that’s ridiculously easy to accept, and actually having the stock there to back it up.
The brands that take quick-commerce as a proper performance channel and measure its success on margin and incrementality will be the ones who rake in the best returns this Diwali.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do Diwali ads on Blinkit and Zepto teach about performance marketing?
They show that performance now depends on capturing in-app intent with culturally relevant creatives, ready stock and fast delivery. Quick commerce ad spend reportedly rose from ₹1,325 crore in 2024 to ₹4,000 crore in 2025.
Which Diwali campaigns stood out on quick commerce?
Zepto’s Mithai Wars with Haldiram’s and Instamart’s “Sona Kitna Sona Hai” Dhanteras campaign drew attention. Both linked a cultural moment directly to a purchase.
What metrics should I track for quick commerce festive ads?
Track in-app search share, sponsored listing CTR, add-to-cart rate, ROAS, availability and contribution margin. Add incrementality tests to see whether ads create new sales.
How much do quick commerce ads cost during Diwali?
Storyboard18 reported premium placements running 30% to 40% above normal months in Diwali weeks. Exact rates differ by platform, category and city.
What ROAS can brands expect on quick commerce?
Redseer figures cited in Zepto’s filing mention a 5x to 8x range. Your results depend on margin, competition and stock, so treat it as a benchmark, not a guarantee.
When should brands start planning Diwali campaigns?
Leading brands start two to three months before the festival, locking SKUs, creatives and purchase orders early. Teasers and listings should go live four to six weeks out.
Is quick commerce better than marketplaces for festive gifting?
It depends on the use case. Quick commerce suits urgent, low-ticket gifting, while marketplaces still lead on planned, high-value purchases.
Which products sell best on quick commerce at Diwali?
Sweets, gifting items, décor, puja essentials and gold or silver coins see strong demand. LS Digital found quick commerce converts 3x to 5x better than marketplaces for items under ₹500.
How is quick commerce advertising different from Meta or Google?
Shoppers are already in a buying mindset, so ads sit closer to the purchase. Measurement also ties more directly to SKU-level sales and availability.
What risks should marketers watch in quick commerce?
Watch for rising festive ad rates, stock-outs, crowded auctions and dependence on a single platform. Always check profitability after platform margins and logistics.
