Table of Contents
Diwali quick-commerce campaigns show that Indian shoppers now value speed, relief and festival-readiness as much as discounts. Blinkit, Zepto and Swiggy Instamart win by serving both planned purchases and last-minute “we forgot the diyas” orders during the high-pressure festive window.
The impact is clear: quick-commerce orders rose 120% year on year in Diwali 2025, compared with 24% growth in overall e-commerce orders, according to Unicommerce. With Diwali 2026 approaching, these campaigns offer key lessons for marketers on festive shopper behaviour.
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Key Takeaways
- Quick commerce sells time, peace of mind and festive readiness.
- Diwali shopping has two speeds – planned purchases and last-minute top-ups.
- Urgency, humour, nostalgia, scarcity and social proof drive action.
- Festive baskets are growing – order values rose over 10% year on year in Diwali 2025.
- With “10-minute delivery” claims dropped, campaigns must focus on emotion, assortment and reliability.
- The best campaigns make Diwali traditions easier to enjoy.
Diwali 2025 Quick Commerce by the Numbers
1: What is the primary goal of SEO (Search Engine Optimization)?
| Metric | Figure | Source |
| Quick commerce order growth (YoY) | 120% | Unicommerce |
| Overall e-commerce order growth (YoY) | 24% (GMV up 23%) | Unicommerce |
| Brand website order growth | 33% | Unicommerce |
| Tier II city order growth | 28% | Unicommerce |
| Quick commerce average order value change | Up 10%+ YoY | Redseer |
| Reported peak daily Diwali orders | Blinkit ~30 lakh, Zepto ~20 lakh, Instamart ~14.4 lakh | Moneycontrol via Storyboard18 |
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Explore CourseWhy has Convenience become the New Festive Luxury?
Convenience is the new festive luxury because it gives shoppers back the one thing Diwali always runs short of – time. Diwali once meant crowded markets, sweet-shop queues and frantic décor runs.
Quick commerce now promises sweets, flowers, diyas and gifts at the doorstep with a few taps. That promise has stretched to high-trust ritual purchases too.
The marketer’s lesson:
Speed is the feature. Saved time and reduced stress are the benefits.
What Drives Last-Minute Diwali Shopping?
Last-minute Diwali shopping is driven by urgency and the fear of being unprepared. A missing diya, too little mithai or an unexpected guest creates instant pressure, and quick commerce offers immediate relief. Campaigns turn this into action through four triggers:
| Psychological trigger | How campaigns use it | Consumer response |
| Urgency | Festive countdowns and “order before puja” nudges | Faster purchase decisions |
| Loss aversion | “Don’t run out of puja essentials” messaging | Preventive buying |
| Cognitive ease | Ready-made puja, gifting and hosting kits | Less decision fatigue |
| Instant reward | Near-instant delivery that closes a stressful task | Relief and repeat use |
How does Instant Gratification Shape Festive Baskets?
Instant gratification shortens the gap between “I want this” and “I have this,” which fuels impulse add-ons. Unlike everyday top-ups, Diwali orders grow larger as shoppers add sweets, dry fruits, décor and small gifts in one go.
Redseer found average order values rose over 10% year on year during Diwali 2025, and Zepto’s festive AOV was reportedly around ₹850, well above typical everyday baskets.Urgency works best when it is honest: real stock levels, transparent pricing and clear delivery windows keep it helpful rather than manipulative.
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Explore CourseWhy do Nostalgia and Humour Work so Well?
Nostalgia and humour work because Diwali purchases are emotional, and laughter makes a brand feel like part of the family. Quick commerce brands have turned cultural cues into shareable moments:
- Zepto’s Mithai Wars 2025:
Built with Haldiram’s and run from 10 to 14 October, it turned deliveries into a mithai “election.” Customers received a mystery sweet box and voted for India’s favourite mithai in the app.
- Zepto’s Make Soan Papdi Great Again (2024):
It leaned into the internet’s favourite Diwali joke, the sweet everyone receives but few admit buying.
- Instamart’s Sona Kitna Sona Hai (2024):
Karisma Kapoor revisited her 90s hit in a cheeky film about gold coins selling out.
- Instamart’s Asli Sona (2025):
Sonakshi Sinha headlined a pun-led sequel promoting gold and festive essentials. Humour builds recall. Nostalgia builds familiarity. Together, they make a transactional app feel culturally rooted.
How do Social Proof and Scarcity Influence Festive Buyers?
Social proof and scarcity give shoppers the confidence to go with the crowd before it’s too late. But festive buyers don’t usually decide on their own. They are swayed by popular choices – the “most ordered” labels, and videos showing creative ways to get your decorating done quick. Sure, they are checking out unboxings and Reels, but ultimately, they want to know that they are making a smart choice that’s in fashion.
Instamart’s ad for 2024 played on scarcity with a tongue in cheek joke about gold coins flying off the shelves. And then there is Blinkit’s CEO boasting that they sold over 200 gold coins every minute on Dhanteras. What really gets results from creator content is when they show how to use a product in a real-life festive context – rather than just shoving the product at people.
What do Diwali Baskets Reveal about Shopper Intent?
Diwali baskets reveal that quick delivery isn’t just about groceries anymore. It is about everything else too – from hosting to gifting, right through to showing off your status.
| Shopper intent | Common categories | Campaign opportunity |
| Ritual readiness | Diyas, incense, flowers, puja kits | Bundle by occasion and muhurat |
| Hosting | Snacks, beverages, tableware | Position as “guest-ready” solutions |
| Gifting | Hampers, chocolates, dry fruits | Offer ready-to-gift premium packs |
| Décor | Lights, torans, rangoli colours | Use Reels and styling ideas |
| Status gifting | Gold and silver coins, premium hampers | Emphasise trust, certification and timing |
Who is the Two-Speed Diwali Shopper?
The two-speed Diwali shopper is a split personality. They get their big-ticket items ticked off early through marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart – fashion, appliances, planned gifts you know the sort. Then, at the last minute, they hit quick commerce – like Blinkit, Zepto or Instamart – for the essentials like sweets, flowers, decorations, and last-minute gifts.
And that is what really sets quick commerce winners apart. They nail that final push to get things delivered on time, not by trying to replicate the discount frenzy you see on marketplaces.
- Early phase:
Fashion, appliances and planned gifts, mostly on marketplaces like Amazon and Flipkart.
- Last-minute phase:
Sweets, flowers, décor, puja items and urgent gifts through Blinkit, Zepto and Instamart.Quick commerce campaigns win by owning that final-mile window, not by copying marketplace sale messaging.
Standout Quick Commerce Diwali Campaigns
| Platform | Campaign | Psychology used |
| Blinkit | Dhanteras gold and silver coins (Malabar, Joyalukkas, MMTC), 2024 | Trust, ritual relevance, instant gratification |
| Blinkit | Sibling gifting-war Diwali film, 2025 | Family humour, last-minute gifting |
| Zepto | Make Soan Papdi Great Again, 2024 | Meme-led humour and recall |
| Zepto × Haldiram’s | Mithai Wars, 2025 | Participation, nostalgia, social debate |
| Swiggy Instamart | Sona Kitna Sona Hai with Karisma Kapoor, 2024 | 90s nostalgia, scarcity |
| Swiggy Instamart | Asli Sona with Sonakshi Sinha, 2025 | Celebrity trust, wordplay |
| Flipkart Minutes | Sudden Diwali Plans, 2024 | Relief from last-minute chaos |
Across platforms, the pattern is clear: make shoppers feel something first, then make buying a breeze.
What Changes for Diwali 2026?
Diwali 2026 kicks off without the ’10 minute delivery’ hype. After gig-worker strikes in January 2026 and intervention by the Labour Ministry, Blinkit, Zepto, Swiggy and Zomato made the decision to dump delivery-time promises from their branding.
Blinkit, for instance, changed its tagline from “10,000+ products in 10 minutes” to “30,000+ products delivered to your doorstep” – delivery speed still intact but no longer touted as the main selling point.
Fast delivery will still be the norm. But now campaigns need to dial up the messaging around assortment, reliability and telling the story of Diwali.
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What Should Marketers Learn?
The main takeaway is pretty straightforward – making people feel something gets their attention, but its convenience that actually gets them to buy.
- Add some Diwali specific bundles to the mix – think puja, hosting, gifting and décor kits.
- Be honest with your customers about cut-offs and what is actually in stock.
- Don’t be afraid to go local – tailor your message to the city, language and what people actually want to buy during the Diwali season.
- And use real people to show people having authentic Diwali moments.
- Track what really matters: add-to-cart, conversion, average order value and repeat business.
Conclusion
Diwali quick commerce campaigns are a reminder that Indian consumers – even as they trade in old traditions – still want the convenience to enjoy the festivities. As the 10 minute promise fades from ads, the brands that will come out on top at Diwali 2026 are the ones that ditch the stress, respect the culture and somehow make every last minute purchase feel like it was meant to be.
Frequently Asked Questions
What emotions do these campaigns target?
They target urgency, relief, nostalgia, belonging and status. Humour is often used to make the brand feel like part of the festive conversation.
Why was Zepto's Mithai Wars campaign effective?
It turned mithai into an interactive, election-style debate with mystery sweet boxes from Haldiram’s. Voting in the app created participation, conversation and social sharing.
What was Zepto's Make Soan Papdi Great Again campaign?
It was Zepto’s 2024 Diwali campaign that played on the popular joke about Soan Papdi being a re-gifted sweet. The meme-led humour made the brand highly memorable.
How did Swiggy Instamart use nostalgia in its Diwali ads?
In 2024, it featured Karisma Kapoor revisiting her 90s song “Sona Kitna Sona Hai” to promote gold coins. In 2025, it followed up with an “Asli Sona” campaign starring Sonakshi Sinha.
Do quick commerce platforms really deliver gold during Dhanteras?
Yes, Blinkit, Zepto, Instamart and BigBasket have offered certified gold and silver coins from trusted jewellers. Brands such as Malabar Gold & Diamonds, Joyalukkas and MMTC-PAMP have partnered with these platforms.
Do quick commerce baskets get bigger during Diwali?
Yes, festive shoppers tend to add sweets, dry fruits, décor and gifts in one order. Redseer reported that quick commerce average order values rose over 10% year on year during Diwali 2025.
Have quick commerce apps stopped promising 10-minute delivery?
Yes, in January 2026, major platforms agreed to remove 10-minute delivery claims from their branding after a Labour Ministry intervention. The move followed concerns over delivery workers’ safety.
How will Diwali 2026 campaigns be different?
They are likely to focus less on delivery time and more on assortment, reliability and cultural storytelling. Emotional connection will matter even more than speed claims.
How can brands use urgency without manipulating shoppers?
Use real cut-off times, transparent pricing and accurate stock information. Urgency should help shoppers decide, not pressure them into unnecessary purchases.
What metrics should brands track during Diwali campaigns?
Track conversion rate, average order value, repeat purchases, category mix and return on ad spend. Impressions alone do not show whether a festive campaign actually drove sales.
