Swiggy’s General Manager – Brand Marketing, Ishita Mehta walks us through her eight-year-long journey of cracking campaign ideas, acing last-minute launches, and having refreshing revelations.
Remember Swiggy’s iconic ‘Gulab Jamun Uncle’? If you do, then one of the people you should thank is seasoned Swiggster Ishita Mehta. Ishita joined Swiggy in 2018 as an Assistant Manager of Marketing with the willingness to experiment. Shortly after, she found herself contributing to Swiggy’s first-ever brand marketing campaign.
But this was just the start. She gradually dove into bringing more impactful campaigns to life with teamwork, a deep customer focus, and her philosophy of cutting through the noise. Eight years later, Ishita handles multiple brands as General Manager – Brand Marketing. What has remained consistent? The belief that there’s more to learn! Her story is a free marketing masterclass filled with nostalgia, candid confessions, and more.
1. Tell us about the journey that led you to marketing. Also, how did Swiggy happen?
Advertising was my dream domain as a kid. From quite a young age, I knew it was the path I wanted to choose. After completing my Master’s in Advertising, I first worked for a creative agency. Later, I moved to a consulting firm in a strategy-driven role to experience the brand side of marketing. Through these experiences, I realised there’s more to marketing than just classical advertising.
About Swiggy, I first used the app as a customer in 2015, and over time it was a consumer brand that I used obsessively and connected with, and hence wanted to work for. So when I saw a relevant job opening, I went for it. I joined the company in January 2018 as an Assistant Manager of Marketing. Soon, I was a part of Swiggy’s first-ever brand marketing campaign, and have contributed to more major campaigns ever since.
2. Could you share more about the first brand marketing campaign? From then to now, how have things changed?
It was the ‘Gulab Jamun Uncle’ campaign, back in 2018. We were a young brand and a young team, with a handful of us being the core decision-makers. At that time, we were all about being creative and willing to experiment without focusing too much on numbers. More than anything, our strategy involved putting out clutter-breaking communication. It was all new to me, but I was like a sponge, willing to figure out things I didn’t know. Today, the team has far more people and there are numbers involved in terms of the campaign reach, impact, and business growth. However, even after all these years, our intent remains the same.
3. What made you stay with Swiggy for the last eight years?
I think every day here is an opportunity to learn from those around you. Even after eight years, I consistently get to explore different pathways and possibilities. The journey here has taught me to stay humble, as I might not be the smartest person in the room. There’s always something new on the horizon, and this excitement has made me stay with Swiggy till now.
4. As a marketing professional, what are the challenges you faced, and how have they contributed to your growth?
There have been a few challenges for sure. Over the years, the team has evolved, new perspectives have emerged, and processes have changed. But with all these challenges, there has always been a learning or a silver lining. They have made me far more adaptable than before. I feel adaptability was already in my DNA, having spent my childhood across multiple cities, and this helped me hone this quality at work.
From working for Swiggy Food to building the master brand identity, I gained a wealth of experience. Today, my role revolves around brand operations, where I am handling five different brand verticals together. Through all the challenges, I have always been open to change, and that has helped me see the bright side of every situation.
5. In a competitive space, how do you and your team ensure Swiggy’s marketing campaigns stand out?
There are many ways to look at it. However, one true litmus test is that our campaigns must address human insights. Your idea can be cool or trendy, but it must solve a problem or meet the customer’s wants. Another important factor is to ensure Swiggy’s role is clear in the message, highlighting how we are solving for convenience and pushing the envelope of creativity. Once these are met, we give the campaign a shot.
6. Which of Swiggy’s campaigns are closest to your heart?
The entire 2018-19 period was special. Of course, the first one, featuring ‘Gulab Jamun Uncle’ remains one of the campaigns we are still remembered for. It’s amazing how in the character of the Uncle, we found a creative device to share Swiggy’s message. The best part? We didn’t overthink the campaign idea. We just went with the flow, trusting each other to bring it to life.
A few more special ones include the ‘What The Falooda’ campaign, involving a desktop extension replacing hurtful words with names of food items! It encouraged people to be respectful to Swiggy’s customer care executives. The ‘What’s in a name?’ campaign, featuring a boy named Swiggy, helped us humanise delivery partners in the customer’s minds. A few recent ones would be the Modak dispenser, the Instamaut dispensing machine – which was a part of Swiggy’s collaboration with Netflix, and taking Pujo to Sunderbans. I could go on and on, but these are a few special campaigns I can recall for now.
7. How would you describe Swiggy’s Marketing Team in a few words?
We are a little crack and playful. We keep the child in us alive, because that’s the key to being creative.
8. How do people react when they find out you work for Swiggy’s Marketing Team?
The reactions are always positive (and there are always questions about whether we get freebies). People are usually curious about how we get these ideas, thanks to the insights, creativity, brainstorming, and a bunch of lovely coincidences that back our campaigns. I feel proud because people actually see our work, and we also get immediate validation. I also try to derive meaningful insights from everyday conversations, paving the way for more ideas. And I should clarify here – we don’t get free coupons!
9. In a fast-paced profession, how do you stay ahead of the curve amidst tight timelines?
This may sound a little philosophical, but I believe in clearing out the noise and focusing on just one thing that would hold the entire campaign together. It all comes down to that one key message. This helps the team deliver more in less time. While hard skills are important, what has helped us navigate tight timelines and deliver quality outcomes are soft skills like keeping calm and trusting team members.
10. What’s your thought process just before a launch, and how do you evaluate campaign outcomes?
It’s super stressed! But it’s more like this happy excitement and anticipation. We have a fairly standard checklist of parameters including numbers like reach and impressions. We also run post-campaign evaluations with the Research Team to see how the numbers have fared.
11. In times where trolls are common, how do you prevent a campaign from facing a backlash?
Today, digital media is hypersensitive, where anything can be misconstrued unknowingly. Being aware of this, we have our guard up at all times. A common exercise we do is asking each other if the idea is crossing the line while being honest with each other. At times, we also bounce ideas off with our friends, family, and colleagues to gauge their reactions. Overall, we do the best we can, handle it all with faith, and move on.
12. How has your experience been working closely with Swiggy’s leadership team?
What I appreciate the most in leaders is clarity and a vision. At Swiggy, leaders are very approachable. Moreover, it always brings me great joy when a woman leader joins us. It’s a positive step towards Swiggy’s leadership team becoming more balanced and diverse. It’s something I hope to see more of in the future.
13. Which Swiggy value do you connect the most with?
I resonate highly with ‘Be Humble’, as I feel I have a lot to learn from the people around me. I also relate with the ‘Stand-up & Disagree but Commit Fully’ value, as sometimes, you just have to give ideas a shot, even if you don’t fully agree with your teammates. It encourages trust and makes the overall environment less defensive and more supportive.
14. What lessons from your Swiggy journey have you imbibed in your personal life?
People management for sure! The more people you meet at work, the more your biases fade, making you kinder and sensitised. I also carry these qualities in my personal interactions, and I believe I am the same person both at work and in life. I don’t switch modes, and I am who I am.
15. Tell us about your hobbies outside of work.
I find joy in the little things, right from cooking a meal for myself every morning to dancing. I also love scuba diving and poker. While I may not find time for these every day, I make time for the things that bring me joy.
16. What are your most ordered Swiggy Food items? And what was your last Instamart order?
I love to order Biryani and Malvani food, and for desserts, it would be Magnolia Tres Leches. I also like to have plain paan. As for my last Instamart order, it was Blue Tokai coffee, at 12:30 AM yesterday.
17. What advice would you give someone who wants to venture into a career similar to yours?
Keep your ears to the ground and be aware of trends and sentiments. As I said, you must be humble and appreciative of other’s ideas. In a role like marketing that’s not fully technical, it’s easy to believe you know it all. But in reality, every day you know a little less. So you must be a sponge who is willing to keep learning.
