New Delhi: A startup in Bengaluru called Swish has caused a big stir online with its unusual marketing idea, using human billboards. The campaign shows people walking around the city at night carrying glowing ad boards for a food delivery service that promises to deliver in just 10 minutes. These images quickly went viral, but people had mixed reactions.
Many weren’t happy with it, saying it looked demeaning and unfair. One person said, “It’s sad to see people carrying heavy boards for hours,” while another compared it to old traditions like holding lamps at weddings, pointing out how tiring and uncomfortable it must be. Some even questioned whether this kind of advertising is okay, with comments like, “This is exploitative and not good for marketing.”
On the flip side, some defended the campaign, saying it was a creative way to advertise in India. One person joked about the startup’s funding process: “VC: How much do you need? Startup: $5 million. VC: What’s your plan? Startup: Human ads. VC: Take my money.” This shows the tension between creative marketing and ethical concerns.
While human billboards themselves are no new phenomenon, people have used them since the 1800s, yet they are asking huge questions in a place like India today where the exploitation of labor is something very relevant. Critics of the campaign argue that it can be manipulated to exploit willing work done for less pay. So there’s also the issue of worker rights and dignity.
People also pointed out how dangerous this kind of work could be. Comments like “How long are they expected to walk like this? This feels wrong” show that people are worried about how tough it must be for these workers. Carrying heavy boards for hours isn’t easy, and many think it goes against basic human dignity.
Some think Swish’s idea is bold and creative, but others think it shows how far companies will go just to get attention. The mixed reactions shows how complicated things gets when it comes to advertising.
