LS Polls: Brands Champion Voter Participation With A Spotlight On 1st Time Voting

As the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are in full swing, numerous brands have launched creative campaigns to motivate voters to actively engage in the electoral process. Companies such as Spotify, Swiggy, Oyo, McDonald’s, BluSmart, Manforce, Tinder, and others have encouraged citizens to step out of their homes and fulfill their civic responsibilities.

The Lok Sabha elections kicked off on April 19 and will roll out over seven phases. The big day for counting the votes is set for June 4.

Marketing Mind has compiled a list of a few noteworthy brand films and creatives rolled out by brands this year, grabbing our attention.

Spotify

Spotify used an innovative approach to get users to vote. The audio streaming service platform created playlists to add a soundtrack to the voting process.

The playlists are available on their platform under the title “Play Your Part”. The playlist description reads: “It’s time to play your part, India! Your vote matters! #ChunavKaParvDeshKaGarv.” Spotify also created an Instagram post regarding the same.

Swiggy

Indian online food ordering and delivery platform, Swiggy shared an important and heartfelt message encouraging the citizens to go and vote. The company released a video asking users to dedicate as much time to selecting their government as they do on choosing their next meal.

Flipkart
E-commerce platform Flipkart took to the social media platform X to motivate the citizens to go out and cast their votes. In its post, the company wrote: “Has your o̶r̶d̶e̶r vote been confirmed?”

Manforce Condoms

Manforce Condoms released a campaign titled “Voting Virgin” to encourage individuals, who have never voted before to go and cast their vote.
The campaign aims to engage more first-time voters in the forthcoming elections. In the ad, two friends can be seen having a light-hearted conversation about their first time casting a vote. While one friend seems enthusiastic about his first time going to vote, the other encourages him about the same. Eventually, one of the friends, accompanied by his girlfriend, embarks on their first voting experience together.

Tinder

Popular dating app, Tinder has introduced a new feature allowing users to display special stickers on their profiles related to voting. These stickers include messages such as “Voting Partner Needed,” “First-Time Voter,” and “I Voted”.

From April 18 until May 15, 2024, Tinder users in India will encounter special informational cards within the app, providing them with valuable tips and information about the voting process. This initiative is a collaboration between Tinder and two organisations, Yuvaa, a youth media organisation in India, and Mark Your Presence, an organisation focused on educating young people about voting.
The campaign is titled ‘Every Single Vote Counts’.

Rapido

The Bengaluru-based startup, Rapido came up with a campaign during elections in Ghaziabad. To urge people to go and cast their votes, the platform was offering free rides to poll booths. In a social media post on X, they mentioned: “Aapki zimmedari, humaari sawaari.” For a free ride to polling booths, use the coupon VOTENOW.”

BluSmart

BluSmart, an Indian electric vehicle (EV) ride-hailing service and EV charging infrastructure network, rolled out a campaign titled #SmartCitizen for 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The objective of the campaign is to motivate individuals across Delhi, Gurgaon, and Bengaluru to participate in the electoral process.

As part of this initiative, BluSmart is rewarding riders, who vote, with a special badge, aiming to inspire widespread engagement in the voting process.

McDonald’s

The multinational fast-food chain, McDonald’s has motivated citizens to vote uniquely and creatively. Under their campaign named #MakeYourChoice, the company is offering a free Coke to those who vote. The offer only applies to those who have an inked finger as it stands as proof of having voted.

MobiKwik

To encourage citizens to vote, Mobikwik shared a short video on their X account, stating “From digital innovation to the future of our nation, all it takes is one tap.”

EaseMyTrip

The Indian online travel company took to their social media handle and asked travellers to step out and vote. The company wrote in the social media post “Let’s vote and tap into our unexplored localities Wanderlust meets civic duties.”

Oyo

The Indian multinational hospitality chain, Oyo asked users to cast their votes for the Lok Sabha elections 2024. The company emphasised on their social media handle, “Make sure the right government checks in.”