Q] What is your strategy to ensure the integration of humour in your campaigns?
Humour has always been a part of our DNA, and it has consistently worked for us. However, we’ve never aimed for slapstick or forced comedy. Our approach is to integrate humour naturally within a concept whenever possible. Whether we’re briefing large agencies, small agencies, or scriptwriters, we always keep our target audience and campaign objectives at the core.
Often, the ideas that emerge tend to have a humorous element—sometimes witty rather than outright funny—but that happens organically. When creatives look at our past work, they recognise that humour resonates well with our brand. That said, not all our content relies on humour. For instance, if you look at 99 Acres, not every piece is comedic. Ultimately, we incorporate humour in different ways, ensuring it aligns with the brand and the message we want to convey.
Q] How has the audience response been for these ads?
The performance of content is mixed—some campaigns go viral, racking up millions of views and getting picked up by meme pages, while others don’t gain traction. As a brand manager, you always want everything to go viral, but it’s unpredictable. Big-budget campaigns with major creators don’t always guarantee success, while the simplest reels can sometimes perform exceptionally well. What we’ve learnt is that on platforms like Instagram, where Gen Z dominates, native content outperforms high-production videos, and creators drive better engagement. While we haven’t perfected it, we’ve developed a working model for influencer strategy—balancing nano, micro, and macro influencers. However, there’s never a guarantee, and surprises are inevitable.
Q] Could you share a brief overview of your marketing mix?
We primarily focus on digital media, with Jeevansathi being the only brand that still uses traditional media to reach parents. For Naukri, 99Acres, and Shiksha, traditional media isn’t part of our strategy.
OOH, though technically traditional, isn’t a key marketing channel for us—it was only used for specific events like concerts. Our budget is almost entirely digital, but the mix varies by brand. Jeevansathi leans more towards branding and content, while Naukri balances branding and performance (around 60-40). For 99Acres, it’s roughly 70% performance and 30% branding. Overall, digital drives our marketing across all brands.
Q] What is the future focus of the company and what is the outlook?
From a marketing perspective, we remain focused on strengthening leadership across our brands and driving innovation. We’ve been early adopters, pioneering search marketing in India back in 2004. This spirit of experimentation continues as we expand our expertise in video and content. Our approach spans diverse formats—serious career content under Naukri’s WorkWise (podcasts, webinars) and lighter, engaging content like Hardly Working, which includes stand-up specials on Hotstar. We will keep innovating with content relevant to our audiences while reinforcing our market leadership.
Q] Demographically speaking, which is your most important market in India, and which market is driving your growth?
Each brand serves a distinct market—it’s not like variations of soap or shampoo. For Jeevansathi, the key regions are North and West, while Naukri, 99Acres, and Shiksha have a nationwide focus. As national leaders, every market matters, but the top 40-50 cities drive the most traffic compared to smaller ones.
Q] How much of Jeevansathi’s target audience consists of GenZ? Given their strong opinions on marriage and relationships, does your messaging adapt specifically to resonate with them?
Gen Z has started entering the marriage market, though they aren’t Jeevansathi’s primary audience yet. Over the next few years, they will become more prominent. A term I’ve learnt from my team is ‘Zillennial’—those at the cusp of Gen Z and Millennials—who currently form a significant part of our audience. In contrast, platforms like Naukri see a higher concentration of Gen Z, particularly first-time job seekers.
Gen Z is independent, values authenticity over traditional advertising, and prefers influencer-driven content for credibility. They are purpose-driven and more conscious of factors like company values and culture, which is why our product includes features like company reviews and ratings. Compatibility for them goes beyond hobbies to life goals and values. For example, many Gen Z women prioritise continuing to support their parents post-marriage— something less common a decade ago.
Unlike those focused on dating, Jeevansathi’s audience still leans towards arranged marriages. However, the approach has evolved—both parents and individuals now prioritise getting to know each other before committing, shifting what used to happen post-engagement to an earlier stage.
Q] Speaking about Jeevansathi, how do you balance traditional values with modern dating trends in Jeevansathi?
The credit goes to my team—they do extensive work rooted in consumer insights. They engage with prospective brides, grooms, and parents across cities like Banaras, Lucknow, Kanpur, Agra, Delhi, Noida, and Gurgaon to capture regional nuances. These insights shape our digital targeting, influencer choices, and content creation.
Jeevansathi, as a brand, has a deep socioeconomic impact, and societal shifts take years. While compatibility has always mattered, its definition has evolved. Earlier, shared hobbies were key; today, compatibility is measured differently. Interestingly, parental involvement has also changed, with parents even in Tier-2 cities prioritising their children’s consent. By consistently gathering insights, we craft content that reflects these changing dynamics.
PROFILE
Sumeet Singh is the Group Chief Marketing Officer at Info Edge, one of India’s leading consumer internet companies, overseeing brands like Naukri.com, 99acres, Jeevansathi, and Shiksha. With over 25 years of experience in marketing and brand strategy, she has been instrumental in crafting iconic campaigns, including Naukri.com’s memorable peanut installation, a humorous swipe at the ‘Big’ raise promised by employers. Singh began her career at NIIT and holds an MBA from Pune University. She was the founding Executive Director of The Indus Entrepreneurs (TiE) Delhi and has served on government IT advisory councils.
ABOUT THE BRAND
Info Edge (India) Ltd is a leading Indian technology company specialising in online classifieds and services. Its flagship platform, Naukri.com, is India’s largest employment website. Other prominent platforms under its portfolio include 99acres.com (real estate), Jeevansathi.com (matrimony), and Shiksha.com (education).
