Quick commerce, once defined by the rush of instant gratification, is now one of the most talked-about frontiers in advertising. What began as a way to deliver groceries in 10 minutes has transformed into a high-intent media ecosystem where brands can insert themselves into the shopping journey right at the moment of decision.
Platforms like Zepto, Blinkit, Instamart, and Flipkart Minutes are no longer just moving products; they are moving brand narratives. With pop-ups, swaps, banners, scooters, sonic jingles, and even dark-store branding, Q-commerce has become a rare intersection of frequency, intent, and speed.
Harshdeep Chabbra, Head- Global Media, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd (GCPL), says, “Advertising on quick commerce platforms offers an unparalleled opportunity to engage consumers at the precise moment of purchase intent, when they are most receptive and primed for decision-making. By integrating first-party behavioural data with the platforms’ databases, brands can achieve highly refined audience targeting that mirrors an in-store understanding of shopper needs.”
For advertisers, this is a shift with major implications. Q-commerce is no longer only a sales channel; it is a media channel, one that blends performance, habit, and contextual storytelling in real time.
Inside the Q-Commerce Playbook
Q-commerce platforms have built an advertising arsenal designed for speed, impulse, and seamlessness. Each format is engineered to feel like a nudge rather than a disruption.
Sponsored swaps are among the most intuitive tools. When a consumer is checking out with one brand, they may see an alternative pop up on their screen. For Plush, this represents a bold opportunity to intervene at the last mile. Ketan Munoth, Co-founder, Plush, says, “Quick-commerce bridges the gap between awareness and action, in seconds. It’s not just a sales channel; it’s an immediate discovery and visibility engine. Our presence on platforms like Instamart and Blinkit puts Plush in front of new users at the exact moment they’re looking for a solution, driving both trial and trust. For us, it’s not just about speed, it’s about relevance.”
Other brands are using auction-based placements for agility. Zoff Foods, for example, leans on Zepto’s Jarvis AI to shift messaging quickly. Akash Agrawalla, Co-founder, Zoff Foods, explains, “Quick commerce has really changed the way brands like ours think about reaching consumers. Features like Zepto’s Jarvis engine or Blinkit’s auction-based ads give us real-time control and flexibility. We can tweak messaging, highlight seasonal products, or respond to trends almost instantly, which was very hard to do on traditional media. From a brand perspective, that’s incredibly powerful. It’s also about matching the consumer’s mindset: speed, impulse, and convenience.”
Homepage banners and pop-ups remain popular, particularly for launches and seasonal campaigns. For Enamor, this format opened up an entirely new consumer context. Sandra Daniels, Chief Marketing Officer and Category Head, Enamor, recalls, “As we observed increasing interest from Q-commerce platforms in onboarding brands like ours, it became evident that consumers were beginning to prioritize convenience, time, and reliability in the fashion category as well. Enamor co-created a brand film with Zepto to redefine convenience and lifestyle within 10 minutes. We have witnessed a 70–80% spike in demand over the last 6–7 months.”
Post-order ads are another rich touchpoint. Shoppers often spend time tracking their order, and Flipkart Ads has turned this behaviour into an opportunity. Vijay Iyer, VP & GM, Flipkart Ads, says, “Shoppers spend significant time tracking their order post purchase. This presents a crucial opportunity for brands to solidify their presence in the shopper’s mind for future purchases.”
Beyond the app, Q-commerce has extended into OOH formats: delivery bags, scooters and even rider jackets are now moving billboards. As Das notes, “OOH elements, rider branding, store wraps, community posters, create ambient recall and familiarity. It’s high-frequency, low-intrusion branding that seeps into consumer consciousness subtly, yet powerfully.”
For Uday Mohan, COO, Havas Media, the power of these touchpoints lies in their contextuality. “These platforms allow brands to be present not just where the consumer is, but exactly when the intent is highest. But presence alone isn’t enough. The format, message, and timing need to feel intuitive, not intrusive.”
Mitchelle Rozario Jansen, Senior VP, White Rivers Media, echoes this sentiment, “Ad formats on Q-commerce platforms are guided by user context, purchase motivation, and seamless integration with the journey. For instance, sponsored swaps and in-app banners generate stronger outcomes when they align with seasonal behaviour, reflect shopper intent, and also respect the design flow of the app. Real emphasis lies in non-intrusive delivery that bolsters your credibility and trust.”
Ahmed Aftab Naqvi, Global CEO & Co-founder, Gozoop Group, takes it further. “Q-commerce isn’t a test bed anymore. When a user opens these apps, they’re not browsing, they’re deciding. That’s as bottom-of-funnel as it gets. We see it as a rare intersection: performance meets perception,” he explains.
The Five Forces of Q-Commerce
If the toolkit is the ‘what,’ the five forces of Q-commerce explain the ‘why.’ These strategic undercurrents make the medium uniquely suited to both storytelling and performance.
Force 1: Moment of Intent
Unlike social media, where ads must fight against memes and reels, Q-commerce apps are opened with a clear purpose: to shop. Anand Chakravarthy, Chief Growth Officer, Omnicom Media Group India, puts it plainly, “The real strength of these platforms lies in their ability to influence purchase at the moment of intent. Users are already in a buying mindset and right from the entry point to checkout, a series of integrated touchpoints work in tandem to create a high-conversion environment.”
This makes even small interventions powerful. Britannia used Zepto to play its iconic ‘Ting Ting Ti-Ding’ sonic whenever a product by the company was added to cart, turning a routine act into a brand recall moment. Plush uses sponsored swaps to catch consumers just before checkout. Flipkart Ads has tapped into post-order tracking to reinforce recall.
But with great timing comes a tricky question, how much is too much? If every screen is filled with ads, will shoppers feel they’re being sold to at every tap? The flip side is obvious, one misstep, and the fine line between helpful recommendation and irritating interruption gets crossed.
Force 2: Personalisation at Scale
Q-commerce platforms are rich with behavioural data, allowing brands to target ads with high contextual precision. Satyabrata Das, Chief Alliance Officer, Laqshya Media Group, explains, “From in-app banners, personalised suggestions, and discount-led product placements, to OOH branding on delivery bags, bikes, and dark stores, these platforms are uniquely positioned at the intersection of intent, personalisation, locality, and speed.”
Nobel Hygiene provides a clear example of this in action. Kartik Johari, Vice President & Promoter, Nobel Hygiene, recalls, “On Zepto, a ‘Swap & Save’ cart-level campaign for B-Fit Adult Diapers delivered a ROAS of 10+ and efficiently acquired new customers.”
Zoff Foods has also leveraged this data-rich environment. Agrawalla, explains that his team can tweak creative messaging depending on weather, time of day, or demand spikes in particular pin codes. The result is advertising that feels more like a suggestion than a hard sell.
Force 3: Density of Attention
With millions of daily active users, Q-commerce platforms offer a density of attention that few other media environments can match. Anurag Prasad, Chief Strategy Officer & Head, Lowe Lintas North, highlights, “My estimate is that Q-commerce DAU would be around 10–12 million, roughly 1/30th of UPI apps. It is a shiny new star but helps to be realistic of the magnitude of its incandesce. The true power lies in going after the right mix of cohorts × categories.”
This density has attracted even brands far outside grocery. Škoda India partnered with Zepto on a ‘10-minute car delivery’ teaser that sparked conversation and drove awareness around test drives. Quick commerce platforms also made headlines with the promise to deliver iPhone 17 devices within 10 minutes on launch day, helping customers skip queues at Apple stores.
Such campaigns demonstrate how Q-commerce is being used not only to drive sales but also to generate buzz and create cultural moments.
Force 4: Diversity
The breadth of categories on Q-commerce platforms is expanding rapidly, from groceries and snacks to fashion, beauty, and even electronics.
Lokesh Daga, Co-founder & Director, Nasher Miles, says, “Q-commerce brands are investing heavily in increasing supply and building brand awareness, and this is directly impacting consumer-buying behaviour. The joy of instant gratification through 10-minute delivery, as opposed to waiting 2–3 days, gives customers a dopamine hit that’s driving this behavioural shift. For Nasher Miles, we’ve been among the first luggage brands to be available on Q-comm. It is now contributing nearly 10% to our total sales and is growing over 10% month-on-month.”
For digital-first brands like Plum, Q-commerce is now integral. Shankar Prasad, Founder & CEO, Plum, says, “Q-commerce is now an integral part of our strategy. For a brand like Plum, which is digital-first and consumer-obsessed, Q-commerce allows us to bridge the gap between impulse and access. Signs over the past year have been encouraging: we’re seeing healthy repeat rates, strong visibility during key campaigns, and even better feedback loops.”
Youth-focused snack brand Too Yumm! has also leaned in. Yogesh Tewari, VP – Marketing, Guiltfree Industries Ltd., says, “For a youth-forward brand like Too Yumm!, the rise of Q-commerce platforms presents a timely opportunity to reimagine our go-to-market and media strategy. Platforms are also doubling down on us, not just as advertisers, but as partners. Their buy-in and stock investments reflect confidence in our products, and we see this as a mutually reinforcing relationship.”
Even staples like coffee are finding a place. Raja Chakraborty, CMO, Continental Coffee, says, “Q-commerce plays an integral role in our go-to-market (GTM) strategy across categories, whether grocery or indulgence. Around 15–20% of our total marketing spends are allocated to Q-commerce. We see it as a high-impact channel that combines visibility and conversion in one place.”
Energy drinks are in the mix as well. Unnikannan Gangadharan, Director, Hell Energy Pvt Ltd, notes, “For Hell Energy Drink in India, Q-commerce sits at the core of our digital-first strategy for an extensive footprint that ensures high accessibility and visibility across both urban and semi-urban markets. Our decision to invest in platforms like Zepto and Swiggy Instamart is based on the clear shift in consumer behaviour and consumption patterns.”
Premium fashion essentials are also scaling up. Aadit Pattnaik, Category and Brand Lead – Levi’s Essentials, Modenik Lifestyle, says, “For Levi’s, the media spends range between 10–20% for boosting display and search volumes as more consumers seek premium essentials and innerwear on platforms like Zepto and Blinkit. We have witnessed significant traction in the past few months across the category for Levi’s. While there’s no direct data available, it is mostly the premium and brand-conscious audience buying our essentials on Q-commerce platforms.”
For Anshul Garg, Managing Partner, Publicis Commerce, this diversity is where the real opportunity lies. “The expanding dark store network is unlocking hyperlocal activation, enabling campaigns at neighbourhood or even pin-code level, geo-triggered storytelling and micro-occasion marketing. To fully unlock performance, brands must embrace regionally nuanced execution, adapting creatives, language, and spend based on distribution strength.”
Force 5: Experimentation Economy
Q-commerce is not just a sales channel; it is a live testing lab. Feedback loops are measured in hours rather than weeks, making it ideal for experimentation. For example, Rage Coffee used it to test single-serve caffeine shots. Slurrp Farm piloted smaller SKUs in specific pin codes to track demand. Nobel Hygiene tested new product display formats and doubled CTRs in the process.
For Sandeep Ghosh, Business Head, Salt & Spices, DS Group, the value is clear: “Quick commerce has emerged as an important channel for DS Group, effectively addressing customers’ increasing demand for quick deliveries and have become essential components of our operational strategies. Across most categories, DS Group’s performance aligns with prevailing industry trends. However, in the salt and spices segment, we are ahead of the industry, with e-commerce and quick commerce contributing more than 15% to our total sales”
The Other Side of the Cart
For all its promise, Q-commerce advertising comes with risks. Consumer fatigue is a real threat if every screen becomes cluttered with ads. Sponsored swaps raise questions about fairness and trust, as consumers may wonder whether suggestions are genuinely helpful or commercially motivated. Smaller brands may also find themselves priced out of premium placements.
Amita Srivastava, Vice President – West, Carat India, cautions, “Not just media, they are behavioural playgrounds. The real opportunity is not in visibility, but in intervention. We are no longer planning media – we are planning micro-decisions. From a media planning lens, they offer a rare trifecta: recency, relevance, and purchase immediacy. A swap is a challenge. A banner is a reminder. Branded content with instant delivery is a story acted out.”
Gopa Kumar Menon, Co-founder & COO, Theblurr, points out another complexity, “The key is building presence across multiple touchpoints within the app journey. This isn’t just about being visible during search, but appearing at checkout, in curated collections, and through personalised recommendations based on past purchases. Unlike traditional digital advertising where we optimise for engagement or awareness, Q-commerce advertising needs to drive immediate, profitable transactions.”
What Next?
Platforms are positioning themselves not only as ad sellers but as full-funnel marketing ecosystems.
Nikhil Mittal, CTO, Zepto, explains, “Jarvis, our AI-led engine, is built to dynamically optimize banner and video ads by leveraging user behaviour, search history, and cart context. At its core is a sophisticated stack of machine learning models and ranking algorithms that enable precision targeting at scale. The system keeps recalibrating frequency, format, and content relevance, so that the ads feel useful, not pushy.”
Atul Sreenath, CEO, ID8NXT, highlights the pace of growth, “India’s Q-commerce advertising market is projected to cross $600 million by 2025. Brand spends on Q-commerce platforms have surged over 200% year on year. Zepto’s Jarvis engine alone has delivered more than 15 billion ad impressions and claims a return on ad spend of up to eight times. Today, brands are allocating between 20% and 65% of their e-commerce budgets to these precision-led, real-time channels.”
Mrityunjay Kumar, Co-Founder, Mashrise, emphasises that platform selection depends on objectives: “Having worked on Zepto, Blinkit, and Swiggy Instamart for multiple clients, we’ve seen firsthand how features like Zepto’s Jarvis engine and Blinkit’s auction-based ads allow us to target high-intent users. Platform selection ultimately depends on the campaign objective, Blinkit is great for driving impulse purchases, Zepto excels in dynamic scaling, and Swiggy Instamart offers deeper storytelling capabilities.”
The opportunity is massive, but so are the challenges. Can platforms scale monetisation without alienating users? Can brands harness Q-commerce for long-term equity rather than just short-term conversions?
What’s certain is that Q-commerce has moved beyond its origins as a delivery hack. It is now a cultural habit, a marketing canvas, and an ecosystem that blends intent, frequency, density, diversity, and experimentation. In doing so, it has secured its place at the marketing table.
