What do you do when 70 crore people are part of your 10-year journey? PhonePe has found a rather literal answer: try to name them all.
As it marks a decade of digital transformation, PhonePe has launched its anniversary anthem film, using an unusual data point to turn a milestone into a consumer-led tribute.
At the centre of the film is Shahu Supreme, holder of the Indian record for speaking 494 words a minute. His challenge is simple but almost impossible — name real PhonePe users as quickly as he can.
Even at his record pace, the task would take 980 consecutive days to name all 70 crore registered users.
Conceptualised in partnership with Ogilvy, the campaign moves away from a conventional anniversary film to focus on the people behind the number. It uses data as a creative device to highlight how millions of everyday interactions have contributed to India’s digital growth over the past decade.
From a user making their first contactless payment to a small business growing with digital transactions, the film frames these individual moments as part of a much larger story.
Amit Doshi, Group Chief Marketing Officer, PhonePe, said, “Over the last decade, PhonePe's journey has been intrinsically linked with the everyday progress of millions of Indians. With this brand film, beyond marking a 10-year milestone, our primary intent was an expression of gratitude toward our customers. By attempting the near-impossible task of thanking our users by name, we are honoring the individuals across Bharat who have powered this decade of progress with us.”
Explaining the creative approach, Akshay Seth, Senior Executive Creative Director, Ogilvy Mumbai, said, “70 crore in 10 years is an extraordinary number, but numbers tell us only one side of the story. We wanted to make this milestone about the people behind the number. Sometimes double tapping on such rich data gives the best creative device and disruption. We got the record holder for being the fastest speaker and put him to the test by getting him to try and name every PhonePe user.”
The month-long campaign will be led by PhonePe’s official Instagram handle, with amplification across YouTube, X and LinkedIn.
