Q] What motivated the Cleartrip to launch the campaign at this particular time?
One key insight we drew from Flipkart and other e-commerce players is their ability to create shopping occasions. Traditionally centered around festivals like Diwali and Dussehra, this frenzy has now expanded to even periods like Shradh. Travel, however, is not typically top-of-mind when consumers think of deals, as it is usually seen as a need-based activity. We recognised this as a significant opportunity. Our data shows that festivals are also peak travel periods, but many consumers perceive prices to be high, which discourages bookings. With this campaign, we want to shift that perception by creating an association between festivals and exceptional travel deals. That’s why we are positioning it as India’s biggest travel sale, with extensive offers across flights, hotels, stays, and even international trips. The campaign was conceptualised by Tilt Brand Solutions
Q] Traditionally, festivals are a time to spend with family or return home. Are you seeing a shift in this trend, with families traveling to other destinations? Did this influence your decision to launch the sale during this period?
Over time, we have observed significant migration for work, which means that for many people, spending festivals with family primarily involves returning home. While this remains an important aspect, leisure travel has also grown considerably. We have seen a notable number of leisure bookings on our platform during the festival season. Festivals coincide with public holidays, allowing people to plan their travel in different ways. Many travelers also book well in advance, including for months like December and January, as the deals available during these periods are particularly attractive. Our approach is to align with existing cultural and consumer behaviors rather than try to create new trends.
Q] For this campaign specifically, could you share the target audience in terms of demographics and geographic regions?
Our primary lines of business are flights and hotels, and these are the core users we target. Within this segment, millennials represent a significant cohort, followed closely by Gen Z.
Looking at our campaigns, we have tailored content for both hotels and flights, addressing multiple personas. This includes family travelers as well as individual travelers. As a platform aiming to be India’s travel destination, we need to cater to these key target groups.
Q] Geographically, are you focusing only on tier-one cities, or does the campaign also target tier-two and tier-three cities?
The majority of our travel bookings still come from the top metros, which continue to account for a significant share of overall travel. However, we are seeing disproportionate growth from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, which is encouraging and reflects an emerging trend in travel. Regarding age groups, there is a distinction between the desire to travel and the ability to travel. The ability to travel both for business and discretionary purposes tends to lie with slightly older age groups. Millennials, therefore, remain a key cohort for us. At the same time, we aim to engage Gen Z early, recognising their influence in decision-making and ensuring that we capture this segment as well.
Q] As Tier-2 and Tier-3 customers are emerging as an important segment for your business, do you observe any differences in consumer behavior between these customers and those in metro cities? Are there specific destinations or trends that are unique to these cohorts?
People in metro cities tend to travel more frequently, with each person making multiple bookings. In contrast, in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, more people travel overall, but each person books less often. This means the same number of bookings in smaller cities comes from a larger group of travelers. The lower travel frequency in these emerging markets is a key difference we observe.
Traditionally, the travel industry has focused primarily on metros. This year, however, we made a conscious decision to expand our reach and capture growth in Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities. We have invested heavily in personalised campaigns. Rather than generic routes like Bangalore to Delhi or Bangalore to Goa, we deliver highly localised offers, for example, flights from Bangalore to Bareilly tailored to the user’s hometown. This level of personalisation has been developed over the past 1–2 months and has proven highly effective for us.
Q] Could you share the media mix for this campaign?
This campaign has been designed as a burst campaign, focused on a specific event, rather than a prolonged, stretched-out effort. In terms of media, it is 100% digital. The key platforms include YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and various programmatic channels, with a strong emphasis on video content.
Q] Do you think that aligning this campaign with the Big Billion Days gives you an advantage, given the strong consumer recall and association with Flipkart?
Being part of the Flipkart umbrella provides a significant advantage. Even before Cleartrip, our consumer studies consistently showed that when people were asked to name a major sale event in India, the unanimous response was the Big Billion Days. This represents strong brand equity in the market, with associations of incredible deals, urgency, and trusted offers not merely deals packaged for marketing purposes. We leverage this existing equity to our advantage, and we are very optimistic about how it will support the campaign’s success.
Q] With MS Dhoni as the face of earlier campaigns, will his involvement be limited to the IPL season, or do you plan to extend his association to other campaigns throughout the year? How does your approach differ from competitors who use celebrities year-round?
At Cleartrip, the primary purpose of using celebrities is to break through the clutter and leverage the equity they bring to the brand. Currently, our approach focuses on creating content that is more relatable, fun, and personal for our target audience. Depending on future campaigns and product launches, we may consider involving new celebrities. However, our present strategy emphasises everyday characters that resonate strongly with our target group, ensuring authenticity and connection.
PROFILE
Govind Bansal has over 15 years of experience in marketing, growth, product, and entrepreneurship. At Cleartrip, he heads brand, media, and growth marketing, with a focus on digital-first campaigns, data-driven strategies, and customer-centric initiatives.
Previously, he spent 7 years at Flipkart in leadership roles, including Head of Marketing & Growth at Shopsy and Director & Head of Off-Platform Growth. He also worked as Product Manager on Flipkart’s Knowledge Graph, partnering with data teams to enhance personalisation in search and recommendations.
Earlier in his career, he co-founded Aqua Mobiles and Clipwiser Technologies, a social commerce discovery platform that combined AI-driven curation with community-led shopping.
ABOUT THE BRAND
Launched in July 2006, Cleartrip joined Flipkart in April 2021. The company offers end-to-end travel solutions, including flights, hotels, and buses, and has introduced products like ClearChoice Plus and ClearChoice Max to address traveler needs. According to a VIDEC study, Cleartrip is currently the second-largest online travel agency in India.
FACTS
Creative Agency: Tilt brand solutions
Digital Agency: LS Digital
PR Agency: Weber Shandwick
