If you’re on Instagram and don’t know about the riot that is ‘Ganji Chudail’, what are you even doing? She’s the bald baddie, the unapologetic queen of chaos, juggling burgers on one hand and her rollercoaster ‘situationship’ with Birju on the other. Unfiltered, unpredictable, and absolutely hilarious—‘Ganji Chudail’, in Commissioner Gorden’s words, “is not the meme persona we deserved, but she is the meme persona we need!”
What started as a fun character commenting on our daily lives, quickly resonated with audiences for her relatability and wit. Brands caught on to her viral appeal, using her unique vibe to create laugh-out-loud campaigns that blend humour with marketing. From Nykaa’s beauty transformation narrative to Shaadi.com’s tongue-in-cheek portrayal of love’s second innings, ‘Ganji Chudail’ has seamlessly become the face of offbeat campaigns. ‘Ganji Chudail’ is no longer just a character; she’s a marketing phenomenon challenging the norms of influencer branding!
“When we started, it was small, but as it spread, we focused our efforts and refined our approach until it became a hit. Initially, we explored different characters but eventually decided to focus on ‘Ganji Chudail’ that we believed had the most potential,” says Shriram Panchal, the creator of ‘Ganji Chudail’.
Kurkure by PepsiCo India was their first brand collaboration, which put them on the map. After that, Google approached, and then the demand began to rise. Netflix followed, significantly increasing the frequency of collaborations. Majedar Kahani (the channel that runs ‘Ganji Chudail’) then partnered with Maddock Entertainment for Munjiya and Stree 2.
While the target audience skews younger, the character resonates across all age groups, from kids to older adults. Instagram has emerged as the channel’s stronger medium, surpassing YouTube, where they initially built their base.
“We manage everything in-house, from writing and animating stories to releasing content. Abhi bhi bohot saare influencers humse bade hain. Hum unse sikhte hain content banana aur aur behtar hona,” says Shriram Panchal. “By aligning our character with what the market needs, we aim to keep audiences engaged and brands coming back,” he adds.
“Characters like ‘Ganji Chudail’ have existed and established themselves in the meme culture giving brands easy access to a much larger audience than influencers. The character’s unapologetic embrace of cringe and unique animation style breaks away from the overly polished influencer stereotype. Hopping onto this, brands are able to connect with people organically, particularly younger demographics who value brain rot content and self-deprecating humour,” says Srishti Pandey, Creator and Founding Member, The New Thing.
‘Ganji Chudail’ is the boldest dose of cringe binge we’ve seen yet. Like it or not, it has everyone hooked, and the numbers speak for themselves. “It’s also understandable that a lot of marketing folk are shuddering at the thought of seeing their brand in this context, but with the right kind of storytelling it can become a very powerful tool to get your message out. In our context, the Green ‘Ganji Chudail’ finding a personified green flag on Shaadi.com helped communicate our brand message and also made for a highly entertaining watch,” explains Adhish Zaveri, VP marketing, Shaadi.com.
Swiggy also leveraged the success of ‘Ganji Chudail’. Their group order ad also featured influencers like Dolly Chaiwala, Puneet Superstar, and Vadapao Girl, embracing the quirky charm of meme culture despite catching some heat for its ‘cringe’ vibe. The twist? People still couldn’t stop watching! It’s a clever move, as brands like Duolingo and YouTube are also riding the meme-vertising wave, knowing that even so-called cringe content can hook audiences when spiced with creativity. It seems brands are catching on to a unique Indian trend, where meme-worthy influencers, not just the big names, are drawing clicks and sparking conversations.
Rural influencers bring distinct advantages with their deep cultural and linguistic connections to local audiences, making them invaluable for establishing brand trust in these markets.
“Influencer marketing is rapidly evolving in rural and semi-urban areas as brands recognise the value of local influencers in building authentic connections. These influencers understand the cultural nuances and language of their communities, enabling brands to engage in a more relatable way,” says Karandeep Singh Kapany, Regional Marketing Director, Duolingo.
“For example, when we launched our localised English course for Telugu speakers last August. We collaborated with a well-known Telugu rapper to create a rap that effectively conveyed our campaign message. We also hosted a ‘green carpet’ event featuring regional influencers, allowing them to produce engaging content for their social media platforms. This Tollywood-inspired event announcing the launch of the new course on our platform resonated deeply with the local audience, making our campaign feel more relevant and authentic,” he elaborates.
Brands are increasingly leaning towards hyper-local campaigns that feel more personalised and authentic, which boosts engagement and conversion rates. Looking ahead, the focus is shifting towards performance-driven models like cost-per-sale, encouraging influencers to go beyond just creating reels and fostering deeper, results-oriented partnerships.
“Even though some factors like follower count and engagement measures matter, we believe the creator’s realness and their ability to establish profound bonds with their followers are of utmost importance. Cultural relevance is of utmost importance in this case. In ethnic contexts, we also look for influencers who are native and can speak the region’s language, as their influence includes making relations within that community,” says Manish Solanki, COO & Co-founder, TheSmallBigIdea.
Influencers like Dolly Chaiwala and Vadapav Girl have gained popularity by creating content that resonates with everyday Indian experiences, often incorporating humour and meme-worthy elements. While they aren’t the conventionally ‘polished’ influencers, their authenticity and relatability have made them viral sensations, particularly in semi-urban and smaller cities. Despite being considered ‘cringe’ by some, their content draws significant attention, proving that unconventional influencers can effectively engage a broad spectrum of consumers in India’s digital landscape.
There is definitely a higher engagement rate when it comes to local influencers. “While national influencers are valuable for reach and deliver much larger absolute numbers, local influencers offer stronger consumer connect and richer cultural context, which can be more qualitative compared to national influencers,” says Prachi Bali, EVP & Business Head, Saatchi Propagate.
In Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities, brands that resonate most include affordable lifestyle products, locally made goods, and essential services. Consumers in these regions prioritise cost-effectiveness and value for money but are increasingly drawn to premium experiences as well. Micro influencers, with smaller yet highly engaged audiences, are proving valuable for brands aiming to connect with these markets.
Mamaearth is a prime example of leveraging such creators. Brands like Sugar Cosmetics, Nykaa, and Daniel Wellington, have also successfully partnered with diverse influencers to meet their branding goals. Additionally, newer brands are tapping into trends like sustainability and community engagement, reflecting shifting consumer values.
“To engage these regional audiences while keeping content aligned with brand goals, it’s essential to focus on localisation. Show how the brand’s product naturally fits into their everyday lifestyle and culture, making it more relatable and approachable. Ensuring authenticity in your content is key,” says content creator, Ayush Bhandari.
When promoting brands targeted at non-metro audiences, localised content pointed to the values, aspirations, and lifestyle of Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities often leads to a noticeable boost in engagement and follower growth. For example, budget-friendly skincare collaborations aimed at these regions typically see an influx of direct messages from followers, requesting personalised recommendations and sharing concerns, which fosters a more engaged, loyal community. When launching new products, the focus is on generating awareness, while established brands emphasise reinforcing their positioning. Micro-influencers thrive in this space, with their smaller, targeted audiences driving richer engagement and higher conversion rates compared to macro-influencers.
Manish Solanki noted an example of the launch of a heartland Hindi channel for a broadcast network. They engaged YouTube influencers known for their focus on local dance and music. “This approach resulted in a highly effective cost-per-view and strong engagement within our target demographic. The localised content and connection with the audience led to more meaningful interactions and better overall campaign performance,” he adds.
He also spoke about a recent Eid and Vishu campaign for a Kerala-based retail fashion brand, which saw a major boost in visibility and engagement through regional influencers. By partnering with prominent local influencers with deep cultural connections, the campaign successfully amplified the festive spirit while promoting the brand. This collaboration drove high engagement and significantly increased the brand’s reach across semi-urban and rural Kerala, aligning perfectly with the festive season.
However, engaging micro influencers can be challenging due to their smaller teams and resources, which often leads to slower response times and less streamlined communication. Additionally, brands must carefully match influencers to ensure authenticity and avoid disconnection with their audience, requiring more personalised effort compared to macro influencers.
“There are mainly two challenges – local influencers are not yet as operationally sound as larger influencers, and neither are they as process-orientated as brands require them to be. This includes challenges such as response time, maintaining brand guidelines, timely deliveries, etc. Secondly, they may not be as advanced in terms of measurement, lead generation, and performance analysis,” says Prachi Bali.
From the creator’s perspective, Ayush Bhandari noted that, as a micro-influencer, creative freedom can sometimes be limited by pre-set brand guidelines. “This can restrict my ability to tailor content to my audience’s preferences, which may risk creating a disconnect between me and my followers—a big concern for emerging creators. Additionally, coordinating campaigns and ensuring consistent messaging across multiple micro-influencers can be logistically complex, but it’s crucial for maintaining both brand alignment and audience trust,” he opines.
As brands dig deeper into the world of unconventional influencers, one thing is clear: ‘cringe’ is no longer a dirty word—it’s a creative tool! With meme-worthy content now ruling the digital stage, brands that embrace these personalities are winning big, proving that relatability and humour can drive deeper connections than polished perfection. From Dolly Chaiwala’s unique chai meets to Puneet Superstar’s evergreen scream, the power of everyday influencers is redefining the marketing playbook. So, as the digital age continues to evolve, one thing’s for sure: whether cringe or cool, brands are finding that the path to consumer hearts might just be paved by memes!
Meet the man behind the viral phenomenon ‘Ganji Chudail’
Shriram Panchal in an exclusive chat with IMPACT Magazine
Q] Did you ever think ‘Ganji Chudail’ would become such a big phenomenon in the brand world?
We started off small, but it quickly began to gain traction. Once we saw its potential, we really focused our efforts, and before we knew it, it took off.
Q] So, in your universe, there is only one Main character – ‘Ganji Chudail’?
We initially focused primarily on one character. Although we experimented with a few others along the way, we felt that ‘Ganji Chudail’ would resonate with the audience the most. We worked on improving the stories, and gradually, some of them really clicked. That’s when things really started to work out.
Q] What are some of the first brands that you collaborated with?
The first brand to ever approach us was Kurkure under PepsiCo India. Then it was Google, Netflix, Maddock Entertainment, and Colors TV. The client roster was diverse.
Q] Did the brand requests increase after Kurkure?
After Kurkure came our way, people started to recognize us more. Then a big brand like Google approached us and post that we received a lot of requests from players like Netflix. We went on to collaborate with Maddock Entertainment for Munjiya and Stree 2. After that, brands kept coming to us.
Q] Considering your storytelling, do you focus mostly on GenZ and younger people?
We aimed to target a younger audience, but brands quickly realized that the character resonates with people of all ages. This broad appeal helps them market products to everyone, from GenZ to adults over 50.
Q] Where is ‘Ganji Chudail’ based out of?
We are based out of Nanded, Maharashtra.
Q] What are your priority platforms?
We’re currently on two platforms, YouTube and Instagram. While we initially focused primarily on YouTube, we’ve recently put more effort into Instagram. Both are performing well, but Instagram is performing slightly better.
Q] You manage everything in-house?
We do not have any influencer marketing agency. We manage everything in-house, from writing and animating stories to releasing content.
Q] Do you plan to hire an influencer marketing agency in the future?
That’s a concern for the future. Abhi to hum bohot chote hain. There are so many influencers who are doing so much better than us. We are in fact learning how to make content from them and how to further improve our work.
Q] What are your future plans with ‘Ganji Chudail’?
We want to build our audience and put in efforts so that our content improves and reaches a greater mass. We also want to ensure that the audience truly enjoys the content. Hum brands ke vishwas par khara utarna chahte hai. We want to learn market requirements and build on it further.
