Flipkart is dealing with backlash on social media over an uncommon print commercial that used the visible language of obituary notices for its Freedom Sale. The commercial featured images and private particulars of dwelling people positioned inside memorial-style containers. Above them was the distinguished line that the corporate was not unhappy in any respect, adopted by copy suggesting that whereas the folks featured would proceed to stay, Flipkart’s offers had been about to vanish because the sale approached its remaining day.
The marketing campaign shortly drew criticism on social media, with a number of customers calling the idea insensitive and inappropriate. Writer and columnist Shobhaa De additionally criticised the marketing campaign and urged shoppers to boycott Flipkart.
“Probably the most self-serving, disgusting and insensitive advert ! How dare you @Flipkart. Disgrace on you !! Hope your “sale ” flops and shoppers boycott you,” she wrote.
Take a look at the tweet right here:
Probably the most self-serving, disgusting and insensitive advert ! How dare you @Flipkart . Disgrace on you !! Hope your “sale ” flops and shoppers boycott you!#flipcart #sale #freedom pic.twitter.com/8eJ9Ft1Xkj
— Shobhaa De (@DeShobhaa) August 16, 2026
It’s unclear whether or not the folks featured within the commercial are actual. Some social media customers additionally questioned whether or not the marketing campaign was generated or assisted by synthetic intelligence, however the focus of the criticism remained the selection of utilizing loss of life and memorial imagery as a advertising system.
One person wrote, “Unbelievably atrocious! The entire artistic staff/company deserves to be sacked. Those that green-lit this tripe must go, too.” One other commented, “We must always depart regular folks with dignity in loss of life. This advert is insensitive and inhuman.”
Some noticed no drawback with the advert, with a 3rd person saying, “It grabs consideration, the photographs are AI, it is not very humorous I agree, however what is the hurt? Who’s it insensitive to?” A fourth countered the comment by responding, “Even when pictures are AI generated the spirit with which Advert is being introduced is horribly mistaken…you’ll be able to’t use loss of life as premise to pitch your freedom sale…even the thought stays regressive & flawed outrightly.”
Flipkart has not publicly addressed the backlash or clarified which newspaper editions carried the commercial.
The Flipkart Freedom Sale started on August 8, with early entry for eligible clients on August 7. The sale supplied reductions throughout classes together with smartphones, laptops, televisions, home equipment, trend and family merchandise and is scheduled to finish on August 16.
