B2B marketing is typically defined by data-driven insights and analytical tools aimed at optimizing targeting and solving business challenges. However, Simpl, a buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) company, has taken an unconventional approach by integrating Bollywood themes into its marketing strategy. The nine-year-old company recreates iconic scenes from cult classic films like Gangs of Wasseypur and Sholay, mixing business jargon with familiar cinematic moments to engage its audience in a fun and relatable way.

One of Simpl’s recent campaigns, The Brands of Wasseypur, reimagines a famous scene in which Ramadhir Singh reprimands his son, JP Singh, for wasting money on ads that don’t generate results. He urges JP to conduct market research and understand consumer needs better. When Ramadhir asks where JP is, JP explains he’s working on a Valentine’s Day discount campaign, prompting Ramadhir’s iconic line, “Tumse na ho payega.” The ad concludes with a message: “If you want to grow your topline without burning money on discounts, the answer is Simpl.”

Another ad, Gabbar Belts & Co., takes a spin on a classic Sholay moment. Gabbar Singh, in his signature menacing style, asks, “Kitne visitors the?” One of his men responds, “Sardar, 2 million.” Gabbar then inquires, “How many conversions?” to which Kaalia answers nervously, “Sir, just 2.” Gabbar, furious, delivers a comical and SEO-friendly expletive, showing his frustration. When he asks Samba about their competitor’s conversion rate using Simpl, Samba proudly states, “50,000.” Gabbar then delivers a twist on his famous line: “Yeh conversions isliye, kyunki 50,000 kos door jab consumer confuse hota hai ki yeh product kharido ya nahi, toh Simpl kehta hai—beta, kharid le, kyunki abhi sirf one-third dena hai.” This campaign highlights Simpl’s Pay in 3 feature, which allows consumers to split payments into three equal, interest-free installments.

This campaign was developed entirely in-house to educate merchants about the advantages of the Pay in 3 feature, explain how it differs from traditional EMI options, and showcase how it can drive conversions without relying on discounts. Shivam Kumar Dang, head of startup ecosystem & B2B/product marketing at Simpl, explains that most B2B marketing tends to be heavily data-focused, often lacking emotional appeal. “To bridge this gap, we leveraged Bollywood—an enduring cultural touchstone that resonates across demographics—to evoke nostalgia and relatability among merchants. Our aim was to foster emotional engagement while addressing their day-to-day business challenges,” he adds.

This innovative approach highlights the growing trend of blending emotional storytelling with traditional B2B marketing strategies, proving that even in a data-driven landscape, humor, relatability, and culture can be powerful tools for building lasting connections with an audience.

Author: Aryan chaudhary