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<ul><li>Often Valentine’s Day is associated with the young, and love is marketed and celebrated as a young person’s thing. </li><li>We have developed an ageist perspective towards love, believing that one loses the ability to express and celebrate love as one grows older. </li><li>Breaking these stereotypes, OYO’s Valentine’s Day campaign stood out in the clutter of puppy love this year. </li><li>We caught up with Mayur Hola, Head of Global Brand - OYO Hotels &amp; Homes to understand what encouraged the brand to feature a mid-age couple, the process of its casting, and discussed why Indian brands have been neglecting people in their mid-age while celebrating love. </li></ul>Imagine a cafe and a young couple on a date. You see a bunch of roses in the background, chocolate heart-shaped boxes on the table and the guy proposes. You don’t need to try too hard because that’s basically the template Indian advertisements have been following for their Valentine’s Day ads for years. We are seeing more representation of LGBTQ couples, intercaste marriages, live-in couples, young women taking charge but rarely do we see women in their late 40s or older, falling in love all over again or sharing a romantic moment with their partner in public. Often Valentine’s Day is associated with young people, and the idea of love is marketed and celebrated as something that’s mushy, young and sweet. We don’t often get to see mid-age couples on dates or in any romantic settings. Even in mainstream cinema and pop-culture, it is only now that we have movies like Once Again and Badhaai Ho with mid-age actors as their protagonist and ads like <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/brands/article/colgates-endearing-campaign-encourages-people-to-stop-worrying-about-whatll-people-think-and-just-follow-their-hearts/articleshow/77782264.cms">Colgate's</a> Remarriage. These movies and ads have nudged us to reconsider our attitude towards love. However, an old couple still in love or mid-age people falling in love is still treated as a different conversation - just as talking about LGBTQ+ is only remembered during pride month, it doesn't fit into the larger umbrella of love yet. With this, we have developed an ageist and limited perspective towards love, believing that one loses the ability to express and celebrate love as one grows older. So, we were pleasantly surprised when we saw a young hospitality brand, OYO, take a different route this Valentine’s. Its Valentine’s Day campaign is about a mid-age couple who is loyal to OYO and has a rather mature idea of love. Featuring a brilliant cast comprising <keyword id="1813" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="neena-gupta">Neena Gupta</keyword> and <keyword id="21050" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Swanand-Kirkire">Swanand Kirkire</keyword>, the campaign celebrates the spark that keeps long-term relationships alive. Titled ‘Long-term relationship with OYO,’ it is a 4-film digital campaign. In the first film, the protagonists engage in playful bickering. Kirkire asks Gupta why she sticks to choosing the same hotel and room every time they travel. Gupta replies with another question ‘I am not bored, are you?’ subtly hinting at their long-lasting relationship. It is those adorable glances at the end between Gupta and Kirkire that stole our hearts and the sound of a playful tune of ‘Yeh Rishta Hai Thoda Khiska’ acts as a cherry on top. <div type="twitter" handle="oyorooms" handlename="OYO" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1336945719781945344/WyBChLdY_normal.jpg" favoritecount="25" retweetcount="5" status="Relationships are in a long term relationship with #OYO. Just like these two cuties.#YeRishtaHaiKhiska… https://t.co/xWLBtbH6qT" createdat="1612536531000" id="1357702732744806400"></div> The campaign is supported with social media posts and emailers. Each post brings in a pragmatic perspective and reminds the audience that love is not all mush, it is a little complicated. For example, OYO dropped a truth bomb on Teddy Bear Day saying that women don’t play with teddy bears anymore. The copy read, “Dear adarsh balak, sasta ho ya mehenga, she stopped playing with teddy bears when she was 10. This is un-bear-able. Love, Neena.” <div type="twitter" handle="oyorooms" handlename="OYO" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1336945719781945344/WyBChLdY_normal.jpg" favoritecount="11" retweetcount="0" status="Agli baar emoji se bhi kaam chal jayega 🧸🐻 Teddy was my chuddy buddy, buddy. #TeddyDay #YeRishtaHaiKhiska… https://t.co/UWOFyqMxGt" createdat="1612935766000" id="1359377248172732416"></div> Another realistic comment was on Chocolate Day, advising people to avoid cliches and not give heart-shaped Chocolate boxes to your loved ones because it is less chocolates, more air and lacks utility purpose. <div type="twitter" handle="oyorooms" handlename="OYO" image="http://pbs.twimg.com/profile_images/1336945719781945344/WyBChLdY_normal.jpg" favoritecount="24" retweetcount="1" status="Avoid cliches, swaad anusar 🍫@Neenagupta001 #ChocolateDay #YeRishtaHaiKhiska #Valentinesweek https://t.co/jTD19oGZ22" createdat="1612847985000" id="1359009068547903489"></div> On a day when brands neglect mid-age people, OYO has broken many stereotypes but it did not intend to make a statement by onboarding a mid-age protagonist, it all happened organically. Moreover, Gupta and Kirkire were the brand's first choice. Mayur Hola, Head of Global Brand - OYO Hotels &amp; Homes said, “The best movies, the ones that leave a lasting impression on you, come from stories and faces that are lined with age and character. That's really where great cinema emerges from. Advertising sometimes tends to feature bright shiny objects. I'm not just talking about human beings, even food. So the food you see in ads, you don't necessarily see in real life. We have sculpted bodies, perfect faces, etc. OYO might feature young faces from time to time as well, but we just felt these stories were better told by a couple who are ageless. Time has no relevance to the stories we are telling. It could be anyone, anywhere. We know that we are talking to such a varied audience as ours. We know that the lead protagonist needs to have a certain amount of chutzpah as well as stature. So yeah, we decided let's go get an actor not lower in age because sure, puppy love is awesome but I think we have a winner here in Neena.” While we still continue to fight with a global pandemic, OYO aims to remind you with this campaign that some familiarity is comforting and gain its consumers' trust. After conducting a consumer research and chatting with a few of them one-on-one, OYO found that that in eight out of 10 cases, women drive the conversation and take the final decision around travel. It also highlighted consumers who visit OYO once, they tend to go back to the same hotel. And this insight fueled the idea and gave birth to <a href="https://www.youtube.com/hashtag/yerishtahaikhiska">#YeRishtaHaiKhiska</a>. The first ad currently boasts 2,322,307 views. Telling how the brand stumbled upon this idea of celebrating long-lasting relationships, Hola said, “The starting point of any campaign for us is inclusivity. We’re a mass brand that is adopted by so many diverse sets of people; SMEs / corporate travellers, leisure travellers, couples, among others. This is an inclusive campaign that speaks to all, rather than an old vs young one. Secondly, over time our core customers see a very high repeat rate. To the same location and the same property. Our guests are literally in a long term relationship with OYO. Additionally when we spoke 1:1, woman to woman with a lot of our women guests we came across the fact that women were the key decision-makers when it came to booking a getaway, holiday, or vacation. So join the dots and the campaign comes together. Inclusion, relationships, consideration amongst women in particular.” Both, the concept of the campaign and script of the films were written by OYO’s in-house global brand team, with support from Oink Films on production. Hola said the brand aims to woo female audiences with its Valentine’s campaign. “We’re expecting greater consideration overall. And in general, likeability because this is just such a charming campaign. I think we don't necessarily need to feature your audience in your communication for them to like it. So in terms of interests and mindset, couples will relate with it, no matter what age group they are. I do think one of the intentions is to have greater likeability and affiliation with a female group. And I feel sure we’ll see that happen,” shared Hola. OYO will roll out a unified view across 45+ OTTs and apps programmatically. This includes platforms such as Inshorts, Sharechat, OTT platforms (Hotstar, MX Player, Sony Liv, Voot), music streaming apps (Gaana, Spotify, JioSaavn,) and dating apps (Tinder, Bumble, OkCupid). It will further amplify the films through an influencer campaign based on the theme #RishtaThodaKhiskaHai via a mix of celebrity and lifestyle influencers such as Smriti Khanna, Meeth Miri, Natasha Singh, and Siddhi MahaJankati, among others. As a brand that caters to a large audience, OYO is also making a conscious effort to be more inclusive in their advertising and marketing campaigns. On whether we will see more sections and communities of our societies in OYO’s campaign, Hola said, “Absolutely, We’re a brand that is adopted by the world’s middle class. And we will look to do work that appeals to a large mass.”

OYO’s Valentine’s Day campaign with Neena Gupta and Swanand Kirkire stands out in the clutter of mushy, young love

<ul><li>The round was led by angel investors Anand Ladsariya and Alok Aggarwal.</li><li>The company offers small to large ticket size loans ranging between ₹10,000 to ₹20 lakh.</li><li>It has also partnered with <keyword id="11640020" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="upgrad-nova-ivf">upGrad, Nova IVF</keyword>, Design Cafe, Asian Paints, Arrivae, and Hero Electric.</li></ul>Consumer lending <keyword id="3327423" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="fintech-startup">fintech startup</keyword> <keyword id="7934925" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Credit-Fair">Credit Fair</keyword>, on July 14, announced that it has raised $15 million as a part of its seed funding round in a mix of debt and equity. The round was led by two seasoned angel investors, chief executive (CEO) of Everest Flavours Anand Ladsariya and <keyword id="11640017" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="striver-capital-advisors">Striver Capital Advisors</keyword>’ CEO Alok Aggarwal, who have previously invested in other digital businesses like <keyword id="2808667" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword>, <keyword id="6354720" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="ola">Ola</keyword>, 1Mg, Myntra and more. Credit Fair was founded in 2018 by Aditya Damani to offer financial solutions to Indians from remote parts of the country. The company offers small to large ticket size loans, ranging between ₹10,000 to ₹20 lakh, for a tenure of three months to three years. The company is also a financial partner to several companies like upGrad, Nova IVF, Design Cafe, Asian Paints, Arrivae, Hero Electric and Ampere by Greaves to name a few. The company was founded in 2018 by Aditya Damani to offer financial solutions to Indians from remote parts of the country. Credit Fair plans to use this funding for building its technology team, enhancing underwriting models and expanding into Tier 2 and 3 cities. It will also look to scale its assets under management by sharpening its focus on financing upskilling courses, healthcare needs, down payment assistance for homeowners and financing for electric two and three-wheelers. “Our venture aims to financially empower Indians from remote areas or those without a credit score who traditionally comprise some of the most unbanked and underserved segments across the country. To this end, we are extending credit across key sectors that are crucial for improving India’s social infrastructure, especially in these COVID times... We will utilise the funding to accelerate our advance towards creating a financially inclusive future for Bharat,” Damani said in a press statement. According to a Statista <a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/1202533/india-digital-lending-volume/">report</a>, digital lending is the fastest-growing segment in the fintech industry globally. It has grown from $9 billion in 2012 to $110 billion in 2019, and is poised to be valued around $350 billion by 2023. SEE ALSO <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/tech/news/amazon-acquires-facebooks-satellite-internet-team-bolstering-its-efforts-to-compete-with-spacex/articleshow/84395065.cms" style="">Amazon acquires Facebook's satellite internet team, bolstering its efforts to compete with SpaceX</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/softbank-swiggy-deals-gets-cci-approval-two-days-before-zomato-ipo/articleshow/84347306.cms" style="">SoftBank-Swiggy deal gets CCI approval, two days before Zomato IPO</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/payments-firm-mobikwik-files-for-1900-crore-ipo-reportedly-to-seek-1-billion-valuation/articleshow/84347520.cms" style="">Payments firm MobiKwik files for ₹1,900 crore IPO, reportedly to seek $1 billion valuation</a>

Credit Fair, which offers loans to Indians without credit score, has raised $15 million in seed

<keyword id="2550719" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="OYO-Rooms">OYO Rooms</keyword>, a top name in budget hotels aggregator industry, has always made it a point to offer their customers the best options for making their experience comfortable. It has now decided to pilot a food technology venture as well as an on-demand housekeeping service. 
 The company plans to combine the kitchens of the hotels listed under its belt, and the food would be sold under the name of <keyword id="3137676" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="OYO-Cafe">OYO Cafe</keyword>. 
 "As in any food business, we noticed that our partner hotels' kitchen have excess inventory," Maninder Gulati, head of strategy and corporate development at <keyword id="2808667" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="OYO">OYO</keyword> told ET. "So, the idea is, if we can utilise that and use food tech platforms like Zomato or Swiggy to distribute that food then that's a revenue generation potential for our partner." 
 The company also plans to dabble into on-demand housekeeping services venture, with the name <keyword id="3138076" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="oyo-care">OYO Care</keyword>. "That is an on-demand cleaning service. Our area managers can facilitate cleanup for a room as and when a customer needs it," said Gulati. 
 In the past two years, the Gurgaon-based company has gained a lot of popularity, and has become a top name in the industry. In August, OYO raised $100 million in a round led by SoftBank, and since then, it has spread its assets to 30,000 rooms in 130 Indian cities and towns. Its competitors include <keyword id="2825269" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Zo-Rooms">ZO Rooms</keyword>, <keyword id="2913812" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Treebo-Hotels">Treebo Hotels</keyword>, <keyword id="2870818" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="FabHotels">Fabhotels</keyword>, <keyword id="2937565" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Wudstay">Wudstay</keyword>, <keyword id="2882211" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Zen-Rooms">Zen Rooms</keyword>, <keyword id="2902711" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="ZiP-Rooms">Zip Rooms</keyword>, <keyword id="3007241" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="Vista-Rooms">Vista Rooms</keyword> and <keyword id="3138078" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="RoomOnCall">RoomOnCall</keyword>. 
 
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/oyorooms/photos/a.1449401045295515.1073741825.1449392448629708/1681617255407225/?type=3&amp;theater">Image source</a>

OYO Rooms knows the way to the customer’s heart
is through his stomach!

For most people, the word ‘hostel’ brings back memories of hard bunkbeds, loud roommates and grimy washrooms. A new trend has been sweeping the world which is trying to redefine all of that with a touch of class, offering minimalistic decor, hotel-like amenities and even great bars. Posh-hostels Poshtels have started alongside other affordable accommodation options like Airbnb, microhotels featuring pods and homestays. These accommodation options want to be your home away from home and create an atmosphere that is unlike hotels- homely, friendly and based on sharing. Not just that, Poshtels are made for people who like luxury with a twist. Most poshtels are affordable but a little steep compared to other hostels which they make up by providing better and more livable facilities. Interestingly, most modern hostel guests aren’t broke like college kids; they just place their priorities differently; preferring to spend their money on local food and experiences, rather than just a place to lounge in. This new traveller wants a travel experience that’s different and instagrammable. Poshtels are distinguished by their on-trend design, communal spaces like cafes or bars, social meetups and happening neighbourhoods. The guests aren’t young nomads; but professionals in their late 20s who represent around 40% of the total guests, <a href="https://skift.com/2016/08/25/upscale-hostels-look-beyond-millennials-to-business-travelers/">according to Skift</a>. The whole packages A <keyword id="5290598" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="poshtel">poshtel</keyword> recently opened its doors in Delhi so we popped in to see what’s it all about. ‘LetsBunk ‘Poshtel’ is a fusion of a boutique hotel and a funky hostel where you can enjoy the luxury and engage in the cultural give-and-take,” says Gautam Munjal who started the property in the buzzing area of <keyword id="6493471" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="hauz-khas-village">Hauz Khas Village</keyword> in New Delhi. Munjal who has previously worked with <keyword id="2808667" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="oyo">Oyo</keyword>, is trying to spread the concept in a city which sees a lot of travelers from all over the world. The space itself buzzes with life, as most guests sit together for coffee or a round of board games. The rooms are spacious,comfortable and stylish but the lobby, cafe and the rooftop keep calling out to you. The space consists of Mixed &amp; Female exclusive dorms and private rooms starting at Rs. 850 a night and going up to Rs. 5000 for a dorm-style private room for six people. Let’sBunk is also trying the Co-Working space model where they use their living room area as a workspace for freelancers and startup owners that can add to the concept. As the seats are limited, Munjal says that they ensure that they ensure that most people who work at Let’sBunk are working in the travel industry to facilitate the guest experiences. The Coworking package starts at Rs. 7000 per month which includes coupons for complimentary breakfast, access to events, discounts on hosting events, access to yoga workshops, printing facility et al. Local tours and activities are a norm in the <keyword id="5290597" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="hauz-khhas">Hauz Khhas</keyword> area and many travelers opt for the Old Delhi Bike tour, Design Walk, Food walks, History Walks, Heritage walks etc. which the management organizes through partnerships. When I visited the space I met with entrepreneurs, NRIs and even lifestyle bloggers- all of which benefited from the concept as a way of socialising with their peers. Whether you like your frills or thrills, the Poshtel concept will appeal to you.

Poshtels in Delhi are the perfect place for remotely working professionals

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OYO’s Valentine’s Day campaign with Neena Gupta and Swanand Kirkire stands out in the clutter of mushy, young love

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Credit Fair, which offers loans to Indians without credit score, has raised $15 million in seed

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OYO Rooms knows the way to the customer’s heart is through his stomach!

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Poshtels in Delhi are the perfect place for remotely working professionals

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Scott Galloway predicts Amazon will be the fastest growing healthcare company by 2025, many US universities may never reopen, and says the best time to start a new business is in the depths of a recession

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