Zomato's plain red birthday ad has internet using AI to recreate it: 'Assumed it belonged to RedBus, Airtel...'

Zomato's attempt to mark its 18th anniversary with a logo-free newspaper advertisement turned into an unexpected guessing game after readers struggled to identify the brand. The online food delivery company published a full-page advertisement in a leading national daily on July 10 without displaying its logo or name. Instead, it relied entirely on its familiar red-and-white colour palette, apparently banking on strong brand recognition.

The advertisement carried the line: "Thank you for keeping us in your hearts (and your bank statements)." A note at the bottom added: "No logo required, you know who we are."

Readers struggle to identify the brand

Rather than instantly recognising the campaign, many readers were left uncertain about its origin. Several believed it belonged to other well-known brands associated with similar colours, including Airtel, Kotak Mahindra Bank and RedBus.

The uncertainty prompted Zomato to acknowledge the campaign on X just hours after newspapers reached homes across the country.

Sharing the anonymous advertisement, the company wrote: "We've come a long way over the past 18 years, from getting cancelled on twitter to getting cancelled on X. Happy birthday to us."

Zomato was founded in New Delhi on 10 July 2008 by Deepinder Goyal and Pankaj Chaddah.

Marketing experts divided over the campaign

Although many readers failed to recognise the advertisement, some branding professionals said they identified it immediately.

Marketing expert Vineet Chugh said in a LinkedIn post that he recognised the brand at first glance and described the campaign as a confident move.

"I found it bold and confident, she found it overconfident and wastage of money," Chugh wrote, adding that only a financially strong company such as Zomato could afford to run a newspaper advertisement without including its logo.

Social media reacts with praise, jokes and AI edits

The campaign generated a wave of reactions on social media, with users offering both praise and criticism.

Some were surprised, posting comments such as "Ohh its you?", while others insisted they had initially assumed the advertisement belonged to a soft drink or toothpaste company. Even MBA graduates admitted they had been left guessing.

One X user joked: “This is a brilliant ad. It goes on to show that a brand’s identity is beyond just the logo. It’s about how you show up every single day. Great work Kotak Mahindra Bank. Seriously impressive.”

Others used the opportunity to poke fun at the company.

"You survived every cancellation…except the cancellation of affordable delivery fees," one user commented.

Another user used AI to recreate the advertisement, adding an illustration of a delivery rider carrying a food bag on a motorcycle, making the reference to Zomato more obvious.

Another popular response read: "You have now officially claimed the colour red".

Another wrote: Assumed it belonged to 'RedBus or Airtel."