With 75% adex on digital, Popeyes’ strategy balances efficiency and reach: Gaurav Pande

New Delhi: The world-famous fried chicken brand Popeyes has made its grand debut in Mumbai. The brand rolled out an aggressive marketing blitz that spanned influencer marketing, outdoor innovation like Popeyes cabs, hyper-local activations, and high-impact digital storytelling.

With three-quarters of Popeyes' marketing budget already flowing into digital, its marketing playbook reflects a larger shift in QSR marketing, one where precision targeting, influencer advocacy, and measurable ROI trump mass-reach TV buys.

Speaking to BestMediaInfo, Gaurav Pande, EVP & Business Head at Popeyes, said, "The beauty of digital media is that it allows us to reach the well-targeted consumers. And obviously, with multiple formats of communication like static video, content placement, and organic content generation with influencers on social media, there are so many opportunities available. It definitely allows us to reach out to the consumers in a much better way.”

Pande is clear that the digital-heavy strategy is about efficiency as much as reach. “Every rupee we spend has to be measured. If it is not giving us the right return, we stop it and put it somewhere else,” he said. “That’s the flexibility digital gives us. And that’s the reason why the skew is towards digital.”

Pande said this mix of platforms and formats is deliberate. “Our 360-degree marketing strategy reflects our dedication to creating immersive, high-impact brand experiences, whether through digital engagement with Gen Z, on-the-ground activations at colleges, or larger-than-life branding throughout the city,” he explained.

While the skew towards digital is clear, Popeyes India hasn’t entirely abandoned traditional channels. “We still do outdoor, we still do radio in some markets, but the proportion is lower,” Pande said.

On the subject of celebrity endorsements, Pande is clear that the product must always remain central. “Whatever the advertising, whether it is with a celebrity or without a celebrity, the objective for the marketer should be to deal with the product because we are all about the product. Now, somewhere in certain attributes, there is a very strong celebrity and product fit, and I do believe in that kind of marketing. Otherwise, just choosing a celebrity without a strong fit is not building a brand. It may get noticed for a while, but not necessarily build the brand.”

For Mumbai, a market Pande asserted as a “melting pot of diverse cultures and bold food options,” Popeyes is betting big on precision targeting. The digital push is designed to go deep into Gen Z territory, with collaborations involving top food creators and campus outreach in leading Mumbai colleges. From viral taste test videos to Instagram Reels challenges, the aim is to own both the conversation and the cravings.

On the ground, the brand is also playing the visibility game. Its “Bucket on Top” cab branding, which has over 300 taxis topped with giant Popeyes buckets, has transformed the city’s streets into moving billboards. Also, Pole branding at high-traffic zones ensures recall at every corner, while the Popeyes mascot makes surprise appearances to drive social media moments.

For Pande, building awareness is the non-negotiable starting point of any brand journey. “If I don't know you, there's no chance of buying you. So, first I need to know you, then I need to know you well, then I need to know what you stand for, then I need to know you well enough to start considering you, and that's when my next step will be to look at buying you or consuming the brand. The very first step, the very first step is knowing you come from advertising and marketing and therefore, it's extremely critical, especially for a new brand to drive salience or awareness with the right set of consumers as we build a brand.”

Popeyes operates over 40 restaurants across multiple cities, with aggressive expansion planned for the next two years. Looking ahead, Pande remains pragmatic about the company’s growth ambitions. “We will be 1000 crores in certain years for sure.”