Forget cheesy pick-up lines, Pune’s got a different kind of charm! (No we are not going to talk about the Z bridge today!)
This city, bubbling with history, culture, and enough student energy to light up the night, has always been a beloved spot.
Back in 2016, Phoenix Marketcity decided to celebrate this love story in a super fun way – enter the #ILovePune board!
This blog post is gonna take a stroll down memory lane to revisit this iconic selfie spot, and all the crazy things that happened around it.
From Hearts to Donations: A Campaign with a Cause
Apart from the mushy chocolates and rose bouquets that you can get in the mall, Phoenix Marketcity had a way cooler idea for Valentine’s Day in 2016.
They said, “Let’s shower some love on Pune itself!”
That’s how the #ILovePune campaign started.
It wasn’t just about warm and fuzzies, though. They encouraged everyone to tweet what they loved about this awesome city, and guess what? For every tweet, they donated Rs.1 to the Keshav Sita and Poona Blind School.
Pretty cool, right? But here’s the thing – the #ILovePune board inside the mall wasn’t just some decoration. It became the heart of this campaign, a vibrant symbol that made everyone feel all happy and fuzzy about Pune, while also raising money for a great cause.
So, it was a win-win – a fantastic way to give back to the community, and some seriously smart branding for the mall!
Beyond the Mall: #ILovePune Takes Over the City
The in-mall #ILovePune board was a smash hit!
It sparked a citywide craze, and suddenly, similar boards were popping up everywhere – Koregaon Park, Swargate, Aundh, you name it!
These weren’t your tiny, boring signs; these were larger-than-life displays that practically screamed “Take a selfie with me!”
And that’s exactly what Punekars did. Families flocked to them for photos, friend groups snapped selfies with glee, and even businesses got in on the action with creative marketing campaigns.
Social media went wild with the hashtag, with #ILoveKothrud itself racking up over 112 posts on Instagram.
But here’s the twist – it wasn’t the mall behind these boards now. Politicians and private business owners wanted a piece of the action, putting up their own versions to spread the Pune love (and maybe get a little publicity themselves).
Even social media influencers in the food, travel, and other scenes jumped on the bandwagon, using the boards as quirky backdrops for their posts. Pune was truly smitten!
A Change of Heart: When the Love Faded
Things got a bit bumpy for the #ILovePune love affair.
While most people was busy snapping selfies and spreading the Pune love, others had some serious questions.
They thought the boards were a bit much to look at and maybe weren’t the best use of everyone’s money. As a lot of them were build by local politicians with public funds.
A 2022 article in the Hindustan Times even mentioned complaints about permits and who was paying the electricity bill. So, after an investigation, the authorities decided to take most of the boards down, #ILovePune and all their local cousins.
(Quote by Additional Municipal Commissioner Kunal Khemnar):
“There are various complaints about these boards from citizens. On this background, the municipal commissioner has asked to carry out an inquiry. It is found that all these boards have been installed without taking the sky signs’ department’s permission, which is mandatory. The boards are found to be using public electric supply.”
Lessons Learned: A Balancing Act
So, what can we learn from the #ILovePune rollercoaster ride?
It was a branding masterclass with a side of “oops, maybe we didn’t think this through completely.”
On the bright side, it showed the magic of social media engagement. People ate it up! Suddenly, Pune wasn’t just a city, it was a hashtag, a community rallying around their love for their home turf.
For Phoenix Marketcity, it was a goldmine – a feel-good campaign that got everyone talking.
But let’s be honest, those rogue boards going up without permission? Not the best look. It’s a cautionary tale for any brand – gotta follow the rules!
Imagine if they’d worked with the city, gotten the green light, and maybe even involved local artists in the designs?
The #ILovePune boards could have been a permanent landmark, a symbol of civic pride.
So, what do you think? Was the #ILovePune campaign a win or a fail? Could it have been a branding home run with a different approach?
