Flipkart ad mimicking obituary draws outrage, boycott calls

Flipkart has sparked widespread condemnation for a Freedom Sale newspaper advertisement that mimics an obituary page. Headlined "WE AREN'T SAD AT ALL," the ad features images and notices of living people, with text implying urgency before the company's deals end. Author and columnist Shobhaa De called it "the most self-serving, disgusting and insensitive ad" on X, urging consumers to boycott the platform, reports Livemint and Business Today.

Social media reactions are mixed but largely critical. Many users described the ad as in poor taste, with some noting the images are AI-generated. Critics called the analogy "very bad" and "insensitive," while others dismissed the outrage as overblown, noting the ad's purpose is to grab attention. Business Today highlights Flipkart's history of marketing controversies, including a 2026 ad featuring Harbhajan Singh referencing the Harbhajan-Sreesanth 'Slapgate' incident and a 2025 parody of a scene from '3 Idiots' that drew criticism.

Flipkart has not publicly responded or clarified which newspaper editions carried the ad. The Freedom Sale runs from August 8 to August 16, with discounts on electronics, appliances, and fashion.