# Flipkart obituary ad for Freedom Sale sparks backlash 2026-08-17T17:58:29+00:00 | Business & Economy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet Flipkart's print advertisement for its Freedom Sale, using an obituary-style format, has drawn sharp criticism online. The ad, which ran on August 16, placed details of deals in memorial-style boxes. Author Shobhaa De called it 'self-serving, disgusting and insensitive' and urged a boycott. Some users questioned if the images were AI-generated, Flipkart has not clarified. Brand experts are divided on the campaign. Harish Bijoor said it scored 100 on awareness but doubted it would convert to sales, adding that it risked insensitivity to the grieving. Karthik Srinivasan called it 'elementary subversion' using fictional AI characters. Ashok Lalla said the execution was 'contrived' and lacked creative strength. Flipkart has not publicly responded to the criticism. The Freedom Sale ended on August 16, offering discounts on smartphones, laptops, and appliances. The controversy raises questions about whether provocative ads that generate attention risk overshadowing the product. ## Coverage - inc42.com This story was synthesised by AI from the source linked above. Tags: Flipkart, Harish Bijoor, Shobhaa De Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/flipkart-obituary-ad-for-freedom-sale-sparks-backlash/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/flipkart-obituary-ad-for-freedom-sale-sparks-backlash/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes. How this brief was made: an AI model read the report linked above and wrote this summary and analysis, which were published automatically. Published briefs are sampled every hour by an automated quality check; the editor verifies its findings and approves corrections, and corrected briefs carry a dated correction line. We do no original reporting. Methodology: https://indianopinion.org/ai-use-policy/