Flipkart’s new ad in print media reflects mixed feeling

Set as part of its Big Bang Diwali Sale, Flipkart revived the golden era of long-form print advertising with a witty full-page story that celebrates rediscovery and new beginnings. In an age of hashtags and 6-second hooks, the e-commerce platform has taken an unexpected creative turn this Diwali — with a full-page print story titled ‘A Man Once Bought A Single Sock’. Published on the front pages of Hindustan Times and The Times of India, the piece is a nostalgic ode to long-form storytelling — a format once central to great advertising but rarely seen today.

At first glance, the copy feels like a slice of old-school charm. But as it unfolds, it reads like a short story — about Arjun, who misplaces a sock, goes online to replace it, and through a series of small coincidences, ends up rediscovering joy, hope, and a new home, all through Flipkart’s Big Bang Diwali Sale. In a cluttered adscape dominated by celebrity faces and quick consumption, this piece stands out for its quiet confidence — a reminder that well-written copy still has the power to pause readers and pull them in.