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A photograph of men walking through the streets of Bengaluru carrying billboards to promote a food delivery app has sparked widespread condemnation on social media. The viral image, shared by entrepreneur Roshan on platform X, has garnered over 1 lakh views, fueling a heated discussion about the ethics of such advertising.
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Roshan criticized the marketing strategy with a sarcastic post: “VC: How much funding do you need? Startup: 5 million $ VC: What’s your customer acquisition plan? Then: Human ads. VC: Take my money.”
@justswishin exploiting individuals to carry ad banners in Bangalore is reprehensible—a flagrant violation of human dignity and an abhorrent display of exploitation. This reflects the absolute nadir of marketing ethics by Swish.
@kshrac@CMofKarnatakapic.twitter.com/utqdB1tiOb— sandeep (@Xroute53)
@justswishin exploiting individuals to carry ad banners in Bangalore is reprehensible—a flagrant violation of human dignity and an abhorrent display of exploitation. This reflects the absolute nadir of marketing ethics by Swish.
@kshrac@CMofKarnatakapic.twitter.com/utqdB1tiOb— sandeep (@Xroute53) December 7, 2024
">December 7, 2024
The controversial practice, known as "human ads," has left many online users deeply uncomfortable. Comments on Roshan's post expressed disappointment and concern over the exploitation of individuals for advertising purposes.
“This ad is in too many places now, and it doesn't feel good,” one user wrote. Another commented, “Maybe it’s just me, but human ads make me so sad. They’re walking around with that heavy thing on their backs for God knows how long.”
Critics have linked the practice to larger issues of labor exploitation and economic disparity. “Capitalism with its pros and cons advocates for maximum utility of resources. India, with cheap labor at its disposal, always ready to get exploited in multiple ways,” wrote another user.
The incident has reignited conversations about ethical advertising and the treatment of workers in India’s booming startup ecosystem.
