The case study analyzes offline marketing strategies in the food tech sector, focusing on how start-ups like TinyOwl, Dineout, and Swiggy used free coffee mugs to engage customers at stalls. It highlights the challenges in measuring effectiveness, the importance of KPIs, and the need for a lean approach in product marketing that relies on experimentation and customer feedback. The analysis concludes with recommendations for improving sustainability, efficiency, and customer experience.

1. Lean / Agile Product Marketing - Case Study
The Coffee Mug
Paradigm
By,
Nitish Gulati,
PM, Cybrilla Technologies
——————————
Blogger
www.nitishgulati.com

2. What is it about?
❖ Sector - Food Tech
❖ Companies - TinyOwl, DineOut, Swiggy
❖ Key Factor - Coffee Mug - Start ups going nuts over it!
❖ Focus - Relentless distribution of free coffee mugs to attract
customers to stalls

3. Situation Analysis
❖ Model - Offline Marketing through stalls at various locations
❖ Peak Engagement Intervals - Three
❖ Total Engagement time - 420 mins per day
❖ Location – Waverock SEZ, Hyderabad
Breakfast (9.30 - 11.30 AM)
Lunch (12.30 - 3.00 PM)
Snacks (5.00 - 6.30 PM)

4. Bird’s eye view
Brands Dineout Swiggy TinyOwl
Factors
Staff at the stall 3-5 5-7 3-5
Stall Positions
(Single Location)
2 2 1
Number of Days 2 2 1
Cashback Rs 100 NA 100% up to Rs
150
Mugs Handed Out 420 168 NA
Stall Decoration Simple Grand Moderate
Orders Achieved NA 84 NA
Engagement Time 420 mins per day 420 mins per day 300 mins per day

5. It’s somewhat measurable, but is it
working?
❖ Not really lean!
❖ Where are the Key performance indicators
(KPI’s)?
❖ If KPI’s exist, which facets of a coordinated
marketing campaign are having a positive impact
on them?

6. Lean Product Marketing - What is it?
❖ Validate learning & judge the needs of early
customers.
❖ Identify the minimum viable product (MVP) and
being agile around it with respect to marketing.
❖ Experimentation and planning.
❖ Testing and metrics are vital to the growth

7. Deep dive
Brands Dineout Swiggy TinyOwl
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Observations Network Issues *Network Issues
*Less consumers
*Network Issues
*Time to play
game
*Lost 120 mins
Customer Journey Approx. 2 mins Approx. 4-5 mins Approx. 3 mins

8. Deep dive (cont.)
Brands Dineout Swiggy TinyOwl
Tangible Factors
Staff at stall ₹7500 ₹10000 ₹7500
Rent ₹28000 ₹28000 ₹14000
Cashback ₹42000 NA ₹ 40000 (30 + 10)
Mugs ₹21000 ₹8400 ₹5000
Stall decoration ₹5000 ₹10000 ₹5000
Orders Achieved NA ₹8400 NA
Total ₹61500 ₹48000 ₹78500
Non tangible factors
Stall Attraction Simple Grand Moderate
Customer profitabilty Grand Moderate Simple
❖ All values in Indian Rupees (INR)

9. 7,500
28,000
42,000
21,000
5,000
0
61,500
10,000
28,000
0
8,400
10,000
8,400
48,000
7,500
14,000
40,000
5,000
5,000
0
78,500
0 20000 40000 60000 80000 100000
Staff at Stall
Rent
Cashback
Mugs
Stall Decoration
Orders
Total
Values (in Indian Rupees)
Parameters
Dineout Swiggy TinyOwl
Deep dive (cont.)

10. ❖ What could the 3 start ups have done differently
post this analysis?
❖ Plan for a Sustainable pace.
❖ Removing Impediments (TinyOwl)
❖ Just In Time Reviews (DineOut)
❖ Principles used -
❖ Experimentation | Customer feedback | Metrics
Deep dive (cont.)

11. The Coffee Mug Judgement
Paradigm Winner Runner Up
Consumer is the King DineOut TinyOwl
WOW Factor Swiggy TinyOwl
Balanced Market Strategy
(ROI + Customer Acquisition +
Customer Retention)
Swiggy NA

12. Conclusion
❖ Not a big bang approach.
❖ Have something akin to a MVP
❖ Measurements, like burn down charts, are
important
❖ Retrospect helps in maintaining the vision of the
brand
❖ Focus on building experience with consumers

13. Connect With Me
/in/nitishgulati
@GulatiNitish
www.nitishgulati.com