Nykaa’s Big 1-3: Glossy celebration campaigns banking on ‘shopping with memories’ 

Nykaa is officially a teenager, and just like most 13-year-olds, it’s loud, nostalgic, a little chaotic, and very online. Instead of quietly marking its milestone with standard discount banners or a sentimental video montage, Nykaa went full throttle, turning its 13th birthday into a cultural moment. 

The brand leaned into meme marketing, nostalgia triggers, and digital-first storytelling, delivering two distinct yet equally viral campaign films.

The first, and arguably the louder of the two  features, influencer trio Parveen, Darshan, and Rakesh reimagining the iconic “Janta Maaf Nahi Karegi” track from Phir Hera Pheri. Drenched in VHS-style filters, glitch effects, and throwback dance moves, the film is a riot of retro energy. It taps into a familiar aesthetic for millennials while giving Gen Z something remixable, shareable, and snackable. It’s nostalgia served with a side of chaos, chaotic good, if we’re being precise. The use of Phir Hera Pheri’s last-scene music is particularly clever, evoking a sense of unresolved hilarity, just like adolescence itself.

However, even as the film earns brownie points for creativity and virality, it draws criticism for casting only male influencers. As Tarunjeet Rattan of Nucleus PR points out, for a brand so deeply rooted in the female experience, this felt like a misstep. In a time when purpose-led branding and gender representation are table stakes, Nykaa’s decision to sideline women in its biggest celebration yet feels off-brand. Rattan calls it “a fun brainstorm that somehow slipped into production without a strategic pit stop”, and she’s not wrong. The film may have the vibe, but does it have the value?

On the other end of the campaign spectrum is a film featuring Urvashi Rautela, who turns one of her most viral “1 million percent natural” interview moments into a playful pitch for the Nykaa birthday sale. Shot like a behind-the-scenes vanity van confession, the film is equal parts absurd and self-aware. Urvashi owns her meme status, pokes fun at her own glamazon persona, and somehow manages to sell the idea that shopping early makes you a beauty trendsetter. The meta angle works—especially because she’s clearly in on the joke.

Both films showcase Nykaa’s evolving marketing playbook. They cleverly stitch together nostalgia, influencer synergy, and moment marketing; three ingredients that rule the 2025 social media landscape. As Dr. Sandeep Goyal of Rediffusion puts it, “We’re not shopping with wallets anymore. We’re shopping with memories.” Nykaa gets that. And it uses that understanding to build both relevance and reach.

But as N. Chandramouli, CEO of TRA Research, notes, this might be a “masterclass in creativity” that lacks strategic coherence. There’s no doubt the campaign will drive views and maybe even sales, especially with its well-timed summer launch. But does it deepen brand loyalty? Does it reflect the values Nykaa has built over 13 years? The campaign, fun as it is, feels more like a digital carnival than a brand milestone. It’s like that friend who’s great at parties but forgets your birthday the next year, memorable, but not necessarily meaningful.

Nykaa’s 13th birthday campaign is a glossy, meme-filled, Reels-optimized spectacle. It looks great on Instagram, plays well with the algorithm, and speaks the language of the internet fluently. But as it steps into its teenage years, the brand might want to remember what made it iconic in the first place: real women, real stories, and a strong sense of self. Because a birthday isn’t just a party, it’s a reminder of your roots. And no matter how viral you go, that’s the kind of message that sticks.