Several brands have found themselves under scrutiny for sourcing products from China, and boAt is no exception.
Instead of issuing the usual corporate statements or press releases, the brand took a bold and cheeky approach to address the chatter.
They invited the audience behind the scenes of their so-called “Chinese factory”—which, in reality, is located in Noida.
Teaming up with comedian Ravi Gupta, boAt created a humorous, sarcastic take on the trolls targeting the brand.
Gupta, playing the role of a “secret agent”, unveils a “scandal”, claiming that his “sources”—aka the comment section of boAt’s Instagram page—gave shocking intel about the company deceiving its customers.
As Gupta sticks to his role of a determined investigator, the clever camera work subtly hints that this entire expose is a well-crafted spoof.
The video serves as a playful yet strategic move to reshape the narrative around boAt’s manufacturing identity.
By the end, the video reveals that 75 per cent of boAt’s products are made in India, with the help of its 15,000 employees. The final punchline, the brand delivers, is “Born in India. Rock in India.”
The video has already racked up over 5.3 million views on YouTube, with the audience coming out in full support.
The brand attempted to reshape consumer perceptions about its identity and manufacturing philosophy. And, it did manage to do the job.
This campaign was sharp, witty, and perfectly in tune with the political atmosphere.
By focusing on its strong manufacturing presence in India, boAt has reinforced its image as a homegrown brand—one that also brought cutting-edge technology to the table.
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The Midas touch
Creativity has been boAt’s area of expertise.
It has strengthened its brand positioning with pop-culture partnerships.
One of its hit collaborations was with MTV, where the campaign targeted the young, music-driven audience who saw music not only as an art form but as a way of life.
MTV Hustle season 4 contestants Naam Sujal, Vichaar, and Ghaint Jxtt wrote the ‘BOAT Anthem’ and performed the song on the rap reality show.
The campaign also featured limited-edition boAt products, which had designs and branding tied to iconic MTV themes.
The collaboration felt authentic and further bridged the gap between boAt’s products and music, making the brand an inseparable part of the contemporary Indian pop culture scene.
But, boAt’s two-year-old campaign with Netflix was one quirky collaboration, set to target the youth. It marked the streaming giant’s first-ever partnership with an audio brand.
Under it, boAt rolled out its ‘Stream Edition’ headphones, wireless earbuds, and wireless neckbands with the branding of Netflix. These products were marketed as a way to “keep India watching”.
The two brands roped in actor Kiara Advani, cricketer Shreyas Iyer, fashion designer Masaba Gupta, and boAt Co-founder Aman Gupta.
The ad shows them enjoying music, watching movies and dance videos, and doing meetings. BoAt’s headphones and Netflix shows were seamlessly integrated making the video worth a watch.
What set the campaign apart was its ability to convey the collaboration in a subtle yet impactful way—without uttering a single word.
The brand took a clever approach by keeping the visuals quirky, vibrant, and full of energy, creating an experience rather than going with a typical product pitch.
The result was a seamless blend of creativity and brand messaging, where the focus was less on hard-selling.
The audience understood the collaboration, appreciated the vibe, and engaged with the content. And, it was reflected in the 10 million views the video clocked on YouTube.
BoAt’s silence on the “importing electronics from China” claims did put the brand on the backfoot.
But, better late than never.
Its ‘Born in India. Rock in India’ commercial with comedian Ravi Gupta has shut the critics up.
Views are personal.