How Oppo Recreated ZNMD with a Twist

Marketing is full of surprises. Every now and then, a campaign comes along that makes us scratch our heads and ask, “Why did this work so well?” That’s exactly how we felt about Oppo’s tribute to Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara. Truth be told, we didn’t think it was all that impressive. Yet, somehow, it hit the right chord, resonating with audiences in unexpected ways.
Love it or hate it, the campaign worked—and that’s reason enough to dive deeper. So, let’s break it down and understand what made it click!

Table of contents

• The Concept — Tapping into Bollywood Nostalgia
• The Execution— Storytelling with a Tech Edge
• Results
• Takeaways From this Campaign
• Conclusion

The Concept — Tapping into Bollywood Nostalgia

If you’re even remotely familiar with Bollywood, you’ll know that ZNMD is more than a film for travel enthusiasts. Almost everyone has at least once dreamt of taking a similar road trip with their friend after seeing the movie. The movie is that classic. And people think Bollywood doesn’t make this kind of film today.  Oppo tapped into this nostalgia, bringing back the ZNMD vibes through a series of videos featuring three contemporary stars — Ishan Khatter, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Vedang Raina.

They showcased the trio recreating iconic scenes from the film while capturing their adventures using Oppo’s AI camera features.

The Execution— Storytelling with a Tech Edge

Let’s take a closer look at how Oppo executed this campaign like a pro:

1. Casting the Perfect Trio

Oppo chose Ishan Khatter, Siddhant Chaturvedi and Vedang Raina—three young, relatable and charismatic actors who resonated with Gen Z and millennials. Their chemistry on screen mirrored the friendship dynamics of ZNMD, making the campaign feel fresh yet nostalgic.

 2. Recreating Iconic Scenes

First of all they just released a film featuring all 3 stars on a trip after a hectic work week. It included references from the movie Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara with the message “Live it Abhi” which means live in the moment — the same message delivered by the film.  

When they posted a short clip on Instagram —- people demanded creating ZNMD 2 looking at the resemblance.

And listening to the community — they brought Zindagi na Milegi Dobara back for real. 

They recreated 3 classic scenes from ZNMD too with the recreated track playing in the background. When you look at the video, you will instantly know which 3 scenes they’ve recreated if you are a ZNMD fan. 

But Oppo added its twist—They showcased the trio recreating iconic scenes from the film ✌️while capturing their adventures using Oppo’s AI camera features✌️ 

So, instead of just evoking nostalgia, the campaign smartly embedded Oppo’s product into the narrative. 

Unlike ZNMD, where the story was the hero, Oppo’s campaign flipped the script. The product—Oppo’s smartphone with its AI camera features—became the star of the show. 

Let’s talk more about this in the next point! 

3. Product as the Hero

In most campaigns, the story takes centre stage and the product plays a supporting role. Oppo flipped this idea on its head. While the storytelling hooked the audience, the product stole the spotlight. Each video emphasised how Oppo’s camera features — live photo, AI blur and its ability to capture shots even in water.

Results

While exact figures on engagement or sales impact might not be public, it’s clear that the campaign achieved its primary goal—buzz. Meme pages were abuzz with memes conveying how Oppo was similar to iPhone. ZNMD recreation gave it a massive reach and the product showcase created the buzz.

Takeaways from this Campaign

Oppo’s ZNMD campaign offers several takeaways for brands looking to make an impact:

1. Make the product the hero: A great story is important, but don’t let it overshadow your product. Find ways to integrate your product naturally into the narrative.
2. Collaborate with the right talent: The cast can make or break your campaign. Choose influencers or celebrities who resonate with your target audience.
3. Show features in action through storytelling: Use storytelling to showcase your product’s features in action. It’s far more engaging than simply throwing off technical specifications.

Conclusion

Oppo’s idea of bringing back ZNMD was really good but the execution could be better. But one thing they did better this time was featuring their product in the best possible way. They let their product win this time instead of unlike their Sid Wakes Up campaign in which they did legit storytelling and people thought its sequel was coming. It’s later that people got to know that it was Oppo’s campaign. Nevertheless, it worked and now people are aware of the product and not the story.

The real question here is this — can you generate similar buzz for your brand? The answer is yes. You obviously don’t need content creation knowledge and social media know-how. You can easily outsource it to a digital marketing agency like ours. 

It’s actually a smarter way of doing social media marketing and a lot of big brands do this to save time on execution and take expert help. If you also wish to do the same — reach out to us at hello@florafountain.com 

 

Vasim Samadji

Vasim Samadji is a partner at Flora Fountain, where he leads the Business and Marketing Strategy divisions. In a world where everyone is used to sugarcoating, his directness is often considered rude. But that shouldn't be a problem if you like the no-nonsense approach. Because he is a seasoned professional...