In an exclusive interview, Gaurav Loomba who leads Non-Endemic Ads at bigbasket shares how he’s turning grocery baskets into storytelling spaces, building ad products in sync with rapid quick-commerce growth, and positioning bigbasket as a full-stack ad solutions partner. He also talks about experimenting with new monetization models, driving long-term partnerships across diverse categories, and creating brand engagements that feel like experiences, not interruptions, offering a playbook for where quick commerce advertising is headed next.
At Reckitt, ShopX, Swiggy, Zepto & bigbasket you’ve handled very different audiences and brand needs, how do you adapt your partnership strategy in the case of Non-Endemic brands to each context?
Having worked with stakeholders across the value chain – distributors, channel partners, and advertisers I’ve found that a few guiding principles always hold true. First, align stakeholders with larger goals while keeping communication open, honest, and transparent. Second, always present the bigger picture. Transactional conversations may solve immediate needs, but it’s the long-term vision, showing stakeholders where we’re headed that sustains investment and trust. In short: meet the immediate need, but always sell tomorrow.
What are some unique opportunities and challenges in generating revenue from non endemic brands in quick commerce?
The thrill of income generation from Non-endemic partners in a new-age platform is that you start with a blank canvas, everything is up for experimentation. In a Q Com platform, especially while building advocacy for non-endemic brands, the challenge is convincing advertisers to carve out a slice of their digital budgets for us. The opportunity lies in experimenting with new models, showcasing the value of our audience, and positioning ourselves as a credible alternative to mainstream digital media channels. Showing them that grocery baskets can hold more than vegetables and that they can hold brand stories too
Quick commerce saw explosive growth in a short time, how did you align revenue goals with that fast-paced environment?
Quick commerce didn’t just scale, it sprinted. In that rush, the advertising universe had to evolve beyond standard, cookie-cutter formats. Q-com platforms injected fresh energy with ad placements woven across the user journey, both online and offline. The key is to keep expanding the integration playbook and building tailored solutions that stand out from run-of-the-mill ad options. The real differentiator is creating integrations that feel like experiences, not interruptions. The mantra is simple: don’t just advertise space, build engagement that brands and users remember.
“We are living our professional lives personally and our personal lives professionally & hence we struggle with work-life balance.”
How are you approaching partnership building to unlock ad sales revenue for bigbasket
The opportunity for bigbasket is to generate value from the post-transaction pages by introducing the users to a bouquet of partner brand offerings, while giving advertisers access to highly relevant audiences. We are looking to approach this by providing a spectrum of solutions: awareness-driven formats like banners and roadblocks, engagement-led initiatives like gamification and scratch cards, and experiential activations such as sampling, brochures, or curated gift boxes delivered to households. This mix ensures both brand visibility and tangible user engagement across categories. The idea is to meet users where they are and remind brands that the kitchen shelf/ household penetration is still one of the most powerful billboards.
Expanding the dark store network so rapidly is a big leap. What role does brand monetization play in making such infrastructure investments viable?
Working with Non endemic brand partners for Ads is no longer an afterthought, it’s baked into the business model from day one. By building ad products in parallel with scaling operations, we ensure two things: we stay in step with market demand, and we forge brand partnerships that grow with us. It’s not just about funding expansion; it’s about creating an ecosystem where advertisers see our growth as part of their own.
Ultra-fast delivery is already crowded with competition, what’s bigbasket’s differentiator in this space from a partnership and brand engagement perspective?
While our delivery is ultra-fast, our partnerships are built for the long term. The differentiator lies in becoming more than a quick-commerce ad platform from the Non-endemic Ads point of view, we aim to be a full-stack solutions partner. becoming a multi-channel, one-stop ad solutions provider across branding, performance, gamification, and innovation; committing to sustainable partner growth, we’re focused on long-term value creation. Our goal is to build a diversified advertiser portfolio spanning BFSI, real estate, auto, and D2C brands among others.
With Hustle culture becoming the benchmark for corporate India, what is your take on work life balance?
Hustle has undoubtedly been a catalyst in India’s rise as a formidable economic and innovation hub. It has given us the confidence to dream big and the energy to execute at scale, it gives us the momentum.
The truth however is, that corporate yardsticks we live by are increasingly spilling into our personal lives. In many ways, we live our professional lives personally, while leading our personal lives professionally, this is the crux of the problem.
At work, a strained equation with a manager pushes us to act swiftly, yet in our homes, equally important conversations are often delayed. We jump on late-night work calls without hesitation, but avoid critical personal calls during the day.
This paradox highlights a deeper imbalance: in the workplace, we are ultimately dispensable. At home, however, our roles as parents, partners, children, or friends are irreplaceable. Colleagues may feel like family, but they cannot replace the true support systems that sustain us. As leaders, our responsibility is not just to drive productivity but to create cultures that value balance as much as ambition.
Work-life balance isn’t about doing less – it’s about doing sustainably.
