Not every viral marketing trend begins with a carefully crafted strategy. Sometimes, all it takes is a toddler, a blurry selfie and what looks like someone repeatedly smashing a keyboard.
That’s exactly how the internet’s latest obsession was born.
It all started when Saudi abaya brand Sahaba Abaya accidentally uploaded what appeared to be a child’s front-camera selfie, paired with a caption filled with seemingly random characters. Instead of deleting the post, the internet embraced its chaotic authenticity. The image quickly became meme material, and before long, brands across Saudi Arabia and the wider GCC including Uber UAE, Visit Abu Dhabi and IKEA Bahrain began recreating the format with their own playful versions.
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The formula was surprisingly simple: a delightfully awkward child selfie, an intentionally nonsensical caption and zero explanation. It was confusing, absurd and exactly the kind of low-effort humour that thrives on social media.
Now, the trend has found a new home in India.
From quick commerce platforms and food brands to D2C startups and lifestyle companies, Indian marketers are putting their own local spin on the viral format. Some are using toddlers to “accidentally” showcase products, others are recreating the chaotic selfie aesthetic while adding distinctly Indian cultural references. The result is a wave of posts that feel less like polished advertisements and more like the kind of content people naturally stop scrolling for.
It’s another reminder that on today’s internet, brands aren’t just creating campaigns—they’re participating in culture. And sometimes, the posts that look the least produced are the ones that earn the most attention.
Here’s how Indian brands are putting their own Desi twist on the viral kid selfie trend.
1. ABC-Aditya Birla Sun Life Insurance
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2. Timezone India
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3. Zepto Now
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4. Instahelp by Urban Company
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5. Delhivery
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6. Reliance Jio
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