Bengaluru has grabbed attention yet again, this time for a clever, tech-themed promotion by a saree retailer. The shop’s display mimicked a ChatGPT-style mobile interface, featuring the question, “What is the significance of the Varamahalakshmi festival?” as part of its marketing gimmick.

The screenshot served as a creative promotional strategy for the saree store in the lead-up to the Varamahalakshmi festival on August 8 — a time when women across South India typically visit shops in droves to purchase traditional sarees in preparation for the celebration.

Beyond being a clever marketing stunt:

Beyond being a clever marketing stunt, this viral instance highlights a rising pattern in India’s tech hub — neighborhood retailers are increasingly adopting digitally-inspired visuals and interfaces to engage a younger, tech-savvy customer base.

“Local saree shop in Bangalore using ChatGPT mobile interface for an ad is a first. Earlier, it would be the Google search bar design. Just Bangalore things, I guess,” wrote the user who shared the image on X.

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The post quickly gained traction online, with many applauding the ad’s originality and relevance. Some viewers were entertained by its humor, while others viewed it as a clever nod to the city’s evolving digital culture.

Enhancing its tech-savvy appeal, the saree shop has also embraced modern fintech solutions. As noted by an X user, the store promotes a “pay over 11 months, get the 12th month free” deal — a strategy designed to entice customers to spend more on festive attire.

ChatGPT is on track to reach 700 million weekly active users:

OpenAI announced on Monday that ChatGPT is on track to reach 700 million weekly active users this week, a sharp rise from 500 million in March and representing a more than fourfold increase compared to the same period last year.

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This milestone includes users across all versions of ChatGPT — Free, Plus, Pro, Enterprise, Team, and Edu — and comes as the platform now handles over three billion messages per day. The pace of growth is gaining momentum, outpacing last year’s rate, which stood at 2.5x year-over-year.