Brands need bold words to break through taboo topics. And roasting is the perfect means.
We all know that ads are supposed to be direct. But nowhere is it written that they shouldn’t be bold and creative. When filmmaker Anurag Kashyap and comedian Samay Raina sat across from each other, trading barbs in a no-holds-barred roast, most viewers expected laughs. What they didn’t expect was a condom brand sitting at the heart of it. Bold Care, a men’s wellness startup, has turned a classic internet format —the roast —into its latest marketing weapon. And it worked. The ad got the audience hooked, perhaps because it was finally an ad that was unpredictable, authentic, and raw.
Rise of roast culture.
Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade, you’ll know what roasts are. You may even have seen a few. Heck, maybe you’re watching one right now.
In India, it first caught fire with AIB’s infamous roast, setting the stage for a new kind of humour, sharp, irreverent, and unapologetically direct. As stand-up comedy flourished and Twitter turned into a digital battlefield of witty one-liners, roasting became more than just entertainment; it became a social language. For Gen Z and millennials, pulling a friend’s leg isn’t an insult; it’s affection coded in sarcasm. It’s how communities bond online, whether through memes, banter, or playful clapbacks. And if this is the dialect of digital culture, then brands have little choice. To stay relevant, they must learn to speak the same language, even if it means being the butt of the joke.
Bold’s Bold move
Bold Care’s latest campaign brought together two unlikely but perfectly matched personalities: Anurag Kashyap, the filmmaker known for his no-filter honesty, and Samay Raina, a rising comic whose sharp wit thrives on playful jabs. The result? A roast-style video where the duo tore into each other with unapologetic humour, while subtly normalising conversations around condoms, a product category that’s still wrapped in taboo in India.
Instead of leaning on traditional “educational” messaging, Bold Care chose humour, relatability, and a bold tone to connect with younger audiences. The genius of the move lies in its inclusivity: by inviting the audience to laugh with them, not at them, the brand positioned itself as a friend who “gets it.”
Roasting should work as a marketing tool…but it still does.
Roasting, at its core, taps into a psychological sweet spot: it disarms. By making fun of something or someone, it breaks the tension and sparks curiosity, turning even awkward or taboo subjects into approachable conversations. That’s why Bold Care’s choice works so well for a condom brand. On the engagement side, roast clips are tailor-made for virality. Audiences love to share snappy, witty burns that feel both funny and relatable, giving brands organic reach without the usual ad spend.
But perhaps the biggest edge lies in authenticity. Roasts feel unscripted, raw, and closer to how people actually talk, especially Gen Z and millennials. Compare this to traditional advertising—safe, polished, predictable, and too easy to scroll past. In an age where consumers crave honesty and entertainment, roasting has emerged as the perfect marketing language.
Risks & Rewards of Roast Marketing
Of course, roast marketing isn’t without its pitfalls. The very thing that makes roasts entertaining their edge can also spark backlash. Step too far and brands risk being seen as offensive rather than clever. The key is alignment: roasting only works when it fits naturally with a brand’s voice and audience. For Bold Care, the humour felt authentic because the brand already speaks boldly about sexual wellness. Done right, the reward is huge brands gain relevance, attention, and cultural currency that polished ads simply can’t buy.
Lessons for Marketers
The big lesson? Don’t roast just for the laughs. Tie it to your brand identity so it feels intentional, not gimmicky. Be prepared for criticism and have a plan for handling it because roasting is inherently risky. Most importantly, use it as a door-opener. Roasts start conversations, but they shouldn’t replace the actual message about your product or purpose.
In today’s attention economy, safe often equals invisible. Bold Care’s gamble shows that boldness, when paired with authenticity, can cut through the clutter and land a brand directly into the cultural spotlight. For marketers, the challenge is simple: dare to talk the way your audience does, even if it means taking a few punches.
By: Sushrut Tewari,
A writer covering trends, innovation, and brand storytelling in India and beyond.
