Please stand in line.” It’s one of the most familiar phrases in the Indian lexicon—almost a rite of passage for anyone navigating life in this country. From polling booths and passport offices to ATMs during demonetisation and ration shops during lockdowns, queues are a shared, often unavoidable, national experience.
But what if those long waits could do more than just test our patience? What if they offered brands a new kind of storytelling opportunity—one that is hyper-local, low-cost, and surprisingly effective?
Welcome to the emerging idea of queue-tainment: using inevitable wait time as a canvas for functional engagement, light entertainment, or meaningful brand messaging.
SBI: Turning ATM Screens into Digital Classrooms
Take the example of State Bank of India (SBI) during the high-traffic ATM periods arounxd demonetisation (2016–17) and again in 2020. As ATM lines stretched across cities, SBI used the opportunity to deliver timely and relevant financial literacy messages through ATM screens and SMS alerts. These bite-sized campaigns advised customers to:
- Cover the PIN pad while entering their password
- Use OTP-based authentication for withdrawals above ₹10,000
- Enable transaction alerts to prevent fraud
These weren’t flashy ads—they were concise, contextual nudges aimed at protecting customers in real time. The messaging worked because it met people where they were—literally. At a time when anxiety around cash was high, these simple safety tips created both trust and impact.
Talking ATMs: Inclusion in Action
Back in 2012, Union Bank of India introduced Talking ATMs in Ahmedabad to serve the visually impaired. These audio-enabled machines offered voice-guided instructions for every step of the transaction. Soon after, SBI rolled out similar accessible ATMs across the country. While not traditional advertising, these efforts leveraged the queue space to deliver functional, inclusive service.
YONO Kiosks: From Banking to Booking While You Wait
In 2017, when SBI launched its digital platform YONO (You Only Need One), it faced a challenge—how to get people familiar with its wide range of features. The solution? Pop-up kiosks placed in bank branches and queue zones.
As customers waited to speak with bank representatives, they were offered short, guided demos of how to book train tickets, apply for loans, or even order groceries through YONO. The result: education met curiosity during moments of enforced downtime.
Why Queue-tainment Works
What makes this approach powerful?
- High dwell time, captive attention: Whether in an ATM line or a voter queue, people are idle but alert.
- Contextual relevance: Messaging that matches the task at hand—be it financial safety or service demos—feels more authentic.
- Built-in credibility: These aren’t pop-up ads that users scroll past—they’re physical, situational interactions rooted in service.
The Untapped Potential
Despite this promise, brand activations in polling booths or other high-footfall civic zones remain underexplored. There have been anecdotal reports of FMCG sampling at ration shops or community health check-ups, but few of these have been widely documented or sustained.
Which begs the question—why aren’t more brands showing up here?
Queues represent India in its most democratic form. They cut across class, region, gender, and literacy. A message delivered here is not only seen—it is shared, discussed, and remembered.
Takeaways for Brands Eyeing Queue-tainment
- Keep it short and functional: A one-minute demo, not a ten-minute pitch, makes the most impact.
- Make it experiential, not intrusive: Think QR codes for feedback, vending machines for free chai, or quick polls during wait time.
- Start small, go local: A few pilot booths or urban branches can offer insights before scaling nationally.
Final Word
The concept of queue-tainment isn’t theoretical—it’s already here, built quietly into India’s largest banking systems. SBI’s ATM tips, Union Bank’s talking machines, and YONO’s wait-time activations show how queues can be more than moments of frustration. They can be moments of trust, education, and brand connect. Brands in sectors like FMCG, health, telecom, and even edtech have much to gain by paying attention to this overlooked real estate. In a world where attention is increasingly fragmented, queues offer a rare commodity: time. And in India, where every second person is standing in a line somewhere, that’s a goldmine waiting to be tapped.
The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.
