Viral visuals: Digital Jalebi's marketing mapping

• Features

• 11/08/2026

The maturation of social media has made it more difficult to go viral with a successful marketing campaign. Brands must now compete with an overwhelming volume of digital noise, distractions, and the all-encompassing control of social media algorithms. Brands that want to differentiate themselves must do something ground-breaking to cut through.

Pulling this off is no small feat, requiring vision, careful planning and coordination, and the technical know-how to turn a first-of-its-kind project into reality.

Enter Digital Jalebi, a transdisciplinary studio which aims to blend design, technology, and storytelling together into a package that entertains and engrosses audiences. From its humble origins at NID Ahmedabad, Digital Jalebi has grown to encompass a team of more than 60 professionals across three cities, with more than 1,000 projects delivered across India for national and international clients including Google, Lenovo, and Infosys.

The studio combines multiple disciplines, blending established AV technologies such as projection and LED with XR and AR, as well as gesture-based technology to deliver results for multiple clients. Digital Jalebi is no stranger to bespoke brand activations and installations. Each project demands not only AV expertise, but also a clear understanding of how modern audiences engage with content.

Abhishek Shrivastava, creative director and studio head, Digital Jalebi, explains: “We’ve been in this business since 2012, when VR and AR technologies were in their infancy. Our goal is to use technology to create experiences that stay with people for a long time. Today, we have advertisements everywhere and, as a result, the average attention span is very short. You can spend money on internet advertising, and you will reach thousands of people, but when it comes to actual impact, how long will you stay in their minds? That is where we come into the picture.”

In May 2026, Digital Jalebi embarked on a project with international retailer H&M and designer Stella McCartney to create a DOOH takeover in Mumbai, transforming a protected heritage site into a living 3D canvas. Following several rounds of storyboarding and concept development, Digital Jalebi delivered a projection-mapped brand takeover of the historic Asiatic Society of Mumbai’s State Central Library Town Hall. The installation illuminated the entire façade, bringing one of Mumbai’s busiest neighbourhoods to a halt through the power of spectacle.

Abhishek continues: “The concept was to take over Mumbai. We were contacted by Posterscope India and initially thought of doing something on the Gateway of India, but then the Asiatic Building came into the picture. For a major global fashion brand like H&M, the library’s neoclassical architecture was an absolute match. Its white stone walls gave us the perfect, clean canvas to make the visuals pop. We discussed every aspect of the concept with the client, including a frame-by-frame storyboard. We also addressed concerns around regulations and potential technical difficulties.”

The task facing Digital Jalebi was considerable. Measuring 61m long and 30m deep, the building’s neoclassical façade demanded technical expertise and careful handling of the challenges involved in working with a
historic property. Bringing the project to life required complex negotiations with multiple agencies, planning for technical challenges and flawless delivery in a single night. Working in a public space around a historic
building presented numerous challenges, from ambient lighting and heritage regulations to the technical demands of a complex projection-mapping project.

Abhishek explains: “There were concerns from the client around planning regulations and whether we would be able to map the building properly because of the depth of the façade. We visited the site to ensure that the projectors would work properly in such a public location, where streetlights and vehicle headlights could affect the light output of the projectors and ruin the experience.”

The building’s depth presented one challenge, while its sheer scale forced Digital Jalebi to get creative. The content was divided into three parts and delivered using six 20,000-lumen projectors. Each section used
two projectors, creating a continuously evolving experience rather than a static display that risked losing the audience’s attention.

Abhishek continues: “When someone is watching, they should see something happening across the entire building. It should encourage visitors to stay and watch by immersing them in the experience. One aspect of the mapping should not interrupt another; there should be a continuous flow around the building.”

The building may appear to stand in spacious surroundings, but the reality is very different. Bordered by a busy road and a park, the site also includes a highly restricted office area, which was strictly off limits for projection. This meant that Digital Jalebi had to factor in both vertical and horizontal constraints for the mapping.

“We tried to get permission to place the projectors inside the park,” says Abhishek, “but the trees proved to be an obstacle. In the end, we secured approval to mount the projectors on three pillars at the required height.”

Digital Jalebi also had to secure permission from many authorities, including the archaeological department, traffic police, local police, and other government bodies, to deliver the mapping project. “This isn’t something we encounter often, so we see it as an achievement,” adds Abhishek. The response took Digital Jalebi by surprise, with the event going viral and attracting coverage from Madhu Marketing and Social Samosa. Abhishek says: “The campaign was amplified through influencers. We expected some attention, but we didn’t know how many people they would be there or how they would react. We were surprised to find so many videos recorded and shared across social media. As an experiential tech studio, we thought this was great from both a technology and advertising perspective. To know this project has been seen and appreciated made us feel proud of our capabilities.”

Looking to the future, Digital Jalebi will continue to innovate with bespoke installations and campaigns, and is actively exploring new experiences that will immerse, entertain, and educate audiences. The studio
is experimenting with AI-led installations, as well as gesturebased games for museums, projection mapping, and more, with two museum projects currently underway in Gujarat and Karnataka.

Abhishek closes: “We’re always getting visions from clients who are demanding something new and out-of-the box, and that is what we will continue to deliver.”