Apr 20: Monks, the global, purely digital, data-driven, unitary operating brand of S4Capital plc, partnered with POCO to call time on industry fine print with ‘Fastest BS Service’. In a category addicted to asterisks, POCO chose to read them out loud.
Amid global GPU shortages and rising component costs, POCO India launched the X8 Pro Series during March ‘Smartphone Super Month’ — India’s most competitive smartphone window —without playing the usual volume game. Instead of louder claims, the brand leaned into a sharper truth: performance promises in the category often come with conditions buried in fine print.
So rather than outspend competitors, POCO outed the system. Introducing The Fastest BS Service—a campaign that weaponizes the category’s most overlooked behavior: disclaimers. Inspired by the rise of ‘auditor’ creators who decode marketing exaggeration, POCO flipped the script. If “Pro-level performance” only holds up under perfect lab conditions, why not say it—just fast enough that no one can keep up?
The campaign features one of India’s fastest rappers, Gaush, and comedian Aadar Malik, who front a service designed to help competitors deliver their complicated disclaimers at supersonic speed.
As Aadar puts it in the film: “Got that? No? That’s the point.”
While others hid behind caveats, POCO took a different stance: no conditions, no qualifiers. The X8 Pro Series anchors its promise in a single, uncompromised claim—segment-leading power, delivered without disclaimers. Backed by a MediaTek Dimensity 9500s processor, a 9000mAh battery, and IP69K-rated durability, the product doesn’t just compete—it simplifies.
The idea extended beyond film into culture. Tactical OOH placements appeared directly outside competitor flagship stores, while a front-page print takeover amplified the provocation. The internet joined in, inviting rival brands to “use the service” themselves—turning a campaign into a participatory call-out.
Commenting on the campaign’s philosophy, Ken Sekhar, Marketing Head at POCO India, said: “At POCO, we believe the most powerful ideas come from real consumer truths. Disclaimers are one such reality that often goes unnoticed. By collaborating with Gaush and our creative partners at Monks, we’ve translated that into a format that resonates with today’s audience, while underlining our commitment to straightforward, performance-led products—where the X8 Pro Series delivers exactly what it promises, without caveats.”
The transparency-first approach didn’t just win eyes; it owned the digital conversation with the campaign generating a 55% full-watch VTR, surpassing the industry average by 2.75x.
