Making India Couple Friendly

StayUncle, one of our key clients at DigitalFry, is a pioneer in India’s hospitality space — the first to launch a couple-friendly hotel booking platform. Today, it operates in over 60 cities across the country, with competitors like Oyo and MakeMyTrip following its lead.

While working with the StayUncle team, we noticed an unusual pattern. A number of inbound messages from users — especially single men — were asking if StayUncle also “provided girls.”

That sparked an idea.

We leaned into the misconception, not to encourage it, but to flip the narrative in a bold, tongue-in-cheek campaign that clarified what the brand truly stood for — safe, private, and judgment-free hotel stays for consenting couples.

What could’ve been dismissed as noise became the seed of a marketing concept that made StayUncle go viral, earning attention, sparking debate, and driving brand recall far beyond traditional travel advertising.

As part of StayUncle’s bold and disruptive brand positioning, we created one of our most talked-about social awareness campaigns while working with them at DigitalFry.

We launched a fake portal called StayLaid — designed to resemble an adult booking site, complete with provocative listings like “Kinky Nepali” and “Snowy Ukrainian.” The site promised privacy and safety for one-night stands, and asked visitors to leave their email to receive further instructions.

The intention was clear from the start: use shock to grab attention, then flip the script.

The launch went viral. With a cleverly crafted SMS campaign that delivered a 15%+ CTR and zero paid ads beyond that, the website received over 1,000 registrations on Day 1 alone.

On Day 2, we revealed the real message.

Every registrant received an email explaining that the website was fake — part of a social awareness campaign to spotlight the grim realities of sex trafficking in India.

We used the moment to educate. The email detailed how many of the women trafficked in India are underage and forced into sex work by organized networks of traffickers and pimps. The message was not about shame, but about awareness, accountability, and action.

This campaign sparked intense conversation, media attention, and reinforced StayUncle’s commitment to safety, dignity, and responsible hospitality.

StayUncle, a pioneer in India’s hospitality space, was the first platform to offer couple-friendly hotel bookings across 60+ cities — long before players like Oyo and MMT entered the space. As one of our flagship clients at DigitalFry, we handled their full-stack marketing and product development.

This partnership was about more than bookings. It was about shifting mindsets, navigating taboos, and turning bold ideas into real traction.

#StayUncleAgainstTrafficking: A Viral Awareness Campaign

While managing StayUncle’s brand communication, we noticed a recurring (and troubling) user query — “Do you provide girls for single men?”

Rather than ignore it, we turned it into a powerful awareness campaign. We launched a fake website called StayLaid, featuring provocative listings and a promise of private, one-night companionship. Visitors were prompted to enter their email for further details.

We knew this would spark attention, but the response exceeded expectations. A single SMS campaign with over 15% CTR triggered 1,000+ signups on Day 1, and the site trended pan-India on Twitter for over 6 hours with #StayUncleAgainstTrafficking.

On Day 2, we revealed the truth.

All registrants received an email explaining the real purpose — to raise awareness around sex trafficking in India, where thousands of underaged girls are exploited by trafficking networks. The site was then updated with a banner redirecting users to StayUncle’s main site and sharing the campaign’s message.

The campaign went viral across national and international media, with coverage in NDTV, Asian Age, TechPanda, and IndiaTimes, among 20+ other publications. In just four months, it generated 350K+ organic visits.

Marketing Outcomes: SEO, PPC, and CAC Reduction

At DigitalFry, we ran StayUncle’s entire marketing engine, focusing on SEO and performance marketing. Within three months:

Domain Authority rose from 20 to 41
CAC dropped by ~10% through optimized pricing and discounting
We introduced referral incentives and tiered pricing to boost conversions and stickiness

Product Growth: Design, Features, and Flexibility

Beyond marketing, we led product development, revamping the UX/UI of the website and launching new features like:

3-Hour Stay Slots
SuperFast Check-in
StayUncle Love Kit integration
A new admin dashboard to show booking insights by city, hotel, and volume
A flexible pricing and commission engine for seasonality and property-level changes

We also redesigned the front end to reflect intimacy without leaning too heavily into clichés. The final aesthetic used #eb5173 (soft pink) balanced with white to maintain warmth and neutrality.

LGBTQ+ Inclusion and Brand Evolution

After the decriminalization of Section 377, StayUncle expanded into LGBTQ+ friendly stays — not just in policy, but in product and brand behavior.

We added filters and icons to show LGBTQ+ friendly properties and those offering complimentary love kits. The homepage banner was updated to feature an LGBTQ+ couple, reinforcing the brand’s support visibly and proudly.

The result? A strong uptick in LGBTQ+ bookings and praise across media — including an ad campaign that made headlines for its inclusive messaging.

Data-Led UX: Smarter Listings and Sentiment Signals

To optimize conversions, we introduced a new listing algorithm that considered:

Hotel price
Number and sentiment of reviews
Booking frequency and recency

This helped surface the most appealing hotels higher in the list, improving both bookings and user trust.

Tackling Stigma With Tone, Trust, and Loyalty

Operating in a culturally sensitive space, StayUncle leaned into the stigma rather than running from it. With a playful tone, strong values, and a bold voice, the brand built loyalty that no discount from a competitor could shake.

We heard from couples who booked StayUncle for their very first dates — and never considered switching brands.

Why StayUncle Was Special

StayUncle was more than just a hotel aggregator. It was a movement — and one of the most creatively fulfilling and high-impact projects I’ve had the chance to lead.

It combined cultural commentary, bold positioning, and full-stack execution across growth, product, and brand.

From going viral to driving real change, this was growth marketing with a soul.