POV Framework: How a Mumbai Chaiwala's Perspective Became a Movement

Last month, I stumbled upon a video that stopped me mid-scroll. It wasn't flashy. No celebrity cameos. No production budget to speak of. Just a chaiwala in Mumbai, speaking directly to the camera:"Everyone says millennials are lazy. But you know what I see? Young people working three jobs, still smiling, still dreaming. The problem isn't laziness.

The problem is we're measuring success with our parents' ruler." That 40-second clip got 2.3 million views. The chaiwala's Instagram went from 800 followers to 65,000 in a week. Brands started reaching out. And all he did was share a perspective—a point of view that challenged what "everyone knows." This is the POV Framework in action.

What Makes a Point of View Powerful?

A Point of View isn't just an opinion. It's a lens through which you see the world differently—and invite others to look through it too. Think about Amul's advertising for a moment. For decades, they haven't just sold butter. They've maintained a distinct POV on current events—witty, slightly cheeky, always observant. When the 2023 World Cup final happened, while everyone was posting congratulations, Amul's topical showed the match through their uniquely punny lens. That's a POV: consistent, recognizable, and distinctly theirs.

The Three Pillars of the POV Framework

1. The Challenge: What conventional wisdom are you questioning?

Every powerful POV starts by challenging an assumption that most people accept without thinking. Remember when Zomato launched their "Period Leave" policy in 2020? Deepinder Goyal didn't just announce a policy. He challenged the POV that menstruation should be a whispered topic in professional settings. His blog post said, essentially: "We're treating this as normal because it is normal." The backlash was immediate. The support was overwhelming. And the conversation? That was the point. The best challenges aren't contrarian for the sake of being different. They're observations of a truth that others haven't voiced yet.

2. The Alternative: What's your different way of seeing things?

This is where you paint your picture of reality. Take Cred's marketing approach. While every fintech company was screaming about cashback and rewards, Cred took a different POV: "We're not for everyone. We're for the financially responsible." Their ads don't try to convince you to be responsible. They assume you already are, and invite you into a club. Their Rahul Dravid "Indiranagar Ka Gunda" ad worked because it flipped our perception. We see Dravid as the gentleman of cricket. The ad said: "What if boring responsibility is actually the most rebellious thing you can do?" That's an alternative perspective that makes people lean in.

3. The Invitation: How do people join your worldview?

A POV without an invitation is just a rant. The magic happens when you invite people to see through your lens. Look at Tanmay Bhat's comeback story. After the controversy that sidelined him, he didn't return with apologies or explanations. He came back with a POV: "Let's build something new in Indian content creation." His streams, his React videos, his collaborations—they all invited people to participate in reshaping what Indian digital content could be. His POV wasn't "I'm funny, watch me." It was "We can create a new kind of comedy community together." One is a statement. The other is an invitation.

Why POV Matters More Than Ever

We're drowning in content. Every day, thousands of Indian brands post on social media. Millions of creators upload videos. Everyone is saying something. But very few are saying it from a distinct point of view. Consider Mamaearth's rise. The natural beauty products market was already crowded. But Mamaearth's POV was specific: "Why should you compromise between safety and effectiveness? Why should 'natural' mean 'doesn't work as well'?" They didn't invent natural beauty products. They presented a POV that challenged the compromise customers had accepted. And that perspective built a unicorn.

Crafting Your Own POV: A Practical Approach

Let me walk you through how this actually works. Imagine you run a small cloud kitchen in Bangalore.

Everyone's POV: "Order food online, it's convenient."

Your challenge: "Convenience has made us forget what food actually tastes like. Everything optimizes for delivery, not for flavor."

Your alternative: "What if we cooked food the slow way, the right way, and delivered it in containers that keep it perfect—not just warm, but actually perfect?"

Your invitation: "Join the Slow Food Movement. Every Sunday, we cook one dish the traditional way. Order by Saturday. Experience the difference."

Suddenly, you're not just another cloud kitchen. You have a POV. You've challenged the "fast is better" assumption. You've offered an alternative. And you've invited people into a movement.

The POV Framework in Action: A Real Example

Let me tell you about Noise, the smartwatch brand. When they entered the market, Apple and Samsung dominated the premium segment. Xiaomi owned the budget space. Classic marketing wisdom said: "Pick a segment and own it." But Noise took a different POV: "Why should smart wearables be about the watch? Why not make it about being smart about your health, at a price that makes sense for India?" Their challenge: Smartwatches shouldn't be status symbols. Their alternative: Make health tracking accessible to tier 2 and tier 3 cities. Their invitation: "Your health isn't a luxury. Start tracking it today." This POV guided everything—product pricing, marketing language, distribution strategy. They didn't try to out-premium Apple or out-cheap Xiaomi. They created a distinct viewpoint and invited millions into it.

Common POV Mistakes (and How to Avoid Them)

Mistake 1: Being controversial for attention

Having a hot take isn't a POV. When brands jump on trending controversies without a authentic connection to their core perspective, it reads as opportunistic.

Mistake 2: Copying someone else's POV

You can't adopt someone else's worldview wholesale. If your POV sounds like you're channeling Gary Vaynerchuk or Simon Sinek, you haven't found yours yet.

Mistake 3: Changing your POV with every campaign

Consistency builds recognition. Amul has maintained essentially the same POV for 50 years. That's why we recognize their style instantly.

Your POV Doesn't Need to Be Revolutionary

Here's the thing—you don't need to challenge capitalism or redefine industries. A small bookshop in Delhi has this POV: "Big bookstores are about finding what you came for. We're about discovering what you didn't know you needed." That's it. That's their whole POV. But it's clear, it's consistent, and it gives them a distinct identity in a market dominated by Amazon and Crossword. The owner recommends books personally. She hosts small reading groups. She writes notes about why she stocked certain titles. Everything flows from that one perspective: "Discovery over search."

Finding Your POV: Questions to Ask

What assumption in your industry annoys you? What do you believe that your competitors don't? What would you change if you could rewrite the rules? What do your customers accept that they shouldn't have to? What makes you different isn't just what you do—it's how you see the world.

The Invitation

The POV Framework isn't a marketing tactic. It's a way of showing up consistently with a perspective that's distinctly yours. That chaiwala in Mumbai didn't go viral because he made good chai (though apparently, he does). He went viral because he offered a lens through which to see millennial struggles differently. He gave people language for something they felt but couldn't articulate. That's what a strong POV does. It doesn't shout louder. It sees clearer. So here's my question for you: What do you see that others are missing? What perspective do you bring that no one else can? Because in a world where everyone is creating content, the ones who stand out are the ones with something distinct to say—and a clear lens through which to say it. Your POV is waiting. What world are you inviting us to see?