Feb 12: This Valentine’s Day, redBus, the world’s largest online bus ticketing platform, is shifting the focus from celebrating couples to addressing the reality of breakups with the launch of Move On Codes. Turning heartbreak into travel plans, the campaign transforms breakup reasons into playful coupon codes for friends to journey together. Each Move On Code represents the reason behind a breakup, showcasing travel as a quiet coping mechanism for those trying to move on.
The campaign brings this idea to life by turning real, relatable breakup reasons into humorous coupon codes such as CalledMeBro, WasBFFWithEx, LeftMeOnSeen, HatedMyDog and CheatedOnMe. Users can create their own #Move On Code, share it with friends, and use the same code while booking their journeys, allowing them to travel together instead of moving on alone. The most creatively named Move On Code will win a fully sponsored ‘Move On Trip’ for the creator and everyone who uses that code.
Drawing from the emotional reality of post breakup journeys, the campaign unfolds through two distinct digital films. Each film uses humour led metaphors to depict the emotional baggage people carry, before gently brushing it off through travel. The films follow a consistent storytelling arc, opening with a relatable breakup situation, showing people grieving for their lost love. The narrative then transitions into the redBus product window featuring Move On Coupon Codes, and concludes with friends travelling together on a bus. The ad films will roll out across social media platforms, including Instagram Reels, each reflecting a different way people choose to move on through travel.
Film 1: The Deadliest Lift
Set in a gym, the first film opens on a young man Yash attempting a deadlift, visibly struggling to lift the weight. The moment unfolds as a visual analogy for the emotional load he continues to carry after a breakup. As the camera pulls back, the weights are revealed to be earrings (jhumkas) which belonged to his ex, underlining the idea of unresolved emotional baggage. His female trainer reacts to the moment with a familiar nudge to move on, guiding the narrative into the redBus product window.
The film then shifts to the Move On Coupon Codes feature through a vertical split screen, where the user interface is showcased as he creates a Move On Code based on the reason behind his breakup. The story concludes with a closing visual of friends travelling together on a bus, supported by a voiceover that outlines the initiative – creating a code, sharing it with friends, and winning a fully sponsored Move On Trip, capturing the idea that moving forward feels easier when heartbreak takes a group trip.
Film 2: The Baddie Teddy
The second film is set in a shared bedroom and opens with a young woman, Riya, asleep on her bed, slowly being edged out of space. As the frame widens, the cause becomes clear— several large teddy bears are occupying most of the bed, serving as a visual cue for the emotional space her ex still holds. The situation is observed and called out by her roommate, who prompts her to let go, naturally transitioning the narrative into the redBus product window.
The film introduces the Move On Coupon Codes, highlighting the interface as Riya creates a Move On Code inspired by her breakup. It closes on a consistent end visual of the group travelling together on a bus, accompanied by a voiceover that explains how users can create a code, share it with friends, and stand a chance to win a fully sponsored Move On Trip, underscoring the idea that moving on feels lighter when it becomes a shared journey.
Commenting on the campaign, Pallavi Chopra, Chief Marketing Officer, redBus, said,
“We have leveraged redBus’ Coupon Creator feature to turn a familiar emotional moment into a fun, lighthearted and generationally relevant travel trigger. We have approached product marketing through moment marketing, creatively marrying a cultural event with our product offering. This Valentine’s Day the ‘Move On Codes’ campaign reimagines singlehood and heartbreak with humour—positioning travel not as an escape, but as a reset.
The campaign is rooted in Gen Z behaviour, where travel is increasingly a form of self-expression and healing. This year, we saw an opportunity to use this insight to drive product-led storytelling, and reinforcing redBus as a brand that understands evolving travel motivations of our passengers, while making Valentine’s Day lighter, more inclusive, and a little more fun.”
