Founder apologises after customer buys pants just to escape relentless Instagram ads

A fashion brand founder’s candid social media post has reignited debate around targeted advertising, after he revealed that a customer bought his product not out of interest, but to escape seeing the same ads repeatedly on social media.

In a post shared on X, Akshay G Jain, founder of a fashion wear brand, recounted receiving a phone call from a customer who had just placed an order for a pair of pants. When asked what prompted the purchase, the customer reportedly said it was not due to a recommendation, promotion, or need, but because the brand’s advertisements kept appearing every time she opened Instagram and Facebook.

Customer called me randomly and said she just ordered a pant from us cos whenever she opens Instagram and Facebook, our ads are running all time and I felt bad and said sorry to her. ????

— Akshay G Jain (@Ajain112) January 27, 2026

According to Jain, the customer described the experience as overwhelming rather than persuasive. Instead of celebrating the sale, the founder said the interaction left him uncomfortable about the intensity of the advertising.

“Our ads are running all time and I felt bad and said sorry to her,” Jain wrote in the caption accompanying the post.

The founder added that he apologised to the customer, acknowledging that the ads may have crossed from effective marketing into annoyance. His response struck a chord online, with users discussing how frequently repeated ads can sometimes push consumers toward purchases they did not originally intend to make.

The post also drew responses from netizens, who echoed the sentiment that one-time conversions do not necessarily signal success. One netizen noted that “selling once on digital platforms is the easiest job,” adding that it is repeat purchases that truly reflect whether a brand’s strategy is working.

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Another netizen pointed out the irony of the situation, calling it an example of “performance marketing done right,” while subtly highlighting the tension between algorithmic efficiency and consumer fatigue.

Together, the reactions underline a growing concern within the advertising ecosystem: while targeted ads can drive immediate sales, excessive frequency risks alienating customers and eroding long-term brand trust.

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