Be original

Koo, the Indian social media app that rocketed to fame during the 2021 government dust-up with X (formerly Twitter), has shut shop, adding another name to the growing list of “me-too” brands that started their innings with a bang and went down without a whimper.

Positioned as a potential Twitter slayer, Koo was ready to capitalise on the wave of economic nationalism, but fell victim to the classic trap of the imitator — failing to put together a unique offering to hook the fickle consumer. Experts say that Koo’s demise serves as a cautionary tale for the legions of “fast follow” apps —that mimicry is a recipe for fleeting relevance, not lasting success.