Every marketer in the country would reckon with at least one brand campaign that was carried out during Maha Kumbh’s or Ardh Kumbh’s. They all stand out in their innovation, high reach and impact at thrifty costs. A noticeable case study campaign being Unilever’s Roti Reminder during 2013 Kumbh Mela at Allahabad / Prayagraj.
Pic courtesy: https://www.dandad.org/awards/professional/2014/white-pencil/23974/lifebuoy-roti/
In similar lines of Kumbh, Durga Puja in Kolkata needs no introduction. The excitement related to the arrival of Maa Durga is akin to a daughter visiting her Baaper baari (father’s home) with her children for a 10 day vacation filled with festivities, food, joy and exuberance. It ensures the rejuvenation and resurrection of the tired Bengali soul.
अयि गिरिनन्दिनि नन्दितमेदिनि विश्वविनोदिनि नन्दिनुते
Ayi Giri-Nandini Nandita-Medini Vishva-Vinodini Nandi-Nute…
so begins the riveting hymns of Mahishasura Mardhini Stotram that is guaranteed to give you goosebumps when you listen early in the morning and prepares you for better for the rest of the day.
Within 2-3 days prior to Durga Puja, pandals with deity of Maa Durga are set up all over Kolkata drawing lakhs of people from all walks of life for a visit. This year, Durga Puja was celebrated between September 25th to October 4th 2022.
Festivals and Brands
We tried to understand what this means as an opportunity for marketers through an analysis of footfalls across various pandals.
Brands flock these venues not only for the large volume of footfalls but also the diversity of markets they come from.
Durga Puja is a high intensity event providing a short burst of opportunity for high to very high consumer engagement for brand activations, exposure and trials and launches. Festivals offer an excellent platform for brand connect as the consumer is more than willing to explore and is in a receptive mood with an increased cash flow to buy and adopt. We have seen options such as branding banners and flex boards near pandals and some of them carry advertorials in newspapers highlighting themes in popular pandals and celebrity visits. Can brands do more beyond building makeshift bamboo branding arches?
Yes, they can. It requires the brand to take ownership of the festival / event or in this case a few pandals for few years – and be a partner to the pandal organisers in creating options that enhance the devotees experience, make them stand out in their own way by sponsoring facilities ensuring smoother darshan, free shuttles between pandals often visited, a bigger discount for their products when they visit a pandal through couponing, lucky draws and prizes for those who participate in brand activation exercise near pandals, amplification of these through digital…..the opportunities are plenty.
The lion represents power, will, determination and dharma. Maa Durga riding a lion symbolises her mastery over these qualities. It is not for the weak hearted.
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