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Kumbh: Where Sacred Traditions Meet Commercial Innovation

Kumbh: Where Culture Meets Creativity in Marketing

Kumbh Mela, one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, is celebrated every 12 years across four key locations in India: Allahabad (Prayagraj), Haridwar, Ujjain, and Nashik. This grand event attracts millions of devotees and offers unique opportunities for brands to engage with a vast and diverse audience. However, to succeed, brands must balance creativity with cultural sensitivity. In this blog, InsightCrunch explores innovative marketing campaigns at Kumbh, lessons from past missteps, and essential insights for brands aiming to connect meaningfully with this spiritually significant event.

Innovative Brand Campaigns at Kumbh

Kumbh Mela has witnessed numerous innovative marketing campaigns, showcasing creativity and driving engagement:

  • Lifebuoy’s Hygiene Initiatives- Lifebuoy encouraged healthier handwashing habits through its Swasthya Chetna Thalis and the Stamp of Hygiene campaigns, delivering impactful hygiene messages directly to attendees
  • Godrej Consumer Products- Godrej enhanced brand visibility with creative setups like branded hotel materials, thematic activity zones, and female changing room at the Ghats
  • HUL’s Swachhata Ki Sawari- Hindustan Unilever tackled river pollution by equipping boats with garbage-collecting nets, reinforcing their commitment to environmental responsibility
  • Dabur Red Paste- Dabur’s innovative dental stations offer a unique Dant Snan experience, promoting oral hygiene in an engaging and culturally relevant manner
  • Kansai Nerolac Paints- By beautifying Indira Bhavan with art depicting spirituality and jubilation, Kansai Nerolac creatively connected with the Kumbh’s essence
  • Tata Salt – Tata Salt launched ‘Kumbh Kay Shravan’ to assist elderly devotees with the ‘Seva Vaahan’ coach and distributed ‘Daan Kalash’ with Tata Salt for charity, strengthening consumer connections

 

Marketing Missteps: Lessons from the Past

While many campaigns thrived, some brands’ marketing missteps drew flak:

  • Red Label Tea – A video suggesting abandonment of elders at Kumbh sparked backlash for mishandling a sensitive issue, leading to accusations of insensitivity towards family values
  • Myntra’s Kumbh Mela Campaign – Myntra’s 2019 campaign featuring models in trendy clothes at the Kumbh Mela was criticized for using a sacred religious event to sell fashion, seen as inappropriate and exploitative
  • Dabur’s Religious Symbol Packaging –The use of sacred symbols on packaging for Kumbh-themed products was seen as commodifying spirituality, leading to public outrage over the exploitation of religious symbols
  • Coca-Cola’s “Kumbh Swag” Campaign – The 2019 campaign, which used the term “swag,” was perceived as inappropriate and out of sync with the solemn and spiritual nature of the Kumbh Mela

 

What Makes Kumbh a Marketing Powerhouse?

The Kumbh Mela’s massive footfall, spanning across age groups, demographics, and geographies, offers a fertile ground for brands to amplify their visibility. The event’s spiritual and cultural significance makes it a unique platform to deliver messages that resonate deeply with Indian audiences. By aligning with the values of faith and community, brands can foster meaningful connections while contributing positively to the event.

Conclusion

We’ve seen brands executing impactful campaigns and we’ve seen ones facing backlash from audiences. So, what makes for a great campaign at the Kumbh Mela? How to target consumers without creating annoying memory traffic in their heads? 

InsightCrunch has answers & strategies to help amplify your brand’s messaging, and ultimately drive customers to your products. 

For starters, we are coming up with an exclusive report on Brand Activations & Marketing at Kumbh

Stay tuned to discover how culture and creativity converge in marketing. Connect with us to unlock the branding potential Kumbh 2025 brings along!