13th March 2025
Mahakumbh, the world’s largest religious congregation, is not only a spiritual and cultural phenomenon but also a massive marketing opportunity for brands. Held once every 12 years, Mahakumbh attracts millions of devotees, pilgrims, and tourists, offering an unparalleled platform for businesses to engage with a diverse audience. Given its sheer scale and the deep-rooted traditions associated with it, brands have to adopt innovative, culturally relevant, and immersive strategies to make an impact. This year’s Mahakumbh Mela is more significant since the constellation alignment is witnessed once every 144 years and it witnessed huge crowds unlike any other Kumbh Mela.
Understanding the Mahakumbh Audience
The Mahakumbh audience is vast, heterogeneous, and deeply spiritual. Pilgrims from all walks of life participate in the holy dip, seeking salvation and divine blessings. Marketers must be sensitive to religious sentiments while crafting campaigns. This means that direct advertising strategies may not always be effective; instead, engagement-driven and experiential marketing approaches work best. The marketing spends for Mahakumbh as compared to the 2019 Ardh Kumbh Mela was huge, there is a 70-100 percent increase in the spends. The marketing expenditure in 2019 was around 2500 Crore with a noticeable increase in digital activation and influencer campaigns. In Mahakumbh the approximate marketing expenditure is about 4500 Crores.
Source: Moneycontrol
Innovative Brand Promotion Strategies at Mahakumbh
Over the years, brands have found creative ways to make their presence felt at Mahakumbh. Here are some of the most successful strategies:
1. Experiential Marketing & On-Ground Activations
Brands leverage experiential marketing to connect emotionally with attendees. For instance:
- Lifebuoy had a strategic relaunch done in the Mahakumbh , it used a very engaging Drone show to relaunch which mesmerized the pilgrims on the ground.
- Dabur Homegrown FMCG giant Dabur is launching consumer activations centered around its signature products, including Dabur Chyawanprash, Dabur Honey, and Dabur Red Paste.
- Blinkit set up a temporary 100 sq. ft. store at the Maha Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj to serve pilgrims and tourists. Catering to key areas like Arail Tent City, Dome City, and ITDC Luxury Camp, the store offered a specially curated selection of essentials, including pooja items, dairy products, fresh produce, and donation goods. It also stocked everyday necessities like chargers, power banks, towels, and blankets. Additionally, Blinkit made Triveni Sangam Jal bottles available, ensuring visitors had easy access to both spiritual and daily needs.
2. Spiritual & Value-Based Branding
Since Mahakumbh is a religious event, brands align their messaging with spirituality and cultural values:
- Tata Salt- At Mahakumbh, Tata Salt launched the ‘Shudh Bhojan ka Shudh Aarambh’ campaign, reviving the tradition of having a pinch of salt before meals for its auspicious and health benefits. Drawing from Indian traditions, the brand created a special section in Tata Salt-branded thalis to honor salt’s rightful place. Nearly one lakh branded thalis were distributed across 15 akhara kitchens, where food prepared with over 35 tonnes of Tata Salt was served to thousands of pilgrims. Spanning four weeks, the initiative reached over 50 lakh devotees, reinforcing the cultural and spiritual significance of salt
- Patanjali naturally fits into the Mahakumbh environment with its Ayurvedic products and Swadeshi appeal. Patanjali provided biodegradable leaf plates at the Mahakumbh Mela.
- Shaadi.com- introduced special wristbands symbolizing the divine connection of Shiva and Parvati, meant to keep loved ones together.
Source: e4m
3. Digital Integration and Social Media Engagement
While Mahakumbh is a deeply traditional event, digital campaigns play a significant role in amplifying brand messaging. Several brands integrate on-ground activations with digital engagement:
- Hindustan Unilever’s Kumbh Mela app helped devotees locate missing people, positioning the company as a socially responsible brand while increasing digital interactions.
- Live streaming and influencer collaborations help brands reach a wider audience beyond those physically present at the event.
4. Utility-Based Advertising
Brands that provide real utility to pilgrims earn goodwill and long-term brand recall. Examples include:
- Vodafone Vodafone Idea (Vi) introduced the “Vi Number Rakshak” initiative at the Maha Kumbh to assist pilgrims in staying connected and reuniting with their loved ones. Understanding the challenges of navigating large gatherings, Vi set up a Number Rakshak booth near the Swami Ramanand Acharya Shibir Akhada to provide seamless connectivity and support for those who may get separated.Bisleri and Coca-Cola offered free drinking water booths, reinforcing their hydration and refreshment positioning.
- Godrej Appliances provided cold storage for food items, ensuring pilgrims could store perishable items safely.
- Vim – Vim achieved the ‘Vim Maha Kadhai’ record at the Maha Kumbh by preparing approximately 10,000 kg of halwa under the guidance of Chef Vishnu Manohar. The massive kadhai stood 6.5 feet tall, had a 15-foot diameter, and weighed 1,800 kg. The preparation involved around 1,300 kg of ghee, and the kadhai was cleaned using Vim bar. Additionally, Vim collaborated with the Om Namah Shivay Seva Group to facilitate community meals (bhandaras) for over 1 crore pilgrims. To promote hygiene at the event, the brand also set up solar-powered branded light poles (‘Chamakta Chaurahas’) and dishwashing stations.
- Havells – Havells, in collaboration with Tribes Communication, introduced ‘The Coolest Hot Ad’—a heated installation at the Maha Kumbh. Amid the freezing temperatures of Prayagraj, this setup provided warmth to devotees, offering comfort as they assembled for their sacred dip. Strategically placed at key congregation
points, the installation showcased Havells’ advanced thermal technology and energy-efficient heating solutions.
Asian Paints: To help reunite families separated in the massive Maha Kumbh 2025 crowds, Asian Paints launched ‘Divine Intersections’—two 30-foot paint can-inspired landmarks at Kinnar Akhada and Ramjanam Singh Seva Samiti Ashram. Adorned with images of Shivji and Hanumanji, these structures serve as easily recognizable lost-and-found points, complementing official efforts like digital Khoya Paya centres and helpline services.
5. Out-of-Home (OOH) & Transit Advertising
Mahakumbh witnesses millions of visitors traveling via trains, buses, and other transport mediums. Brands capitalize on transit advertising by:
- Branding railway stations and special Kumbh Mela trains.
- Displaying LED hoardings and digital screens along the main pilgrimage routes.
Sponsoring temporary tent accommodations and shelters for pilgrims, ensuring brand visibility in high-traffic areas.
The Success of Mahakumbh Marketing
The key to successful marketing at Mahakumbh is subtlety and cultural alignment. Brands that offer real utility, respect religious sentiments, and integrate their message with the devotional experience tend to leave a lasting impact. With millions of engaged participants and global media coverage, Mahakumbh continues to be a goldmine for marketers who understand the delicate balance between commerce and culture.
Questions Caselet
· How does the audience demographic at Mahakumbh influence the marketing strategies of brands?
· Why is it essential for brands to align their messaging with spirituality and cultural values in such a setting?
· Which marketing approach—experiential marketing, utility-based advertising, or digital integration—do you think is most effective at Mahakumbh? Justify your answer with examples.
· How do brands measure the success of their campaigns at Mahakumbh? What key performance indicators (KPIs) should they focus on?
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