After Kumbh, brand chariots roll into Puri as Jagannath Yatra turns into a marketing goldmine

Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra

Following a marketing windfall at the Maha Kumbh, more firms are now turning to the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra to tap into the high footfall and spiritual engagement, with a surge in brand interest and advertising spending for the event.

From Swiggy to top beverage brands, many national firms are tapping into the interest for the Yatra which will begin from June 27 and is estimated to attract over 1.5 crore pilgrims this year.

During the Yatra, spends are estimated to increase 14 times this year to Rs 50-60 crore, from Rs 3-4 crore last year, according to Shruti Haresh Chaturvedi, founder of Chaaipani, a media and branding agency that is exclusively working with the Puri District Administration this year as the official brand activation partner.

Rising ad spends

"We have purchase orders from 26 brands and we will close another 11-12 (orders) in the next week. There would be an increase of 60-65 percent in terms of brand participation," she said.

Chaturvedi said they are going beyond just hoardings and signages which do not have strong recall value.

"The cost of inventory is higher this year because the value of inventory has increased as we are creating whole vishram kendras (resting zones), bio-toilets and more."

Brand deals for the Yatra range from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 2.5 crore this year for a duration of 10 days.

New brand playground 

Food delivery platform Swiggy will be delivering prasad (devotional offering) starting in eight cities. "Many people are unable to take back prasad, and for those who can’t attend the event, the firm will deliver it. Then there is a local logistics company that will help the elderly with their daily logistic needs. There are top cola companies that are creating resting zones and cooling zones. They are setting up mist fans."

Chaturvedi is also building bio-toilets with a brand that will manage them but did not disclose the names due to non-disclosure agreements.

Marketing campaigns worth Rs 2 crore include building shaded areas by the beach, and building vishram kendras (resting zones) spread across 2 lakh square feet.

"There are brands that are building locker rooms. There are devotees who just need some place to keep their stuff, take a bath, eat and sleep. There is a brand sponsoring maha prasad and will be feeding 1-1.5 lakh people per day. We are building luggage rooms for Yatris and there is a brand sponsoring that. Then there are co-branded mattresses to sleep and then there are bio toilets for showers. So, Yatris who were spending Rs 3,000-4,000 until last year may now have to spend Rs 2,000-2500 this year," she added.

For Rs 15 lakh, brands can have hydration stations, co-branded T-shirts, and other apparel to give to devotees. It also includes offering cooling jackets and caps to police and other officials. Kiosks and stall spaces can also be bought under such deals.

Plenty of campaigns are ready and we will start rolling them out next week onwards, Chaturvedi said. Brands across eight categories including FMCG, cement, bank, pipe, and payment companies are marketing this year during the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra.

Influencer connect

She is also teaming up with around 19 influencers for brand collaborations during the Yatra. "This year we are collaborating with influencers coming to cover the Rath Yatra for brand shoutouts on social media."

Social media, including influencer marketing, accounts for around 30 percent of marketing activities during the Yatra.

"Outdoor has an interest of 30-40 percent, another 20-30 percent is for on-ground activities like resting areas, bio-toilets, etc, and the rest is pushing the on-ground activities on social media, content created by influencers, and ads on digital," she added.

Never seen before spike

"The spike in the number of brands is something we have never seen before and this is coming from the (Puri District) Administration. Previously, it used to be more of local brand participation like sand art or some activation. And more national brands are involved this year. Earlier, it was mostly regional brands from Odisha."

This year, the Puri District Administration invited pitches from agencies across the country.

"The administration was talking to 7-8 agencies across the country. This time the administration had opened it for national agencies unlike last year when they went ahead with regional agencies," she added.

When asked why there is increased brand interest in the Yatra this year, Chaturvedi said the event gives brands mass visibility and mass reach.

"There is a good consumer mix from international tourists to the local ones from Odisha as well tourists from other parts of the country. Also, when brands solve problems the recall value is higher. Usually, it is traditional branding like hoardings, signages but we wanted to do it differently because there is too much crowd in such gatherings and plenty of signages which ends the sanctity of the event and no one can register the marketing campaigns," she added.

Focusing on the problems of Yatris at such gatherings, Chaturvedi's pitch to them was to build trust among consumers by solving the problems of the devotees.

Devotion meets promotion

She added that after Maha Kumbh, agencies and administrations have learned to mobilise the interest of brands at such events.

"There is a huge surge of religious emotion in the whole country, and the footfalls and participation from young as well as urban India have increased. The participation will increase because this year many brands have not allocated spends for this event but we are asking them to come and experience and how they can find a fit."

Brands are enquiring about planning marketing activities during religious events, she said.

"This year, brands have told us to plan for spiritual/cultural events. Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra coincides with Ambubachi Mahayog, which is scheduled from June 22-26, and brands want to market there too. Administrations of such events have reached out to us. Bali Yatra Mela in Odisha is one place where brands are interested. Then there is the Wari Yatra in Maharashtra. These (spiritual/cultural) events have created a marketing boom just like travel. A lot of GenZ (people born between 1997 and 2012) are extremely religious and vocal about it. And brands are actively looking at tapping into this segment. We have interests (from brands) for more such events," Chaturvedi said.