Dip dip dip, Kumbh’s ad trip

It was a casual WhatsApp forward that caught our attention. All the more because it was sent by a senior ad man. You could instantly spot the problem.

The video was an activation done by Lifebuoy on 2.5 million rotis — an iron press being used to imprint the handwashing message in Hindi, just as lakhs of pilgrims sat down to have food at the Kumbh Mela. The problem: It didn’t belong here, in Kumbh Mela 2025.

The activation that’s currently in circulation was executed by consumer goods giant Hindustan Unilever back in 2013, during the previous Kumbh Mela. It had won a lot of acclaim, both in India and abroad. The ‘forward thinkers’ of WhatsApp had regurgitated the decade-old campaign and brought it back into full public consciousness via dark social. A campaignconceived for 2013 suddenly found relevance in 2025.

Online with a vengeance

Mahakumbh 2025 was different from the previous editions. The congregation was an event where social media fuelled the fire to create an inferno. From the doe-eyed bead seller,Monalisa, to the dope-eyed IIT Baba, the Mahakumbhcontributed to a trend that went online with a vengeance.

It gave even the regular pilgrims wads of social currency. “Many wore it like a badge. A dip in the confluence of the three rivers, Triveni Sangam, was a status symbol that many wanted to flaunt,” says a senior ad executive who spent a month at the Mahakumbh in Prayagraj.

But it was not just the crores of pilgrims riding the social wave. Many brands, including a giant that the ad man is unwilling to disclose, conducted a small token activation in one corner of Mahakumbh, but amplified it on social media to make it look like they were all over the Mela. “There was a lot of hoo-ha on LinkedIn, but nothing on ground,” he says in a rather mocking tone.

However, no one can debate that congregations the size of the Mahakumbh, the largest human gathering in the world, are bigger than any live sporting events, be it the FIFA World Cup or even the Olympics. The most conservative estimates suggest that 40 crore visitors flocked to the Mahakumbh, with the outer range being 66 crore. In comparison, around 12million visitors went for the 2024 Paris Olympics and just over a million attended the FIFA World Cup Qatar in 2022.

Unique branding lessons

Given the numbers, you can assume that just being present on-ground can give your brand a huge fillip in visibility. But that’s where one could misread the leaves. The Mahakumbh, in these 45 days of 2025, provides unique branding lessons for companies. “The boundaries for a Kumbh [Mela gathering] cannot be defined. Therefore, for any brand to approach anactivation is extremely challenging,” says Gaurav Tayal, divisional CEO of matches and agarbatti division at ITC, that markets the Mangaldeep brand of agarbattis.

This event created a brand experience on an enormous scale that seamlessly integrated deep-rooted tradition with modern sensibilities, says a PepsiCo India spokesperson.

With every challenge, comes an opportunity. Rajesh Radhakrishnan, co-founder and CMO of Vritti Solutions, one of the companies that was enlisted by the Uttar Pradesh government to provide advertising solutions at Prayagraj, says, “The Kumbh Mela provided brands with critical lessons on dynamic and technology-enabled branding.”

A key takeaway was the effectiveness of LED van-based screen advertising, compared to the stationary outdoor hoardings. Unlike billboards, these mobile units moved with the crowd, ensuring greater visibility and engagement even in high-traffic areas.

Utility instead of sales

Another key lesson was that in such a deeply spiritual congregation, brands that focused on utility rather than sales saw greater success. Companies like Hindustan Unilever wereprobably on cue. For instance, to enhance Surf Excel’s visibility, the company handed out cloth bags designed with separate compartments for wet and dry clothes. “This not only created buzz, but also addressed a real problem faced by many at the Mahakumbh,” says an HUL spokesperson.

“Companies that tried to push direct sales often struggled, while those serving the needs of devotees thrived,” says Radhakrishnan, “Brands that integrated digital solutions into travel and accommodation services saw maximum traction. Apps providing real-time updates on routes, accommodations and travel tips were immensely successful. AI-powered apps played a big role in facilitating pilgrim movement and convenience.”

Room for improvement

While brands went out of their way to lure consumers at the Mahakumbh (see box), there was still scope for improvement.

What could have helped? A festival veteran shares, “The UP government didn’t let brands overtake Kumbh. Even on the route to Triveni Sangam, very few boats were branded.”

Sanjeev Goyle, CEO, OOH and Rural, IPG Media Brands India, points out, “It would have helped if more brands focused on building emotional connections and hyper-targeted campaigns within Mahakumbh to build everlasting memory structures.”

Instead of just using Hindi and English, campaigns in Bhojpuri, Awadhi and other local dialects could have strengthened connections, says an Ogilvy spokesperson.

While the authorities firewalled brands to activity areas demarcated for advertising and promotions, most of the brand engagements were activation-led (see box).

Future gazing

The Kumbh Mela may happen only once in 12 years, but it certainly gives brands a reason to take away best practices and implement it throughout the year in either temples or festivalsacross the country.

For instance, ITC Mangaldeep’s activation with Jalbatti (an incense stick or lamp fused with alum) sent a subtle message of keeping the sacred rivers clean. The brand now plans toreplicate the idea in other sacred river bodies across the country.

The other idea that will be taken live is the five-feet tall incense sticks or giant Sambrani cups that are already creating fragrant corridors in the Ayodhya Ram Lalla temple. This will soon be extended to temples across the country, say ITC executives. But it need not be restricted to products and services that operate in the space of divinity.

Many pilgrimages are complete only after a long trek, hence brands that tap into hydration or balms to soothe muscle aches could benefit from the same. Who would have thought thatdipping into the Ganges could open up an ocean of opportunities?