Haridwar Kumbh Mela – How can emotionally connect with their TG

The Haridwar Kumbh Mela, considered to be the largest congregation on Earth, is a great opportunity for the brands to support the Uttarakhand State Government to better manage the congregation by creating branded facilities and amenities that also serves the need of a pilgrim or a visitor. This has become even more important, especially during the present COVID-19 situation, writes Rajesh Radhakrishnan, Chief Marketing Officer, Vritti Solutions.

Various studies have shown that a brand memory recall for a consumer becomes highly effective when it helps serve his need. The brand will become relevant when a consumer goes back and remembers it as the one that served him when he needed the most. That is the most effective Brand ROI as it helps brand to emotionally connect with his Target Group!

Companies can support the authorities with infrastructure support at the Kumbh and in return get branding opportunities. Some of the interesting opportunities that companies could focus on would include creating facilities for the pilgrims such as branded car parkings, makeshift changing rooms, refreshment zones, rest rooms, wash rooms & hand wash sites, lost and found centres, Dhabas, supporting police help centers, police barricades, etc.

Brand marketers should capitalise on the four Shahi Snan days, that is, March 11, April 12 (Somvati Amavasya), April 14 (Baisakhi Day) and April 27 (Chaitra Poornima), when the crowds could cross more than 10 crore. Due to the ongoing pandemic, the Mela will be held under strict social distancing guidelines issued by both the State and the Central Governments.

Brands could support developing the Ghats, sewerage points, bridges and roads that will become heavily crowded during the days of Shahi Snan and Peshwai procession of the Akharas of various sects of sadhus. Companies get strategic locations and access points at the Ghats, where their brands could be prominently displayed. The brand awareness and brand connectivity will be huge as on an average one million people aggregate in one single location.

The Mela could be considered as a marketer’s paradise for companies targeting rural and small towns. As the rural economy opens up amidst a favourable Budget by the Union Finance Minister, Haridwar Kumbh will be an ideal opportunity for FMCG and two-wheeler brands to market their new products with a mix of Below the Line (BTL) and digital activity, for banks and fintech companies to educate the rural audience on financial inclusion, mobile wallets and mobile banking, for the auto companies to come out with ideas like bike ambulance, parking lots branding and display vehicle branding, for the mobile and consumer durable companies for branded charging stations and demo display zones for generating enquiries.

Some of the latest Government Kumbh guidelines include compulsory COVID-19 tests and thermal screening for the attendees, registration on the web portal and restriction in the participation of senior citizens, pregnant women and children below the age of 10. The campaigning brands will also ensure public safety.

(Vritti Solutions has been involved in activation for brands at various Kumbh Melas, including Allahabad, Haridwar, Nashik and Ujjain for the past more than two decades.)