With 400 million people in attendance, and manifold eyeballs on it, the Maha Kumbh is gargantuan not only in human presence, but in business opportunity as well. The figure is Rs 2 lakh crore to be precise, put forth by Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath on Wednesday.
This makes the event a pitching ground no brand wants to miss. So, devotees will find changing rooms for women by Dabur Amla and Vatika at the ghats, and special baby care rooms being set up by Dabur Lal Tail. ITC’s brand Bingo! will be making reels on local songs, and Kuku FM, an audio storytelling platform, will use the event to launch its OTT app ‘Bhakti’, with a 360-degree campaign with tent branding, kiosks and contests.
Reports estimate Rs 3,000 crore is set to be spent by India Inc during the religious mela. Industry reports say for tier-1 brand activation, companies have to shell out Rs 5 lakh. Hoardings or flex boards throughout the duration of the festival can cost Rs 10 lakh, while 10-second ads on LED screens can cost Rs 5 lakh. For ‘significant visibility’ during the 45-day-long ‘mela’, brands will have to spend anywhere between Rs 50 lakh and Rs 1 crore.
As even Vivek Chaturvedi, additional district magistrate of Maha Kumbh, told FE, “A huge influx of crowd and devotees from all around the globe makes the Maha Kumbh a huge potential area for branding.”
The UP government itself is spending Rs 5,000 crore on the event.
Sharing details with FE, Mohit Malhotra, CEO of Dabur India, said, “We are setting up exclusive Dabur Dant Snan Zones inside the ‘mela’ premises with unique automated toothpaste dispensers. The company has also planned a life-size Amrit Kalash installation with Dabur Honey, with a virtual storytelling feature about Samudra Manthan and the significance of Kumbh. Special kamandal shaped packs are also being created, which would be given to pilgrims for carrying back the holy water with them.”
“This once-in-12-year festival represents a prime moment for ITC’s brands to connect with millions, blending tradition, culture, and meaningful consumer interactions into this iconic gathering,” an ITC spokesperson told FE. ITC’s incense stick brand Mangaldeep will participate in havans and “offer digital engagement through augmented reality” to make the event accessible to people not physically present in Kumbh.
Dabur’s key products will be “undertaking consumer activations” at the mela, while the company has collaborated with local dhabas to brand them with Hajmola and Lavanbhaskar Churna brands.
Similarly, Mother Dairy is also setting up 45 kiosks with its milk, dairy beverages, curd, etc, on display. Manish Bandlish, managing director of Mother Dairy, told FE: “These Mother Dairy branded kiosks will help reinforce brand visibility, enhance recall and foster a sense of assurance.”
Hospitality brands are also competing with each other, offering accommodation at all price points. Onora Hospitality is operating and managing two luxury tented accommodations at the fair — jüSTa Shivir Jhusi and Bookmark Resort Naga Shivir at Mandleshwar Nagar Juna Akhada, which will have 140 and 35 luxury tents, respectively. Ashish Vohra, the founder and CEO of the company, told FE, “Religious tourism is an important part of our strategic growth plan. The Maha Kumbh is a great opportunity for us to showcase our service quality and luxury offerings to a large segment of people who are currently not familiar with our brand.”
The India Tourism Development Corporation (ITDC) is offering a luxury tent experience along with curated activities such as yoga and meditation, ethnic food experiences, cultural performances, guided mela tours, airport transfers, forex counters, etc. Sanjay Singh, general manager of Ashok Travels and Tours, a division of ITDC, said, “This mega event will offer unparalleled visibility and a chance to engage a diverse audience. By offering high-end services, luxury accommodations, and curated experiences, ITDC will be able to position itself as a premium hospitality provider.”