Figure this: 15 crore people, 5,000 camps, 2,000 changing rooms, 1,22,000 toilets. If business is all about numbers, Kumbh 2019, where a tenth of India is expected to land over seven weeks, is turning out to be the holiest of marketing carnivals for brands big and small.
As Kumbh 2019 gets bigger in terms of number of visitors and investment and better in terms of amenities, brands’ engagement, too, has increased manifold. Pilgrim amenity points such as mobile charging zones, lost and found centres, selfie zones, changing rooms, hand washing areas, disaster management centres, to name a few, have doubled up as brand-building zones where marketers are going in for the kill.
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BCCL
Opportune moment
Export-oriented textile maker Welspun India made its debut dip in Kumbh with its 'Jaldi Sukhe, jaldi Sukhaye' Quik Dry towels. Brands' bhakti towards pilgrims remain unparalleled. "They all need something to wipe their bodies with after the dip. We wanted to give the superlative sheet experience presenting Welspun towels as the 'desh ka towel'," says Manjari Upadhye, CEO, Domestic Business. Welspun has taken 20 changing rooms and will be offering 3,000 free trials a day hoping to touch at least 5 lakh people with its experiential connect. At the company's branded stalls, bathing and disposable handtowels are for sale at nominal prices.
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Reuters
Sacred Brand Games
With droves of companies playing their sacred games to win devotee’s bhakti, there’s unmatchable branding opportunity for maximum exposure and recall. Bathroom products maker Johnson Pedder too has made a “shuddha shuruat” with its ad “Kumbh ksetra ko Swachha Rakhna bhi punya ka kaam hai”.
Such high footfall everyday also means more trash, most of which does not end up in dustbins. Hindustan Unilever under Red Label has set up first-of-its-kind tea vending machines that double-up as dustbins across the Kumbh city. Labelled “Kachra le aao, chai le jaao (bring garbage and get a cup of tea), the machine releases a fresh cup of tea every time a pilgrim disposes garbage in the bin, thanks to a built-in sensors, thereby encouraging people to use the bins.
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AFP
From drama to karma
In tending to what visitors need, companies haven’t shied away from coming up with altogether new products. Reliance Jio, for example, has launched a special Kumbh Jio phone at Rs 501 (considered auspicious among Hindus). Pitched as “Sara Kumbh ho Aapke saath, jab Jio phone ho aapke haath”, its special features include family locator, "khoya, paya", Kumbh radio and Kumbh darshan.
Kumbh-veteran Reckitt Benktiser (RB) is trying new things from Nukkad Nataks to sanitation mascots and handwashing stations to drive home the larger message,"Har Dharam Ka Bhojan Sanskar, Haath Dhona Har Baar". To create awareness around hygiene, Harpic launched ‘Hoga Toilet Vidhi Ka Gyaan, Toh Badhega Kumbh ka Maan’, campaign that calls visitors to throw water every time they use a toilet as a sign of respect to the next person.
Dabur Amla oil through its tagline “Baal mazddot, Rishte Atoot” is helping out those lost on mela grounds. “Our volunteers will be moving around with badges. In case they come across a lost child, they will try to unite the child with the guardian,” says Phakey.
RB has provided Navik Sangh with 1,000 life jackets for people who ferry to Sangam. Dabur Vatika shampoo and Gulabari have put up ‘Vatika Lajja Kawach (changing rooms)’.
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AFP
In luxury
Cox & King is promoting TUTC Kumbh Mela packages wherein guests can choose from 17 luxury tents and 27 'super luxury deluxe' tents. What you get are WiFi, security and paramedic on site, library, temple, yoga classes and boat cruise.
In the race for Kumbh nirvana brands have come up with catchy ads to put across the mela city. Ghadi Detergent is praying for “Ek Dubki aur lagao, mann ke saare mael dho daalo” while Parachute Jasmine Oil is chanting 'Kumbh Jagaye Andar ki Shine' through its hoardings.
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AFP
Bhakti and banking
SBI has set up two dedicated branches open from 8 AM to 10 PM for pilgrims. Apart from four conventional ATMs, the bank has three mobile ATMs working round the clock. For foreign pilgrims, the bank has also set up one forex counter. Other initiatives include providing 2,000 life jackets, offering 10 changing rooms for pilgrims and 65-70 dedicated individuals working at the Kumbh Mela acting as facilitators.
Representational image
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Reuters
Thali ho!
HUL's Lifebuoy, another regular at Kumbh, is creating awareness around its 'healthy habits and reducing illnesses' plank. In 2013, the brand used 'roti' to remind people to wash hands before meals, now it's using thalis. Called 'Swasthya Chetna Thalis' they come with the etched message of 'Kripaya Pehle Sabun se Haath Dhoyein'. Harman Dhillon, GM, skin cleansing at HUL, says, "Lifebuoy aims to harness the power of small actions that can unlock big differences."
