Simhastha-Kumbh becomes a mela of brands

Big brands extend support to govt in managing the mela to promote their brands

On the last leg of the month-long Simhastha-Kumbh celebration, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called for reinventing these melas. He was speaking at the first-of-its-kind Vichar Kumbh in Ninaura, a small village near Ujjain in Madhya Pradesh.

Modi came out with a mantra for Indian companies, "Interpret Kumbh in the language of the new world," he said. "We do not know how to market ourselves which is why [the] world calls us unorganised." He hinted at the hidden opportunity and said, "Look at those diverse millions who arrive from various geographies uninvited but partake of whatever is available." He even called upon leading universities to do a case study on such large gatherings and opportunities therein and termed it a marvel of management.

Among the audience, mainly saints and sadhus representing thirteen prominent akharas (seminaries), there were barely any representatives of corporate houses. Yet big brands from the telecom sector, FMCG (fast- moving consumer goods) companies, and bankers extended support to the government in managing the mela to promote their brands. And it did the trick.

They turned the religious event into a big branding and marketing exercise, with a little deviation from conventional marketing gimmicks.

Airtel spruced up various ghats on either sides of the river Shipra with spiritual paintings. "It was an endeavour to support [the] government's move for a Clean Simhastha," says Vir Inder Nath, chief executive officer of Airtel (Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh). The company also provided barricades to the police to help manage traffic during peak hours. Airtel also placed sign boards along the Indore-Ujjain road displaying emergency contact numbers.

Besides, the company set up its additional mobile towers, COWs (Coverage on wheels), ensured availability of its universal SIM cards that can sync with all its 23 telecom circles.

For marketers and brand managers who wanted to develop a bonding with consumers from the heartland of the country, the Ujjain Simhastha-Kumbh Mela was once-in-a-twelve-year opportunity and an important place to interact with consumers.

"We have received positive sentiments from all quarters. This was also because of our tie up with the government bodies such as 'Paryavaran Sanrakshan Up-Samiti' for the successful distribution of cloth bags as a CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiative," says Nitin Kulkarni, president, sales & marketing, of Pune-based Finolex Industries.

The company provided reusable bags made of cloths and religious posters to pilgrims so that they would carry the brand to far flung areas where it might have been difficult for the company to reach. Brand builders found innovative ways to reach the masses.

"We focussed on various rituals to create brand image during the mela. For example, we participated in various Aartis and named it 'Good Knight Fast Card Aarti' by placing sufficient mosquito repellents," says Ajay Dang, Head marketing & media, Godrej Consumer Products.

Besides, the company did fumigation exercises with specially designed fogging machines to keep mosquitoes away from the area.

Brand promotion experts say the mela was a cost effective way of branding as compared to traditional way of connecting with consumers who remain out of reach of traditional and digital media.

Kolkata-based consumer goods company Emami focused on rural consumers at mela area and ghats where footfall was higher. The company set up changing rooms under its brand name "Kesh King."