How brands can go beyond moment marketing around Ayodhya Ram Mandir consecration

In the current tactical landscape, where brands spare no effort in adopting moment marketing strategies and eagerly join the trend bandwagon, collaborations like Zomato x BlinkIt's 'Doodh mangoge, doodh denge; Kheer mangoge, kheer denge' have become prevalent. Brands are quick to seize opportunities presented by Western pop culture events such as Halloween and Black Friday, and they also roll out timely campaigns, like celebrating Chandrayaan 3's successful moon landing.

When it comes to India, especially, one of the upcoming events i.e.- The consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya on January 22 is perceived to be of great significance, not just from a sacramental lens but also from an economic and architectural one as well. Hence what remains expected or to be seen is brands trying to associate themselves with the event.

So far, we’ve heard of FMCG and quick-comm majors expanding into the city, travel searches picking up more momentum, one of the airlines having their crew dressed up as Ramayana characters, certain websites claiming to deliver Ram Mandir’s Day 1 Prasad in just Rs 51 at the doorstep, etc. According to the traders’ body CAIT, business worth Rs 1 lakh crore is expected to be generated with the consecration ceremony of Ram temple in Ayodhya.

Brand experts believe that given the historical baggage associated with it, Ram Mandir’s consecration in Ayodhya is a sensitive ground for brands to tread on. Therefore, they should refrain from associating themselves with the event superficially but rather find an authentic or innovative thread that binds them to it.

Nisha Sampath

Nisha Sampath, Brand consultant and Founder of Bright Angles Consulting, noted that despite religion being a powerful motivator, Indian marketers have traditionally avoided it. Brands are cautious about addressing religious topics, given the politicisation and sensitivities surrounding them.

“If a brand were to come up with something on religion, the idea has always been to bring out secularism, but because today all of it has become political even secularism is being targeted. Brands think of this whole topic as a hot potato,” Sampath said.

She added, “In fact, when it comes to Ayodhya, at least my generation and the generation previous to that not only knows the context but has witnessed the demolition of the mosque. Hence, I believe that brands ought to be careful about being business-first so that they don’t offend any section of the audience or tread on sensitive ground.”

Further, she also opined that she does not expect the consecration of Ram Mandir to be a moment marketing opportunity because, unlike the foreign festivities and events like Black Friday, Halloween, Christmas, etc. where there is no context, one can easily build from scratch, but in the Indian context whenever there is context, history, baggage, etc. one must tread carefully.

Highlighting the reluctance of brands to take a stand during politically charged periods, she also expressed anticipation for more offline and geographically restricted moment marketing in Ayodhya.

“It is not brands who create trends, but listen to the trends in the culture and then try things, for example, there was a time when brands picked up on inter-religious marriages for relatability because things at that time would have tuned with the culture of young people, but today there is a backlash when brands do so,” Sampath said.

“Hence they’ve kind of stepped back from it for they are afraid to go into any sensitive topic as there is more to lose today than to gain. Therefore, it’s better to play safe and stay off of it,” she added.

Additionally, Sampath also pointed out that it isn’t brands who create trends but follow cultural shifts and therefore in India, brands often avoid sensitive topics due to potential backlash, contrasting with the mature market approach seen in the US, where brands openly address issues affecting specific demographics like Black or Hispanic audience and don’t shy away from addressing issues like ‘Black Lives Matter’ or ‘Me Too’ movement that affect them.

However, she believes that India may not have reached that stage yet as most brands tend to talk to everyone and not segment themselves in terms of psychographics, mindsets and values or anything beyond demographics, affordability and cost strata.

“It will only be when brands indulge in more sophisticated targeting that more and more instances of brands taking a stand on such matters will be visible. But for now, someone as a founder or as a brand has to take the first step and be authentic in really putting themselves out there,” she said.

Yasin Hamidani

According to Yasin Hamidani, Director, Media Care Brand Solutions, as well, associating brands with topics as sensitive as the consecration of the Ram Mandir in Ayodhya requires extreme caution, utmost sensitivity and respect, given the deeply emotional and religious nature of the event.

“The potential for backlash is high, and missteps can lead to severe consequences, damaging brand reputation. Hence, from a marketing standpoint, brands should carefully evaluate their relevance to the occasion and the authenticity of their connection. If at all there is a genuine tie-in and a meaningful contribution or message that aligns with the values associated with the event, it might be considered,” he added.

Having said that, Hamidani also suggested that brands should prioritise inclusivity, avoid religious symbolism, and be mindful of potential misinterpretations. They can also consider collaborating with cultural experts or local influencers not just for guidance but to ensure that the communication is culturally respectful and well-received.

With this, he also mentioned that a viable approach for brands to associate with the consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya while respecting sentiments involves embracing cultural sensitivity, authenticity, and inclusivity and focusing on universal values associated with the occasion, such as unity, generosity, and celebration or even prioritising educational initiatives, sharing information about the significance of the event, fostering understanding, and avoiding stereotypes, etc. rather than directly appropriating religious symbols or rituals.

Vikas Mehta

Sharing his views on the topic, Vikas Mehta, an Independent Consultant, expressed that in his views, picking up on the moment marketing bandwagon for the consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya is not a necessary thing to do for all brands, especially when it doesn’t seem to fit the brand personality, values and benefits and doing it just for the sake of it or superficially won’t come bearing fruits.

“To me, some of the best examples of moment marketing include when Nissan responded, ‘Ours is bigger’ to Kim Kardashian’s photoshoot in Paper magazine or Oreo coming up with a topical post saying, ‘Now you can dunk in the dark’ just as the lights went off at the Superbowl some years ago, because in both of these cases, the communication goes with what that brand stands for and they had something in their brand itself that went along with that particular moment,” he said.

 

 

 

 

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Oreo Superbowl case study-

However, in the case of Ram Mandir, as all religious events, commercialism will be seen down upon and hence if it were the companies who worked on the construction of the temple’s structure or a brand whose tiles were used in the premises, UP Tourism, etc. it would be a natural fit, unlike others who’ll just be there to congratulate on the day of inauguration to take undue advantage.

“I do anticipate some media innovations like leading publishers changing their masthead’s elements to commemorate the inauguration day or releasing an additional newspaper dedicated to the event with some pieces around the history of the spot with timelines for educational content and the remaining comprising ads from brands including those of congratulatory messages, highlighting nationalism, sponsoring certain social initiatives in Ayodhya, etc. rather than the plain moment marketing posts” he added.

Sharing one of his fond examples of spinning the communications of a brand like Lifebuoy for a religious event like Kumbh Mela during his advertising days, Mehta mentioned that being unrelated to the sentiment around the mela, what the brand did was that it gave away thousands of traditional roti makers to dhabas, but this couldn’t have been without a catch.

The brand had embossed on these roti makers the line- ‘Lifebuoy Se Haath Dhoye Kya?’ which would get embossed and also placed several hand wash bottles at the locations to be differentiated and also make a difference.

The Campaign-

Similarly, he also mentioned that various brands like Maruti Suzuki can make the most out of the event by their brand name itself and even sponsor certain snippets without having to come up with a message on the consecration day to be a part of the moment, but in a manner that it is not force-fitted and is subtle.

“If a brand really wants to be a part of this event’s moment marketing, it will have to redefine moment marketing in itself to make any sense. To do so, brands will have to find a value, personality or benefit fitment with the event or do something good for the society and contribute to this whole movement to make a difference,” he said.

Ramanujam Sridhar

Ramanujam Sridhar, Founder and CEO, Brand-Comm PR, highlighted that the Ram Mandir consecration is a significant event with widespread attention on social media. While it's a great opportunity, it comes with potential risks, as seen with brands like Tanishq facing backlash for contrarian messages.

Mainline brands are advised to stick to simple, consistent messaging to avoid controversy. For those aligned with religious themes, such as religious products, incense stick brands, or even religious tourism, it's an excellent opportunity. However, all brands must focus on long-term goals and not get swayed by short-term trends to avoid potential crises, he added.

Sridhar said, “Certain brands, like incense stick manufacturers, construction giants like L&T and tourism brands, have the potential to spin their communication around it to leverage this event. Mainstream brands may not find this as suitable.”

“Last year, certain brands faced criticism for featuring “non-traditionally” dressed individuals in their Diwali advertisements. The backlash was significant, with some even saying “no bindi, no business” and things like that. This highlights that the negative consequences outweigh the positive aspects of such choices,” he mentioned.

Sridhar emphasised that brands should focus on their core message and positioning when considering participation in such events. It's crucial to assess the relevance of such events to their brand identity.

“Jumping on the bandwagon without a clear connection might appear awkward. If a short-term action contradicts the brand's overall message, it's wise to hesitate and reconsider,” he added.

Furthermore, he emphasised that amid strong polarisation, it's crucial for brands to be inclusive.

“If I align my brand with a specific cause, like the Hindu cause, I may unintentionally alienate people from other communities. In today’s divisive landscape, brands should steer clear. Inclusiveness is key and if a message risks upsetting target segments, is it worth the risk? I'd rather avoid it and focus on selling my brand without contributing to unnecessary division,” he added.

Ambika Sharma

Ambika Sharma, Founder and MD, Pulp Strategy, also shared the viewpoint that celebrating religious festivals and moments is not new and every brand does it at some point in the year, but in the case of consecration of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, it will really come down to either the ethos or the bravery of a brand, for the same would be backed and celebrated by a very large segment of Indians.

Having said that, she also highlighted that once the highest court of the country has passed the judgement, it’s no longer in the sensitive jurisdiction, technically, hence, there isn’t a yes or no answer but if a brad must choose to pick on moment marketing during the same, then it should choose the majority sentiment and proceed.

In fact, almost every non-regulated brand can creatively participate, if they put their mind to it because people are smart and India as a country has moved past ‘the time period of sentiment’ in this case, Sharma mentioned.

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