From Omnigel to Aashirvaad: How brands are engaging devotees at Rath Yatra 2025

New Delhi: As Lord Jagannath’s chariots roll through the streets of Puri this July, Rath Yatra 2025 is attracting massive footfall. But unlike the usual festive advertising blitz, brands are opting for a quieter, more thoughtful approach, focusing on service-led activations and subtle storytelling that align with the festival’s spiritual atmosphere.

From distributing water and essentials to creating engaging experiences for children, marketers are shifting their focus from hard-sell tactics to soft-touch strategies. Celebrity endorsements and overt messaging have taken a backseat, replaced by digital storytelling, utility-based interventions, and culturally resonant campaigns.

Many brands appear to be applying lessons from this year’s Maha Kumbh Mela, where successful activations focused on meaningful engagement, from pilgrim assistance to immersive devotional content, over commercial spectacle.

For example, Omnigel, a pain relief brand from Cipla Health, set up on-ground Rahat Seva Kendras at Puri beach. These were positioned to help devotees with foot, back, and shoulder massages after long walks. The focus here was on physical well-being, with comfort services aligning with the brand's existing promise.

Another brand, Sunfeast Marie Light, introduced the Surya Vardaan cap, infused with sandalwood and menthol cooling, to help protect pilgrims from the sun. The caps were distributed on the ground and supported by actress Archita Sahu. Framed as an offering of comfort, the initiative drew upon both cultural symbolism and functional need.

Coca-Cola India returned after its Maha Kumbh engagement with a comprehensive on-ground and packaging activation. From Kinley water bottles with Yatra-themed designs to hydration carts run by local vendors, the effort focused on presence across every pilgrim touchpoint. The company also partnered on a city-wide PET bottle waste collection campaign with local authorities.

Pulse Candy launched an AI-led campaign titled Jagannath Rath Yatra – The Pulse of India. The digital film uses AI-generated visuals to narrate the mythological origins of the Rath Yatra, combining cultural reverence with digital immersion. The campaign follows earlier efforts by the brand at Mahakumbh and Ganesh Chaturthi, keeping the focus on myth-led content discovery.

POGO, the kids' entertainment brand, created a digital-led Jay Jagannath campaign. It featured children chanting devotional slogans and participating in interactive Instagram stories. This campaign stood out by focusing on young audiences, combining entertainment with spiritual messaging.

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Aashirvaad, ITC’s packaged atta brand, created Bhakti Pathe, a tech-enabled spiritual journey with digital prasad-making and a holographic darshan experience. It aimed to make traditional rituals more inclusive through immersive tech and on-ground interactions.

Ahmedabad-based experiential agency Chaaipani is managing the broader brand integration framework at Rath Yatra this year, having secured exclusive activation rights. In partnership with the Puri District Administration, brands were onboarded to fund and manage public-first services such as shaded rest zones, multilingual helpdesks, and real-time information access.

Shruti Chaturvedi, founder of Chaaipani, shared that the Rath Yatra now represents a Rs 200 crore marketing opportunity, with a total trade value of Rs 5,500 crore. Unlike earlier event sponsorships, all campaigns were vetted for cultural relevance, with strict limits on physical branding. “What we’re enabling isn’t just marketing—it’s meaningful presence,” she said.

Also read: Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2025 to become the new stage for influencer-brand collabs

The Rath Yatra 2025, while distinct in size and tradition, mirrors several campaign trends seen at the Maha Kumbh Mela earlier this year. Both events saw a shift from visibility to value, where brands showed up not to market, but to serve. From crowd navigation apps to mobile seva centres, the marketing language was one of contribution.

Also read: Maha Kumbh 2025 ends: A look back at branded moments of the maha congregation