Is religion too hot to handle for brands in India?

New Delhi: In the West, religion acts as a structured belief system that is often integrated into marketing. Whereas in India, religion is a way of life, deeply personal yet not commercialised in marketing.

For example, brands are actively engaging in on-ground activations at Maha Kumbh 2025, leveraging the massive footfall and cultural significance of the event. However, many are steering clear of large-scale brand-building ad films around it, wary of potential cancel culture backlash and controversies. 

A classic case is HUL’s Brooke Bond Red Label ad from a past Kumbh Mela, where a son ditched his elderly father, only for kind strangers to serve him tea and companionship instead of a guilt trip. Meant to brew a message of inclusivity, the ad instead steeped itself in controversy, with critics slamming it for stirring up disrespect for Hindu traditions.

With campaigns facing criticism for misrepresentation or commercialisation of religious sentiments, brands are now taking a cautious approach, focusing on experiential marketing rather than high-profile storytelling

Moreover, the lack of brand advertising on astrology apps and brand associations with any particular religious and spiritual content suggest that brands are dissociating themselves from religious content even though religion has a significant influence on people in India.

The issue of segmentation

Explaining the reasons for this dissociation, Nisha Sampath, Managing Partner, Bright Angels Consulting LLP, said, “In India, brands have been very cautious about marketing to religious ethnicities. The most logical reason is that India is home to multiple religions, and no brand wants to alienate any potential consumer segment. More specifically, with the controversies and political backlash that accompany taking a stance on religion, many brands are scared to do this.

India's market segmentation has primarily been demographic, as it is an easy choice for brands. Unlike the US, which has sophisticated demographic segmentation models targeting specific groups like Latinos, Blacks, and LGBTQ communities, India has not yet adopted such segmentation.”

Moreover, Sampath mentioned that in India, segmentation has typically been based on SEC (Socio-Economic Classification), age, and tier one versus tier two cities. Many brands tend to see the market as a mass market rather than a niche one.

Gen Z’s impact on brands

Adding to Sampath, Piali Dasgupta Surendran, Brand Advisor and Fractional CMO, said, “With the vast majority of India's consumer landscape being dominated by millennials and Gen Z (almost 70% to be precise), brands are thinking twice before engaging with religious content. The 20 - 40 age group is not necessarily religion-centric and is perhaps more spiritual rather than religious. 

They value self-expression and form their own worldview and belief systems, separate from their parents' worldview. They are well-travelled and exposed to different cultures and mostly subscribe to the mindset that religion is deeply personal and should not be used as a form of propaganda, whether by a brand or by a ruler.”

A shift toward experiential marketing

So if not full-fledged ad films, what are brands tilting towards for targeting consumers at religious events?

Answering our primary question as to why brands did not create ad films for the Maha Kumbh, Anadi Sah, National Creative Director, Chief Innovation Officer & Founding Partner at tgthr, said that brands are finding strong reasons to explore experiential marketing through high-impact, on-ground activations and minimise the risk of misinterpretation of the narrative compared to TV or digital ads, as the proliferation of marketing channels also allows brands to allocate budgets to more cost-effective strategies than ad films, which may have a limited shelf life.

Elaborating on his stance further, he said, “Brands today prefer partnering with religious organisations or charities that conduct specific activities around religious events, which majorly work towards social good, cause marketing, and sustainability. Some brands also actively engage in sponsorships of religious programs and content on TV/OTT that allow them to gain visibility and preference without any potential threat.

This is not limited to subtle brand or product integration into the content but also permits them to introduce show-inspired merchandise or product variants that may include religious and cultural motifs or deities that appeal to and build the preference of the target audience without offending their religious sentiments.”

Resounding Sah’s thoughts, Mithila Saraf, CEO at Famous Innovations, pointed out that some brands are also investing in wellness and spirituality-driven initiatives instead of overt religious branding.

“They might align with devotional music festivals, yoga retreats, or mindfulness campaigns—spaces where spirituality is embraced without religious exclusivity. Social and environmental initiatives tied to religious festivals, such as eco-friendly Ganpati immersions or food donation drives during Ramadan, are also gaining traction as safer, purpose-driven brand engagement strategies,” Saraf resolved.

Who’s avoiding what?

When it comes to dissociating itself from religion, Saraf alludes that global FMCG brands are leading the way because they cater to diverse audiences across different cultures and religions. Any religious association could alienate a segment of its customer base.

But it's not just FMCG brands; as per Saraf, even luxury and fashion brands also tend to steer clear, as they position themselves around aspirational lifestyles rather than faith-based narratives. 

“Financial institutions and banks are another category that largely avoids religious content to maintain a perception of neutrality and avoid potential conflicts of interest. Tech and digital platforms, which operate on principles of inclusivity and global reach, generally refrain from religious messaging to keep their user base broad and engaged,” Saraf added.

Having said that, Surendran also mentioned that youth-focused brands tend to avoid religious categories. 

“However, in India, some of our biggest festivals—whether it's Diwali or Dussehra—do have a religious undertone, and most brands across fashion, retail, FMCG, and others do plan their biggest campaigns around these festivals because that is when the highest spending happens,” continued Surendran.

To support or not to support religious content?

Surendran feels that it is best to avoid content surrounding religion as a polarising topic in most parts of the world, particularly in India. Brands such as Tanishq courted a lot of controversies through their campaigns, with netizens branding the campaign Love Jihad.

But Sampath feels that religion and religious fervour are so central to human existence that they can be such a powerful impetus for behaviour change. So, the question to be asked is how can brands engage with religion while avoiding the potential pitfalls? 

Answering this tricky question, Sampath said that marketers have skirted around the topic of religion because they are scared to wake a sleeping lion unless they are in the core space of rituals and religion. “They just avoid it.”

Citing a personal example of how religion can be integrated into marketing, she said, “Let's take sustainability initiatives. People don't really connect emotionally to stories around sustainability. The glacier melt rates seem too far away from our reality.

Let me tell you a story that my grandfather told me as a child. He took me to a temple dedicated to Varaha the Boar, the avatar of Vishnu who rescued Bhoomi Devi, the Earth Goddess. Persecuted and attacked by the demon Hiranyaksha, she had been hidden at the bottom of the sea. Varaha gently raised her on his tusk and brought her to the surface. So, every morning when I wake up, the first thing I do is put my feet on her. She tolerates my weight and only gives love and life to us.

This simple story has connected me to Mother Earth more deeply than any left-brain arguments. If marketers can integrate mythology instead of religion into marketing, they may have a shot at influencing customers without facing backlash.”

Bringing the debate to an end, Sampath’s advice for marketers is that “marketers often treat religion like a Pandora's box that they are scared to open. However, I believe that religion has a lot of potential. We already use it as codes in our culture, unconsciously incorporating religious elements in communication. Marketers should at least examine this as a way to segment or address audiences and see if they can benefit from it.

It requires courage and maybe more testing with consumers and different segments to see if it alienates people or not, but it's something that we can and should do. The Western world views religion as something linear—good or bad—but for us, it's just part of our life. We don't see it as bad or good; it's everywhere.

Marketers should go back to mythology and wisdom. There are beautiful stories and parables in religion that can enlighten and unite people. Marketers should find ways where religion helps to move people in the right direction, and there are many such instances. By leveraging these rich narratives, brands can create meaningful connections and resonate with their audiences on a deeper level.”