Why should your brand excited about Melas, Yatras or Jatras? One simple reason…you get a chance to perform Festival Marketing.
India celebrates more than 20,000 Melas, Yatras and Jatras. It is an old perception that only brands specific to food, FMCG, essentials etc. have the opportunity to market on such platforms. But, in reality, any brand can take up purpose-driven marketing or initiate a noble cause that keeps the brand remembered for a lifetime.
Some tips to get the best out of melas….
1. Think and Act BIG : Melas are humungous events for brand recall. Hence, creating huge visuals, positioning the product at multiple points, allowing the product to get sampled is a good idea. The customer needs something to take back home. Then, why not give an experience or a service that makes them remember your brand?
2. Build and sustain the excitement : Every brand takes up advertising in the mela very seriously. But, not all, take the pre-mela period seriously. This is a crucial time to plan your Festival Marketing in India. A brand can create a vibe of the mela only through its marketing strategy. Advertise your presence in the mela through various ways well before the mela starts.
3. Plan the innovation or the usefulness : Showcase the product sampling in such a way that the target audience feels valued. They should feel that the product/service is only made for them. For instance, Mindwave Media organized a Lost and Found Centre for the devotees at Kumbh Mela for Emami Navratna Oil. Also, they organized a Dabur Rheumatil Foot Massage for devotees at the tiring Pandharpur yatra.
4. Photos and Videos : Keep uploading a lot of photos and videos of the product, sampling or buying points, visuals, circulating in the Melas on social websites. Showcase the people behind the scenes, like profile some of the volunteers, media partners, your key staff working in the mela, to give an emotional connect with the target audience and they may also help in promoting the story ahead.
5. Evaluate the outcome : As a result of your brand activation, it is also important to take stock of the success, the learning areas, things that can be improved and feedback from your team. There is always room for improvising when you are open to positive learnings.
