Case Studies

Case Study: How AMFI used Onam traditions to simplify mutual fund concepts in Kerala

In its Onam campaign, AMFI leveraged Kerala’s iconic snake boat to transform the abstract concept of investing into a tangible journey, combining deep cultural integration, immersive experiential marketing, and direct audience participation.

author-image
Social Samosa
New Update
amfi onam campaign nehru trophy

To connect with audiences during Onam 2025, AMFI's 'Mutual Funds Sahi Hai' campaign launched a culturally rooted campaign titled 'Turning Aspirations into Journeys.' The campaign linked the discipline of mutual fund investing with Kerala’s festive symbols of journeys, teamwork, and prosperity.

The centrepiece was an experiential, life-sized 3D snake boat installation at Cochin International Airport, where travelers could photograph themselves against a dynamic LED backdrop of dream destinations, symbolising how investing can help achieve life goals. The campaign deepened its cultural connection by sponsoring a team in the iconic Nehru Trophy Boat Race, drawing a parallel between the rowers' synchronised perseverance and the consistency required for successful investing. This on-ground engagement was supported by a high-visibility outdoor media campaign across key cities in Kerala and amplified by contextual festive messaging on social media.

Category introduction

India’s Mutual Fund industry has been growing rapidly, with assets under management (AUM) crossing ₹75 lakh crore in 2025. The industry continues to expand into Tier-II and Tier-III cities, riding on awareness campaigns and strong retail participation. 
Festivals like Onam provide high-engagement touchpoints to reach diverse audiences, especially NRIs and returning families, making them an ideal opportunity to connect culturally while driving investor awareness.

Brand introduction

Mutual Funds Sahi Hai is AMFI’s flagship investor awareness campaign. Its core objective is to educate and engage retail investors across India by simplifying mutual fund concepts, building trust, and driving financial inclusion. Onam 2025 served as a cultural moment to reinforce the brand’s message of disciplined investing and achieving life aspirations.

Summary

The campaign leveraged Onam’s festive spirit with a mix of experiential, outdoor, and cultural sponsorship activations. By creating high-impact touchpoints at Cochin International Airport, associating with Kerala’s most iconic event, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, and executing contextual OOH visibility across cities, the campaign positioned mutual funds as a reliable means to achieve life goals. The campaign also extended to social media, amplifying awareness with contextual festive messaging.

Objective

  • To build brand visibility and relevance during Onam by:
  • Reaching returning NRIs and festive travellers at Cochin Airport.
  • Associating with Kerala’s cultural pride, the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, for deeper resonance.
  • Using contextual OOH placements for high visibility across key Kerala cities.
  • Delivering a strong brand message that connects mutual fund investing to aspirations, journeys, and prosperity.

Brief

The agency was tasked with creating a culturally rooted campaign that connects the traits of mutual funds with Kerala’s festive symbols, boats, journeys, homecomings, and aspirations. The solution needed to balance high visibility with engaging experiences.

Creative Idea

  • A life-sized 3D snake boat installation at Cochin Airport became a symbol of journeys and dreams. Travellers could step into the boat, choose animated dream destinations (Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty, Gateway of India, Statue of Unity) displayed on an LED backdrop, and capture photographs symbolising aspirations achieved through disciplined investing.
  • AMFI partnered with one snake boat team at the Nehru Trophy Boat Race, reinforcing its message amidst Kerala’s most celebrated tradition of teamwork and perseverance.
  • Outdoor media placements were curated to ensure clutter-free, high-visibility sites across Cochin, Trivandrum, and Thrissur.
  • On social media, contextual messaging tied investing to themes of journeys, goals, and prosperity.

Challenges

  • Creating a culturally authentic experience that resonated with both local audiences and NRIs.
  • Securing exclusive, high-footfall airport inventory during the festive rush.
  • Ensuring seamless integration of the brand message into traditional cultural events like the boat race.

Execution

Experiential activation

  • 12-day activation at Cochin International Airport (25th Aug – 5th Sept).
  • Life-sized 3D boat installation with dynamic LED dreamscapes.
  • Digital floor projection mimicking water ripples added immersion.
  • Promoters assisted travellers in engaging with the installation.

Cultural association

  • Co-powered branding & sponsorship of Men’s and Women’s teams at Nehru Trophy Boat Race, Alappuzha. The race showcases the power of teamwork, rhythm, and endurance, qualities that resonate strongly with AMFI’s message of staying invested with consistency to achieve long-term financial goals.
  • Branding integrated into team jerseys, boats, and event touchpoints.

Outdoor media

  • Impactful airport inventory secured at Cochin Airport arrivals.
  • Premium OOH sites in Cochin, Trivandrum, and Thrissur for festival visibility.

Social Media

  • Contextual posts around Onam themes of prosperity, journeys, and aspirations.
  • Photo/video snippets of activations amplified across platforms.

Results

Quantitative

  • Reached over 2 lakh passengers at Cochin Airport during Onam rush.
  • Over 50,000+ unique engagements with the 3D experiential installation.
  • A staggering 1.5 lac people attended the Nehru Trophy Boat Race.
  • OOH campaign delivered 4mn+ impressions across Kerala.
  • Social media campaign generated 16.5 million impressions and 2,920k+ engagements during the festival window.

Qualitative

  • Strong brand association with Kerala’s culture and festive pride.
  • Positive recall of mutual funds as enablers of aspirations and prosperity.
  • Travellers and families shared user-generated content from the experiential setup, amplifying organic reach.

Venkat N Chalasani, Chief Executive, AMFI, said, " Onam is a celebration of heritage, perseverance, and hope - values that also resonate with smart investing. Whether it’s the unwavering endurance of snake boat rowers or the imagination of travellers visualising dream destinations through 3D animation, our message was clear: consistency and discipline lead to long-term rewards. Through a vibrant mix of on-ground engagement, out-of-home digital displays, and regional activations, our Onam campaign empowered investors across Kerala with the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial decisions — today and for the future.”

experiential marketing Onam 2025 AMFI AMFI campaign AMFI investor awareness