Can festive campaign timing make or break your ROI?

In India’s marketing calendar, few periods carry as much potential, or pressure, as the festive season. Spanning celebrations from Raksha Bandhan and Onam to Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Diwali, Christmas, and New Year’s, this stretch triggers a surge in sentiment, spending, and brand competition, all vying for a share of the consumer’s wallet.

According to the Realize Festive Playbook 2025 report, Indian consumers begin entering the purchase consideration phase as early as mid-August. Urban India alone was projected to spend approximately ₹1.85 lakh crore (~USD 22 billion) during the 2024 festive season. 

Advertising spend follows suit. Media reports suggest that India’s festive adex is expected to rise by 10–12% in 2025, making August to December one of the most competitive and crowded marketing windows of the year. 

But in a crowded, emotionally charged, and high-stakes environment, when exactly should a festive campaign go live? Is earlier always better? Or does timing alone not determine success? 

Industry experts help break it down.

The early bird advantage

Long before the fairy lights go up, before mithai boxes stack up in the living room corners, and even before the Rakhi outfit planning begins, brands should already be knee-deep in planning. 

A media agency spokesperson observed that while everyone knows when Diwali is, even five years in advance, most brands leave planning till the last minute. “Breakthrough campaigns often start as early as January–February,” he pointed out, adding that strong media build-up usually begins four to six weeks before the festive day, building memory structures and aiding consideration.

But the festive season in India doesn’t operate on a single festival. “As for rollout, it depends. Festivals begin as early as mid-August (Ganpati, Rakhi) and go into the Diwali and wedding season. So the window varies. Rakhi may be a one-weekend burst, while Diwali might need a 15–20 day build-up,” the spokesperson added, emphasising that each festival requires a tailored timeline.

This isn’t just a playbook for brands with deep pockets. Even smaller budgets can make a big impact, but only if they plan ahead. Repeated exposure in the lead-up might help brands move from awareness to top-of-mind, especially in a season where buying is often emotional as much as rational.

Dhiraj Khanna, Associate Vice President and Cluster Head, Mudramax, said,  “The festive season campaign should be planned at least 15 days before the start of the festival. Communication around Diwali should begin at least by the 1st of October so that brand recall is potentially strong before the festival & the consumer can make a consideration plan for the brand.”

In festive marketing, it’s not just what you say, it’s also when you say it.

On the brand side, this disciplined approach to timing becomes even more critical, especially in categories with longer consideration cycles like jewellery. Starting early isn’t only about grabbing attention; it’s about being ready across the board. 

Sujala Martis, Consumer Marketing Director – India at Platinum Guild International (PGI), frames early planning as a strategic enabler. “We usually start months ahead. Early planning gives us the room to align internal readiness with external relevance.”

For PGI, this means priming desire through emotional storytelling early on and then closing the loop with high-reach media and in-store presence during peak buying windows. “We’ve consistently seen that timing directly impacts ROI and engagement,” she added.

In short, the best festive campaigns aren’t born in a burst of inspiration; they’re cultivated over months, with a head start that lets brands meet culture right on time.

The best launch window

The festive period in India isn’t a single spike of celebration. It unfolds in phases, each with its own consumer mood and marketing opportunity. So when exactly should you go live?

“There is no one-size-fits-all period to launch campaigns,” said Trupti Dave, Senior VP & West Head, Starcom India. “It depends on the campaign brief and task at hand. Each period caters to different consumer behaviour and also brand offering.”

However, understanding the buying cycle is key. Dave laid out three broad windows:

• Advance purchase (pre-festive), which is suited for categories like jewellery, travel and large-ticket items;

• Impulse or peak festive buying, often captured by beauty, fashion, and gifting brands;

• And post-festive, when consumers splurge around Christmas and New Year.

This phased mindset is shared across the experts.

Khanna said, “Pre-Festive typically starts from August with the start of Janmashtami & ends post Diwali in October / November. Post Festive is the month of December.”

For marketers, then, the real task lies in sequencing campaigns around these windows, layering awareness, intent, and action thoughtfully across the festive timeline.

Martis shared how PGI approaches this. She said, “Pre-festive is where we shape brand relevance and prime demand; peak festive days are about salience and last legs of action; post-festive lets us retarget or extend momentum.”

That sequencing of warming up the audience early, peaking at the right moment, and staying visible afterwards, is becoming an increasingly popular playbook.

Uday Mohan, COO of Havas Media, said, “While peak festive days drive high-intent buying, we’re seeing increasing value in pre-festive phases to build awareness and preference. For many brands, a staggered approach that builds up to the festive peak works well.”

Clearly, timing isn’t just about going live. It’s about syncing with how consumers think, plan, and purchase throughout the festive arc.

How do you avoid overexposure?

Launching early might help brands stay ahead, but it’s a double-edged sword. Start too soon, and you risk being tuned out before the real action begins.

That’s where a well-timed, well-layered rollout becomes crucial.

Start with emotions and value early, then move to offers and urgency later.

-Trupti Dave

She cited an e-commerce brand that launches in late September with teaser deals and members-only exclusives, eventually opening up to all with daily-deal formats to keep engagement high.

From a media planning lens, a media spokesperson believes the media mix depends entirely on the business model. He said, “If you're transaction-driven (e-commerce, D2C), investments will skew towards bottom-funnel media. If your retail relies on GT, MT, or large-format stores (like fashion), you'll lean on traditional and equity-building media.”

Mohan reiterated that media timing can “absolutely enhance ROI not just in terms of immediate conversions but also long-term brand equity”, provided it mirrors shifts in consumer openness, discovery, and willingness to spend.

If there’s one insight to walk away with, it’s that festive timing isn’t about jumping on a trend; it’s about building trust, recall, and readiness.

Whether you’re building long-term equity or chasing short-term conversions, getting your calendar right could mean the difference between a campaign that blends in and one that stands out.

Martis said, “Ultimately, festive success isn’t just about seasonal share. It’s about ensuring platinum continues to own its space as an emotionally resonant metal of our times.”

And that, perhaps, is the true hallmark of festive ROI, relevance that lasts beyond the lights.

Too early, and you risk fatigue. Too late, and you’re lost in the noise. The sweet spot lies in a phased, insight-led approach, one rooted in consumer intent, category dynamics, and brand readiness. That’s how festive campaigns truly win.