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As the beats of dhol and the fragrant smoke of incense fill Indian streets, Ganesh Chaturthi emerges as more than just a religious celebration. It offers brands one of its most lucrative commercial seasons. The ten-day festival, which brings communities together in devotion to the elephant-headed deity, has evolved into a point where brands invest disproportionately to capture the festive spirit and the consumer sentiment that follows.
This year, the festival carries particular significance as it sets the tone for what industry experts anticipate to be a robust festive season. It traditionally serves as the launchpad for the broader festive quarter that encompasses Navratri, Durga Puja, and ultimately Diwali.
Industry projections are pointing toward an increase in advertising expenditure compared to the previous year.
"We anticipate a strong festive season this year, with advertising expenditure (AdEx) projected to grow by 10% to 15%," confirms Chirag Shah, Vice President at Madison Media Sigma. This growth is being driven by increased spending from FMCG categories, particularly those focusing on the promotion of premium variants.
The momentum behind this spending surge stems from multiple factors converging simultaneously. Vaishal Dalal, Co-founder and Director at Excellent Publicity, observes, “Despite inflationary headwinds, no brand wants to dial down festive advertising. For many categories, Ganesh Chaturthi sets the tone for the entire festive quarter. Internally, companies are chasing deeper penetration into Tier-II and Tier-III towns and looking at festivals as a time to maximise visibility and immediate sales.”
External economic indicators provide additional support for this investment. Consumer confidence appears to be on an upward trajectory, with disposable incomes showing signs of recovery and regional media consumption reaching an all-time high. These factors create an environment where brands feel justified in maintaining, and often increasing, their festive advertising even when overall marketing budgets face pressure.
Traditional spenders hold ground while new players join the fray
In terms of category dominance, FMCG brands are followed closely by consumer durables, automotive, and e-commerce platforms. Purchase decisions in these categories naturally peak during festive periods, driven by gifting traditions, upgrade aspirations, or family shopping requirements.
According to reports, advertising remains central to consumer choices, wherein 90% of shoppers believe ads help them discover new products and promotions during the festive season.
Among the brands that are active, Haldiram's has taken a traditional approach. Kailash Agarwal, President – Retail QSR at Haldiram's, views Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations as unifying forces for families and communities across the country. Rather than focusing on budgets and numbers, the brand is positioning Modak, the festival's most iconic sweet, as the focal point of its festive strategy.
"Our desire is for all households, whether celebrating at home, in pandals, or collectively with other members of the family, to associate Haldiram's Modaks with purity, taste, and devotion," Agarwal explains.
The brand's campaign story revolves around the proposition "Ganesh Chaturthi ke Grand Delights! Modak ke har flavour ko mile Bappa ka sang," capturing the multifaceted nature of devotion, joy, and sharing that defines the festival experience.
“The campaign is designed on an emotional level, inviting people to remember that festivals are much more than just a series of traditions or constraints—festivals are about family and community togetherness, excitement of the celebration, nostalgia of customs, and creating new memories,” he continues.
FMCG players leverage these festivals not just for immediate sales but for deeper brand association with cultural moments and family traditions. Other brands are also demonstrating innovative approaches to festival marketing. International Sunny Cooking Oil's "Letter to Bappa" captures generational bonding through a young girl's journey from city to village, while ITC Aashirvaad Soul Creations addresses practical consumer needs with its #BappaKiTayyari campaign, providing QR code-enabled aarti booklets via WhatsApp.
Birla Opus Paints leverages child-centric storytelling to showcase home transformation, and CaratLane has woven proposal narratives into Maharashtra's cultural fabric with "Bappancha Ashirwaad."JBL's "Sound of Celebrations" campaign spans 1,600+ stores and major airports, celebrating regional sonic signatures across India's festival landscape.
Perhaps the most intriguing development in this year's category landscape is the emergence of fintech and edtech players as serious festive advertisers. Vaishal Dalal notes that while traditionally cautious around festival marketing, these sectors now recognise the strategic value of cultural moments in building trust and establishing credibility.
Shah notes that other than fintech, sectors like real estate and travel and hospitality are joining the festive marketing efforts. Fintech companies are focusing specifically on seasonal credit and UPI-based promotional campaigns, while real estate segments target growth opportunities in Tier-I and Tier-II cities.
The entry of these new categories signals a shift in how Ganesh Chaturthi is perceived commercially. The festival is evolving from a domain dominated by food, fashion, and automobiles into a broader stage where diverse sectors seek cultural relevance and consumer trust.
How regional preferences shape media strategies
The media consumption patterns across different regions celebrating Ganesh Chaturthi reveal fascinating variations that directly impact how brands allocate their advertising investments. Maharashtra and Karnataka, the two primary markets for the festival, present distinctly different media landscapes that require tailored approaches for optimal effectiveness.
In Maharashtra, where Ganesh Chaturthi carries deep community significance beyond personal devotion, the media strategy heavily emphasises traditional channels with strong local connections.
"In Maharashtra, the festival is as much a community event as it is a personal one, so regional TV, Marathi newspapers like Lokmat, and outdoor placements across Mumbai and Pune are critical," explains Dalal from Excellent Publicity.
Outdoor advertising becomes particularly significant, providing festive visibility with strategic placements near pandals and high-traffic areas where community celebrations naturally congregate.
The emphasis on outdoor advertising in Maharashtra reflects the festival's public nature in the state. Community pandals attract massive footfalls, creating natural advertising opportunities that brands leverage through strategically placed hoardings and installations. Regional newspapers, particularly Marathi publications, maintain a strong readership during the festival period.
Karnataka presents a markedly different consumption pattern that skews toward digital platforms and connected viewing experiences. "Karnataka leans more towards a digital-first mix," Dalal observes.
This regional differentiation has profound implications for media planning and budget allocation. Shah from Madison Media Sigma confirms that linear TV and Connected TV deliver higher reach in Southern markets compared to Maharashtra, warranting relatively higher budget allocations in those regions. The same brand would invest more heavily in print and outdoor advertising when targeting Maharashtra, but would adjust the mix toward digital and OTT platforms when focusing on Karnataka.
The media channels commanding the highest investment levels during Ganesh Chaturthi reflect both traditional strengths and emerging opportunities in the Indian advertising ecosystem. GECs continue to demonstrate unmatched reach and emotional connection, particularly during festival periods when family viewing reaches peak levels.
However, the digital revolution has fundamentally altered the media landscape, with social media and connected TV emerging as equally powerful platforms for festival marketing.
Media reports suggest that CTV households are projected to exceed 50-60 million, with ad spend expected to reach approximately ₹2,300-2,500 crore. The share of ad expenditure on digital media in India rose to 60% in 2025. While television builds the festival atmosphere around brands through emotional storytelling and mass reach, social media platforms enable precise targeting and immediate conversion opportunities.
In this scenario, consumer durables brands like Haier Appliances India are adopting hyperlocal strategies that blend cultural relevance with technological innovation.
Priyanka Sethi, Head of Marketing at Haier, emphasises that festive occasions like Ganesh Chaturthi represent more than marketing windows; they are opportunities to strengthen customer connections in culturally resonant ways.
“Our approach is hyperlocal and deeply integrated: we are combining strong influencer-led outreach in key festive hotspots such as Nagpur, Amravati, Chennai, and Gujarat with targeted BTL activations at shopfloor levels across markets like Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, and Tamil Nadu.”
Further, Sethi notes that the brand is also executing regionally tailored digital campaigns across Google, Meta, and other platforms.
Similarly, other brands are exhibiting creativity and cultural sensitivity across categories. Aashirvaad is leveraging experiential marketing by inviting people to join them at Mumbai's Andheri Cha Raja, offering both engagement opportunities and product hampers. This approach is aimed at transforming social media from a broadcasting medium into an experiential platform that extends the festival celebration.
Cycle Pure Agarbatti has integrated product education with cultural content, creating videos about its clay Ganesha idols and demonstrating product integration in traditional Ganesh Chaturthi pooja rituals. This content strategy serves dual purposes: educating consumers about product usage while reinforcing the brand's connection to authentic festival traditions.
Fashion and lifestyle brands like Myntra are collaborating with influencers to showcase festival-appropriate styling, sharing reels about colour schemes and outfit coordination that resonate with the celebratory mood.
Vijay Sales has created engaging video content around grooming kits and festival-related products, positioning them as essential elements of festive preparation rather than mere promotional offerings.
As brands navigate regional preferences, category competition, and evolving media consumption patterns, Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 offers both cultural celebration and commercial opportunity and continues to reshape how brands connect with Indian consumers during their most meaningful moments.