From virality to value: How brands can build long-term equity through festive campaigns

The festive season in India is much more than a shopping surge. It’s a cultural moment that shapes how people celebrate, connect and spend. In 2025, India’s e-commerce festive sales are expected to exceed Rs 1.15 lakh crore, representing a 20-25% growth.

What is changing is how brands need to engage. Festivals remain central to brand strategy, but the stage is no longer reserved for national giants. New-age D2C players are now claiming space. With India’s diverse festive calendar - Diwali, Eid, Durga Puja, Onam, Pongal - every occasion offers an opportunity to connect with meaning and regional resonance, not just chase market share. In recent years, thousands of D2C brands have increased their festive marketing spending to carve out a place in the season.

The opportunity is clear: it’s no longer about louder flash sales or deeper discounts. To win, brands must build relevance, credibility, and long-term equity through storytelling that resonates with their audiences.

To stand out, brands need to focus on a few core shifts in how they approach the festive season:

Go deep, not wide

Today’s consumers are more discerning and savvy. The same festival can have different meanings for different groups. Trying to appeal to everyone dilutes the message. Brands should pick one festival, one audience, and go deep with storytelling. For smaller or challenger brands, this focus can deliver stronger recall than spreading too thin. Heads Up For Tails showcased this approach with a Diwali campaign centered on curated gift boxes featuring pet-friendly mithai. By focusing on a niche community of pet parents who treat their pets as family, the brand built strong emotional resonance and stood out through impactful storytelling rather than mass appeal.

Keep your voice consistent

Festive campaigns often fail when brands suddenly change personality. If your brand is rooted in authority all year, you cannot turn playful overnight for Diwali; it feels forced. The strongest campaigns stay true to their voice while adapting to the festive mood. Think of Coca-Cola’s ‘Thanda Matlab Coca-Cola,’ which evolved into ads showing Coke at the centre of small family moments. It was never about discounts, always about joy. That consistency made it part of celebrations, not just a drink.

Authenticity beats formulas

The best festive campaigns are rarely designed to ‘go viral’. Cadbury has done this repeatedly, from the iconic ‘Kuch Khaas Hai’ Diwali ad in the 1990s to ‘Not Just a Cadbury Ad’ in recent years, where Shah Rukh Khan encouraged shopping from local stores through QR codes.

Both worked because they were genuine, rooted in culture, and built trust. Similarly, Oyo Rooms’ Independence Day film with Manoj Bajpayee and Raveena Tandon struck a chord not because of offers, but because it celebrated the meaning of freedom. Consumers don’t connect with checklists for virality; they respond to relevance and emotion.

Let customers be part of it

Festivals are about community. Brands that invite people into the story create a stronger impact. We always go back to the iconic ads like Surf Excel’s ‘Daag Acche Hain’ Holi ads, where kids taught lessons of kindness through play and Tanishq’s wedding and Diwali films, where real stories built inclusivity. The idea is to enable user-generated content, interactive campaigns, and experiences that reflect real life to go deeper than celebrity endorsements. If the star isn’t woven naturally into the story, the message falls flat.

Evolve with changing celebrations

While the traditions remain the same, how we celebrate changes from time to time. This evolution is seen in the eco-friendly Ganesh idols, hybrid Diwali parties, and even Instagram-led Onam celebrations. Brands that reflect change stay relevant. Doing the same festive campaign year after year risks being tuned out.

Beyond the season

India is not just a consumer market. It is an emotional one. Here, people are more driven by stories and experiences, not just products. Brands can take advantage of the festive season to amplify that emotion. The campaigns we still remember, from Cadbury to Coca-Cola, stood out because they became part of how people celebrated, not just what they bought. For today’s brands, the goal is not short-lived virality but lasting impact.

Data shows that consumer engagement continues well beyond Diwali, with categories like food, travel, gaming, and shopping seeing strong growth even after the festive peak. This is a reminder that festive storytelling should not end with discounts. It should create connections that stay with people long after the season is over.

This article is penned by Upasna Dash, Founder & CEO, Jajabor Brand Consultancy.

Disclaimer: The article features the opinion of the author and does not necessarily reflect the stance of the publication.