Case Study: How Fortune Foods used an 800 KG modak to drive festive engagement

For Ganesh Chaturthi 2025, Fortune Foods executed a large-scale integrated campaign across Maharashtra, bringing together on-ground experiences, digital engagement, and cultural celebration. The centerpiece was an 800-kg modak at the Girgaon Cha Raja pandal, certified by the World Record Book of India and the Global Book of Excellence, which was later distributed as prasad to nearly 100,000 devotees.

The campaign combined traditional festive touchpoints with modern marketing tactics, including branding across 25 major pandals, 40 OOH sites, LED screens, and society activations via MyGate. A gamified microsite invited users to virtually recreate rituals and design festive setups, generating over 8,500 participations, 2.2 million digital engagements, and more than 1,000 user-generated festive shares. Influencer-led amplification further expanded reach and visibility.

Category introduction

The Indian FMCG sector is the fourth largest in the economy, with a market size exceeding $13.1 billion. It is marked by a strong multinational presence, wide distribution networks, and competition between organised and unorganised players.

The market is projected to grow from $11.6 billion in 2003 to US$33.4 billion in 2015. Despite this, per capita consumption in many categories like toothpaste, skin care, and jams remains low, showing significant untapped potential.

Brand introduction

AWL Agri Business Ltd. (formerly Adani Wilmar Ltd.) is an FMCG company, with its flagship brand Fortune Foods. The brand offers a diverse portfolio spanning edible oils, atta, rice, pulses and other kitchen staples.

The brand has frequently used cultural themes to connect with households during festivals.

Summary

For Ganesh Chaturthi 2025, the brand rolled out one of its most ambitious integrated campaigns across Maharashtra. The highlight of the campaign was an 800-kg modak at the iconic Girgaon Cha Raja pandal, officially recognised by the World Record Book of India and felicitated by the Global Book of Excellence, England, as the largest modak ever made with traditional ingredients. The festive delicacy was later distributed as prasad among nearly 100,000 devotees.

• The campaign was a 360° celebration of culture, tradition, and community, combining:
• On-ground branding across 25 major pandals
• OOH and LED visibility in Mumbai
• Society activations via MyGate across 132 societies and 800+ lifts
• A gamified microsite, contests, and influencer-led amplification on digital platforms

Objective

Through this campaign, the brand wanted to deepen its festive resonance and create a cultural moment that would stand out during Ganesh Chaturthi. The objectives were to:

• Strengthen Fortune’s connection with households during Ganesh Chaturthi
• Reinforce its association with food traditions and festive cooking
• Create a record-breaking cultural moment to amplify brand recall
• Ensure high visibility across consumer touchpoints, both physical and digital

Creative idea

The central thought was ‘Celebrating Traditions Together.’ The campaign honoured Ganesh Chaturthi’s food rituals with the mega modak, while engaging devotees through memorable experiences, online and offline. By blending record-making innovation with cultural immersion, the brand wanted to position itself as the brand that is always part of India’s celebrations.

Execution

Asia’s Biggest Modak

• Unveiled an 800-kg modak at Girgaon Cha Raja
• Certified by the World Record Book of India and felicitated by the Global Book of Excellence, England
• Distributed as prasad among 90,000-100,000 devotees

On-ground branding across Maharashtra

• 166,800 sq. ft. of branding across 25 major pandals in Mumbai, Thane, Navi Mumbai, Pune, Nashik, and Nagpur
• 40 OOH sites and 2 LED screens near Lalbaugh
• MyGate activations across 132 societies and 800+ lifts in Mumbai & Pune

Digital engagement

To make celebrations more interactive, Fortune launched a gamified microsite where users could virtually recreate sacred rituals, design their own Ganpati setups, and share festive greetings.

Key highlights

• 8,519 total participants, including 2,451 unique players
• Users played 6 themed games over 3 days
• More than 1,000 participants shared their final customised Ganpati image on Meta stories/feeds, creating organic festive buzz
• Campaign delivered 15.4Mn+ impressions, 9.7Mn+ reach, 1.7Mn+ video views, and 2.2Mn+ engagements
• Supported by influencer-driven festive content, further amplifying reach and relatability

Devotee-centric experience

• Ensured Fortune was present across touchpoints where families gather, celebrate and seek blessings
• Built emotional connect through food-led offerings tied closely to festival traditions

Results

The campaign's imprint across cultural and consumer touchpoints

• The 800-kg modak became a cultural milestone, widely covered in the media
• Nearly 100,000 devotees engaged through prasad distribution and pandal branding
• 166,800 sq. ft. of branding, 40 OOH sites, and 132 societies delivered high physical visibility
• Digital microsite gamification drove active participation and organic UGC shares
• Influencer-led amplification extended the festive buzz
• Strengthened Fortune’s positioning as a brand deeply woven into India’s celebrations

Speaking about the campaign, Mukesh Mishra, Joint President - Sales & Marketing, AWL Agri Business Ltd, said, “At the heart of every Indian festival lies food, and for Ganesh Chaturthi, modak is the most treasured delicacy. Fortune, as the country’s largest staples brand, has always been part of kitchens nationwide - from everyday meals to festive feasts. By creating the biggest modak with traditional ingredients, we wanted to celebrate Ganesh Chaturthi at scale while honouring our heritage. We also understand that every region in India celebrates festivals in its own unique way - from Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra to Durga Puja in Bengal - and Fortune’s role is to connect with these traditions in a meaningful and authentic manner.”