Case Study: How Sunfeast combined festival participation with a functional activation in Puri

During the Rath Yatra festival in Puri, Sunfeast Marie Light carried out the Surya Vardaan initiative, distributing menthol- and sandalwood-infused cooling caps to devotees walking along the procession route. The caps, designed to lower temperature by a few degrees when exposed to sunlight, were intended to provide relief from the heat during the religious gathering.

The campaign involved large-scale on-ground activation with distribution points along the route and the presence of Odia actress Archita Sahu, who participated in the activity and shared content online. The initiative was supported by a digital push through influencer collaborations, social media storytelling and paid amplification.

Media outreach formed a significant part of the execution, with coverage across national, regional and trade publications. On social platforms, campaign content, including user-generated stories and reels, was amplified by influencers and media pages, generating further visibility.

Category Introduction

According to IMARC Group, the Indian biscuit market size in 2024 was USD 4.76 billion in 2024, expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.88% to reach USD 8.32 billion by 2033. The market is growing as a result of rising consumer demand for varied, health-oriented, and convenient snack foods, aided by advances in packaging, ingredients, and distribution channels, to meet changing tastes and busy lifestyles in urban and rural regions.

Brand Introduction

Sunfeast, brand by ITC Foods offers a diverse range of biscuit options across multiple categories. Sunfeast’s offering in marie category - Sunfeast Marie Light, is a light, crunchy, classic tea time biscuit. 

Summary 

Celebrating the spirit of Rath Yatra - Odisha’s most revered and spiritually significant festivals, The brand launched the ‘Sunfeast Surya Vardaan’ activation to align itself with the cultural and emotional fabric of the occasion. The initiative was designed to offer comfort and care to thousands of devotees who gather annually to participate in this grand religious procession.

Set along the Rath Yatra route in Puri, the activation involved the distribution of menthol- and sandalwood-infused cooling caps to devotees. The caps were designed to provide relief from heat during the procession. The initiative combined a functional utility with cultural relevance, aiming to engage participants attending the annual festival.

Objectives

The primary objective of the campaign was to demonstrate care and empathy by offering meaningful relief to devotees participating in the Rath Yatra, one of India’s largest religious gatherings. Further, the campaign aimed to:

• Strengthen association of the brand with the sun by providing the devotees with Surya Vardaan cooling caps which convert Sun’s energy into a cooling effect 

• Strengthen brand positioning as a thoughtful and caring brand that values consumer wellbeing

• Create a positive and memorable brand association by providing functional support in the form of the innovative Surya Vardaan cooling caps.

• Drive widespread brand visibility and recall through on-ground activation, PR, and digital amplification.

Brief to Agency/Team

• Design a culturally sensitive initiative demonstrating care for devotees during Rath Yatra

• Offer relief using a functional, sun-activated cooling cap that aligns with the festival theme

• Amplify the initiative through strategic media outreach, regional influencer collaborations, and engaging digital storytelling. 

Creative Idea

The Surya Vardaan initiative was conceptualised to bring to life the brand's ethos of warmth, care, and thoughtfulness by addressing a real need during the spiritually significant Rath Yatra in Puri. With lakhs of devotees walking miles under the scorching sun, the brand identified an opportunity to provide meaningful relief that would resonate emotionally and physically with the pilgrims.

At the heart of this initiative was the Surya Vardaan cap, a sandalwood-scented, menthol-infused cooling cap designed to activate in sunlight. The cap helped devotees experience a noticeable drop in temperature of around 4 to 5 degrees, offering comfort amidst the intense heat while symbolically connecting with the festival's reverence for the sun and the divine journey.

Thousands of  caps were distributed through dedicated brand zones along the Rath Yatra route, allowing Sunfeast Marie Light to offer tangible care in a culturally sensitive manner. Sunfeast Marie Light’s brand ambassador & Odia actress Archita Sahu was also seen on the ground during Rath Yatra endorsing the initiative, lending authenticity and driving social buzz.

The initiative was further amplified through robust media outreach, influencer engagement, and digital storytelling, ensuring that the brand’s act of kindness was celebrated not just by those present in Puri but by audiences across the country. 

Key Challenges

• Differentiating the initiative in a crowded festival environment where multiple brands were vying for attention.

• Striking the right balance between cultural sensitivity and brand visibility to ensure the gesture felt genuine and not intrusive.

• Managing large-scale distribution efficiently across the busy and dynamic ceremonial grounds of the Rath Yatra, while maintaining seamless execution.

Execution

On-Ground Activation

• Distribution of cooling caps through strategically located touchpoints along the Rath Yatra route in Puri.

• Engagement with popular Odia actress Archita Sahu, who extended the message of care and amplified the initiative’s local and emotional appeal.

• Devotees received the specially designed caps that converted the sun’s energy into cooling effect, reinforcing Sunfeast Marie Light’s positioning as a brand that cares for consumer wellbeing & connected to Orissa.

Digital Amplification

• Strategic Digital Amplification:The digital strategy for Surya Vardaan was designed to ensured that even those not physically present at the Rath Yatra could engage with and witness brand’s one-of-a-kind initiative. Content from the initiative, including visuals of devotees receiving the Surya Vardaan caps and the brand’s message of comfort, was amplified through both organic and paid promotions on various marketing pages.

• Influencer Collaborations: To build buzz and enhance relatability, both regional micro-influencers and well-known personalities were engaged to share their perspectives on the initiative. Popular Odia actress Archita Sahu led the campaign’s storytelling through engaging reels and posts, inspiring participation and amplifying the brand’s message of care. These collaborations significantly extended the digital footprint of Sunfeast Marie Light, sparking conversations and reinforcing the brand’s emotional connect with the festival.

• Social Media Engagement: The brand’s official Instagram handle (Sunfeast Marie Light) served as the central hub for campaign updates, reels, and consumer stories. Engaging posts, behind-the-scenes content, and interactive formats ensured continuous consumer engagement, further amplifying the initiative’s impact across audiences.

PR & Digital Amplification

• A wide media rollout with 169 coverage items: 107 print, 43 online, 2 electronic, 1 YouTube video, and 16 social features

• Strong media presence across several A&M publishing, regional dailies like Prabhat Khabar, Odisha’s Sambad & Samaya, Orissa Today, and more

• Brand PR value estimated at ~₹2 crore

• Social traction included reels and stories by Actress Archita Sahu, new age media pages such as Marketing Mind, Local Samosa, Mad about Marketing, The Logical Indian etc and devotees, supported wider outreach. 

Results

Quantitative Impact

• Engaged thousands ofdevotees during the Rath Yatra through the distribution of Surya Vardaan cooling caps.

• Achieved 2.69M views across social media platforms through organic and influencer-led amplification.

• Widespread presence across national and regional channels, ensuring both breadth and depth of reach

Qualitative Impact

• The initiative reinforced Sunfeast Marie Light’s positioning as a thoughtful, empathetic, and consumer-centric brand that goes beyond products to care for people in meaningful moments.

• By aligning with the spiritual and cultural significance of the Rath Yatra, the brand deepened its emotional connect with consumers, showcasing respect for traditions of Orissa while offering practical support.

• The thoughtful gesture of providing Surya Vardaan cooling caps sparked a wave of positive sentiment among devotees and the wider audience, driving strong word-of-mouth appreciation and high emotional recall.

• The initiative fostered deeper consumer trust by delivering genuine value during an emotionally charged and spiritually significant occasion, making the brand more relatable and memorable.

• The campaign’s meaningful storytelling and influencer collaborations led to authentic social media conversations, reinforcing the brand’s warmth and care across digital touchpoints.

Marketing Comment

Ali Harris Shere, Chief Operating Officer, Biscuits & Cakes Cluster, Foods Division, ITC Ltd. commented “The sun, which symbolizes energy, vitality, and life, is central to our brand. At Sunfeast Marie Light, our biscuits are made from sun-kissed wheat, and we carry that spirit of warmth and care into everything we do. The Surjya Bardaan cap is our way of honouring tradition while offering thoughtful comfort to the Puri Rath Yatra devotees”