How brands turn the homecoming emotion into Diwali marketing gold

Imagine that one time when your manager has approved your leave, your bags are packed, your train or flight tickets are ready, and you’re just waiting for the cab to the station or airport - and boom! you wake up from the dream that’s still a week away from becoming reality. You’ll soon be going home to visit your family for Diwali, to spend time with loved ones and finally enjoy the ‘maa ke haath ka khaana’ you’ve been craving all along.

Well, you’re not alone in this feeling. During this pre-Diwali period, even I’ve discovered a new passion - checking the calendar at least 20 times a day and counting down the days until I can go home and celebrate Diwali with my family.

In fact, thousands of others experience the same emotions during the festive season, giving brands a strong opportunity to monetise this sentiment - what we often call ‘homecoming’. Festivals are the prime time for brands to go big with their storytelling, and most use a sentimental approach to build emotional connections with audiences.

This emotional pull is backed by data. According to the Hansa Research Festive Insights 2025, advertising continues to influence buying decisions of consumers, though only 19.5% of consumers could recall a memorable campaign from last Diwali. Interestingly, 55% said cultural storytelling resonated most with them, while 40% valued cause-based narratives.

Moreover, 66% of respondents preferred brands whose campaigns were rooted in festive traditions - indicating that emotional, culturally grounded storytelling remains key to connecting with Indian audiences.

By aligning their messaging with the emotional aspects of a widely celebrated festival like Diwali, brands aim to foster deeper connections with their audience. Moreover, integrating subtle product placements, as seen in Vivo’s campaigns, allows brands to showcase their offerings in a natural, relatable way.

Additionally, categories including FMCG, tech, automobile and travel have year-on-year aimed to portray their products/services as a way to reunite or connect to their loved ones in the ad campaigns.

For instance, British Airways' 2024 ad film featured Indian-based crew members and agents listening to Diwali voice messages from their distant family and friends. It aimed to position the airline as the enabler of family reunions, subtly thanking its employees for working during the festival.

This year, tech brand Vivo tapped into its long-standing theme of homecoming for Diwali ad campaigns, with the hashtag #JoyOfHomecoming. This year too, the brand has tapped into the same sentiment, telling the story of a father and daughter who live apart because of her job. The narrative centres on a father preparing his home for Diwali alone. When he discovers a childhood letter from his daughter, reminding him of a promise she made to help him decorate, she decides to return home early, fulfilling that promise and reuniting with him to celebrate together.

Meanwhile, Birla Opus Paints takes the homecoming theme a step further, offering a subtle redefinition. Its ad shows a retired couple eagerly painting their home, the classic preparation for Diwali and their son’s expected visit. Their excitement fades when the son cancels his trip, but instead of giving in to disappointment, the father continues decorating with his wife and other people around them.

This shift delivers a powerful message: the true joy of Diwali and the essence of ‘homecoming’ lie in the togetherness of those who are present. The brand’s philosophy, ‘Where There Is Family, There Is Diwali,’ suggests that the festival’s spirit depends not on physical reunion, but on enduring love and presence.

On the other hand, Tanishq USA’s campaign explores the homecoming of culture and tradition for the Indian diaspora. The film depicts an Indian family abroad recreating a grand Diwali celebration, seen through the eyes of a young girl who has never been to India. From lighting diyas to wearing vibrant clothes, their effort becomes a way to achieve a cultural homecoming.

Similarly, Titan’s ad ‘A Promise of Time’ uses the homecoming theme as an opportunity to reconnect. It tells the story of a brother and sister whose initial awkwardness fades as they prepare for Diwali together. When the brother gifts a Titan watch, it becomes a symbolic promise to spend more time with her, turning the watch into a metaphor for lasting commitment and quality time.

The ‘homecoming’ theme remains the emotional bedrock of Diwali advertising, but the industry is clearly maturing. Campaigns now move beyond idealised reunions to explore nuanced concepts like cultural homecoming or finding joy in the present family. Brands also subtly position their products as essential enablers of connection or tradition.

Ultimately, for marketers, the goal is to interpret this theme with authenticity and creativity to convert deep cultural sentiment into lasting brand loyalty.