Experts foresee 15-20% rise in Ganesh Chaturthi AdSpends

Ganesh Chaturthi, the festival honouring Lord Ganesha, brings families and communities together in devotion and joy. Streets have already come alive with decorated mandaps, towering billboards, and vibrant banners, creating a festive atmosphere that brands are eagerly tapping into.

Recognising the festival's wide appeal, brands across various sectors are refining their media strategies to ensure they connect with their audiences amidst the festive fervour. This leads to a jump in AdEx every year and this Ganesh Chaturthi, too, media heads have an optimistic outlook.

Rupali Chavan, Senior Vice President & Head of Business, Mudramax, expects AdSpends to rise by 15%, driven by brands across categories becoming more active during the festive season. 

Shedding light on the media and marketing approach, Chavan added, “This is to capture a wider audience in an engaging and emotional way. And because of this, premium spot rates are rapidly increasing.”

Chavan identified advertisers that would be opening their purse strings this festival, including consumer electronics, e-commerce, retail, automotive, real estate, jewellery, and apparel. These categories, she explained, benefit from seasonal advantages as consumer sentiment improves and brands offer special discounts during the festive period.

Amyn Ghadiali, Country Head - India at GOZOOP Group, also forecasts a 15-20% increase in AdSpends, highlighting e-commerce, FMCG, and consumer electronics as the top-spending categories. 

“The overall spending would be 40-45% higher than the previous year. Additionally, there will be increased spending on travel and hospitality, driven by the post-festival holiday rush,” Ghadiali shared.

He further said BFSI (Banking, Financial Services, and Insurance) brands have been the most lucrative and buzzing category so far and will continue to be so. 

Rohin Desai, Chief Client Officer at Madison Media, pointed out that Ganesh Chaturthi marks the start of the festive period for the rest of the year. 

"This is when most categories spend their advertising and marketing budgets, often reserved for new campaigns and product launches," Desai explained. He noted that the festive period typically sees an uplift in spends across all categories, particularly in auto, e-commerce, handsets, and FMCG sectors. 

Media mix in Maharashtra and beyond

As brands are all set for one of the most celebrated festivals in Maharashtra, they are tailoring their media strategies to maximise reach and engagement in the region. The media mix will reflect the unique preferences and behaviours of the local audience.

Ghadiali emphasised that the ideal media mix during Ganesh Chaturthi in Maharashtra requires a strategic blend of traditional and digital channels. He points out that traditional channels like print media, including regional newspapers and magazines, are crucial for local reach. Meanwhile, television and radio ads on popular regional channels effectively engage a broader audience. In the digital space, Ghadiali highlighted the importance of leveraging social media platforms, targeted Google Ads, and influencer collaborations to significantly boost visibility.

"Active participation in community events, such as sponsoring local celebrations, fosters direct engagement with the audience," Ghadiali added. "This multi-faceted approach ensures a comprehensive and effective campaign, resonating with diverse segments and maximising impact during the festival."

Chavan echoed the emphasis on television. "Trends from the last few years show that television will capture approximately 45-48% of the total advertising spend in Maharashtra, as it plays a significant role and has a vast audience base," she noted.

Chavan further shared that digital marketing is expected to account for around 35% of the budget, focusing primarily on connecting with the younger, tech-savvy audience. 

Chavan further suggested how brands can create unique festive properties or themes that resonate with their identity to stand out of the clutter while maintaining a strong media mix. She said, “Leveraging Connected TV (CTV) can help target affluent audiences with high-quality content. Personalised marketing based on consumer data can enhance engagement, while authentic storytelling can build stronger connections. Interactive elements like AR or VR will be able to create memorable experiences, while promoting inclusivity to build trust and relevance."

She also shared that during the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, the Ganesha Pandals will be quite active as people from various regions come to watch and enjoy the festival. “This provides a reasonable opportunity for OOH advertisements to engage the audience's mood and spirit," she added.

According to Desai, the media mix would be more local in nature. He said, “The medium preferred would be Digital, Print, Outdoor, Radio and to some extent local regional channels; especially news channels as they work well when clients are looking forward to sharing festival greetings/wishes.”

Ganesh Chaturthi celebrations extend beyond Maharashtra, reaching regions like Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and even internationally. The media mix in these regions is tailored to suit each area's unique audience and preferences.

Ghadiali shared insights into the preferred media mix across these regions:

• Gujarat: Local newspapers such as Gujarat Samachar and regional TV channels like TV9 Gujarati are central to the media strategy.

• Karnataka: Focuses on Prajavani and Deccan Herald, with TV spots on Zee Kannada and Colors Kannada.

• Tamil Nadu: Extensively uses The Hindu Tamil and Sun TV.

• Andhra Pradesh and Telangana: Leverage Eenadu and ETV Telugu, complemented by strong digital campaigns.

• In international markets with Indian communities, digital media takes the lead, with targeted social media ads, Google Ads, and collaborations with local influencers.

Purpose-driven narratives dominate storytelling

This Ganesh Chaturthi, brands are increasingly focusing on storytelling and creativity in their campaigns to stand out in a competitive market. 

Ghadiali anticipates a resurgence in long-form storytelling, complemented by impactful jingles and music. "The focus will shift to creating shock or awe within the first 3-5 seconds," he remarked. He shared that humour will give way to more emotional, dynamic narratives, with a greater emphasis on craft to deeply engage and resonate with audiences.

Chavan echoed these sentiments, highlighting the emotional aspects of storytelling during the festival. "Storytelling during the Ganesh festival is generally focused on emotional aspects such as joy and family connections, emphasising nostalgia and traditional experiences. The ads are tailored to reflect regional customs and cultural diversity, while also incorporating modern and inclusive themes," she noted.

This year, BN Group's Ganesh Chaturthi campaign is around the concept of ‘atithi’ [guest], drawing on the traditional Indian belief that an 'atithi' is a guest who arrives without a fixed time of coming or leaving. The ad connects this idea to the Ganesh Chaturthi festival, where families bring home Ganesha's idol. It addresses the question often asked during the festival: How many days should one keep the Ganpati idol at home? Emphasising that just like an honored guest, Ganpati can be revered for as long as the heart desires, with no strict rules or timelines. 

Chavan also pointed out the growing emphasis on sustainability and ethical values in campaigns, as brands increasingly integrate eco-friendly and socially responsible messages. This aligns with the rising trend of going green, making these messages more relevant and impactful.

In the past, brands have also launched campaigns to reflect the consumer sentiment. In Reliance Smart and Reliance Fresh’s ‘A prayer for modern problems’ campaign released for Ganesh Chaturthi in 2019, children were seen crafting a Ganesha statue from fruits and vegetables while performing a unique aarti that highlighted pressing environmental issues. This campaign combined creativity with a powerful environmental message and captured the festival's spirit while advocating for positive change.

Vikram Dhembare, Senior Creative Director- Art, McCann Worldgroup, shared that eco-friendly messaging will remain a staple this year, with inclusivity and social themes, particularly women’s empowerment, taking centre stage. 

He shared that this year's Parle-G ad, featuring women bringing Ganesha home, stood out for him.

This campaign features a family preparing to bring Lord Ganesha home for the festival. As they get ready, the daughter is disheartened when her mother insists that only boys can undertake this task. However, this notion is challenged by another family member who argues that since women play crucial roles in preparing for the festival, they too should have the honour of bringing Ganesh home. The campaign aims to advocate for inclusivity and respect for the vital roles women play in cultural practices.

Dhembare said, "With more brands embracing purpose-driven content, I anticipate a surge in influencer-led campaigns that resonate with the youth. These campaigns will likely use their platforms to inspire action, uniting community spirit with progressive values during the festive season.”

He added, “Another iconic campaign that always comes to mind is Nutralite's Health cha Shree Ganesh”.

Furthermore, Azazul Haque, Group Chief Creative Officer, Creativeland Asia, observed that many brands focus on eco-friendly Ganesh Visarjan and tend to pick the subject of how statues can be made of eco-friendly material. And Lord Ganesha being the God that is most artistically designed, a lot of campaigns happen around Lord Ganesha's form. He believes there's an opportunity to explore deeper themes.

I think brands haven't really picked the intent of the festival and the fact that Lord Ganesha is the Lord of Beginnings. He is the God of prosperity and wisdom. I think brands should pick themes that reflect that aspect of Lord Ganesha and not just his physical form.

Haque recalled a campaign where Lord Ganesha's idol was made of fish food, leading to no water pollution after Visarjan. He found this initiative to be extremely clever.

"Going back to roots, tradition, and cultural conversations will become more prevalent," Ghadiali observed. While brands previously sought to be edgy and unconventional, he believes the focus now is on sharper insights to avoid redundancy in messaging. 

According to him, to stand out, 'The secret sauce will lie in this nuanced approach'.

Desai emphasised that most brands will weave the festival spirit into their campaigns to launch products. "The biggest differentiator for any brand will be the product," he stated, underscoring the importance of aligning product offerings with the festive mood.

Experts indicate that this year’s media strategies will strategically combine traditional and digital channels, with television and digital platforms playing crucial roles in engaging diverse audiences. They also suggest that Ganesh Chaturthi campaigns should blend tradition with modernity, weaving in themes that resonate deeply with consumers while pushing the boundaries of creativity and innovation to stand out.