Building brand relevance optimising campaigns during festivals

The keynote address at Social Samosa’s Festive Marketing Camp was delivered by Gunjan Khetan, Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Perfetti Van Melle India. Khetan brought his vast experience in marketing to the stage, offering key insights and strategies that brands can leverage to optimise their presence during the festive season—a period marked by heightened consumer activity and emotional resonance.

Khetan began his address by sharing some significant statistics related to consumer behaviour during the festive period, revealing that there is a 50% increase in monthly spending during these months. He emphasised that this surge presents a prime opportunity for brands to capitalise on the heightened purchasing intent. According to him, the festive season is deeply ingrained in the cultural fabric of the country, with consumers actively seeking products and services that resonate with the joy, traditions, and rituals of the season. He stressed that this makes it an ideal time for brands to capture an audience that is inherently connected to the country’s festive traditions. For brands to stand out, they must make themselves relevant to the specific festivals being celebrated, and efficiently optimise their strategies to tap into this emotionally charged consumer behaviour.

One of the key examples Khetan cited was Cadbury’s successful efforts in building a strong narrative around Diwali. The brand, over the years, has positioned itself as an integral part of the Diwali festivities, often attempting to replace traditional festive sweets with chocolates. Khetan highlighted how Cadbury smartly tapped into the sentiment surrounding the festival and crafted a campaign that aligned its product offerings with the rituals of gift-giving and celebration.

Khetan then shifted focus to share a case study from Perfetti Van Melle’s own brand, Chupa Chups, illustrating how it captured the festive period by launching a targeted campaign around Halloween. Given that Chupa Chups’ primary audience is Gen Z, the brand had to craft a campaign that was not only relevant to the occasion but also spoke the language of this generation. Khetan elaborated on the need for brands to adopt a unique language and tonality that resonates with younger audiences. He stressed that for Chupa Chups, understanding Gen Z's values and preferences was crucial in ensuring the campaign’s success. The campaign was designed to create a sense of fun and engagement around Halloween, a relatively new but rapidly growing festivity in India, especially among younger demographics.

In addition to discussing the creative aspects of the campaign, Khetan also highlighted the strategic media mix used to deliver Chupa Chups’ message to its target audience. The campaign employed a diverse array of platforms to ensure maximum reach and engagement. These included social media channels, Out-of-Home (OOH) advertising, on-ground activations, and digital media. Khetan noted that by integrating multiple channels, the brand was able to touch base with its audience in various contexts, creating a holistic and impactful campaign.

Khetan also drew attention to another one of Perfetti Van Melle’s campaigns—Centre Fresh’s Valentine’s Day campaign, which creatively leveraged music to connect with its audience. He shared how the brand recognized that music has a universal appeal, especially among younger audiences, and used it as a bridge to create a memorable and engaging campaign. By doing so, Centre Fresh was able to tap into the emotional connections that consumers often form around key occasions like Valentine’s Day.

Throughout his address, Khetan emphasised the importance of ensuring a strong brand-occasion fit when developing a festive campaign. He stressed that brands must focus on aligning their message and product with the essence of the festival or occasion they are targeting. By doing so, they can create a deeper connection with their audience and enhance the overall impact of their campaign.

In conclusion, Khetan advised brands to embrace technology solutions that help facilitate Gen Z behaviours, such as personalization, real-time engagement, and interactive experiences. He urged marketers to adopt a consistent and data-driven approach to drive sustainable results, particularly during the high-stakes festive season. By combining creativity, cultural relevance, and smart technology, brands can not only engage their audience more effectively but also build long-lasting relationships during this critical period.

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