Wedding holds a unique space in India’s culture and the grand affair is the perfect personification of diverse traditions involved in the commitment of marriage. The wedding season takes up a special portion of the calendar every year and is replete with opulent budgets and preparations.
Shaadi.com was the foremost player in the organised matrimonial site race, which dates back to 1996, and was followed by a litany of national as well as regional matrimonial sites. Matrimonial sites have tried to evolve, over the years, to deviate from the negative dogma surrounding the ancient traditions and build a connection with youngsters, and their marketing tactics have played an important role in building the bridge. Here's a look at how these matrimonial sites are using a mix of traditional and new-age marketing routes to amplify their reach.
Changing marriages one # at a time
In the age of social media, to engage with consumers and, brands have leveraged the power of hashtags at length. Matrimonial sites make use of this medium to drive conversations and shine a light on the orthodox practices of traditional weddings.
BharatMatrimony felt it is imperative that individuals have standards while marrying and don't settle for anything. The #BeChoosy campaign pushed individuals to list out what they want in a partner and urged them to be picky while selecting the one person they are going to spend the rest of their lives with.
On similar lines, Shaadi.com tried to bring equality to the age-old Karwa Chauth practice of a woman fasting for her husband’s good health and life. The #FastForHer campaign insisted husbands return the favor by fasting for their better halves.
Through this campaign, the brand tried to strike a conversation and bring in a new perspective to still enjoy the unique festival under the lens of gender equality.
Moment marketing
Moment marketing has become a new favourite for brands as it makes for a good starting point for brand-consumer banter and helps in staying relevant. Matrimonial sites join in on the trend on various occasions.
BharatMatrimony celebrated Children’s Day and the playfulness required in a relationship.
Jeevansaathi.com celebrated Diwali while still spreading the brand’s message in a fun way.
Jeevansaathi.com supported and gave props to Made In Heaven season 2 amidst the shower of love the show got from audiences.
Shaadi.com shared the audience's sentiments to be a part of a relationship as shown in AP Dhillon's music video.
There are two types of people
— Shaadi.com (@ShaadiDotCom) August 17, 2023
Those who have imagined themselves in an AP Dhillon video ♥️
Those who are lying 👀#withyou #ApDhillon
Jeevansaathi.com participated in the grief over India’s loss in the World Cup.
Cup soona soona laagey 💔
— Jeevansathi.com (@Jeevansathi_com) November 19, 2023
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The wait is on. #CWC2023Final pic.twitter.com/kZxL7Fqomv
Relationship Advice
Matrimonial sites are cognizant of the responsibility they inherently shoulder and try to open up conversations around relationships. The sites try to give the requisite advice for successful relationships. By opening their platforms to have such conversations, brands yet again strike a chord with consumers and try to become a friendlier brand.
Jeevansaathi.com impelled audiences to ask the right questions before picking one’s significant other.
BharatMatrimony held live sessions with relationship experts.
Supporting women through campaigns
A study on matrimonial sites revealed that women who have never worked, receive 15-22% more interest as compared to women who want to keep working. The study exposes how marriage still in this day serves more as a bondage than a loving commitment for women. Matrimonial sites try to tilt this patriarchal view by giving women a platform to practice their autonomy.
BharatMatrimony with their Holi ad highlighted the plight of abuse that women face with a plea to create more women-inclusive spaces.
Shaadi.com with the RevolutioNaari campaign shined the light on women’s issues as they go through life taking hits that their male counterparts just don’t.
BharatMatrimony shared the petrifying fact that three out of four women are not involved in their decision to marry. The ad campaign was a social experiment educating the masses and influencing change.
Shaadi.com with their ‘I am not a slave’ ad campaign supported divorces, breaking the taboo over the topic of separation.
In-app conversations
Apps are the primary playground for matchmaking to occur and making the process easy and efficient. These brands try to add fun features and make the app interface interesting so audiences can keep coming back.
Shaadi.com launched an Auntysocial app to get prompt feedback on jibes by pesky “aunties”.
BharatMatrimony with the matching interests feature helped audiences to find partners with shared interests and not be inundated with just an infinite number of profiles.
Influencer and celebrity marketing
Celebrity and influencer marketing adds a modern twist to the matrimonial sites and helps invite more audiences with an added stamp of trust by their favourite celebrities. Celebrities are used by matrimonial sites to give out content on relationships, spread seminal messages, and influence views on matrimony.
Jeevansaathi.com collaborated with influencer Dharna Durga to make funny wedding content.
BharatMatrimony brought in MS Dhoni with their #PehlePadhaiPhirShaadi initiative to urge girls from Jaisalmer, Rajasthan to choose education over marriage.
Shaadi.com live-streamed with Rajkumar Rao and Kriti Sanon to spill the tea on weddings and relationships.
Shaadi.com with Bhumi Pednekar drove home the importance of financial independence and career for women, especially after marriage.
Jeevansaathi.com conducted a fun relationship quiz with actor-couple Debina Bonnerjee and Gurmeet Choudhary.
Using OOH to help find partners
OOH ads carry the brand’s voice and make audiences acquainted with it using a traditional route.
Jeevansaathi.com shared how to search for a partner efficiently with OOH.
No matter who searched for THESE, it all leads to only one. 😉 #GoogleIndia #Jeevansathi https://t.co/WGM81Gtbqz pic.twitter.com/tKNHaBaqnt
— Jeevansathi.com (@Jeevansathi_com) September 14, 2023
Jeevansaathi.com also decorated Delhi bus stops as mandaps to spark the joy of marriage and interest in the brand.
Jeevansaathi.com promised marriage and joined the likes of Blinkit and Zomato while sharing their brand’s message.
BharatMatrimony pushed its app with OOH in metro stations and bus stops - areas with a lot of visibility to spread its reach.
Connecting hearts with and within the audiences
Social media is instrumental in marketing a brand’s voice to the highest degree in this day and age. A brand has to be interactive with its audiences and ensure they have a good time when they visit or follow matrimonial sites on social media platforms. Reels and memes are the vehicles that the internet uses and matrimonial sites tend to lighten the heavy conversation of ‘lifelong commitment’ with light-hearted content.
Jeevansaathi.com depicted parents’ thoughts about choosing a spouse for their daughters.
Shaadi.com portrayed the status of a couple in a relationship at different points.
BharatMatrimony shares what Diwali looks like in a marriage.
Matrimonial sites are not merely matchmakers but platforms attempting to reshape the narrative of arranged marriages. Platforms like Shaadi.com, BharatMatrimony, and Jeevansaathi.com are embracing moment marketing, advocating for gender equality, providing relationship advice, and incorporating influencer and celebrity marketing to stay relevant in the digital age.