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This Durga Puja, brands are shifting to digital; ray of hope for local brands

The reverberations of Dhaki and Dhunuchi Naach can be felt in the air in the eastern part of India, even as Garba and Dandiya have enamoured North and West India. Durga Puja and Navratri celebrations have begun in full earnest, with brand activities also moving to a crescendo.

While various news reports have stated how consumer sentiments are somewhat dampened this festive season, there seems to be no let up in the festive fervour.

For years, the Durga Puja pandals across West Bengal, and especially Kolkata, have been a fertile ground for brand engagement. And this year is no different.

However, the market realities can’t be ignored and the economic slowdown is taking a toll on brands this festive season. As shared by Srimanta Chowdhury, Senior Manager, Digital Marketing, Sangbad Pratidin, “Several brands do outdoor advertising during Durga Puja on the streets in Kolkata. However, this time about 30 per cent of the billboards are empty.” He also points out that many brands would often have a lot of ads across Kolkata during the Durga Puja season. However, this time that fervour is yet to be seen.

Interestingly, even as marketing activities of national brands are seeing a dip, local brands are upping their game during this Durga Puja. A case in point is Sobisco, a Kolkata-based biscuit brand, which is replacing the branding done by national players.

Focusing on the digital channels, Sonata, the watch brand from Titan Company, has rolled out a digital campaign – #PujoWithSonata. For the first time they have launched a regional film which is a musical. The film is peppy in nature and is targeted at the youth TG. The film showcases the new range of modern watches launched by Sonato, which will be the perfect accessory for any outfit during the festive season.

As the brand is going through a transformation, it was important for them to be relevant to the younger and contemporary value consumer. Utkarsh Thakur, Marketing Head, Sonata & SF a Titan Company, said, “The digital film has already crossed 3 million views on YouTube and 1 million views on Facebook. With very little …Click here to read the full story