'IPL of spirituality': Maha Kumbh to draw unprecedented marketing blitz; banks, fintech to spend big
As the world's largest religious gathering nears, banks and fintech firms pour crores into the Maha Kumbh.
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In a striking fusion of ancient tradition and modern commerce, India's financial sector is leading an unprecedented marketing surge at the 2025 Maha Kumbh in Prayagraj, where spiritual devotion meets corporate ambition on the banks of the Ganges.
Banks and fintech companies have emerged as the most aggressive spenders in a marketing explosion that has tripled since the last major gathering in 2012, according to Rajesh Radhakrishnan, co-founder and CMO of Vritti Solutions, one of the event's official advertising licensees. "More than 50 percent of the total advertisements during the Kumbh Mela will come from the BFSI and fintech sectors," Radhakrishnan said.
He said that on an average BFSI and fintech sectors are expected to spend between Rs 25 lakh and Rs 30 lakh on advertising during the event.
"All brands are following the spiritual path," said Radhakrishnan, pointing to the rise of religious tourism in India. "This is our IPL of spirituality – organized, popular, and a definitive money-spinner."
The festival, expected to draw 400-500 million pilgrims, has transformed into a marketing powerhouse with an estimated budget of Rs6,300 crore, dwarfing the Rs1,100 crore spent in 2012. The Uttar Pradesh government has mounted what Radhakrishnan calls a "mindboggling" promotional campaign, splitting its budget equally between traditional and digital media.
Corporate innovations at the 4,000-hectare site range from RFID-enabled crowd management to cashless payment systems. Even modest advertising opportunities command premium rates: police booth branding starts at Rs 50,000, while boat advertisements begin at Rs 20,000. To advertise on LED screens installed on vans, brands need to shell out Rs 5 lakh for just 10 seconds of playtime.
In an unprecedented move, the Maha Kumbh Mela Authority is actively seeking corporate social responsibility funds to support the event's logistics, creating a new model of public-private partnership in religious celebration.
"By integrating brands into pilgrims' spiritual journeys, we're creating touchpoints that transcend traditional advertising," Radhakrishnan explained, highlighting how corporate India is reimagining its relationship with one of the world's oldest religious gatherings.
