Bring out the colours and the water guns; Holi is finally upon us. The festival of colours is one of the most important ones in the country. Since Food and beverages play a big role in the festivities, it presents a tempting opportunity for brands and marketers, especially in the FMCG space. The positive, celebratory sentiments associated with Holi often results in an uptick in shopping.

No brand wants to be caught napping during these celebratory times. That's why, marketers don't want to let go of the Holi opportunity to appeal to consumers with colourful ads and campaigns. Here's how some brands leveraged the festival by adding a splash of colour to their Holi campaigns.

Crocs

Crocs' vibrant Holi campaign has an element of freshness with young stars Vedang Raina and Rasha Thadani headlining it. The ad is a fun and modern take on Holi celebrations complete with music, dancing and food. For the first time, Crocs, which is an international brand, has stepped into the Holi marketing space with the film conceptualised and produced by Supari Studios.

Fortune


Fried snacks such as gujiyas, khasta mathiris and jalebis take centre stage in the Holi festivities, turning the festival into a grand marketing opportunity for oil brands like Fortune. Conceptualised by Ogilvy India, the oil brand's campaign captures the essence of Holi for the delicious food associated with the festival.

Haldiram

Haldiram's Holi ad put a smile on our faces with a sweet love story. The snacks and beverages brand used Holi as a backdrop for its Khulke Khilao Holi campaign showcasing a range of its festive treats.

McCain

Frozen food brand McCain also captured Holi festivities in its ad by BBDO for the festival by spotlighting the role played by food in the celebrations.

Parle-G

In keeping with its theme of equating genius with goodness, Parle-G has curated a Holi campaign that tells a tale of generosity and friendship. The digital campaign by Thought Blurb showcases the story of a new resident couple in Varanasi who are warmly welcomed by the community.

Pepsi

Beverage brand Pepsi too made a splash with a Holi campaign that showcased the intrinsic connection between the brand and the festival. The short film by Leo Burnett India highlighted how while Pepsi has always been a part of Holi, Holi has been a part of Pepsi. 

The brand also released a humourous ad for Holi that with an AI angle that is as bizarre as it is funny. 

SMART Bazaar

Like last year's campaign, SMART Bazaar's 2024 Holi campaign by FCB Ulka is a set of bite-sized films for Holi that celebrate the spirit of friendship, love and family.