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For decades, festive campaigns have been built on familiar cues—sparkling diyas, bustling markets, family reunions, warm hugs, and shared meals. These campaigns became cultural milestones, often remembered as much as the festivals themselves. But in recent years, the playbook has expanded. Memes, AI-powered creatives, and creator-led storytelling are now part of festive narratives, a shift that reflects how consumers themselves celebrate festivals online.
“Festival is surely a time of genuine connections. It is not a time for tech connect,” says Puneet Kapoor, Chief Creative Officer, Ogilvy South. His observation captures the tension at the heart of festive advertising today, between authenticity and overindulgence in technology.
The ‘Sea of Sameness’
If there’s one phrase that defines the challenge, Kapoor calls it a “sea of sameness.” “Which means that you have Diwali coming, all the ads start shouting in the same way, sparkles, diyas and all that happens. So I think the biggest challenge in these times is to stand out of the clutter,” he says.
Here, technology can help brands differentiate, but only when used intelligently. “AI-based advertising are tools only. Yes, you can get more of garbage in, garbage out,” Kapoor cautions. The issue, he believes, isn’t the use of AI or memes themselves but the shallow executions that reduce festive ads to interchangeable templates.
Innovation or Trivialisation?
This is where the debate sharpens. For Dr. Sandeep Goyal, Chairman of Rediffusion, the pursuit of novelty has often come at the cost of depth. “Trivialisation has surely occurred. There is no denying that,” he says. “Being ‘creative’ and innovative takes precedence over authenticity or tradition. Focus is usually on peer acclaim and industry recognition, the festival becomes just an excuse. It is all more publicity rather than piety.”
Pranoy Kanojia, Vice President Strategy, Enormous Brands, takes a different view. He argues that these new formats are simply keeping pace with cultural reality. “People themselves have started using AI to express glorified reels of their relationship with their festivals and gods and cultural rituals,” he points out.
From his perspective, trivialisation doesn’t stem from memes or AI, it comes from insensitivity and poor reading of cultural nuance. “The danger of diluting cultural depth is always there irrespective of formats… That goes down to lack of reading nuances and understanding their audiences and what they like and consume.”
Joyalukkas Onam | A Symphony of Tradition and Joy
Despite differences in tone, all three voices agree on one point: authenticity must remain central. Kanojia frames it as a strategist’s non-negotiable: “I would always prioritize authenticity and respect when it comes to festive storytelling. While fresher innovation in terms of formats is a must to connect in the evolving language of content, the reading of culture, the authenticity and relevance of brand/product integration are primary to have harmonious conversations around festivals.”
Kapoor echoes the same, albeit through the lens of creativity. “Creating authentic and fresh storylines, you know, connecting occasions and festivals in a way that it’s not been done before, that’s how it works generally,” he says. For him, technology or innovation only has value when they serve fresh human ideas. Otherwise, they risk becoming like a “repetitive GIF” clogging your WhatsApp on New Year’s Eve, empty of meaning.
The business reality, however, often pushes agencies to churn out campaigns quickly, leading to shallow work. Kapoor is candid about this: “I do understand there are business pressures and needs, but that shallowness actually makes your voice like a feeble voice in a cacophony of a thousand voices and you’re never heard as a brand.”
This “cacophony” is the backdrop of festive advertising today. With hundreds of brands crowding every festival with videos, reels, and influencer shoutouts, freshness becomes the rarest commodity. Which is why, as Goyal warns, campaigns that chase awards or peer recognition without cultural substance may go viral for a day but fade without impact.
So where does festive advertising go from here? The answer lies in integration, not opposition. Festivals themselves are changing—today’s Diwali is both a family gathering and a trending reel, both nostalgia and novelty. Consumers already blend tradition with memes, rituals with technology. Brands that interpret this blend with sensitivity will find resonance.
As Kapoor sums up, only “freshness and true connections” cut through the sea of sameness. For Goyal, the reminder is to avoid “publicity rather than piety.” And for Kanojia, the balance is clear: use evolving formats, but let culture and authenticity remain the anchor.
Festive advertising may look different in 2025, but its soul hasn’t changed. At its core, it is still about connection, community, and joy. The brands that remember this, while embracing new languages of content, will shine brighter than the rest.
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