The Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2025 witnessed a significant collaboration between several brands and event organisers which aimed at enhancing the overall experience for millions of pilgrims. Rather than traditional advertising, participating brands focused on providing practical support, comfort, and engagement opportunities aligned with the cultural and spiritual significance of the festival.
Chaaipani, a leading media and branding agency, was appointed as the exclusive advertising and brand activation partner for the Jagannath Puri Rath Yatra 2025. In this capacity, Chaaipani led the planning and execution of branding, sponsorship, and on-ground activations throughout the Yatra. Its mandate included end-to-end management of brand partnerships, ensuring alignment with the spiritual ethos of the event while maximizing visibility and value for the participating brands.
The campaigns included hydration carts by Coca-Cola, digital activations by Aashirvaad, heat-relief accessories distributed by Sunfeast Marie Light, and convenience-focused installations by Polycab. Additionally, Pulse Candy presented an AI-powered visual narrative of the festival’s mythological origins, Omnigel established a pain relief center for devotees, and POGO engaged young audiences through curated festival content and interactive social media campaigns, reflecting a shift towards service-oriented brand participation.
Coca-Cola
As part of its commitment to community engagement and sustainability, Coca-Cola supported the Rath Yatra with hydration carts along the route, offering chilled beverages and creating economic opportunities for local vendors and micro-entrepreneurs. In parallel, the ‘Maidan Saaf’ campaign focused on environmental responsibility, aiming to reduce plastic litter through city-wide cleanups and public awareness drives. Over 180 trained volunteers and 200 PET collection bins were deployed in high-footfall areas to promote recycling and cleanliness during the festivities.
Aashirvaad
Aashirvaad launched ‘Bhakti Pathe’, a digital activation at Rath Yatra in Puri aimed at offering a modern take on religious rituals. The setup included a Prasad-Making Zone, where visitors could virtually prepare prasad using Aashirvaad Shudh Chakki Atta and offer it through a simple digital game. The experience ended with a holographic darshan of Lord Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra, shown on a large LED screen.
Visitors also received a photo filter to mark their visit. The installation was located near Bada Sankha More on Grand Road, Puri.
Sunfeast Marie Light
Sunfeast Marie Light supported pilgrims with a practical offering of the Sunfeast Surya Vardaan cap, designed to provide relief from the heat during the long procession. The cap was made with sandalwood and featured a menthol cooling layer that activated when exposed to sunlight, offering a cooling sensation and a mild fragrance.
Thousands of these caps were distributed from on-ground experience zones during the yatra. Pilgrims welcomed the gesture both for its functional use and its symbolic link to the sun. Odia actress Archita Sahu joined the initiative, participating in distribution efforts and on-ground activities.
Polycab
Polycab introduced a range of convenience-focused installations to support the safety, comfort, and connectivity of devotees during the Rath Yatra. In partnership with local authorities, the brand developed people-first spaces that provided real value to pilgrims. As part of the initiative, Mobile Charging Stations were set up to help pilgrims stay connected, while branded Safety Watch Towers along the beachfront aided coast guard visibility.
Additionally, the Polycab Cool Zone near Shree Gundicha Temple offered much-needed respite from the summer heat, and the Police Booth at the entrance of Puri was upgraded to provide better assistance and security. Through these thoughtful interventions, Polycab reinforced its commitment to community welfare and the overall Yatra experience.
Pulse Candy (DS Group)
Pulse Candy’s ‘Jagannath Rath Yatra – The Pulse of India’ was an AI-powered video campaign by the DS Group that celebrated the spiritual and cultural significance of the Rath Yatra festival in Puri, Odisha. Running from June 25 to July 2, the campaign featured a cinematic retelling of the mythological origins of Lord Jagannath, using immersive visual storytelling. It also included a “Did You Know?” trivia series on social media to spark curiosity and engagement. The initiative followed Pulse’s earlier AI-led campaigns on Mahakumbh and Ganesh Chaturthi, continuing its mission to blend Indian heritage with modern technology for digital-first audiences.
Omnigel
Omnigel, a pain relief brand from Cipla Health, set up a “Rahat Seva Kendra” at the Jagannath Rath Yatra 2025 in Puri to support devotees facing physical strain during the long and crowded procession. Located on Puri beach, it was the largest relief centre at the event, offering foot, back, and shoulder massages to help ease common aches and pains. The initiative aimed to assist pilgrims in staying comfortable and physically supported as they took part in the spiritual journey.
The effort extended Omnigel’s message from everyday care to devotional settings, focusing on helping people stay pain-free while engaging in worship.
POGO
POGO captured the festive fervour of Rath Yatra on-ground in Puri by recording children joyfully chanting “Jay Jagannath!” and sharing their heartfelt wishes for Lord Jagannath. These moments were compiled into a vibrant audio-visual montage set to the show’s title track, showcasing kids dancing and celebrating the essence of the festival. Over 600 voice notes were received from fans, with select entries creatively stitched into a video featuring the Rath in motion, creating a digital celebration reminiscent of POGO’s viral Ganga Snan campaign.
On social media, the campaign garnered over 1 million average views on Instagram through curated show clips, an interactive “Add Yours” story template allowing kids to decorate virtual raths with emojis and doodles, and a “Guess the Facts” story series that revealed interesting festival trivia.
