With melas and pilgrimages back, brands roll out new experiences

Rather than simply putting up hoardings and banners or setting up stalls, companies are going for innovative ways to strike a chord with their target audience in small towns and villages

On June 20, as the annual Pandharpur yatra begins from Dehu in Pune, scores of brands will be lined up on its 240-km route. The 21-day pilgrimage on foot to the town of Pandharpur in Maharashtra, the abode of Lord Vitthal, is believed to be a tradition dating back over 800 years. This year, it is expected to see some three to four million pilgrims — a good opportunity for brands to make their presence felt. And so, many of them will be here: Fena, Dabur, insurance companies such as SBI Life Insurance, financial services firms like Muthoot Finance, and