KOLKATA: Forget garish hoardings and booming Shubho Sharodiya messages. Ogilvy East has spent a decade transforming Durga Puja advertising from noise into culture—and this year’s crop of campaigns shows why the approach works.
The star turn came from Coca-Cola, which wove a sari from recycled red and white PET bottles. Not just any sari, but the iconic Lal Paar—spun into thread by master weavers in Phulia and block-printed with Coke’s contour design. Launched at the 75th Ballygunge Cultural Pujo, it became an instant ritual companion, from Sindoor Khela to Instagram feeds. Sustainability met tradition, and the sari didn’t just trend—it became part of the festival itself.
Eveready Ultima built Asia’s largest toy truck, powered entirely by AA batteries and certified by the Asia and India Book of Records. It carried the idol of Ma Durga to Vikramshila, an NGO for children. Whilst giant idols on giant trucks usually hog attention, this tiny battery-powered bahon lit up hearts instead.
“At Eveready, we’ve always believed in using the powerful platform of Durga Pujo for good,” said Eveready Industries India chief executive Anirban Banerjee. “This year we’re focusing on pure joy. With Ultima Bahon, we’re bringing smiles and a memorable experience directly to underprivileged children at Vikramshila.”
Asian Paints Sharad Samman rolled in on another disappearing Kolkata icon: the yellow taxi. Forty of them became moving installations, each symbolising a decade of the festival. Gattu, the brand’s beloved mascot, took a musical ride through four decades in a film stitched with genres from each era.
“Festivals are reflections of their times,” said Asian Paints managing director & chief executive Amit Syngle. “With Choltey Choltey Chollish, we wanted to mirror Kolkata’s journey and the way creativity, community and imagination have shaped Pujo across generations.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbcC58ggcGg
Nestlé Nangrow broke ground with the Junior Dhunuchi—a blue, smoke-emitting toy that let children join the traditional Dhunuchi naach. For generations, kids had been told “No fire. No smoke. No Dhunuchi.” Creativity flipped that script.
“The Dhunuchi activation was an endearing and out-of-the-box way of celebrating toddlerhood and parenting, elevated by the cultural significance of the Dhunuchi Naach,” said Nestlé marketing head for premium infant and toddler nutrition Mayank Raina.
Even Sunlight detergent found its space. In a festival where new clothes dominate, detergent usually sits out. Not this time. Sunlight launched a photosensitive pack that revealed vibrant alpona motifs when exposed to sunlight, turning a functional product into a festive artefact.
The pattern is clear. Ogilvy East doesn’t interrupt Pujo—it interprets it and becomes part of it. Previous campaigns turned queuing into a refreshing experience for Coke and built Eveready’s Light Idol from torch beams.
“Durga Puja is the crowning jewel of Bengal’s culture,” said Ogilvy North chief creative officer Sujoy Roy, who leads the east initiative. “Advertising has no business being a noisy gate-crasher. It has to earn its invitation. Ogilvy East keeps trying to make brands not just visible, but a meaningful part of the smiles, the stories and the rituals that define this festival.”
Ogilvy Mumbai executive vice-president and office leader at Ogilvy Kolkata Roshni Mohan said Pujo is a dynamic canvas and an annual invitation to innovate. “When creativity serves culture, it doesn’t just capture attention—it enriches the experience.”