Finding the Balance: Marketing at Religious Events and Places

Lost in the labyrinth of marketing and branding,  I find myself pondering: what's the right approach in matters of belief?

Writing this, while suffering from ambivalence between a marketer brain and a consumer brain, adding layers to this conundrum. 

Coming straight to the point. 

I have recently been to Gurudwara Bangla Sahib in New Delhi and noticed something interesting in their langar hall.

If you zoom in to the image, you will see a message on the thali and a brand logo: "Kripya khaane se pehle sabun se haath dhoyein", followed by the Lifebuoy logo. (Ref image 1 attached below)

I was stunned and confused to see that.

Unilever’s CSR has been a bandwagon from quite some time now! 

Not first of its kind, this was precisely the messaging Unilever did on rotis during the Kumbh Mela in Allahabad in 2013 (Ref image 2 attached below).

If we go by stats, close to 1 lac people eat langar in Gurudwara Bangla Sahib daily.

From a content marketer and brand manager mind, I feel the  strategy of messaging, brand placement and the sheer reach is unbelievable here. But, I'm not sure how I “feel” about this entire exercise, against 

my rational understanding.

As a marketer, I think it's a masterstroke as it reminds me at the right time with perfect brand positioning. But as a person coming to a religious place for a holy meal, I have mixed feelings about it.

Contemplating on the same, my rationality justifying it says there is nothing wrong in it, afterall we are getting a righteous message which somewhat aligns with the moral teachings of this place.

An awareness campaign, much related to social message on hygiene in a place that caters to lacs of people daily in its strategy of Mass Marketing, with negligent cost is sheer brilliance here.

But, morally for someone who went for a holy meal, this just didn’t “feel” right! 

And I came back with the thought on how much marketing is morally and ethically correct in such cases?!

It’s a brilliant idea! 

Still doesn’t feel right!

Recalling, “Neki Kar Darya Main Dal” here is actually right or not?

What are your thoughts?

Ref image 1 of Langar Hall, Bangla Sahib

Ref image 2 of Roti Campaign at Kumbh Mela, 2013  

   

   - Jagriti Kaur Monga