Скачать или смотреть How a Marketing Campaign Turned the Navratri Colours Into Tradition

Happy Navratri! Every year, women across India show up in a new colour, yellow on Day 1, red on Day 6. You’ve seen it, maybe even joined in. But did you know this rainbow ritual isn’t from our scriptures? It started as a clever marketing campaign.

In 2003, the Maharashtra Times was losing female readers. The editor, Bharat Kumar Raut, introduced a colour code for each day, paired with stories of women at work and photo contests. What began as an editorial idea quickly became a cultural tradition.

Why did it work? Three timeless marketing levers:

Scarcity: Each day is a one-time opportunity, like limited-edition drops today.

Social Proof: Seeing colleagues participate validated the ritual, similar to reviews or influencer content.

Community: Dressing alike created belonging, just like online communities and UGC.

By tapping into urgency, validation, and shared identity, the newspaper didn’t just gain readers, it created culture.