MAM
Gutenberg Wins Gold in PR Asia Awards for 2018
MUMBAI: Gutenberg, an award-winning global and integrated digital marketing communications firm, has been named a gold winner in the Public Affairs category by PR Awards Asia, an organization celebrating the most outstanding, inspired and successful campaigns, individuals, and companies in Asia-Pacific’s communications industry. The firm won for its “Bharat Yatra” PR campaign for the Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF), an organization dedicated to eradicating child labor and child exploitation around the world.
KSCF, led by its founder and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Kailash Satyarthi, organized Bharat Yatra, the largest march in India for child safety, from August thru October 2017. The “Yatra” (march) was an important part of a five-year long global ‘100 Million for 100 Million’ campaign in which youth were change makers for a child-friendly world and all those involved worked toward building a common consensus to end all kinds of violence against children, especially sexual abuse and child trafficking. The march, which was also attended by the President of India Ram Nath Kovind, had an estimated 1 million participants, covered 11,000 kms, and crossed over 22 states in 35 days.
On winning the award, Harjiv Singh, Gutenberg founder and CEO, stated, “We are extremely honored to receive this award and to further showcase Gutenberg’s expertise in spearheading effective, comprehensive and streamlined PR campaigns in many different areas.” Singh added, “Also, this award is especially important to us due to it being won for such a timely campaign with such an important purpose – making changes across India by saving 2 million childhoods every year.”
Says Bidhan Chandra, Executive Director, Campaigns, Kailash Satyarthi Children’s Foundation (KSCF) “We are proud that our campaign, Bharat Yatra, has received international recognition and won the prestigious award. The Bharat Yatra was the largest mass movement which saw active participation of people from all walks of life including government, judiciary, corporates, educational institutions, media, religious leaders and civil society. Led by child survivors, the Bharat Yatra was a clarion call to end violence against children, especially child sexual abuse and trafficking.”
Gutenberg’s PR initiatives extended across both traditional and non-traditional media for Bharat Yatra, resulting in the following for the march:
• 40 million children and 500 million Indians reached in total
• Coverage by over 4,000 India national and international media outlets for television, print, online, and radio
• An estimated 100 regional media interviews across 22 states
• Over 400 feature stories in 35 days
In its entirety, Bharat Yatra’s 2017 march had many impressive accomplishments, including:
• Madhya Pradesh passing a bill for the death penalty for child rapists
• Telangana declaring Karimnagar a child friendly zone
• Andhra Pradesh announcing a global policy institute to formulate an environment for the protection of children in India
• Karnataka setting up a dedicated court to fast-track cases related to child abuse
• Punjab being declared a model state for childhood
• The Union Cabinet clearing the Trafficking of Persons Bill [Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation Bill] 2018
PR Awards Asia is the foremost event in the Public Relations industry’s calendar, attracting sponsors from both the sector itself and the suppliers that serve them. The judging is led by leading professionals from the in-house ranks, as well as senior agency executive utilizing a demanding set of criteria.
MAM
India’s experience economy grows as live events market hits Rs 17,000 crore
EY-Parthenon and BookMyShow report finds 78 per cent Indians prefer experiences over products
MUMBAI: India’s live entertainment scene is no longer just about music, comedy or festivals. It is increasingly becoming a powerful stage for brands seeking deeper connections with consumers.
A new report titled Beyond Attention, Into Immersion by EY-Parthenon and BookMyShow suggests that India’s experience economy is entering a strong growth phase, driven by consumers who are choosing memorable moments over material purchases.
According to the study, the country’s live events ecosystem, which includes concerts, comedy tours, festivals and immersive exhibitions, is estimated to reach around Rs 17,000 crore in 2025. The growth reflects a broader cultural shift in how Indians spend their time and money.
The report finds that 78 per cent of Indian consumers now prefer spending on experiences rather than physical products. From attending concerts and festivals to participating in interactive brand installations, audiences are increasingly seeking engagement, community and shareable moments.
This change in consumer behaviour is particularly evident among younger audiences who want to participate rather than simply watch. Instead of passively consuming entertainment, many now look for experiences that allow them to interact, express themselves and connect with like minded communities.
For marketers, this shift has turned experiential marketing into a strategic priority rather than a promotional add on. Brands are moving away from interruption driven advertising and towards immersive formats that allow consumers to discover, test and emotionally connect with products.
The report suggests that experiential marketing now plays a role across the entire consumer journey. It can spark brand discovery, strengthen storytelling, encourage product trials and ultimately influence purchase decisions and loyalty.
The impact is already visible. Post event surveys conducted among 7,450 attendees at major events including Lollapalooza India and concerts by Ed Sheeran and Guns N’ Roses highlight the effectiveness of these experiences.
Around 59 per cent of attendees recalled brands they interacted with during the events, while 55 per cent said those interactions increased their likelihood of purchasing from the brand. A further 63 per cent reported that brand activations actually enhanced their event experience rather than distracting from it. Nearly 29 per cent also said the interaction improved their perception of the brand.
Brands are also changing the way they approach events. Instead of simply putting logos on stages or banners, companies are building experiences into the fabric of the event itself.
Financial services brands, for example, are offering early ticket access, exclusive lounges and curated event experiences for cardholders. Fashion and beauty companies are using festivals to showcase products through pop ups, interactive installations and social media friendly spaces that encourage visitors to share their experiences online.
The scope of experiential marketing now stretches far beyond live entertainment. Retailers are designing experiential stores where customers can explore products in lifelike environments. Entertainment platforms are extending popular intellectual properties into immersive exhibitions and fan events. Technology is also playing a growing role through augmented reality and virtual try on tools that blend digital discovery with physical interaction.
Cultural festivals remain one of the most powerful platforms for such engagement in India. Celebrations such as Navratri and Holi bring together large communities, emotional participation and heightened consumer spending. For brands, these moments offer an opportunity to become part of the celebration rather than simply advertise around it.
Despite the momentum, the report notes that some companies still hesitate to adopt experiential marketing at scale. Budget constraints, limited expertise and uncertainty around measuring return on investment remain common concerns.
However, the growing body of data around consumer engagement and brand impact is gradually addressing these challenges. More marketers are expected to allocate a larger share of their budgets to experiential formats over the coming years.
Taken together, the findings point to a clear trend. As consumers seek meaning, memories and moments worth sharing, live experiences are emerging as one of the most powerful ways for brands to stay relevant in a crowded media landscape.
