Firms jump on the Puja brandwagon

KOLKATA: Corporates have jumped aboard the Durga Puja brandwagon this season — from insurance of pandals to sponsoring interesting competitions and even adda zones with food, beverages and music.
Magma HDI has introduced an insurance coverage scheme for Durga Puja pandals, where a one-time premium will cover the pandal as well as visitors. “The coverage is extended to cases of loss of assets due to fire, rain or any other natural calamity.It also covers expensive ornaments and jewels of the deity. Naktala Udayan Sangha has already taken this insurance and Padmapukur, Ballygunge Culture, FD Block Salt Lake and Sribhumi are likely to join the scheme,” said a spokesperson.
Coca-Cola India has rolled out a consumer engagement programme with ‘Coke-er , Food-er, Pujor Mood e’, which has ‘adda zones’ offering an experience of beverages and food combinations with music and free wi-fi zones for visitors to share pictures on social media instantly. This campaign will be held simultaneously in Howrah, Durgapur and Burdwan apart from Kolkata.
ITC brand Aashirvaad Atta has based its concept on pandal-hopping. Named ‘Aashirvaad Shobcheye Chotpote Poribar’, the campaign will have participants visiting 50 pandals across Kolkata, visit a kiosk, collect a token and proceed to the next pandal. At the end of Durga Puja, Kolkata’s most energetic pandal-hoppers, who have collected the maximum tokens, will get a chance to win prizes including 3D LED HD TVs, and iPads. Indian Idol Academy will have music competitions for kids at select pandals and 50 winners will get a shot at the Indian Idol Junior auditions.
Dollar Industries Ltd will reward the ‘Best Para Dhunuchi Dancers’, ‘Best Para Dhak Player’ and ‘Best Para Shankho Player’. The brand’s vehicles will zoom into different pandals to spot the winners. “Durga Puja is much beyond the glamour and glitter of pandals and the grandeur of the celebrations. The beats of dhak can energize and mesmerize. That is why we decided to be a part of the festivities again this year and celebrate with the uninhibited spirit of Ma Durga”, said Vinod Gupta, Dollar MD.
Puja committees of Rajdanga Naba Uday Sangha, Dumdum Park Tarun Sangha, Garia Naba Durga, Kashi Bose Lane, Nalin Sarkar Street, Subodh Mallick Square and many more are in the race for the prize.
Emami brand’s ‘He’ deodorant is sponsoring the Vivekananda Park Athletic Club where American 3D artist Tracy Lee Stum has created a buzz with her artwork. Siddha has associated itself with as many as six pujas — Bagbazar, Kumartuli Park, BD Block, Salt Lake, Amra Sabai Club near Rajarhat, Tala Barowari and Dum Dum Park Tarun Sangha.
Sanjay Jain, Siddha Group MD said: “We are happy to take this auspicious opportunity to associate with these pujas that are among of the oldest and most popular ones in Kolkata. We are sponsoring the ‘dhunuchi nach’ and ‘sindur khela’ at these pujas.