Jewellery brand GIVA has withdrawn a Raksha Bandhan advertisement featuring actress Kriti Sanon following widespread public criticism [1, 2].
The move highlights the volatility of blending modern creative marketing with traditional Indian festivals, where perceived cultural lapses can trigger rapid corporate retreats.
Critics targeted the campaign's portrayal of the festival and the outfit worn by Sanon [1, 3]. Some social media users and public figures said that the creative treatment was culturally insensitive and that the attire was inappropriate for the occasion [2, 3].
BJP MP Kangana Ranaut joined the criticism, describing the advertisement as "intentionally creepy" [1]. The backlash centered on the idea that the ad's tone and visual presentation deviated inappropriately from the traditional values associated with the sibling bond celebrated during Raksha Bandhan [1, 4].
GIVA said that the campaign had hurt sentiments [2]. The brand pulled the advertisement from circulation after the sustained outcry across digital platforms [3, 4].
This incident follows a pattern of Indian brands facing scrutiny over the intersection of fashion and tradition. The speed of the withdrawal suggests a desire by the company to mitigate further brand damage during a peak festive shopping period [2, 4].
“GIVA said that the campaign had hurt sentiments.”
This controversy underscores the high stakes for brands operating in the Indian market, where the line between 'modernizing' a tradition and 'disrespecting' it is often thin. The involvement of political figures like Kangana Ranaut amplifies such disputes, turning marketing missteps into broader cultural debates. For companies, this emphasizes the need for rigorous cultural vetting of campaigns that leverage religious or traditional festivals to avoid alienating core consumer bases.
