For influencers crowding Kumbh, the struggle is real

The social media opportunity of a lifetime—the Mahakumbh Mela in Prayagraj, which happens once in 144 years—has turned out to be a difficult one for the teeming army of influencers to convey footage from, especially when it comes to commercial videos shot for brands.

- Pratishtha Bagai

Difficult on-ground conditions, betting on pure luck in capturing perfect frames, and handling demanding brands divorced from reality have resulted in back-breaking effort for not enough returns.

Vivid images and videos from the world’s largest spiritual gathering at the confluence of three rivers—Ganga, Yamuna and the mythical Saraswati—have taken social media by storm. Nearly 12 million posts from more than 50,000 creators were spotted by influencer marketing intelligence platform Qoruz in the month through 12 February, the bulk of which (9.1 million) were on Instagram.

Of these, 3,362 posts on Instagram were sponsored by brands, including Reliance’s Campa, banking giant State Bank of India (SBI), and ITC’s snack brand Bingo.

The extreme hustle, bustle and jostle in the mela have hit not just pilgrims, but the influencers trying to chronicle the event. To add to their woes, after a stampede on 29 January left more than 30 people dead and 60 injured, several big brands that had approached marketing agencies for campaigns withdrew their queries, an executive at a digital marketing agency told Mint.