Pulse, the hard-boiled candy brand from Dharampal Satyapal Group (DS Group), has taken a digital-first approach to festive engagement with the 2026 edition of its ‘Pulse Ka Pandal’ campaign. Developed in partnership with White River Media (WRM), the initiative brought Navratri, Durga Puja and Dussehra onto a single mobile-first platform, using interactive games and personalised experiences to connect with Gen Z.
Running from October 11 to 20, 2026, the campaign was designed around the distinct traditions associated with the three festivals. Instead of treating them as one broad festive occasion, Pulse created separate digital experiences that allowed participants to engage with each celebration in its own cultural context.
Building a Digital Space for Festive Participation
The campaign addressed two key challenges: standing out in a crowded festive advertising environment and engaging younger audiences who increasingly discover and participate in cultural celebrations through digital platforms.
Although Navratri, Durga Puja and Dussehra fall within the same festive period, their celebrations differ across regions. From Dandiya and Garba nights in western India to elaborate pandals in the east and Ravan celebrations in the north, each festival carries its own traditions.
Pulse aimed to bring these diverse celebrations together without compromising their individual identities. The larger objective was to create a shared digital space where people across India could participate in the festivities, regardless of their location.
The initiative also builds on the brand’s broader ‘Pulse of India’ philosophy, which focuses on engaging with India’s cultural and festive occasions. Since entering the hard-boiled candy category in 2015, Pulse has used digital formats, gamification and immersive technology to build connections with younger consumers. The brand crossed ₹100 crore in sales within eight months of its launch.
Three Festivals, Three Interactive Experiences
The 2026 edition of Pulse Ka Pandal translated familiar festive traditions into three digital activities, each linked to a different celebration.
Navratri – Pulse of Tradition: The first experience focused on festive styling. Participants could customise a digital avatar with traditional outfits, accessories and Dandiya elements, recreating the excitement of getting ready for a festive night.
Durga Puja – Pulse of Shakti: The second experience invited users to design their own Durga Puja pandal by selecting different design, decorative and cultural elements. It brought the creativity associated with pandal-making into a personalised digital format.
Dussehra – Pulse of Victory: The final experience turned the symbolism of defeating Ravan into an interactive game. Participants aimed at a virtual Ravan, with each target representing a negative habit or trait they wanted to leave behind. The activity concluded with a personal pledge, connecting the gameplay to the festival’s message of victory over evil.
All three experiences were hosted on pulsekapandal.in, a mobile-first platform developed by White River Media. Participants could also create personalised festive greeting cards to share, while selected users were randomly rewarded. The brand extended the campaign through festive content across its social media platforms.
A Phased Rollout Across the Festive Calendar
The campaign followed a staggered launch strategy, with each experience becoming available in line with its respective festival.
The digital platform, including the three interactive activities, greeting card feature and reward mechanism, was completed by October 8. The campaign was announced on October 11 through a press release and the brand’s social media channels.
The Navratri experience launched on October 11, followed by the Durga Puja activity on October 15. The final Dussehra experience went live on October 20, bringing the campaign to a close.
This phased approach allowed Pulse to maintain engagement throughout the ten-day festive period rather than concentrating its communication around a single occasion.
Campaign Results
The campaign reported the following performance figures:
- 1.7 crore people reached through campaign and brand exposure.
- 4 lakh visits recorded on the gamified website.
- 26,000+ repeat players and personalised greeting cards generated.
- 15,000+ pieces of user-generated content created.
Beyond the quantitative results, the campaign helped position Pulse as an enabler of festive participation. It brought audiences from different regions into a common digital environment while allowing them to engage with traditions relevant to their own celebrations.
The Marketing Takeaway
Pulse Ka Pandal demonstrates how gamification can extend a brand’s role beyond conventional festive advertising. By translating familiar cultural activities into personalised digital experiences, the brand created multiple opportunities for audience participation and content sharing.
The campaign’s central strength lay in bringing three distinct festivals together without reducing them to a single generic celebration. For a brand looking to connect with younger consumers, the approach offered a way to combine regional relevance, interactive technology and cultural storytelling while keeping the product itself in the background.
