When Marketing Doesn’t Just Sell Products — It Creates Culture
Every year, millions of Indians dress in specific colours during Navratri.
Day 1: White.
Day 2: Red.
Day 3: Royal Blue.
And so on, until Pink on Day 9.
For most people, this feels like an ancient religious practice. But here’s the twist: the daily Navratri colours weren’t handed down for centuries — they were invented in 2003 by a struggling newspaper.
The Backstory: Maharashtra Times vs Loksatta
Back in 2003, Maharashtra Times, a Marathi daily, was losing the readership war to its rival Loksatta, which dominated women readers. Editor Bharatkumar Raut knew something drastic was needed.
After brainstorming, his team came up with a bold idea:
👉 Create a brand-new tradition around Navratri.
The logic? Women loved to buy and showcase new clothes, but they needed a social reason to coordinate. The paper assigned specific colours to each of the 9 Navratri days, linked them (loosely) to goddesses for authenticity, and printed bold headlines like:
“Today’s Colour – Red.”
Readers loved it. They started dressing by the calendar, offices clicked group photos, and soon workplaces and schools across Mumbai were coordinating outfits.
From Gimmick to Culture
What began as a circulation gimmick became a cultural phenomenon. Within a year:
- Maharashtra Times overtook Loksatta in Mumbai readership.
- The “Navratri Colours” spread from Maharashtra to Delhi and beyond.
- HR teams began making it an official office activity.
- Fashion brands, jewelry stores, and saree shops aligned their promotions with the 9-day palette.
By the 2010s, most people had forgotten its marketing origins — they simply believed it was tradition. Even non-Marathi communities adopted it.
And the tradition is still alive today, in 2025 — powered now by social media, but still following that 2003 calendar.
Navratri Colours 2025 (Day-wise)
Here’s the official colour calendar for this year:
| Day | Date | Colour |
|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | 22 Sept | White |
| Day 2 | 23 Sept | Red |
| Day 3 | 24 Sept | Royal Blue |
| Day 4 | 25 Sept | Yellow |
| Day 5 | 26 Sept | Green |
| Day 6 | 27 Sept | Grey |
| Day 7 | 28 Sept | Orange |
| Day 8 | 29 Sept | Peacock Green |
| Day 9 | 30 Sept | Pink |
The Bigger Lesson: Marketing That Creates Culture
The most powerful retention strategy isn’t always loyalty points or discounts. Sometimes, it’s creating cultural habits people can’t imagine living without.
Maharashtra Times didn’t just sell newspapers. They invented a shared cultural ritual that’s lasted over two decades and gone national.
Key takeaway for brands:
Great marketing doesn’t just ride on culture. It can create culture.