Amul to IndiGo, brands join the frenzy, step gingerly around poll politics

Ad rates soar on television, Indian elections top the trend lists on social media, even as brands step in with celebratory messages

On a day that had nearly every Indian glued to a screen, advertisers made hay. Brands stepped in for a slice of the action with cheeky celebratory messages, careful to compliment the voter without raising a toast for the victor while television channels, digital news portals and social media timeliness boiled over in cacophonous frenzy. Experts said that this is the event to beat all events in the country and no advertiser wants to be left behind. At the same time, they want to step carefully around party alignments, without antagonising a single consumer.

“Big brands with national presence and deep