In a land where women goddesses are worshipped, Indian Women are left out of the Biggest events, considered Paraya Dhan (Someone else’s Asset), their families expected to live the most momentous occasions of their lives without their daughters. Durga Puja is also a celebration of the homecoming of the daughter Durga from her husband’s home, an aspect of a large event that is often overlooked or forgotten. 

The Times of India was the first to have celebrated Maa Durga’s homecoming, raising a clarion call to Kolkata’s daughters, to come home for Durga Puja from different parts of the globe with editorial letters from the homes of Kolkata, asking their daughters settled in other parts of the world to come back. Print advertising depicted a human version of the deity resembling regular girls coming home in regular means of transport, but with Ma Durga’s ten arms forming behind her. A digital film aimed at capturing the void in every household of Kolkata whose daughter is away from home depicted three women, portrayed by the eminent celebs of Kolkata, conveying their true story of the void.

The impact:

• 8000 letters to beloved daughters, sisters, friends asking them to come back in just 10 days!
• 155.6 million reach and around 5.2 million views, around 7,27,000 user engagement and over 40,000 reactions, spanning over 40 countries in just 4 days for the film.
• A total of 50,000 letters were received, making it the most handwritten postcards written for a single cause in the Limca Book of Records
• TOI successfully achieved its target with paramount increase in brand affinity by 31%.
• Maa Aaschen, targeting the entire population especially female has significantly helped increase the Brand Equity scores by 77%. 
• The campaign recall was the strongest and highest with a 45% recall. 
• More than 60 noted publications outside the Times Network picked up and replayed the campaign story. 
• Women readership of TOI saw an astounding jump of 22% according to IRS 2019 Q3. 
• The campaign was picked-up and released by more than 500 publishers.
• The power of the response was such that TOI brought 5 women back to Kolkata from different parts of the country carrying their stories of homecoming in the paper.