.FEST
Context – About the Event
.FEST was curated in 2018 with the intention to create an environment of festivity in Bhubaneswar as it was to host the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup for the 1st time. The festival was curated to provide a never-before experience to the denizens of Bhubaneswar. The specific focus was kept that every category of society gets something or else to cherish in this festival, hence the name .FEST was crafted wherein F stands for FOOD – one common factor that connects all walks of society, and E stands for entertainment – in the era of OTT, the excitement of live performances & the adrenaline rush to witness some of the maestros at own city is not an everyday phenomenon in tier-2 cities like BBSR; S stands for stories – Bhubaneswar Festival of Storytelling (BhuFeSto) was specifically curated for the children along with elderly to keep alive the great saga of storytelling. Lastly, T stands for trails – under the brand name Ekamra walks – where the festival truly becomes a CITY festival by showcasing the magnificent assets Bhubaneswar has been preserving for centuries. The 2023 edition of .FEST came with the unique and first of its kind in Odisha Night Flea Market as well where artisans and entrepreneurs participated.
Communication’s Narrative – A Larger-Than-Life Event
.FEST, an annual megacity festival of Bhubaneswar, lacked national acknowledgement and recognition. The 2023 edition, being the second edition hosted against the backdrop of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup, had immense scope. In a world where the metro cities witness regular mega events like Zomaland, GrubFest, HornOK Please, etc .FEST originated with the thought of providing Bhubaneswar, the capital of Odisha, with a fervour to cherish and relish.
The Odisha Government and Wishbox Studio have partnered to create a PR strategy to promote the .FEST mega festival. This approach highlights the event’s larger-than-life appeal, offering city dwellers, national, and international audiences a taste of the grand fervour against the backdrop of the FIH Men’s Hockey World Cup. Our public relations team showcased how .FEST provides inclusivity to people from all walks of life, hosting a gamut of activities such as the first-ever International Food Festival in Odisha, Night Flea Market, Cultural Trails, Story Festival, and much more. The media coverage and news about this event were extensive, making it a significant success.
Our Strategy – Robust and Effective PR
Wishbox Studio designed a robust PR strategy for .FEST, aimed at creating a strong recall among the culture, heritage, and feature segment of the press. The goal was to position the event as a never-before experience not just for the citizens of Bhubaneswar but also for the rest of India.
Our public relations team curated the festival to be unique and inclusive, appealing to the city’s masses, and wanted to showcase it to PAN-India media. The media coverage and news about .FEST were extensive, resulting in a successful event.
The Solution – Strategic PR Activities
To boost awareness of Bhubaneswar’s mega festival, .FEST, Wishbox Studio initiated a range of online and offline activities. Curated against the backdrop of the FIH Hockey Men’s World Cup 2023, hosted by the Government of Odisha in Bhubaneswar and Rourkela, the festival gained visibility through social media influencers and national feature and culture journalists.
As a PR partner, Wishbox Studio strategically showcased the curation process, from set creation to the grand launch and procession of the festival, to its successful conclusion. A slew of media interactions were organized, including one-on-one interviews and sharing expert opinions for industry stories in both national and regional media.
The efforts of our public relations team led to extensive coverage in publications such as The Times of India, Mint, Business Standard, The Hindu, Outlook India, The Print, The Week, Sambad, Samaj, Sakala, and more. Wishbox Studio also organized a FAM trip to the mega festival in Bhubaneswar, inviting senior journalists to experience the event. The media received exclusive visits and gained insight into the festival, resulting in large-format stories in publications like Business Standard, Mint, The Hindu, Curly Tales, Sports Yaari, and more.
Outcome – Extensive Media Exposure
.FEST has become a well-known mega cultural event in Bhubaneswar and India, garnering extensive media exposure with over 200 stories in print, online, and social media. Senior journalists of the culture and press covered .FEST, resulting in 123 print and 95 online coverage.
National leading publications like Mint, Business Standard, The Times of India, The Hindu, The New Indian Express, Moneycontrol, Outlook India, The Week, and The Print, along with key digital media like Curlytales, ABP Digital, and SportsYaari, extensively covered the event. These publications gave exclusive stories to the festival apart from considering them in industry stories.
In addition to daily media outreach on the event’s progression, major vernacular media, including Sambad, Samaj, Sakala, Dharitiri, Pagativadi, Prameya, and more, heavily covered the event. .FEST’s success was due to the strategic PR approach by the public relations agency and media coverage in leading publications.
