Brands rethink marketing playbook for Akshaya Tritiya

As Akshaya Tritiya approaches, jewellery and quick commerce brands are reworking their marketing strategies to align with evolving consumer expectations, blending tradition with convenience, pricing assurance and trust-led communication.

This year, the focus has clearly shifted from just festive promotions to solving consumer anxieties around fluctuating gold prices. In a first for quick commerce, Instamart has partnered with Kalyan Jewellers to introduce a gold rate protection feature, allowing users to lock prices in advance and pay whichever is lower on the day of purchase.

Arjun Choudhary, VP Growth, Instamart, said, “At Instamart, we’ve consistently looked to innovate around how Indians shop for precious metals during key occasions, from delivering 1 kg silver bricks during Dhanteras to introducing silver Rakhis for Raksha Bandhan. The gold Rate protection is a feature designed to help consumers navigate gold prices with greater confidence during the festival. By allowing users to secure a price in advance while still benefiting from any price drops, we strive to offer strong overall value to consumers. This is quick commerce going beyond convenience to deliver meaningful value on culturally significant purchases.”

Ramesh Kalyanaraman, Executive Director, Kalyan Jewellers, added, “Gold rate protection has been a preferred feature across Kalyan Jewellers’ retail showrooms, offering customers greater assurance while planning their festive purchases. With Instamart, we are extending this for the first time to a quick commerce platform. As traditions evolve, we remain committed to making gold buying both meaningful and seamless.”

The move signals how brands are increasingly using innovation-led marketing to drive conversions during high-intent occasions. Last year, Instamart saw a surge of over 500% in gold and silver coin sales on Akshaya Tritiya compared to Dhanteras, highlighting the growing role of quick commerce in festive buying.

At the same time, consumer preferences are becoming more nuanced, prompting brands to diversify their messaging and product focus.

Suvankar Sen, CEO and MD of Senco Gold Ltd, said, “As we approach Akshaya Tritiya, we are witnessing an enthusiastic response from customers, driven by relatively lower gold prices and the continued significance of the occasion as an auspicious time for long-term purchases. Consumers are showing a clear preference for lightweight gold, diamond and platinum jewellery for daily wear, with strong interest across categories such as rings, earrings, chains and bangles. We are also seeing early traction from wedding buyers, in anticipation of the upcoming summer wedding season. Additionally, men’s jewellery is gaining encouraging momentum, with categories like chains and bracelets witnessing increased interest. Overall, we are seeing a growth trend of approximately 15–20% compared to the same period last year.”

MP Ahammad, Chairman, Malabar Group, said, “Akshaya Tritiya remains a key occasion for jewellery buying, driving a seasonal spike in gold demand. This year, at Malabar Gold & Diamonds, we are introducing the Aanika collection, launched with Kareena Kapoor, which blends traditional craftsmanship with contemporary design for the modern Indian woman. We are also refreshing the Tanvika collection to align with evolving design sensibilities while retaining its core appeal. Together, these collections reflect changing consumer preferences while staying rooted in the cultural significance of the festival.” 

Siddharth Bhagat – Director, Fashion and Beauty, Amazon India, said, "Ahead of Akshaya Tritiya, we are seeing strong momentum, with gold jewelry growing around 2X, silver 2.5X and coins around 2X year-on-year. Jewelry is increasingly being seen as both a trusted investment and everyday self-expression, with fine jewelry growing around 2X and precious jewelry 3.7X. We have built this trust through our commitment to authenticity - with BIS hallmarking, purchase protection, easy exchanges and a wide selection that makes quality jewelry accessible across price points. Customers across India are discovering jewelry on Amazon.in in entirely new ways - using AI to explore styles that fit their lives, from everyday pieces to investment purchases. With our AI-powered shopping assistant Rufus, customers can simply ask “suggest fine jewelry for office wear”, “top picks for gold jewelry under INR 10,000”, or “Akshaya Tritiya ke liye best silver coin options” and find exactly what they're looking for."

Alongside product innovation and pricing strategies, trust has emerged as a central pillar in festive marketing.

Kaushlendra Sinha, CEO of IAGES, said, “On the auspicious occasion of Akshaya Tritiya, consumers bring home a new gold purchase - be it jewellery, coins or bars, ushering in prosperity and good fortune. This year, their approach to ‘gold-buying’ is seeing a shift where sentiment is coupled with informed decision making. The first simple step that aware gold consumers are now taking is towards being assured of a most trusted, transparent experience – ‘Before you buy gold, #PehlaCheckIAGES’. This initiative by IAGES is a simple yet integral move that plays a key role in reinforcing ethical sourcing of gold, standard business practices across the industry and empowering consumers to buy with trust and confidence.”

Brands are also leaning into storytelling around value and longevity, especially in the premium segment.

Jignesh Mehta, MD and Founder of Divine Solitaires, said, “Akshaya Tritiya continues to be one of the most significant occasions for the jewellery industry, driven by a strong cultural belief in purchasing assets that bring long-term prosperity and security. Over the years, we have seen consumers become more discerning, placing greater emphasis on transparency, quality, and intrinsic value when making their purchase decisions. At Divine Solitaires, our focus has always been on building trust through consistent standards and offering diamonds that truly stand apart in terms of rarity and performance. This festive season, we remain committed to enabling meaningful purchases that combine emotional significance with long-term value—reflected in offerings such as our thoughtfully designed diamond coin.”

The broader shift in Akshaya Tritiya marketing reflects a transition from purely emotional, tradition-led campaigns to a more balanced mix of rational and emotional triggers. While the cultural significance of buying gold remains intact, brands are now layering it with pricing assurance, convenience, product innovation and trust signals.

From quick commerce-led price protection to transparency campaigns and changing product narratives, Akshaya Tritiya is no longer just about auspicious buying. It is increasingly becoming a testbed for how brands can merge tradition with modern consumer expectations and drive both sentiment and sales.

Eshwar Surana, Managing Director, Raj Diamonds, "While Akshaya Tritiya was largely celebrated in South and East India earlier, we are now seeing it being celebrated across the country. We are expecting good traction in high value diamond studded and wedding jewellery as there are a lot of weddings planned this summer. We are also witnessing a paradigm shift in buying behavior among consumers and the demand for quality diamonds has already been very strong in the run-up to Akshaya Tritiya. Today’s consumers are increasingly drawn to pieces that go beyond tradition, reflecting individuality and enduring value. We are also increasingly seeing preference for larger diamonds with an excellent cut grade that are masterfully crafted and precisely cut to create maximum sparkle and brilliance. We remain committed to offering exquisitely crafted diamonds that not only celebrate the spirit of the festival but also become cherished heirlooms for generations to come. Overall, we are estimating that there will be a 20 - 25 percent growth in value terms over last year."