Sibling love, unfiltered: Brands tap into the playful chaos of Rakhi season

Festivals are the heartbeat of Indian culture. They bring families together and fill the air with joy, rituals, food, and endless conversations. Raksha Bandhan often signals the joyful onset of the festive season—ushering in a lineup that includes Janmashtami, Ganesh Chaturthi, Durga Puja, Diwali, Christmas and more.

After a long gap since Holi, Rakhi feels like the start of something exciting, and brands step up to make the most of this emotional moment.

Traditionally, Raksha Bandhan was a sibling-centric festival where sisters tied rakhis to their brothers in exchange for gifts, symbolising love and protection. But in recent years, the meaning of the festival has broadened significantly.

Today, sisters tie rakhis to one another, friends celebrate their bond with rakhi, and even pets are considered honorary siblings. Gifting, too, is no longer one-sided—it’s about mutual appreciation and expressing love to those who matter most.

Here’s how some brands have tapped into this evolving emotion with thoughtful, playful, and inclusive campaigns:

Zepto

We all know how sibling dynamics work—they argue, tease, and test each other’s patience but also fiercely stand up for one another. Zepto’s Rakhi campaign captures this unfiltered bond with a relatable slice-of-life portrayal.

Adding to the festive cheer, the brand also launched a special ‘Kalesh Card’ from August 7 to 9, offering customers a chance to win iPhones, iPads, and more with their orders—a fun nod to the playful chaos that defines sibling relationships.

Swiggy Instamart

Who would’ve imagined Shera—Salman Khan’s trusted bodyguard—negotiating with a tailor or stopping a rickshaw for a girl? But that’s exactly what Instamart’s Rakhi campaign delivers.

The narrative cleverly shifts from “Main Shera. Bhai ki raksha karta hoon,” to “Par Raksha Bandhan pe, those without bros mujhe bhai bana lete hai,” as rakhis begin magically appearing on his wrist in a charming stop-motion sequence.

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Building on last year’s quirky ad featuring Rakhi Sawant, this campaign once again adds a dose of humour and heart, positioning Shera as the ultimate symbol of protection—even for those without a brother.

Blinkit

Similar to Zepto, Blinkit’s Rakhi campaign plays out like a light-hearted wildlife documentary, humorously framing siblings as “Prakriti ki do nayaab prajatiyan”—two rare species of nature.

The film captures the chaos of siblinghood: the constant teasing, petty revenge, and playful conspiracies. Yet, no matter how wild things get, everything settles down on one special day—Raksha Bandhan. It’s a fun, clever take on the love-hate dynamic only siblings can truly understand.

GIVA

Jewellery is a classic Rakhi gift, but GIVA adds a twist. The campaign opens with brand ambassador Anushka Sharma tying a rakhi to her dog, joking about how he never gets her a present. Just then, a GIVA box appears—bringing a big smile to her face.

The ad taps into the growing trend of celebrating Rakhi with furry siblings while keeping the joy of gifting intact. Conceptualised and executed in-house, the campaign is heartwarming, relatable, and right on trend.

Tanishq

Last year, Tanishq introduced “Fathers, Written by Daughters”—a film that explored the evolving relationship between dads and daughters, highlighting how they grow, learn, and nurture one another. This year, the narrative shifts focus to brothers. 

The campaign gently redefines sibling bonds—moving beyond traditional roles and rituals. Through familiar banter, it imagines a relationship free from the weight of societal expectations, grounded instead in mutual respect, empathy, and above all, love.

Myntra

The fashion brand brings humour to the forefront this Raksha Bandhan, making brothers take a playful pledge to stop giving lame excuses for not buying good gifts. The film shows three boys solemnly swearing in front of a large group of unimpressed sisters.

Adding to the chaos, actor Ahsaas Channa reminds everyone that with Myntra’s new M-Now feature, there are no more excuses—gifts and styles can now be delivered in just 30 minutes.

Flipkart

Flipkart puts a fun spin on sibling love with its InvoiSIS campaign. Instead of emotional clichés, it offers sisters an itemised invoice generator—complete with charges for childhood favours like keeping secrets or giving up the last slice of cake—with help from finance influencer CA Rachana Ranade.

Simple, sharp, and highly relatable, the campaign encourages brothers to gift better—by putting a hilarious price on sisterly love.

Anmol Industries

The packaged food company brings a heartfelt narrative to the screen, redefining traditional sibling roles and celebrating gratitude. The film showcases a role reversal – where a brother chooses to tie a rakhi to his sister, acknowledging the years she stood by him not just as a sister, but as a parental figure, mentor, and protector. 

The story serves as a gentle nudge towards breaking free from fixed gender roles and embracing emotional reciprocity in relationships.

Zouk

Zouk’s Raksha Bandhan campaign takes a refreshingly honest look at sibling love—stripping away the clichés and embracing moments that feel real. Instead of leaning on the age-old ‘protector’ narrative, the brand highlights the quiet, everyday ways brothers show they care—like casually holding their sister’s bag without a second thought. It’s simple, relatable, and deeply genuine.

Dabur

To mark Raksha Bandhan, Réal, a packaged fruit juice and beverage brand from Dabur India, has launched its new campaign, “Bin Bole Jo Saath Nibhaye, Woh Rishta Réal Kehlaye”.

The campaign tells the story of sibling relationships, focusing on brothers who protect, support, and care without being asked, reflecting the essence of Raksha Bandhan.

MobiKwik

MobiKwik’s #TraditionSeHatke campaign redefines sibling relationships as equal and mutually supportive. The film shows a brother thanking his sister for her constant support and gifting her 100% pure Digital Gold via the MobiKwik app, highlighting a simple and modern way to celebrate.