As such, the jewellery brand GIVA has withdrawn its Raksha Bandhan advertisement with actress Kriti Sanon after the campaign received criticism and concerns from parts of the public about its portrayal of the festival.
The company said it removed the advertisement from all media as a gesture of respect after seeing that the campaign had offended some people’s sentiments and felt they had been hurt by the advertisement. GIVA said that it was never the intention to offend Indian cultural traditions, as it had never been the intention of the advertisement to violate them.
The jewellery brand said it loves Indian culture and traditions and festivals and holds them very high.
GIVA’s latest campaign was to expand the family celebration concept by adding pets. The brand said it wanted to extend the affection and festive spirit associated with Raksha Bandhan to pets as well.
GIVA removes its Raksha Bandhan ad featuring actress Kriti Sanon.
— ANI (@ANI) August 26, 2026
GIVA -- "We have the highest regard and deep respect for Indian culture, traditions and festivals. As a brand, we have always believed in celebrating these joyous moments with the entire family and this time we… pic.twitter.com/eTWv4Ax0uR
The advertisement, however, was criticised by some members of society. As a result, the company decided to withdraw the campaign rather than let the controversy overshadow the festival or create more concerns among consumers.
GIVA wanted to say the campaign was not done to hurt cultural or religious sentiments. It regretted that the advertisement had been viewed differently by some people and withdrew the ad from circulation out of respect, the company said.
This shows the more sensitive nature of advertising campaigns associated with big Indian festivals. Brands often use festivals such as Raksha Bandhan, Diwali, Holi and other cultural events to connect with consumers emotionally. At the same time, advertisements that change the culture or put forward contemporary themes can provoke strong reactions on social media.
Raksha Bandhan is associated with the relationship between brothers and sisters; sisters tie a rakhi around their brothers’ wrists and families come together to celebrate the relationship. Brands have increasingly sought to broaden the festival’s messaging around love, care, family and companionship over the years.
GIVA’s campaign seems to have taken a similar broader approach, inviting pets into the concept of family celebration. The brand said it was because it believed in love and celebration with pets. The response showed that interpretation of cultural traditions is very different from one person to another.
And the controversy also illustrates the challenges companies face when creating advertisements for culturally significant occasions. A concept intended to be inclusive or modern can be received differently based upon viewers’ beliefs, expectations, and knowledge of traditional practices.
GIVA has changed the ad to be more sensitive to consumers and cultural traditions. Moreover, it wanted to reassure the audience that India’s cultural diversity is not lost on GIVA.
Kriti Sanon, who was featured in the advertisement, has been associated with many big brand campaigns and film projects. She was involved in the GIVA campaign to make the advertisement more visible, but then the company quickly withdrew it.
Brands can take these incidents as a signal of the need for a cultural review as part of the advertising process and in a festival-based environment, especially if the campaigns are associated with festivals with a great social and traditional significance.
GIVA’s decision to withdraw the advertisement now seems to put the immediate controversy behind it. The company said it was at once about happiness, family and companionship and never meant to offend anyone.
But the episode shows how quickly advertising campaigns are subject to debate in the age of social media. A campaign put out as part of a festive marketing campaign can reach millions of viewers in hours, so it is even more important for brands to respond to the public response.
GIVA has since removed the advertisement from its media channels and has said it is sorry for those who felt their sentiments were hurt. The campaign was made with good intentions, and no offence was intended, said CFO and CEO Robert Schumann.
