Phirey Esho Journey

Despite having become the number one English daily in Kolkata, The Times of India was still seen as a national paper and not the heartbeat of the land. In a city that reads profusely and has a well-informed opinion on everything, The Times of India needed to establish that it knew Kolkata best.

This was possible through an evocative cry celebrating Kolkata’s comeback, with– ‘Phirey Esho Kolkata’

Through ‘Phirey Esho Kolkata’, TOI gave a voice and expression to what Kolkatans felt about their city and a yearning for loved ones who had left. Owning this narrative not only cemented TOI’s market leadership but also developed a deep emotional connection with Kolkatans.

The following year, TOI lend its voice to the women of Kolkata. In India, nearly all 33 Million+ deities are male, and Durga Puja, an annual festival, recognized by UNESCO as an Intangible Cultural Heritage famous in Kolkata, is the only major Indian festival that celebrates the homecoming of a daughter, Mother Durga. TOI created the heart-warming call to daughters of Bengal, “Maa Aaschen. Tumi Kothaye?” (“Mother Durga is coming home. Where are you?”).

Next year, TOI became the voice of the digital-savvy youth in the city. After a tough pandemic, people wanted to return to their loved ones during Durga Puja but were wary of travel. TOI’s campaign asked “Tumi Kothaye?” (“Where are you?”), leading to strong youth engagement.

The following year, through Phirey Esho, TOI successfully celebrated a new medium of learning- podcasts with the students of the city on Saraswati Puja.

On Poila Baishakh, TOI brought back the cultural celebration of the Bengali New Year with Prabhat Pheri and cultural processions in the heart of the city.

Phirey Esho has become a movement that transcended TOI and entered the public consciousness. With its success, it has become an umbrella theme for multiple TOI Kolkata campaigns in a year.