From Stall to Screen: How Brands At Kala Ghoda Arts Festival Extended the Customer Journey

Recently, I visited the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in Mumbai and came away thinking less about art, and more about customer experience. What struck me wasn’t any single brand or stall. It was a pattern. No matter how big or small the brand, even NGOs, almost everyone had a digital presence in place.

• Instagram handles were clearly visible. 

• Websites were ready to be shared. 

• QR codes were everywhere.

Whenever someone asked for contact information, the response was simple: “Just go to our website.” “Scan the QR.” And that, in itself, is such a big shift.

Offline Is No Longer Offline

What these brands did well was extend the experience beyond the moment. The sale didn’t have to end at the stall. Discovery didn’t have to end at the festival.

By directing visitors to their websites and social channels, these brands weren’t just selling in the present they were creating the possibility of future engagement, repeat purchases, and long-term relationships.

In other words, they were quietly extending the lifetime of the purchase opportunity. That’s good CX thinking.

Why This Matters From a CX Lens

From a customer journey perspective, this works because:

• the visitor is already high-intent

• context and curiosity are fresh

• the brand doesn’t disappear once the interaction ends

Instead of forcing urgency, these brands allowed the relationship to continue. And that’s exactly how modern customer journeys behave: non-linear, layered, and ongoing.

Where the Opportunity Could Be Even Stronger

That said, there were a few places where the journey could have gone further especially from a conversion and retention point of view.

1. Capturing intent at the moment it’s highest

Many stalls sent visitors online, but very few actively encouraged them to stay connected. A simple nudge like:

• “Sign up for updates”

• “Get early access online”

• “Scan to receive a festival-only offer”

could have helped brands retain interest after the event ended. Events create peak intent. Not capturing it is often the biggest missed opportunity.

2. Clear guidance on “what happens next”

Visitors were told where to go (website / Instagram), but not always what to do. Small cues like:

• “Explore our full collection online”

• “We restock digitally after the festival”

• “Follow us for upcoming launches”

help reduce ambiguity and guide the next step. Good journeys don’t just provide exits, they shape momentum.

3. Event-specific digital experiences

Another missed lever was context retention. Very few brands created:

• festival-specific landing pages

• QR codes linked to curated collections

• or content that acknowledged “you saw us at Kala Ghoda”

These small touches help preserve the emotional and contextual connection, which can significantly improve conversion later. Context matters, especially once the event ends.

4. Post-event follow-through

The real test of CX doesn’t happen during the event. It happens after. A simple post-event follow-up —

• “Thanks for visiting us at Kala Ghoda”

• “Here’s what you might have missed”

• “Here’s where to buy online”

could turn a fleeting interaction into a repeat relationship. Most brands stop too early.

The Bigger CX Lesson

What stood out to me most was how instinctive this shift has become. Digital presence is no longer optional even for small, independent creators. But presence alone isn’t enough.

The brands that will grow are the ones that:

• design for what comes next

• treat offline moments as journey entry points

• and think beyond the duration of the event

Experiences don’t end when the event does. They end when the customer stops feeling connected. And that’s where CX really begins.