Comic Con India's next act: Scaling pop culture without losing fandom roots

Nineteen-year-old Shlok Bhatia's Comic Con India (CCI) experience neatly captures the paradox facing India's premier pop-culture event. A decade ago, Shlok marvelled at cosplayers channelling Marvel and DC superheroes; in 2025, at Mumbai Comic Con, he found the focus had shifted towards gaming and tech activations, with comics taking a visible backseat. His disappointment underscores the tightrope that CCI has had to walk: evolving with India’s fast-changing pop-culture palate without alienating its core fandom.

From the outset, CCI faced a formidable challenge: how to transplant a globally niche subculture into a scalable property for India's diverse audiences. “The biggest challenge back then was – everything!” CCI’s founder, Jatin Varma, candidly tells Campaign. “I had no experience in organising events at a large scale, especially something as unique as Comic Con. It was a steep learning curve.”

Crucially, Varma and his team realised early that a cut-copy-paste version of the American template wouldn’t work. "We had to ensure our version of Comic Con was a healthy mix of Indian and international content," he adds.

Translating niche fandom into mainstream culture

Since its Indian debut in 2011—a decade after its US counterpart—CCI has morphed from a niche gathering of comic book loyalists into a sprawling youth culture carnival. Brands have followed suit, fast.

India already leads the event’s APAC markets in terms of brand associations, and has already overtaken the US in this regard. Sponsorships and brand associations reportedly contribute 30% of CCI’s revenue, with exhibition fees leading at 40% and ticketing making up the rest. Tellingly, the event started charging entry only from 2013—two years after launch.

Jatin Varma, founder, Comic Con India.

Over the past 14 years, CCI has expanded its scope beyond comic books to embrace the full spectrum of pop culture: gaming, cosplay, esports, influencers, OTT content, and social media fandoms. This expansion wasn’t just strategic—it was survival. "We kept expanding our tent to ensure all these elements of popular culture became a part of our events," Varma says.

Cracking Gen Z’s shifting attention economy

Today's Comic Con audience is not just older millennials reliving their childhoods—it's Gen Z, whose entertainment diets are shaped by reels, memes, and short-lived fandoms that can peak and wane within months. In this volatile attention economy, Comic Con’s programming had to evolve.

“The content and programming at the events are constantly evolving, some things last and some fade out,” says Varma. Importantly, audience feedback loops are baked into their planning process. “We are also constantly taking audience feedback, which helps us curate our events better.”

The result is a blend of old and new: classic comic fandom experiences co-exist with gaming tournaments, influencer meet-and-greets, and esports demos, ensuring Comic Con remains relevant without losing its soul.

Yamaha Motor India claims that its association with Comic Con isn’t just about brand visibility, it’s a deliberate strategy to decode and connect with the ever-evolving Gen Z audience. Tapping into the brand’s energetic spirit and a sharp premium positioning, the strategy sought to fully leverage the event’s platform this year, forging authentic connections with Gen Z and embedding the brand deeper into contemporary cultural conversations.

Rather than simply showcasing its products, Yamaha Motor India crafted interactive brand activations that invited attendees to live the brand's essence at Comic Con India.

Elaborating on this, Vijay Kaul, the company’s head of marketing and communication, tells Campaign, “As a brand designed for youth, especially Gen Z, Yamaha’s identity is infused with energy and innovation that aligns perfectly with a premium lifestyle. At Comic Con, where the spirit of creativity and bold character mirrors our own, we crafted immersive experiences with our models that not only captivate but also resonate emotionally with our target group.”

For brands, it’s about earning attention—not buying it

Traditional event sponsorship models—buy a logo spot, slap on some hashtags, add celebrity appearances—don't cut it at Comic Con. Indian brands, however, initially struggled with this nuance. In the US, Varma notes, "there is no concept of splashing brand logos on events or experience zone posters." India, by contrast, demanded visible ROI.

Today, the model is maturing. “Brands engage through integration, not just visibility,” Varma says. “This is an extremely enticing mix that is rarely offered by live events in India, therefore attracting brands from almost all segments."

From telecom players like Vodafone using ZooZoo mascots for fan experiences in the past, to Royal Challenge Packaged Drinking Water, which became the official hydration partner this year, brands are leaning on delivering an immersive fan experience at the event. The common thread binding them together is the emphasis on experiential engagement over passive exposure.

Curiously, it’s not just gaming, tech, or entertainment brands that see value here. Automobiles, banking, FMCG, and even cab services are beginning to tap into Comic Con’s potent mix of youth, passion, and high dwell time.

As Varma points out, “If a brand wishes to engage in experiential marketing with the youth audience, then Comic Con is the place to be.” On average, fans spend 5–6 hours at the event—a metric most advertisers would kill for.

Shefali Johnson, the newly appointed CEO, Comic Con India.

At a time when consumers are increasingly cynical about overt branding, Comic Con India is doubling down on ensuring that sponsor activations are designed to add to the fan experience, not hijack it.

“At Comic Con India, fans typically spend five to six hours at the event, indicating strong engagement,” says Shefali Johnson, the newly appointed CEO of Comic Con India. “Every activation is crafted to feel authentic and meaningful, ensuring fans gain genuine value from their time.”

Johnson is also clear-sighted about balancing brand needs with fandom purity. “Rather than relying solely on traditional visibility like logos or hashtags, we in collaboration with our partners curate experiential booths tailored to audience interests,” she says.

Yamaha’s playbook for cultural relevance

Yamaha Motor India is a telling case study in getting it right. Rather than relying on brand signage, Yamaha crafted immersive brand activations that wove the brand into fans’ emotional experiences.

Instead of static displays, Yamaha offered experiences such as real-time photo-sharing with the RayZR model, a Samurai-inspired activation for the MT-03, a dynamic racing-themed photo-op for the R15, and MotoGP Gaming booths.

"Through these innovative activations, Yamaha builds genuine connections that go far beyond brand visibility," Kaul asserts. Across five cities—Hyderabad, Delhi, Bangalore, Chennai, and Mumbai—the Yamaha pavilion clocked a cumulative footfall of 70,000. Brand engagement surveys conducted during the events are now feeding directly into Yamaha’s future product strategies.

CCI's growth strategy under new leadership

Taking charge in 2025, Johnson has outlined a pragmatic roadmap for Comic Con India’s next phase. Geographic expansion is high on her agenda.

“Over the next 12–18 months, our goal is to expand Comic Con India to more cities, making it more accessible to fans across the country,” Johnson says. The strategy includes exploring deeper brand partnerships, growing IP through merchandise and digital content, and crafting year-round fan experiences.

Since it offers an immersive experience for a youthful audience, Comic Con attracts brands seeking authentic engagement through experiential marketing.

Currently, Mumbai and Delhi are CCI’s revenue and engagement powerhouses, often clocking the highest brand partnerships. While tier-one cities will continue to be core to Comic Con’s revenue strategy, there is a clear ambition to test waters in tier-two cities like Jaipur and Indore.

"Comic Con India is a celebration of community, and as we grow, we’re customising each event to reflect the local fan culture while staying true to our essence," Johnson says.

Building real connections, not just media impressions

Long-term brand partners are sticking around because the format delivers results. "Brands engage through interactive activations, such as live demos, exclusive content drops, and real-time fan interactions," Johnson explains. “It’s a win-win: fans get more of what they love, and brands become part of something meaningful.”

This fan-first orientation makes Comic Con India different from other pop-up youth events or sponsored fests that often feel like glorified logo dumps.

The challenge ahead for Comic Con India is a balancing act: scaling up without diluting its core. As India’s youth culture landscape fragments further—across niche fandoms, fleeting TikTok trends, and hyper-local fan bases—Comic Con will have to keep evolving its strategy.

The metrics are promising: high dwell times, cross-category brand interest, and a proven ability to blend emotional engagement with cultural relevance. But the real test will be sustaining this authenticity at scale.

In a media environment where brands can buy attention but rarely earn it, Comic Con India's model—earn their fandom or go home—might just be the future of youth marketing in India.