Martist Shifts Focus to Wellness and Leisure in New Growth Strategy

Pune — Hospitality-focused marketing agency Martist has enhanced its foothold in the wellness, leisure and experience-led storytelling segments as a part of its overall growth strategy.

The move, announced in Pune in June 2026, comes as the company celebrates five years of operation and its aim to deepen its engagement with brands operating across the hospitality, travel, wellbeing and lifestyle sectors.

The expansion builds on the agency’s existing hospitality portfolio, while extending its services to businesses who are increasingly relying on experience-driven communication and audience engagement. “The initiative is targeted at brands at the intersection of travel, wellness, leisure and lifestyle, where consumer demand is increasingly driven by authentic experiences and emotional connections,” said Martist.

Expansion Targets Wellness & Leisure Sectors

The agency’s recent growth phase is a reflection of its strategy to focus on areas that have seen a growing interest from consumers on personalised experiences and wellness-oriented offerings. The company said audiences want more meaningful interactions with brands and that is why businesses are going beyond traditional promotional messaging.

“In response to this shift, Martist has been evolving its communication approach by creating storytelling frameworks based on experiences, culture, destinations and human connections,” Martist said. The company’s goal is to assist clients in communicating through narratives that combine place, purpose and engagement, rather than simply product- or service-led messaging.

The expansion also taps into wider trends across the hospitality, travel and wellness industries, where experiential offerings have emerged as a key differentiator for businesses seeking better customer relationships and long-term brand loyalty.

Martist: Portfolio of Agencies in Different Business Sectors

Martist was established in 2021 and its portfolio extends beyond hospitality to retail, lifestyle, wellness and business-to-business clients. It provides services in strategic marketing, content creation, visual storytelling and digital communication.

The company said its multi-disciplinary experience has allowed it to work across a range of sectors, while keeping hospitality as a core area of expertise. In the past five years, agency has been helping brands develop engagement through targeted communication strategies and content-led marketing initiatives.

This foundation is extended by its most recent entry into wellness and leisure, adapting current capabilities to the communication demands of experience-based industries.

Storytelling Style Influenced by Hospitality Background

Martist says its experience in hospitality marketing is a key part of its approach to destination-led and experience-focused communication. With nearly 20 years of hospitality marketing experience the agency has developed frameworks that blend brand strategy with storytelling that works to showcase local culture, travel experiences and consumer journeys.

The company’s approach is centred on weaving hospitality touchpoints, lifestyle experiences, wellness themes and community narratives into larger brand communication strategies. Martist wants to connect these elements to help brands create deeper emotional engagement with their audiences.

The agency said the approach reflects a growing demand for content that resonates with consumers seeking authenticity, personal enrichment and memorable experiences across hospitality and related sectors.

Martist Founder Cites Changing Consumer Expectations

Commenting on the expansion Madhulika Joshi, Founder & CEO, Martist said, “Consumers are increasingly valuing experiences that inspire and create meaningful connections.

She said brands in hospitality, wellness, leisure and lifestyle categories need to focus on emotional engagement and not just transactional communication. “The agency’s goal is to help clients through storytelling that is authentic, engaging and memorable for target audiences,” Joshi said.

The company believes this is a long-term shift in consumer behaviour, with audiences increasingly valuing experiences, personal transformation and culturally relevant narratives.

Martist's Next Phase Will Be Destination, Experience Marketing

As it embarks on its next phase of growth, Martist is well-positioned to ramp up its wellness marketing, leisure-centric communication, destination promotion and experience-based storytelling capabilities. The company said these areas will continue to be a key focus for its development activities.

The agency will continue to serve hospitality clients and plans to expand its support to brands looking to engage audiences more deeply through content, storytelling and strategic communication. The expansion is a signal of the company’s strategy to create a footprint in industries where the experiential value is becoming an increasingly important factor in consumer decision making.

Hospitality remains a core foundation, but Martist’s latest move highlights its intent to expand into adjacent industries while continuing to focus on helping brands build stronger engagement and long-term brand value through storytelling-led marketing strategies.