The sweetest story ever told… or heard
What makes a successful brand?
• Carves out a distinct role in the consumer’s life
• Constantly delights the consumer year after year
• Consistent value proposition• Local expressions of universal needs
Elicit a ‘WOW’ at any given time
Cadbury Dairy Milk The Real Taste of Success
What does CDM stand for world-wide?
Brand Promise
Cadbury Dairy Milk is the most delicious, best tasting chocolate.
A moment of pure magic.
CDM is Chocolate
Brand Character
Cadbury Dairy Milk encapsulates an enormous breath of emotions, from
shared values such as family togetherness (fun, wholesome,
reliable), to the personal values of individual enjoyment.
It stands for goodness.
The Indian Chapter
The Challenge
• Get people accustomed to chocolates- primarily seen as a western taste
• Do so by reaching out to the masses in a land where mindsets and preferences are as diverse as the country itself
CDM in the 80’s
• Brand was considered as a surrogate of parental affection for their children
• The chocolate goodness (appetite appeal) was being harnessed
The Expression
CDM positioned as ‘The perfect expression of parental love’
‘Sometimes a Cadbury can say it better than words’
1980 TVC
Category audits in early 1990’s
• Chocolate are meant for kids only
• Seen as an indulgence product
• Negative associations– Too much was bad
– Bad for health
Key Issue
With communication consciously addressing kids, consumption also got
restricted within the same segment resulting in brand stagnation
Marketing Challenge
To expand the consumer base by making CDM aspirational and desirable
to the adult segment
The Unshackling of CDM in 1994
Communication Task
To increase category relevance, give consumers a taste of life the Cadbury
Dairy Milk way - real, fun and free.
Integrate the "real" chocolate of Cadbury Dairy Milk to "real" feelings.
What was the consumer saying??
Extensive brand audits on the consumer pulse revealed that Cadbury Dairy Milk moments were spontaneous, carefree,
special, real moments.
So, what if these ‘moments’ were brought back to life even for adults?
The atmosphere at that time…
The new resurgent India.
The era of globalization had sowed the seeds of ‘I wanna break free’ syndrome
Avenues for freedom for expression were more than welcome
The BIG idea
Cadbury Dairy Milk-
The chocolate for the kid in all of us.
The Communication
The Real Taste of Life.
Brand Positioning
CDM is the perfect expression of spontaneous, happy, joyous feelings.
Eating CDM provides the ‘Real Taste of Life’ experience.
RTOL TVC
And the result…
‘94 v/s ‘93
Category 12 43
22 52
Brand 31 54
Moulded segment
Parameters ‘95 v/s 94
‘Vol. Gr. ‘Vol. Gr.
Legitimising of CDM in 1998
In 1997
• Hurdles at a competitive level
– Launch of Kit Kat which was considered as young, trendy, future, exciting, smart
– Threat from imported premium moulded brands like Lindt, Ritter, Van Houten
• Hurdles at the communication level– “Real Taste of Life Campaign” cut ice
with the metro audience, – The barriers of Middle/Bottom end
consumers still remained to be addressed
– As a result, brand growth rate was slower than the chocolate market growth
In 1997
What next???
The “Indianisation” of the brand
To increase width of consumption by entering
the Indian mind-space -
Make CDM part of Indian customs and mores
What next???
CDM to be the Real Taste of
Everyone's Life.
For Regular users
Position CDM as the gold standard in taste amongst chocolates
Creative Idea I will do anything to eat my CDM
The twin platforms
For Infrequent users
Position CDM as the chocolate meant for everyone
Chocolate = CDM
Creative Idea You don’t need any special reason
to eat CDM
For Regular users
The executions
Train TVC
For Infrequent Users
The executions
Cyrus TVC
The result...
Vendor TVC’s cut ice among both heavy as well as marginal user
The strategy helped increase brand penetration (specially in smaller towns)
leading to a brand growth of around 40%
The result...
Volumes grew by 34% post ad exposure (i.e Jul-Dec ‘00) vis-à-vis
pre ad period (i.e. Jan-Jun ‘00)
Overall CDM volumes of 2000 grew by more than 30% over 1999
Parallel initiatives
Beefed up distribution system (grown by over 60% over past 5 years)
Increased points of contact
(Bringing CDM closer to the consumer)
The third discontinuity
CDM in 2002
Competitive Environment
• Influx of several brands at various price points offering greater perceived value
• While attitudes towards chocolates softened, consumers flirted with options
The Challenge
Reinforce pre-eminence of the brand
The Execution
Product
Range of new, international pack formats – a CDM for every need
CDM for every need
• For chocoholics -
CDM Chunky
• For Connoisseur -
- Bournville
- Fruit & Nut
CDM for every need
• Gifting - Gift packs
• In-home consumption
• ‘Muh Meetha Karna’
The Execution
Communication
Reinforce relationship of brand in the consumer’s life
CDM in 2002
I eat CDM when I am happy, sad
CDM is always there with me
CDM mere mun mein rahata hai
CDM is almost like an ideal companion
Consumer Speak
Insight
The Brand Platform
I need a friend who sees me through all my
emotions
CDM uplifts my spirits like a true
friend
Sailor and Tennis TVCs
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
450
93 95 97 99
Index sales
The Sweet Taste of Success
A brand that captures your mind gains behaviour.
A brand that captures your heart gains commitment.
Scott Falgo
100%
89%
85%
84%
68%
99%
84%
77%
64%
8%Bonding
Advantage
Performance
Relevance
Presence
Commitment to the brand - India
CDM Intl. Choc. Brand in India
Source: IMRB U&A Study
CDM India – a global benchmark
Today, India is the second largest market for CDM in the world
The Indian case-study has been designated as the "blueprint for success" for all international markets to emulate.
But there are newer challenges
Strike a balance between the CDM enlistment (in non-metros) and the
increasing usage in Metros
Drive CDM ‘Ultimate Chocolate Experience’ values across the Mega Brand Range
Make CDM a part of the Indian shopping basket
Our goal
Ensure a CDM in very pocket
Lesson
A Brand is a Brand is a Brand
As long as it connects with the consumer, remains relevant & excites her, it doesn’t matter
whether it’s Indian or not
Thank you
Care for some chocolate?