Maintaining relevance and beloved status: Nitin Saini on Mondelez's 75-Year brand legacy

After launching in 1948, Cadbury, now a part of Mondelez International, spent nearly five decades strengthening its presence in the confectionery market. Later, it set its eye to compete with the Indian traditional sweets sector. Then came the brand’s breakthrough campaign – ‘Asli Swad Zindagi Ka’ which changed the way the country started perceiving the brand. From being a brand that offered products that were perceived as novelty and for children, started becoming a household name. 

This year, the company marked its 75th year in the country. In the last 75 years, the company has given some iconic campaigns like 'Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye’, 'Tyarri Jeet Ki', 5 Star’s Ramesh Suresh, and the most recent one being ‘Shah Rukh Khan My Ad’. All these ads have helped in making Mondelez a household brand in India. 

In a country that thrives on emotions and festivities, the brand has seemingly integrated itself into these occasions. Be it cricket or Raksha Bandhan, the brand’s association with celebration has become synonymous. Nitin Saini, VP of Marketing of Mondelez India, said that this is because the company embraces emotional connections and celebrates family values in their core messaging that aptly resonate with the aspirations of the Indian audience. 

Taking us through the company’s long marketing journey, Nitin Saini highlights how communication for the brand has changed over the seven decades, how the festive time is unfolding for them, and more.

Edited Excerpts: 

Can you provide an overview of Mondelez India's journey over the past 75 years, from its inception to its current position in the market? Whether it is ‘Asli Swad Zindagi Ka’ or 'Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye’, 'Tyarri Jeet Ki', to Ramesh Suresh or owning generosity, Mondelez has focused on bringing emotion in marketing to connect with consumers. Can you speak more on this -- what are some commonalities and differences one can spot across Mondelez's portfolio in marketing?

Cadbury Dairy Milk’s entry in India in 1948 marked a defining moment, transforming the way India perceived chocolates and establishing an incredible 75-year legacy in the country. The deep-rooted affection of Indian consumers for Mondelez offerings elevated our brands to the status of a household name. Over the years, our product portfolio, which includes brands like Cadbury Dairy Milk, Oreo, Bournvita, 5 Star, Perk, Gems, etc., became synonymous with every kind of celebration and relevant across shared moments of happiness.

However, this remarkable journey was not without its fair share of challenges; in a nation where traditional Indian sweets always held sway, chocolates were historically viewed as a treat primarily meant for children. This changed with our breakthrough campaign, ‘Asli Swad Zindagi Ka’, where a young woman is seen dancing on a cricket field with absolute abandon and enjoying a bar of the brand’s iconic chocolate, ‘Cadbury Dairy Milk’. This ad launched in 1994 broke the brand’s ‘kids-only’ image and positioned it as a product for adult consumption. Ever since there has been no looking back to become a brand focused on driving a forward-looking narrative while being deeply rooted in culture. Moving forward, we continued this journey through meaningful partnerships and narratives capturing slice-of-life moments with a Cadburylicious twist. Eg - We onboarded Bollywood Superstar Amitabh Bachchan, who, through a series of ‘Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye’ ads in the 2000s, displayed the role chocolates can play in celebrating key milestones/festivities. At the same time, it was also the debut of our communication strategy targeting consumers in rural areas through ‘Miss Palampur’ campaign. Thus, the approach was always 360 degrees, where Mondelez focused on capturing varied audiences across geographies through unique and iconic narratives, complimenting it with strong route-to-market strategies.

But as our consumers evolved, so did our brands. Influence of the West, increasing consumer awareness and exploration and preference for brands that serve a purpose, led our brands to step beyond storytelling and enter the realm of story-doing aka establishing every brand’s purpose. Eg- Cadbury Dairy Milk overtook the Generosity spirit with the narrative evolving from ‘Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaaye’ to the current ‘Kuch Accha Ho Jaaye, Kuch Meetha Ho Jaaye’ highlighting the need for extending generosity to oneself and to others. This was pertinent to Mondelez India's marketing excellence journey that the company aims to elevate further in the coming years.

Throughout all brand journeys, the most important aspect for us is to ensure the brand places trust and authenticity at the center of all its communication and abides by its core purpose. 

Now, the fourth pillar playing an important role in this strategy is data and digital, which is helping us personalize@scale and stay ahead of the curve with campaigns like – Cadbury Celebrations’ Not Just A Cadbury Ad, Gems NFT, 5 Stars Everywhere, Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk’s Valentine Date in the Metaverse, etc.

You joined Mondelez way back in 2003. In the 20 years that you have been with the company, can you describe your journey within the company and how your role has evolved over the years?

I started my journey at Mondelez as a Management Trainee in 2003, and it’s been 20 years since. Over the years, I held various marketing and sales roles, gaining valuable learnings that have contributed to my expertise. I took on significant roles, such as Category Manager for Cadbury Dairy Milk, where I oversaw end-to-end marketing for the brand and launched successful campaigns. Later, as Head of Customer Marketing, I managed trade marketing, in-store activation, shopper marketing, and more for all categories. Subsequently, I transitioned to a global role as Global Brand Senior Director for Oreo and later served as Vice President for Oreo in the U.S. before taking on my current role as Vice President of Marketing for Mondelez India, where I oversee the entire brand portfolio. 

Firstly, the importance of brand purpose has been the guiding light throughout my career. Brands with a strong and meaningful purpose are more likely to connect with consumers and build long-term loyalty. During different roles, I've also learned the significance of being consumer-centric. Whether working in global markets or in India, it's vital to maintain a constant pulse on evolving consumer preferences. This knowledge helps us plan and adapt to changing trends and demands effectively. Lastly, the power of tech and data-driven marketing has been a transformative force. Data, when used correctly, can work wonders for a brand. At Mondelez, we've continually explored newer ways to leverage data, including experimenting with emerging tech and innovative formats to enhance our marketing strategies. We have never been shy to test and learn, even if we fail, as every move is a stepping stone towards future success. These learnings have not only shaped my career but also played a pivotal role in the success of the brands and businesses I've been a part of at Mondelez. 

From the Cadbury girl to the latest SRK AI ad, Cadbury has gone through multiple stages of marketing strategies. How has the communication for the brand changed over the seven decades?

Over the course of seven decades, Cadbury's marketing strategies in India have undergone a significant evolution, aligning with the changing preferences of Indian consumers. In the 1990s, our iconic 'Kuch Khaas Hai' campaign for Cadbury Dairy Milk highlighted the role of our chocolate in everyday moments, emphasizing shared moments of happiness and life's simple pleasures. In the 2000s, Cadbury Dairy Milk continued the journey with the 'Asli Swaad Zindagi Ka' campaign, reinforcing that our chocolates elevate life's experiences but through a quirky depiction that was unique and path-breaking for that era's audience. 

Infusing joy, embracing emotional connections, and celebrating family values were core elements of our messaging, resonating with the aspirations of the Indian audience.

Throughout the years, we introduced beloved characters like the 'Cadbury Girl,' 'Pappu,' 'Ramesh,' and 'Suresh', showcasing our ability to cater to diverse consumer preferences with the right balance of fun and indulgence. 

While at the base level, our efforts and ways to connect with the consumer remain the same, the brand values have evolved wherein purpose has become core to all communication at the back of leveraging technology to empathise and personalize@scale as seen in the latest Diwali campaign #ThisAdIsMyStore and previously in 'Shah Rukh Khan - My Ad' campaign. Recently, the 'Birthday Campaign' by Cadbury Celebrations enabled consumers to create personalized birthday songs for loved ones using AI. The campaign ‘Say It with Oreo’ with Farhan Akhtar was crafted to rekindle Oreo’s purpose to ‘Stay Playful’ by leveraging the insight that everyone from kids to adults could do with a little bit of playfulness to cut through the seriousness of their daily conversations and queries. This was done based on the deployment of cutting-edge AI text and voice engines to help people overcome their witty blues and turn speechless situations into playful ones.

Looking ahead, Mondelez India will stay committed to embracing emerging technologies to meet evolving consumer needs, ensuring our campaigns are engaging, interactive, and aligned with our brand identity and purpose.

Mondelez has seen its fair share of challenges. What would be your advice to brands who face a crisis in communication? 

Mondelez's crisis communication strategy hinges on transparency, honesty, and customer dedication. Maintaining composure and focusing on issue resolution is crucial to navigating challenges effectively. Honesty is our guiding principle, and outlining a clear plan for resolution is essential for regaining trust. In the digital age, social media and online platforms are vital for staying connected with our audience. Monitoring these channels, responding promptly to inquiries, and providing regular updates are central to our open communication approach, ensuring accessibility for consumers and stakeholders.

In recent years, Mondelez has experimented with many AI ads. The Indian A&M industry is actively participating in incorporating AI in their campaigns. What do you think the future of AI looks like in the Indian context? How can brands leverage the full potential of AI and integrate it into their festive campaigns?

Recently, Mondelez has been at the forefront of incorporating AI across advertising campaigns. Our early adoption of digitization and technology has allowed us to anticipate consumer behavior and trends, enabling us to take a digital-led approach to our storytelling. We have set up a consumer digital organization where the team is concentrating on owned media platforms. We believe it is also about engaging with consumers on an ongoing basis, gathering data, and making it smarter along the way. By prioritizing the responsible cultivation of first-party data, we are strategically building a direct and meaningful connection with our consumers. This approach not only enables us to navigate the changing privacy landscape but also empowers us to deliver even more personalized and relevant experiences.

Our 'Shahrukh Khan, My Ad' campaign, is a prime example of how AI can be harnessed to craft highly personalized and engaging campaigns that resonate with the diverse Indian audience. It demonstrated the potential of AI to adapt in real-time based on audience sentiment and provide interactive experiences that yield valuable insights for future endeavors. As we move forward, we firmly believe that AI will remain central in shaping the future of advertising and marketing in India.

The festive season in general is crucial for the A&M sector. Mondelez has always gone big during this time. Can you give details on how important this time of the year is for you and what can we expect from Mondelez brands this year?

The festive season is of paramount importance to Mondelez. It's a time when people come together, celebrate, and share moments of joy with their loved ones, and that’s when our brand Cadbury Celebrations, enters with the goal to continue spreading joy and sweetness during this special time. The season starts with Rakhi for us followed by several regional festivities tapped by key brands (Tang’s Onam Tangy Tales, Oreo Pookalam, Perk’s Chaap Khabo na, Perk Khabo!, etc.) from the house of Mondelez and moving on to Diwali. 

Like every year, we relooked at how we can spread Generosity this Diwali and introduced #ThisAdIsMyStore campaign. With #ThisAdIsMyStore, this time Cadbury Celebrations is giving talented homepreneurs the platform to shine by turning every Cadbury ad across all formats – including billboards, digital outdoors, mobile outdoors, online, print, and TV – into a shoutout for their business aka ghar ki dukaan. Each ad features a unique QR code that redirects users to their local homepreneur’s WhatsApp for Business chat, where they can discover and shop for homemade items.

In today's fast-paced and highly competitive market, it's essential for brands to recognize the incredible potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in marketing. One smart approach is to harness AI is for personalized recommendations. With this strategy, algorithms dive deep into customer data to offer tailored festive product suggestions. This not only enhances the customer experience but also drives sales. It can also work wonders when it comes to content creation. AI can generate compelling copy and design eye-catching visuals efficiently, allowing brands to churn out engaging content in abundance. The technology’s ability to dissect social media conversations is another game-changer. This information can be invaluable for creating content that resonates with the festive spirit and captures the attention of your target audience.

How has the consumer behavior and market landscape changed in the Indian snack and confectionery industry in recent years, and how is Mondelez adapting to these changes?

The shifts in consumer behavior and the snacking market landscape present interesting opportunities for us at Mondelez. Indian consumers view snacking as building connections or stealing small moments of indulgence in their lives. And while intuitive snacking is on the rise, so is the need for balanced indulgence. Our recent State of Snacking report also found that many consumers are tuning into portion sizes. Building on this year-on-year study, Mondelez has responded proactively by introducing variants and different size packs to empower people with choices and satiate the ever-evolving consumer palate. Secondly, the proliferation of e-commerce and digitalization has transformed the way consumers discover, purchase, and engage with snack brands. This shift is also shaping our omni-channel strategy wherein we want to make sure that we are present wherever our consumers are.

As a giant that has stayed relevant for 75 years, what would be your advice to brands about building brands and gaining loyalty? 

Building a brand cherished for 75 years demands an unwavering commitment to core principles. We prioritize maintaining consistent brand quality and identity while adapting to evolving consumer preferences, embracing customer-centricity through deep insights, and evoking emotions via compelling storytelling. Innovation drives us to explore new products and technologies. Reliability and sustainability define our reputation and foster trust and loyalty. We harness technology to enhance customer experiences and engagement, staying aligned with cultural shifts while preserving our authenticity. In our journey, we’ve not only stayed resilient but steadfast, cultivating open feedback channels and delivering enduring value to our customers, ensuring Mondelez remains relevant and beloved for generations.