New campaign by Tasty Treats highlights the range and product adaptability

When is a good time to have a quick snack? Any time, as long as you are an Indian. Little wonder, snack foods are a $4.5 billion market in India, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 11.8 per cent between 2018-21. To grab a bigger bite of this market Future Consumer has launched a new television campaign for its Tasty Treats brand which comprises a range of snack foods such as popcorns, firangi bhujias and digestive cream biscuits in the price range of Rs 20 to Rs 45.

The campaign, titled #ChakChakChakChabao, has a montage film depicting a variety of scenarios in a typical Indian household  where snacks ranging from biscuits to noodles to chips are integral to every ‘gathering’. A foot-tapping background number by popular rapper Kaam Bhaari aims to woo a young age cohort.  “The idea was to unabashedly talk about taste and the pleasure of munching,” says Ramanuj Shastry, founder and director, Infectious, the marketing agency behind the campaign. According to Shastry, people love to munch, whether they are hungry or not. This is a quintessentially Indian trait and the theme of the current campaign.

But it is not just the idea of snacking or mindless munching that will be the highlight of the Tasty Treats campaign. The fun of not having to cook is as much a part of the campaign as the joy of eating. “We are trying to show how one item can be adapted into different cuisines. Take Chinese cuisine which has become a favourite in Indian households. We have a snack variant with a typically Chinese flavour,” says Sadashiv Nayak, chief executive offcer, Food Business, Future Group. 

Nayak explains the three basic ideas behind the campaign: The first one, of course, is about adapting different cuisines to conjure up a completely new item; the other is to continuously make products that are affordable and can be enjoyed by every member of a family. The third, Nayak asserts, is the concern about availability. “Take digestive biscuits or honey. Barring organised outlets, you cannot be sure you will find the stock throughout the year at all the outlets,” he says. Given Big Bazaar’s footprint — it has 280 stores in 140 cities — Nayak is hopeful availability or visibility will not be an issue.  

The brand will also score on pricing, he hopes. The products are priced 5-10 per cent lower than comparable products. The company does not rule out dynamic pricing. Nayak says prices might change in four-six months depending on the reaction of the market. “Actually the competition is more on the taste and not the price. The customer should be willing to try out the new product and be ready to accept the change,” he adds. The company would be “open to feedback whether to rework a product or to completely remove a product from the market”. 

But breaking into a market that is chock-a-bloc with a number of national and a whole host of local players will not be easy. Dismissing all apprehensions, Nayak says a brand’s nimbleness is determined by its ability to introduce newer products into the market. “There is a need to constantly look at what a geography needs and then explore it nationwide,” he adds. “That is what we are doing. Constantly challenging the taste buds by experimenting with flavours, micro-managing shelf arrangement and being fearless about fusion.” 

At a budget of Rs 12-20 million, the campaign’s hashtag #ChakChakChakChabao is already trending across social media channels. The group is now looking to rope in more celebrities for the next phase of the campaign.