Kurkure, a product that has been teasing the taste buds of consumers since 1999, has a new offering for its loyalists: Kurkure Chaat Fills. Storyboard18 connected with Aastha Bhasin, category lead, Kurkure, PepsiCo India, to discuss the brand’s new campaign, starring Bollywood actor Sara Ali Khan, the evolution of snacking trends, marketing strategies and a lot more.
Responses have been edited for length and clarity:
What was the genesis of the campaign?
I think the genesis of the product started with a very profound consumer insight, where we thought that the consumers in India were rising on the trend of experimentation. They started to look for newer experiences in newer formats in the snacking space.
As we looked for new snacking space, we understood that there is a huge overlap in this segment. A large chunk of consumers—46 percent—of these consumers are looking for something in the chaat snack. That was the trigger of the whole product launch around Chaat Fills. We tried to bring the crunch of Kurkure and infuse it with a very concentrated filling … as the chaat flavour gives us.
The genesis of this campaign, which talks about ‘Maal Andar Hai’. And the idea of this TVC and proposition is to build out how this product format is being created. And the actual ‘maal’, the actual flavour, is inside the product in the form of a filling. So, it’s only when you bite into it that you get to know all these flavours and textures.
What were the reasons for roping in Sara Ali Khan as a brand ambassador?
I think it’s a constant and a very coherent match between the personality that we seek for the brand and for the Sara Ali Khan that we know and love.
There’s a bit of a funkiness with that. There’s a quirky Indianness that comes with Sara, which is so Kurkure. Certainly it was a marriage that was meant to happen, and we’re very excited that she’s onboarded, and she’s now headlining our launch for Chaat Fills’ wonderful TVC.
What are your expectations of this campaign?
I think this campaign talks to a larger category, which is the fact that we’re trying to bridge this whole street food experience for the salty snacking consumers. We’re expecting and we’re hoping consumers try this product and like it.
How has the target audience evolved over the years?
If you look at it with a very broad lens, then the brand has been around for almost two decades, talking to the Indian youth consumer and trying to offer a new taste and a new palate as his or her taste and palate are evolved. Continually on the Kurkure journey, we’ve had many milestones where we introduced this disruptive innovation and tried to match his or her needs, which have evolved over time.
How have snacking trends evolved over time? Are there any interesting recent trends that are shaping your marketing and product strategies?
With Kurkure, we keep the consumer at the centre of everything we do. We continuously engage. It’s an overall journey, where we understand the larger micro trends in consumer behaviour that will ultimately shape demand for the category.
There is a rise in experimentation that we are seeing, led by this whole up-to-date consumer segment that is seeking more premium, more experience-led product formats.
Kurkure Chaat Fills clearly talks to that need, where we try to cater to this emerging segment by offering them a new format, which probably didn’t exist in the category.
What impact do the festive season, cricket season, other big sports tournaments, etc, have on sales? Do you see a demand spike and how do you build on that?
Festivals and sporting occasions are quite big and relevant for all brands and all portfolios. And when you talk of festive, I think, of course there’s a larger bit of celebration involved, but we’re talking of two distinct sets of consumer needs in the spaces where they’re looking to celebrate with a larger gathering. They are looking for convenience, in terms of what they offer their guests and also value to share it with the larger audience and the larger set of relatives and family. So, our attempt … is to really elevate these moments for our consumers through the stories we tell them through our creatives, how we create the right assortment that offers the right flavours that they can bring home, share with friends and family. Also the right price points and packaging formats that make it accessible and affordable. We work across these multiple vectors, as we look to activate festive and other sporting events.
What’s your media mix when it comes to advertising and promotions such as digital, TV, print and social media? What’s your strategy in influencer marketing?
From a TV and a digital perspective, I think we’ll continue to remain invested in both because ultimately we’re trying to create awareness for this new product with a larger audience. But there’s human merit in being able to personalise and target communication on digital.
So, I think we continue to maintain a healthy mix between the two media as we build out these launches. This leg of Influencer activation is extremely crucial and critical. For a brand such as Kurkure, which has been so connected to Indian consumers over two decades, I think that’s the sweet spot we continue to leverage in this campaign.
Which are the other markets you’re eyeing for Kurkure?
So Kurkure is a homegrown brand, which has got business now across many markets globally. There was Pakistan to begin with. We also have veterans in Canada and some of the other local markets. So, I think the brand is only growing in love globally and is possibly one of the few homegrown brands that has grown globally.
Since Kurkure’s inception, what sort of marketing strategies have been adopted to cement its position with the audience
I think simply put the marketing strategy is centred around consumers and their needs. If you see, for over two decades, we have continued to hold the affinity of our consumers. And I think it’s come on the back of strong brand building, which is still something consumers remember us for.
It has come from continuously evolving with new innovations. So, in the span of the last two months, if you see, we’ve launched three innovations.
And on all these three innovations, we have kind of catered to a diverse set of consumer needs. We have launched Masala Puffs. It’s a very differently textured product. Very light to eat, melt-in-your-mouth experience. Then we’ve launched the Kurkure Sizzlin’ Hot. It’s a flavour innovation. So, we’ve brought in a global flaming hot platform, which is doing well in over 50 countries.
And now, the third one, Chaat fills, is an absolutely groundbreaking innovation. It’s trying to disrupt the strategy with an absolutely new format, where we’re not only talking about a new flavour or a new texture, but we’re actually merging the two and offering a centre-filled offering.
What are your targets for Kurkure in the coming years?
To grow in consumer affinity will continue to be our end goal from the marketing standpoint, because it’s so heartening to see that even in the latest Kantar survey, which is a third-party survey, we were voted as the most chosen FMCG brand.