New Delhi: Maggi, the Nestle-owned brand which gave India its instant noodle obsession, has turned 35 years old. The food brand, which also offers products like taste-enhancer Masala-ae-Magic and ketchup, is changing the way it speaks to its consumers by making its advertising more inclusive and women centric.
The narrative is reflected in the new campaign of tastemaker Masala-ae-magic made by advertising agency Publicis India. The film Kuch acha pak raha hai revolves around a story of a mother and son, wherein the mother encourages her son to let his wife work after marriage. This campaign makes a simple yet profound point that just as recipes are changing, our relationships must change too. The larger thought of the campaign is in line with the evolving state of women in India where their voice is becoming prominent in society.
“Maggi is not just a product but it has become a part of our ethos. Food is emotional in nature and often the bedrock of many relationships. As cooking and culture changes, relationships are changing as well which are entwined with each other. As relationships change, the role of women is also changing in our society and from now onwards Maggi’s advertising will reflect that,” said Bobby Pawar, managing director and chief creative officer at Publicis South Asia.
While the Masala-ae-Magic campaign is being promoted on television and digital, the instant noodle brand Maggi has opened its factories and kitchens for consumers. Nestle is executing a web series titled “From Our Kitchen To Your Kitchen”, featuring foodie duo Rocky and Mayur where consumers will be invited to learn about our products and how they are made. The first episode features the duo spending time and understanding how Maggi is made in the company’s manufacturing unit.
“Our consumers are seeking more information on our products than ever before, and this campaign will allow consumers to get the understanding they seek. Maggi aims to showcase the product journey, right from procurement of raw materials to manufacturing, and the role it plays in your diet. This campaign will leverage our 24x7 consumer engagement services team and our digital—www.maggi.in,” said Maarten Geraets, general manager, foods, Nestlé India.
Maggi, as a brand, wants to become more transparent and engaging by continuously talking to consumers and seeking their feedback.
According to brand expert Santosh Desai, chief executive and managing director of Future Brands Ltd, the Maggi brand has done well in India and women centric advertising which is also transparent seems like a reasonable strategy. “However, Maggi needs to find a sharp take on showing women as harbingers of change because it is being done by many brands in their own way. It is important to find some truth to it. Meanwhile, Maggi instant noodles has recovered from a major controversy and thus transparency is a sensible step but transparency is a two street so it is not just about being able to tell your story but also to listen to what consumers are saying,” he said.
Desai also feels that going forward brand Maggi also needs to figure out how its product portfolio will look like in India. Unlike its global markets where soups and tastemakers dominate, Maggi in India is synonymous with instant noodles. “They have to ask if noodles are becoming wholesome and going into health space. Also, it is a good time to launch more products under the brand since food in India has become about excitement and experimentation. But their success will depend on whether the products are rendered for the Indian palate or not,” he said.
