When it comes to brand endorsing, there is someone who could give stiff competition to the likes of SRK, Sachin Tendulkar and now, even Virat Kohli. Chhota Bheem is not just a children’s favourite, he is very much an advertisers fantasy too.
The Gopal Group (now rechristened as GCl), leading manufacturers and distributors of tobacco since 1942, is now aggressively looking at garnering a strategic presence in the FMCG sector with the launch of Tat-O potato chips and guess who their brand ambassador isIJ
“We wanted to enter the markets through our young connoisseurs and we are happy that our marketing strategy has paid the dividend. When we thought of the chips, we wanted to rope in the children’s favourite character. After talks with Pogo and Cartoon Network we have him on our packs. It is working wonders,” Apoorv Gupta, director of GCl tells you excitedly. He is looking forward to introducing the never-tried-before flavours in the market.
So don’t be surprised if you see a chips in arabiatta flavour or even a paprika flavoured packet in the supermarket soon enough.
“If we can eat arabiatta pasta then why won’t people dig into a chips of that flavour. We have always believed in delivering high-quality products and so we are here,” Gupta who carries his Italian experience to the Indian market says. For him their foray into the FMCG sector is going to ensure unbelievable sales figures.
The aim is to slowly but surely replace the international players by bringing desipan. A strategy that has always worked with the Guptas.
“We also have healthy chips for our health enthusiasts. The snacks market is booming. There is a 25 per cent growth recorded in it every year. We also want a share of that pie. Come 2015, and we will want to be the main players in this business as well,” Gupta says at a Press event held recently.
According to a survey done on the Potato Chips Market in India, the findings revealed that there was in excess of 2 lakh packets being sold in the country per day. Of which only 15 per cent have been for adult consumption. As per the projections this figure could touch 5 lakh a day in 2014.
“There is a huge potential in the chips market but the question is what will the new players bring to the table that already is not thereIJ” queried Professor Ramakrishnan Dua, marketing and processing professor at the lB institute in New Delhi. According to him along with the tastes even the pricing per packet makes a huge difference. Ranging anywhere between Rs 5-Rs 30 is a safe bet, says Prof Dua.
As for Chhota Bheem, he seems to be getting more popular with his fans each passing day. “He is our lucky mascot,” Gopal Gupta, chairman, GCl concludes.
