Our learning is that when a new product is introduced, OOH plays an important role: Nitin Saini, Mondelez India

Helming the top marketing job at Mondelez India is a sweet gig. Nitin Saini who took over as the snack giant’s vice president of marketing in November 2022 is flagging off the first big launch under his leadership. It is a combination of chocolate chips and cookies — Cadbury Chocobakes Choco Chip Cookies.

It is the third offering under the Cadbury Chocobakes brand. The other two are the Cadbury Chocobakes Layered Cakes and the Cadbury Chocobakes Choc Filled Cookies. Both were launched in 2020.

The decision to launch a new cookie falls in the line with the company’s global long-term strategy — dubbed Vision 2030 — to generate 90% of revenue in chocolate and biscuits, including baked snacks.

Mondelez India first entered the Indian biscuits category in 2011 with the launch of Oreo. Its turnover for 2021-22, as per Business Standard, was Rs 9,296 crore in 2021-22.

Choco chip cookies, as per Saini, is the biggest segment within the chocobakery category and “building a strong position in biscuits is a priority.”

The new Chocobakes cookies’ choco chips are bite-sized Cadbury and the vice president of marketing believes it will act as the “firepower” behind the product.

Building awareness around this new cookie is a priority for the Chocobakes brand. An integrated campaign from the Ogilvy and Wavemaker combo is the primary vehicle to get this chocolate chip cookie into the minds of consumers.

Consumers will see the campaign on TV and digital, and Saini surprisingly points to OOH as a preferred medium. “Our learning is that when a new product is introduced, OOH plays an important role,” he says. There are activations plans in e-commerce as well.

Mondelez India, despite its formidable distribution and marketing chops, will have its task cut out when it comes to the Cadbury Chocobakes Choco Chip Cookies because it will compete with the likes of Parle (Hide & Seek) and Amul’s choco chip cookies; both brands have been in the market for years and enjoy enviable equity.

Countering them and other rivals and “acting as a differentiator is the power of the Cadbury brand,” remarks Saini. He reminds everybody that even “if you are not the first entrant, you can still succeed” citing the success of Cadbury Oreo despite other players’ existence when it launched.

There is no particular consumer group that Cadbury Chocobakes Choco Chip Cookies prefers. “We are looking at families in the moment of joyful family time, we feel it's for everyone and that's how we will position it,” reveals Saini.

The cookie’s distribution is on expected lines with offline and online enjoying equal preference. However, the price points (Rs 40 and Rs 80) will play out differently. “The bigger price point will have an over-index in modern trade while the Rs 40 will main skew in traditional trade when it comes to expanding distribution,” explains Saini.

He, when it comes to the pricing strategy, says they (Mondelez India) look at the landscape and the price point at which they will be able to offer the right experience to the consumer and it differs from brand to brand. “We'd also look at what makes sense from a profitability standpoint, there is no single answer, we have to look at all pieces.”

The new choco chip cookie will have to win on the distribution and marketing fronts to stand out. Says Saini, “We firmly believe in a collective sales and marketing effort whenever it comes to a new launch.”

Mondelez India over the past few years has built a reputation for innovative work, especially with the use of technology. When asked if it was a strategic move, the VP of marketing says that while innovation can be a very important driver of business, “you need to grow the core and do innovation that is incremental and brings back energy on the brand.”

He strongly believes it is important to understand consumer needs that the company can address and offer through its product. “Consumer centricity is at the heart of anything we do.”