PepsiCo's Kurkure jumps onto cause-wagon

In a new spot-with-a-message led by Tapsee Pannu, the snack brand appears to address tier II consumers.

It is the day and age for all kinds of brands to jump on the cause-led bandwagon that is making its way through the market. It seems like the format is completely segment-agnostic and anyone can get in on the act, including brands like Karare, for instance, who took a ' healthy ' stand in its segment. So, naturally, it came as no surprise when PepsiCo's flagship snack brand, Kurkure hopped on board as well, with a new campaign.

The ready-to-eat snack brand Kurkure unveils its new brand mantra and signs Taapsee Pannu as its brand ambassador

The brand has roped in Bollywood actress, Taapsee Pannu as its brand ambassador. The announcement seems to be strategically timed as Kurkure embarks on a new journey with its new positioning - 'Khayal toh Chatpata hai', celebrating "progressive thinking" that young Indian homemakers bring in to traditional Indian families.

The dialogue in the spot appears to hint at a rather tier 2 setting where the 'aunty' recommends that the bahu take up a hobby at home instead of taking up a job offer of a news anchor that she excitedly shares.

When afaqs! quizzed a PepsiCo India's spokesperson on the brand's core philosophy, among other things, he also informed us that he doesn't consider the brand to be late-entrant to the causevertsing wave at all.

"Through the years, we've focused on celebrating the efforts of Indian homemakers who are at the heart of every 'family moment'. The new journey with 'Khayal toh Chatpata Hai' is a step towards recognising and celebrating progressive thinking amongst Indian homemakers; who have enabled various transformations through their new-age ideologies"

We also asked him if choosing Taapsee as the new face of the campaign had anything to do with the actor playing a self-willed, small-town woman's role in two of her recent Bollywood flicks - Manmarziyaan and Mulk.

He responds, "To take this new journey ahead, we were keen on collaborating with a personality who resonates well with our key target audience, the Indian homemaker. Undoubtedly, Taapsee echoes the essence of Kurkure and is a natural fit for the brand as her versatility in her movies and endeavours beyond, makes her an inspiration to women of all age groups."

Varun Channa, managing partner, JWT (the agency which crafted and conceptualised the 35-second TVC) says that the brand positioning is evolving with the changing consumer and the line 'Kurkure, Khayaal to chatpata hai' resonated well in research across centres.

Better late than never? A half-baked cause-led approach? Over to the experts.

Naren Kaushik

Amit Shankar

Until you reach the end of the film, the ad seems to be filled with the same old tropes we've seen for years - glasses shattering because of high-pitched singing, painting on the face... To Naren Kaushik, ECD, Happy mcgarrybowen, the most interesting thing in the film is the ending dialogue - Khayal toh chatpata hai.

Doesn't it seem like Kurkure is moving into a new zone from the 'tedha hai par mera hai' angle?

Kaushik maintains that it's a bit disappointing that so much more could've happened with that line and it didn't. "It's nothing we haven't seen before - a product like a candy, beverage or snack triggering a thought/idea when one consumes it..." is how he sums it up. Khayaal could have a bit more chatpata, is what he feels.

Family, quirkiness and fun are always part of their advertising. But in the current TVC, Amit Shankar, national creative director, Publicis India, feels that the social concern - women's liberation - that they have picked up, is quite a cliché.

He explains, "Several others brands have taken the same space and come up with better solutions; more engaging, more chatpata. This flavour of advertising has reached its saturation point."

ALSO READ: "Design brief was - catch attention at cluttered point of sale": Jagrut Kotecha, PepsiCo on Kurkure re-packaging

On roping in the Pink actor, Shankar says, "With so much firepower in the casting, the brand could have leveraged the talent better. I think it may have a marginal effect in tier-2 cities, if at all."

A quick glance at the brand's advertising journey so far.

New Kurkure Twistkeen

New Kurkure Trangles

Pammi Aunty (2017)

Family mili