Nestlé now has an AI bot - NINA...

Nestlé India's Nutrition Assistant is the country's first AI Assistant built in association with Google.

It's the simple things that matter most when we use artificial intelligence (AI) enabled tools for our daily activities. Whether we want to get a quick workout done or get nutritional feedback for our last meal, these bots are crushing it in the health space. The latest to introduce a health-specific AI tool is Nestlé India with AskNestlé.in and the country's first AI Assistant-NINA (Nestlé India Nutrition Assistant) to be built in association with Google.

AskNestlé.in provides real-time, personalised advice on nutrition that is balanced, relevant, scientifically derived and can be customised for the audience. With AskNestlé.in, parents can access a 'Growth Tracker' to enable them to track how their kids are growing. AskNestlé.in also offers 'Custom Meal Plans' personalised for regional preferences and allergies and a 'Food Diary' to enter what the child has eaten through the day to generate a nutrition score.

Rashi Goel

"The service has bite-sized and simple content that answers daily nutrition questions - recipes, nutrition facts, tiffin recipes, tips to get fussy eaters to eat. The service also has a live-chat function that allows consumers to chat with Nestlé nutrition experts," says Rashi Goel, VP - Consumer Communications, Nestlé India.

Google has assisted the team at Nestlé to chart-out the most relevant consumer journey to address the query a parent may have. The assistant platform also makes voice-enabled conversations a reality, equipping mothers to address their nutritional queries verbally and instantly. As the assistant is used regularly, machine learning will ensure that it only gets more responsive and helpful for parents.

ALSO READ: Nestlé gets 'food influencers' Rocky and Mayur to visit Maggi's factories

"The thought behind NINA was to embrace new-age technology to make simple and relevant nutritional information accessible to all. The chatbot rested on Google's assistant platform, allows mothers to have a conversation on how to improve the nutritional intake of their kids and to make good food habits a reality," informs Goel.

Through extensive online research and from the deep insights Nestlé has on nutrition, the brand identified three main concerns/barriers that mothers face while investigating the growth and development of her child. These include - 'Is my child growing right (height and weight)?; Is my child getting enough nutrition?; and What can I feed my child to make his nutritional intake better?

Additionally, specific concerns like fussy eating or the science behind nutrition is also a concern that healthcare providers, social media groups and internet searches may not be able to answer specifically. Keeping the above in mind, the brand designed the content and functionality of AskNestlé.in.

Communicating to Consumers

As part of the marketing initiative, Nestlé India launched a corporate campaign. Conceptualised and created by McCann World Group, the TVCs take a unique view on the evolving relationship between mothers, grandmothers and children. The two slice-of-life films - one on Dahi Shakkar and another on Hot Food on a Banana leaf - showcase how kids today question Indian traditions and how their guardians can explain the facts they learn on AskNeslte.in to their kids.

'What's with food on a Banana Leaf?': AskNestlé.in's latest campaign

Why have Dahi Shakkar, before an exam?: AskNestlé.in's latest campaign

"We felt this was the best narrative to use, given what the product delivers and the format we have chosen to deliver it in. AskNestlé.in is all about demystifying the science behind nutrition while preserving the old and embracing the new. Hence, for the digital format we have developed, the route we have chosen is the most apt and all this whilst keeping the tonality light and engaging," says Goel.