VGSoM recently had the privilege of hosting Mr. Amit Shah, Associate Director - Marketing - Gum, Candy & Beverages - India at Mondelēz International for a guest lecture. Having more than 15 years of work experience at leading Corporate & MNC organisations like Dabur India Ltd. and Mondelēz International, Mr.Shah brought across a vast knowledge base to share with the batch.
The session kicked off with the story of Mondelez International coming into existence as a brand. The story of Tang’s excursion to the moon with Neil Armstrong however, explained the sentimental value it carries in the American market. The idea of refreshing the hero within kids and subsequent social context was matched with the advertisements laid out by Tang. Several genius advertisements and customer experiences from history were talked about, which struck an insightful discussion.
The events in the lecture observed a detailed account of Tang’s beginning phase and the hurdles faced by it in order to become the established brand it is today. The initial tie-up with Dabur which was terminated and an entry from there into the Indian market along with the challenge faced was an insightful account in itself. The major challenge that the company had to face was of old inventory which led to uncertainty in the market. This little hiccup was excellently managed by the then MD, Mr. Anand who emphasised towards implementing basics brilliantly with a motto of, “Do less, Deliver more”.
The brand in recovery launched one of the most loved flavours among Indians, Mango. These new stocks were introduced through the modern trade and saw a huge success in the market. The strategy and advertisement plan behind the Mango flavour and an attempt to relate to the pleasure of eating a mango was relayed extensively in the market. This new wave went viral and scored the market figures in Tang’s favour.
The discussion was followed by the big fruit story and the revamped packaging and the minor elements involved which enhanced further the growth of the brand Tang. In order to further enhance the growth of this seasonal drink, the strategy to move from cupboard shelf to refrigerator or RTD (Ready to Drink) space was under consideration. This led to the new small 1 litre packaging that solved some very basic problems that were faced by masses. Another move of providing a free shaker to inculcate the culture of RTD was a commendable marketing strategy to ensure the perfect taste and ease of use. All of this, the great success story that this product had managed to achieve globally was a carefully thought out and brilliantly executed strategy by the management at Mondelez. It described the journey of a brand and gave us invaluable insights on the nuances of brand management.
The session ended with a Q&A round and was filled with extensive questions to which Mr. Shah gladly poured insights and registered new curiosities and interests in the marketing enthusiasts. The students were delighted to receive goodies and relished Mondelez products like Tang, chocolates and Oreo biscuits which Mr. Shah was very generous to bring along for the students.
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