Q] Can you give us an idea about the thought behind #BasmatiRiceSeNoCompromise campaign?
We are by far the leader in the Basmati Rice category, and have grown as a leader in the packaged Basmati Rice category. The reason for our loss in business is loose unbranded Basmati that sells in India. There is a compelling reason why consumers have started to gravitate towards packaged basmati rice. Over the years we have seen communications of packaged Basmati rice products highlighting the quality, and so on. This has taken us to a certain level in terms of reach, but now we need to take this to the next level. We realized that just by talking about the product or its long grains, we were not getting the adequate results, or bringing about a behavioural change. That is why we went for this interesting take, where we tell people that if you’re not willing to compromise with the relations you have with your loved ones, then why do you want to compromise with the rice that you buy or the basmati that you bring home? Thus, this #BasmatiRiceSeNoCompromise campaign was born.
Q] What was the marketing mix of this campaign?
Something like food needs to be looked at from a regional lens, and rice is staple in most parts of the country. The way people see Basmati in West Bengal is different from the way they see it in the Hindi-speaking market, and it also differs from South to North. We have clearly defined our objectives by market, and have taken regional insights into our campaign. #BasmatiRiceSeNoCompromise is a national level Hindi market campaign. We are going to be using Digital very strongly in this particular campaign. People will talk about their no-compromise moments and engage with this campaign in a better way. With regard to the marketing mix and funds allocated, we are looking at about 70% for Television, 20% for Digital, and 10% for Print.
Q] What is the kind of target audience you are hoping to reach by casting actor Pankaj Tripathi in the TVC?
We are essentially talking to people who are buying loose unbranded rice, those in the age group of 24 to 45 years, mostly from the small towns, and non-metros. There are three reasons why we chose Pankaj Tripathi for this communication. The first time we heard the scripts from our agency, we decided that there is no one else other than Pankaj Tripathi who can deliver this message strongly. The second reason is that his reach has increased in the post pandemic world, thanks to OTT, and the kind of content that he was creating. The third reason is that the TG that we are talking to is a set of audience which is more exposed to the actor.
Q] We saw a huge surge in the online sales of FMCG products, what percentage of India Gate Basmati Rice’s sales happen via the online route?
If you were to look at the revenue of our consumer pack business, about 20% comes from modern trade, which is the offline modern trade store. And about 8% comes from e-commerce. So, that’s about 28% coming from the modern channels. The rest of it is traditional trade. Now just to give you a sense of the kind of jump that we saw in the e-commerce revenue – pre-pandemic e-commerce was contributing to about 4 to 5% of our revenue, which went up to about 10% during the pandemic, and now it has settled at around 8%.
Q] As you said before, you are the market leaders in the basmati rice segment. Who are your nearest competitors in the country?
There are actually three players right now in the Basmati rice segment. India Gate and Daawat are obviously the two big players, Daawat being the number two player. Fortune is a relatively new entrant in the category, but it is an established brand. However, to answer your question, we see loose unbranded rice as our competition. I feel we will get a fair share of new people who come into the Basmati rice category by virtue of us being the market leader.
PROFILE
Kunal Sharma, Head of Marketing, KRBL Ltd., has 15 years of work experience. He started his career in sales with ITC where he worked for five years, and then Dabur where he worked for nine years. At Dabur, he started his career as a Trade Marketing Manager, and grew to become the Category Head for Health Supplements. Kunal has experience in distribution infrastructure, portfolio strategy, product development, new product launches, brand planning & strategy, trade marketing and sales development, channel management, media planning and digital interventions.
ABOUT THE BRAND
KRBL is one of the world’s largest and only integrated manufacturer and exporter of Basmati rice. KRBL has two state-of-the-art manufacturing units and four technologically advanced packing units strategically located across India. Through their extensive network of 500+ distributors and 3 lakh+ retail outlets operating in more than 750 cities, KRBL enjoys product presence throughout India. It is India’s first, integrated rice company with an extensive supply chain presence and a rich, 130-year history.
FACTS
Media agency: Initiative (Interpublic Group)
Creative Agency: Creativeland Asia
PR Agency: Affiliates PR
