Neha Prasad explains PepsiCo's Kurkure "Halke Mein Lo" claim

One of India's most well-known snack brands, Kurkure, has expanded its brand with the introduction of a brand-new sub-brand, Kurkure Playz, adding a lighthearted element to the new year. The hugely successful and well-liked Kurkure Playz Puffcorn and the brand-new Kurkure Playz Pastax are included in this lineup in response to the growing consumer preference for light-textured snacks.

Kurkure has unveiled a humorous new TV campaign to kick off 2023 and celebrate its brand-new sub-brand, Kurkure Playz. The light texture of the snack is brought to life by the setting of the movie in an old cottage where a family has recently relocated. Young guy protagonist and his family are horrified to death by an unexpected ghost while settling into their new home. However, after taking a bite of Kurkure Playz Puffcorn, the young child's fear transforms into a laid-back "Halke Mein Lo" attitude, inspiring him to make clever jokes that turn a terrifying situation into a laugh riot.

Neha Prasad, Associate Director, Brand Marketing - Kurkure, PepsiCo India, commented on the introduction of Kurkure Playz Pastax by saying, "Industry reports show that there is an increasing demand for soft textured snacks, which is growing at 10% CAGR and significantly contributes to India's salty snacks market. Kurkure is launching a new, contemporary sub-brand called Kurkure Playz for the younger audience in an effort to capitalise on this expanding but fiercely competitive market. It consists of two components: the puff and the pellet segment. With the product Puffcorn, which we are bringing under the banner of Kurkure Playz, we already had a play in the puff market, but we did not have a play in the pellet market, which has seen significant growth momentum in recent years. Through Kurkure Playz Pastax, this campaign also serves as our entry into the pellet category.

Kurkure Playz Pastax is on its way to great heights, she continued. Otherwise, masala and tomato flavours dominate this category. Most competitors have not been able to successfully launch a differentiated offering like Pastax, which we are doing by introducing our product in foreign flavours. The creamy herb and onion flavour of Kurkure Playz Pastax was introduced and is a highly distinctive flavour in this category. Playz Pastax was a top-performing concept on the list when we asked consumers about the overall concept, and we got the go-ahead from them.

"It's important to understand the Gen Z consumers who make up our target market. We looked at a variety of consumer sites to determine what caught this generation's attention and what sets us apart from the other companies that compete in this market," Prasad continued.

Speaking more specifically about the campaign, she stated, "The entire approach of 'Halke Mein Lo' is very seamless, which is so slang to this generation that we feel it's a huge idea, and we have only touched the tip of the iceberg. The "Halke Mein Lo" campaign is all about taking a lighter approach to life, which is facilitated by the way we stacked the light texture of these products. With our campaign, which debuted on television on December 30, 2022, we have already begun this. With the same concept as "Halke Mein Lo," but told in a different way, we will also be releasing another creative or TVC. The plan is to use it on a variety of platforms, including digital ones, in addition to TVC. As part of our comprehensive 360-degree surround campaign, we are also preparing some social and local activities.

Leo Burnett's initial Kurkure campaign was successful in winning PepsiCo India's creative mandate for 2022. "There is undoubtedly a lot of excitement, and we had to complete a lot of onboarding and inductions in the beginning to understand the brand's pulse. Prasad said when discussing her excitement and experience working with the creative agency. Kurkure has a unique approach to storytelling; when it comes to the campaign, we follow a very organised process, we explain the strategy, and we treat our partners as partners only rather than as creative collaborators. They comprehend our perspective and the potential for growth as a result. When everything is finished, working together to differentiate something becomes very easy. Regarding the product, we are confident that what we are developing can cut through the market's clutter. From there, everything is simple once they are on board and understand the big picture.

She stated, when asked about the trends she has seen, "One thing we have noticed is that people are open to experimenting, and they want to try new things after the recovery from the pandemic. However, they also want to experiment with new products, but only from trusted brands. When discussing trust, it is important to consider history, product quality as well as manufacturing, overall hygiene requirements, and sticking with these reputable brands when conducting experiments. Because of this, our overall strategy over the past two to three years has been to launch innovative products in response to the shifting consumer trend.