Introduction Of Chupa Chups Brand In India
Chupa Chups marked Perfetti Van Melle’s third global brand introduction in India, following Alpenliebe and Mentos. Targeted at teens & tweens, the brand capitalized on the idea that fun transcends age. It aimed to unleash and celebrate the inner child, emphasizing that the best fun is timeless.
Despite teens and tweens representing over 50% of total candy sales in India, the candy category was rapidly losing relevance among them, posing a significant concern for Perfetti Van Melle, a market leader in the Indian confectionery industry . Through extensive consumer research and a need-gap analysis, two key challenges were identified:
- Teens and Tweens desired products that aligned with their image, avoiding kiddish perception.
- The majority of candies were priced at the lowest end of the market, typically ranging from INR 1 to 2 ($0.02 to $0.04), which constrained Perfetti Van Melle’s capacity to introduce new innovations.
To revitalize the category, the marketing strategy focused on:
- Introducing an innovative product concept that offers a fresh experience while retaining the core essence of candy products.
- Making the product appealing to teens and tweens, enhancing their cool factor.
This led to an iterative process of product concept evaluations, industrial trials, market research, and the launch of Chupa Chups Sour Belt and Bites in June 2016; an entirely new product format in India. Consumers enthusiastically embraced the product as validated through rigorous market pressure tests.
Sour Belt and Bites provided a differentiating experience with its playful shape, vibrant colors, and irresistible sweet-sour taste. Aligned with the Chupa Chups brand philosophy of “Fun ko seriously lo!” (Taking fun seriously), it reminded consumers to infuse fun into their daily lives.
The brand’s positioning and communication development involved collaboration with Ogilvy and Mather India, spanning 1.5 years from concept creation to market launch.
Within 18 months of its launch, Chupa Chups became the market leader in the candy category, earning the prestigious Nielsen Breakthrough Superstar Award and the Effie Gold Award. Building on this success, Chupa Chups expanded later into new flavors and formats, solidifying its market presence.