FLYING off the shelves

How we helped the world’s leading chocolate & confectionary company successfully launch a premium chocolate gift pack for the Indian market.

Background

Mars Inc.’s chocolate brands are some of the world’s most-loved. After all, who doesn’t love to dig into an energy-packed Snickers bar on an empty stomach? Who doesn’t love to indulge in the rich, chocolate-y flavour of Galaxy?

As part of Mars India’s strategy of reaching out to consumers through special occasions, creating positive associations with their brands and sampling their wide range of chocolates to consumers, Mars launched a premium gift pack, 'Mixed Miniatures', exclusively for the Indian market in early-2016. The gift pack would be sold only at select airports across India.

Mars wanted a pack design that would get noticed by the target audience (regular fliers) in busy airport store environments and generate good offtake from shelves.

Business Challenge

The premium chocolate gift pack market already had some established brands such as Lindt, Ferrero Rocher and other imported brands. The three-fold business challenge was to (a) get noticed by buyers on the shelf (b) overcome the challenge of being a new (unfamiliar) pack, and (c) be perceived favourably or at least on par with existing gift packs.

Client Brief

The client wanted the pack design to

• subtly communicate premium-ness, without compromising on the shelf throw
• suit being wrapped around a transparent plastic box with three Mars miniatures inside – Mars, Snickers & Bounty

Approach & Concept

In order to help the pack stand-out against established chocolate gift packs, we decided to do away with the usual practice of using colours such as gold, silver, brown, etc. By using premium yet vibrant Indian colours (cream, aquamarine blue, magenta, violet, green, etc.), we were able to attract buyer attention successfully. These colours were also chosen as they contrasted with the colours of the wrapper foils of the miniatures inside – black, red, dark brown, sky blue and white.

Additionally, by creating the wraparound in a manner where the miniature packs inside could be clearly seen, we created a positive 'volume perception' that is still very important in the value-conscious Indian market.

At the production stage, some additional techniques were used to help achieve the client’s objectives, such as having a slight perforation at the point on the pack where the lid meets the box. This ensured that recipients of the gift would not need to tear away the packaging to consume the products inside. They could just tear off the wraparound at the perforation and continue to use the box later as a storage unit – thus ensuring that the occasion, the pack and its contents stay in their minds for longer.

Results

Launched as a limited edition offering, 'Mixed Miniatures’ overcame the challenges of limited availability (airport stores only) and of being a newly-launched pack, racking up the targeted sales faster than planned. Additionally, it helped Mars strengthen its emotional connect with Indian consumers - always a crucial element for a new gift offering.