Indiantelevision.com Team

(26 October 2007 1:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Taking its 'gifting' positioning forward for its Celebrations range of chocolates, Cadbury's has launched a premium Rich Dry Fruit range specially for Diwali season.

The new range which entered the market in October adds to the existing portfolio of Celebrations and will be available at premium retail stores across the country.

The TVC for the same, featuring Amitabh Bacchan is already on air. The consumer insight for the commercial speaks of the appeal of chocolates as a special gift during Diwali to revive friendships.

Over the years, Cadbury Celebrations has been positioned as a 'gift that helps foster relationships'. The new commercial seeks to extend it to the special relationship of friendship.

In a way, Cadbury is saying that instead of merely sending the routine SMS or an e-mail to friends during Diwali, it's a better idea to meet and greet them with the Rich Dry Fruit collection of Celebrations.

The TVC blends an interesting plot, humour and childhood nicknames like 'Lalten' and 'Kutub Minar' to revive memories of close friendships in viewers.

It starts with a shot of Bachchan reading a newspaper. He sees his childhood friend's picture (played by Sachin Khedekar) being rewarded as 'Businessman of the year'. He calls to wish his friend, but can't get through to him.

That's when his mother (played by Zohra Sehgal) tells him, 'Its Diwali, why call, go surprise him with something meetha.'

Bachchan reaches Khedekar's residence, asks the watchman to call 'Lalten'. The watchman asks, 'Who's Lalten? There is no Lalten here'. Eventually, how he meets Lalten and the special Cadbury Celebrations Rich Dry Fruit pack revives their bond becomes the crux of the commercial.

The commercial has been created by Contract Advertising and is directed by Sujit Sarkar. Alongwith television, the other media channels being used are print, radio, outdoor and extensive mall activities in key centres across the country.

The two new Cadbury Celebrations dark chocolate variants are available in panned flavours like hazelnut, cashew and almond and fine assorted flavours like mocha almond, rum 'n' raisin, black forest and cashew cointreau. The range is priced at Rs 425 for panned flavours and Rs 525 for fine assorted flavours respectively.