Brands
Sunfeast Wowzers turns up the cheese with a crunchier, bolder new campaign
MUMBAI: When the crunch gets louder, the message is clear, this snack wants to be felt, not just tasted. As indulgence-led snacking evolves, Sunfeast Wowzers has sharpened its bite with a new, high-energy campaign that dials up cheese, crunch and attitude in equal measure.
The brand from ITC Limited is responding to a clear shift in youth preferences. For younger consumers, snacks today are no longer just about flavour. They are about intensity, personality and moments that are worth sharing. Sunfeast Wowzers leans straight into that mindset, spotlighting its signature 28-layer cracker wrapped in a rich cheesy crème, a combination designed to deliver not just a cheesy taste, but a distinctly cheesier experience.
The latest communication pushes that sensory promise to the forefront. Conceptualised by Ogilvy, the campaign film is set in a vibrant, high-octane world of spontaneous snack breaks and unfiltered fun among friends. Rather than leaning on conventional product claims, the film lets sound, rhythm and texture do the talking.
At the heart of the film is a clever use of ASMR, a format that has found strong resonance with younger audiences online. Every bite, crunch and snap is amplified, turning the act of snacking into an immersive audio-visual experience. The effect mirrors how today’s youth engage with food: through reels, short videos and moments that feel visceral and real.
By tapping into this trend, Wowzers positions itself not just as a cracker, but as a sensorial experience that fits naturally into contemporary youth culture. The result is indulgence that feels current, premium and socially in tune without shouting too hard about it.
This shift also marks a subtle evolution in the brand’s positioning. Instead of focusing solely on what the product is, the campaign focuses on how it feels. The layered crunch, the creamy cheese and the exaggerated soundscape work together to create a mood that feels playful, expressive and bold.
Speaking about the thinking behind the campaign, Sunfeast at ITC Limited head of marketing Suraj Kathuria said young consumers increasingly look for snacks that stand out in both taste and experience. He noted that the brand leaned into Wowzers’ most distinctive feature, its indulgent, layered crunch and chose to bring that alive through a film that feels immersive and culturally aligned.
According to Kathuria, the intent was to ensure that the product’s sensory payoff is experienced visually and audibly, not just on the palate. The result is a communication that feels less like an advertisement and more like a moment.
From the creative side, the brief was refreshingly simple.Ogilvy chief creative officer for South Puneet Kapoor recalled how the idea took shape after the team experienced the product first-hand. One bite was enough to spark the insight that would anchor the campaign.
For Kapoor, the multi-sensorial hit of Wowzers led by its cheesy punch was the truth the campaign needed to demonstrate. Instead of over-explaining, the film lets the munching do the convincing.
In a crowded snacking market, where new launches and louder claims are the norm, Sunfeast Wowzers’ approach feels quietly confident. By amplifying crunch, embracing ASMR and speaking the visual language of young consumers, the brand is betting that indulgence, when done right, doesn’t need too many words just a really good bite.
And if the crunch makes you pause, listen and reach for another cracker, the campaign has already done its job.
Brands
Aman Gupta’s OFF/BEAT secures Rs 100 crore seed funding round
Bessemer backs new venture betting on AI and India’s digital shift
MUMBAI: Aman Gupta has raised Rs 100 crore in seed funding for his new venture OFF/BEAT, with Bessemer Venture Partners leading the round as it bets on a new wave of AI-led, consumer-first businesses in India.
The funding marks an early but significant push for OFF/BEAT, which is positioned to tap into a rapidly evolving market shaped by a digitally native generation and advances in artificial intelligence. The venture aims to build at the intersection of culture and technology, where brand identity and innovation increasingly go hand in hand.
Gupta, best known for co-founding boAt and scaling it into a Rs 3,000 crore-plus business, is now looking to apply those learnings to a new playbook. His focus this time is not just on building a consumer brand, but on leveraging AI and global networks to accelerate growth.
OFF/BEAT founder Aman Gupta said, “Having built from scratch before, I know what capital can do and what it cannot. This time, I was looking for partners with a global perspective who can help me leverage technology and AI, because that is where the future lies. Bessemer’s track record with companies like Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn says it all.”
The choice of investor reflects that ambition. Bessemer Venture Partners has backed global technology players such as Anthropic, Shopify, Canva and LinkedIn, bringing not just capital but strategic support and global reach.
Bessemer Venture Partners partner Anant Vidur Puri said, “We back founders who see around corners. Aman saw how a new India would come to think about aspiration, identity and quality, and built boAt as proof. He is now applying that same instinct to a market being reshaped by AI and by a generation with entirely new expectations.”
The investment comes at a time when India’s startup ecosystem is being reshaped by both consumer behaviour and technological disruption. Founders are increasingly expected to understand not just products, but the cultural shifts that drive adoption.
For OFF/BEAT, the journey is just beginning, but the signal is clear. In a market where attention is fleeting and expectations are rising, building something truly distinctive may be the only way to stay on beat.
