MAM
Bikano ropes in Chhota Bheem for launch of new snack range
Mumbai: Snacks major Bikano has taken the license for one of India’s most popular kids-show characters Chhota Bheem for the launch of its extruded products range under the sub-brand ‘Fatax’. The new offerings include Ringz (masala and tomato flavour), Puffeez, Cheese Balls, Pasta Crunch, and Jungle Safari.
The launch is aimed at augmenting Bikano’s presence in the rapidly growing ‘western snacks’ market (valued at RS 16000 crore) within which extrudes have witnessed significant growth and continue to expand at 23-25 per cent. In India, the extrude snacks market is expected to grow at a CAGR of over 20 per cent by 2024, the company said in a statement.
Major factors driving increased consumption in this category are growing young population, rising per capita income, and competitive pricing as well as the introduction of smaller packs, it added.
In order to penetrate this growing market, Bikano has targeted its revamped extrude range at children aged three to ten years. The company will be running a digital campaign and TVC to promote the new offerings and its association with Chhota Bheem.
“With its unique and message-driven content, Chhota Bheem has been consistently capturing the hearts of kids in India and globally all these years,” said Bikano, director, Manish Aggarwal. “This collaboration will not only attract kids to our offerings but will also drive them towards more diversified snacking options. Western snacks as a category is currently led by chips, with extrude being a small part of it. We want to drive growth in this segment as the market is ever-expanding. With our new sub-brand ‘Fatax’, we aim to deliver the best products and further develop the category in our portfolio. Offering new products on a regular basis has been our prime focus. Apart from that, the new range is expected to give us a sales surge of up to Rs 15 crore in this fiscal.”
Speaking on looping Chhota Bheem for the launch, Bikano, head of marketing, Dawinder Pal, stated, “Puffed and extruded snacks are a major trend nowadays, as they provide numerous options with plenty of interesting combinations of flavours. However, along with taste and flavour, we also need a compelling product story and visual appeal to target kids and youngsters. Chhota Bheem has a high recall among our TG. This association will enable us to get an edge over our rivals and drive sales for the category.”
The new products are available across Bikano’s general and modern trade network.
AD Agencies
Prakash Nair reportedly quits Ogilvy after 23 years
One of the agency’s longest-serving leaders has moved on, with his next destination still unknown
MUMBAI: After more than two decades at one address, Prakash Nair has left the building. The president and head of office, north at Ogilvy has moved on from the agency, according to highly placed industry sources. His next move remains unknown. Ogilvy did not respond to requests for comment.
Nair spent over 23 years at the agency, making him one of its longest-serving senior figures. He was elevated to lead the Gurugram office in April 2022, a role that put him at the helm of Ogilvy’s northern operations at a time of considerable churn across the advertising industry.
Before taking charge in the capital, Nair served as associate president at Ogilvy Mumbai, where he worked on some of the agency’s most prized accounts, including Mondelez, Tata Motors, and BP Castrol. Over the years, he built a reputation for driving modern, integrated, and award-winning work, the kind that wins metals at Cannes and keeps clients from straying.
His departure was marked in style. A farewell gathering was held in Delhi, attended by senior figures from across the advertising fraternity, a signal of the regard in which Nair is held in an industry that does not always pause to say goodbye properly.
Where he goes next is the question the industry is now asking. After 23 years at one of the world’s most storied agencies, the answer, when it comes, will be worth watching.
