MAM
Lotte India starts a NEW ARGUMENT over the all New ‘Coffy Bite’
MUMBAI: Lotte India’s Coffy Bite, the iconic coffee toffee brand of yesteryears, has been refreshed with a whole new campaign that is set to start a nationwide an argument on whether it tastes ‘Coffier or Toffier’.
32 years after establishing its brand life with the ‘Coffee vs Toffee’ proposition, Lotte’s Coffy Bite is staging a comeback with a refreshingly new way of interpreting the argument story. Vernacular for better consumer connect, four 30 second films have been unveiled on TV- each situation presenting an argument on whether Coffy Bite tastes “Coffier or Toffier”. A refreshment of the brand’s website, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram channels also forms part of the campaign.
Commenting on the campaign launch, Milan Wahi, Managing Director, Lotte India said, “Coffy Bite is clearly a gem in our confectionery portfolio that has the highest recall and enjoys a significant share of heart amongst confectionery lovers in India. Seeing the nostalgic pull the brand enjoys, this year we decided to turn the spotlight on Coffy Bite with an aggressive on-air marketing campaign, after a gap of more than a decade. And what better way to do it than giving a novel spin to the ‘argument continues’ theme that garnered eyeballs for the brand in the first place.”
Venkatesh Parthasarathy, Marketing Head, Lotte India added, “We were searching for a creative partner who could breathe new life into the argument story and 1pointsize seemed the perfect fit to take the brand forward as they could sense the pulse of Coffy Bite and reinvent it for the current marketplace.”
“Coffy Bite is a strong household name in South India. And seeing the way coffee shops have exploded in our country, we are extremely bullish about the brand. Our core task was to put the buzz back into Coffy Bite. Our solution was to pitch Coffy Bite as the new taste of argument. Since the all new Coffy Bite is softer and richer, we decided to explore the ‘Coffier vs Toffier’ thread as the talking point of our comeback commercials.” said, Sharad Haksar, CEO, 1pointsize.
Elaborating on the creative idea, Haksar said, “Our advertising TG is the 25 to 34age group who grew up on Coffy Bite. From a consumption point of view, this generation was earlier into ‘good old shopping’ and ‘first day first shows’ vs ‘ecommerce’ and ‘binge watching’. Bonding with friends was essentially offline than online. While this TG, which practically grew up on Coffy Bite, is now well adjusted to the fast-paced digital world, our key effort was in telling these guys that like all good things, their favourite Coffy Bite has changed too – for the better. We left the interpretation of ‘better’ to the taster. We coined two new words – “Coffier” and “Toffier” to describe the new taste. And we started a whole new argument around these words.”
“Since we, Indians, are argumentative by nature, we are confident that this campaign will really resonate well. We’ve done a series of four commercials which will be on air from this Diwali. We’ll start with the four southern states – TN, AP, Telangana and Karnataka, and then go national.” Concluded Parthasarathy.
MAM
Ameya Velankar steps down as Uber’s head of marketing for India & South Asia
Veteran marketer exits after more than seven years with the ride-hailing giant.
MUMBAI: After more than seven years of steering Uber through the bumpy roads of India’s mobility market, Ameya Velankar has decided to change lanes. Ameya Velankar has stepped down as Head of Marketing for India and South Asia, marking the end of a significant chapter at the ride-hailing company. He had been with Uber since 2019, taking on multiple roles in product and category marketing before rising to lead the marketing function for the region in 2021.
During his tenure, Velankar played a key role in strengthening Uber’s positioning in one of its most competitive and dynamic markets. He helped drive localised marketing strategies and scale adoption across key offerings such as Auto, Moto, Rentals and Intercity, tailoring global platforms to Indian consumer needs.
Prior to joining Uber, Velankar built his marketing expertise at leading consumer companies including SC Johnson and Marico, where he handled category and product leadership roles. His career began at RPG Enterprises.
Details of his next professional move have not been disclosed.
In a fast-evolving mobility landscape where brands constantly battle for attention, Ameya Velankar helped Uber stay relevant and resonant with millions of Indian users. As he moves on from the driver’s seat of marketing, the company will now look for fresh ideas to keep its wheels turning smoothly.
