According to Mint reports, Mondelez India is implementing a dual strategy focusing on premiumization and rural market penetration. Nitin Saini, vice-president - marketing at Mondelez India, explained that while premiumization trends are visible across town classes beyond metros, the company is prioritizing Dairy Milk as the lead brand for rural markets with a focus on low unit price (LUP) portfolios. The company's premium portfolio now spans Oreo, Bournvita, Halls, and recently Lotus Biscoff biscuits, with Saini noting that even premium products like Oreo can be made accessible at ₹10 price points in rural India. As reported by Mint, ₹5 and ₹10 price points are crucial for driving biscuits growth in rural markets, while chocolate price points have historically migrated to higher levels over the decades.
As reported by Mint, Mondelez is leveraging the IPL season with thematic activations celebrating first-time cricket watchers rather than traditional advertising. The company has been using AI in marketing since 2021, including a 2021 campaign for local kirana stores and a 2023 activation allowing users to create personalized birthday songs. Saini emphasized that television and digital remain the primary channels for rural market reach, with digital showing good penetration despite traditional reliance on TV advertising. The company measures success through spontaneous awareness, top-of-mind share, and long-term brand love metrics using mixed-marketing models to evaluate various marketing levers.
According to Mint reports, ₹5 and ₹10 price points are crucial for driving biscuits growth in rural markets, while chocolate price points have historically migrated to higher levels. The company's approach involves Dairy Milk as the lead brand for rural penetration with LUP portfolios, while premium products like Oreo can be made accessible at lower price points. Saini noted that television still drives salience in rural markets, though digital reach is improving significantly. The company is also exploring digitally generated murals and wall paintings as alternative rural marketing channels, though most investments remain focused on TV and digital platforms.
As reported by Mint, Mondelez is positioning itself against the cheaply priced GLP-1 drugs entering the Indian market, with Saini stating that indulgence and taste have strong roles to play in the Indian snacking market. The company believes that food acts as a social lubricant and that chocolate maintains its own 'magic' factor in consumer preferences. Saini emphasized that in India there is a role for all kinds of snacks and that indulgence has a strong role to play, with chocolate having its own unique appeal. The strategy focuses on addressing different shopper needs through various price points while maintaining premium positioning across product categories.
