‘India Is One Of The Only Four Focus Markets For Hershey Outside North America'

Global snacking giant Hershey is here for the long haul. Having expanded into three new categories in the last 24 months, Herjit Bhalla, Managing Director, Hershey India tells us how they plan to further increase their presence in the Indian market by focusing on launching differentiated products

- Samarpita Banerjee

Q] It’s been about a month since you launched your web series ‘Hershey’s Presents Meethe Bahane’. Why did you think of going the web series way?

The broader brand objective is to drive brand penetration by showcasing the various ways in which Hershey’s products can be consumed. Our TV campaign focuses on driving consumption with ‘milk’. The Digital campaign aims at driving consumption across mealtimes such as breakfast, school tiffin, desserts, beverages and evening snacks. We live in an increasingly digital world where mothers and food enthusiasts actively scout the internet for recipes and newer, more interesting ways of preparing and presenting food to their family. Uploading videos and recipes online will play a key role in reaching out to millions of our consumers. We believe that this web series is a unique brand idea, which showcases many unique and interesting ways of making everyday dishes tastier and more appealing for your loved ones. The response to the campaign has been encouraging. In a month, it has garnered over five million views on Facebook and a similar number of views on other social platforms. The view through rates are higher compared to benchmarks, which clearly indicates that the content has high traction.

Q] Was the primary TG for this series mothers?

The web series is mainly targeted towards homemakers and working adults who are parents to school-going kids. Having said that, the content is also relevant for anyone who is looking to add a twist to their everyday food.

Q] Following your split from the Godrej JV, you inherited brands like Jumpin, Smart Cook and Nutrine. However, we haven’t seen much action from these brands. How are you marketing them?