Haldiram’s, the sweets and snacks brand, recently launched its latest Holi campaign.
This year, in addition to its celebrated Thandai and Gujiyas, Haldiram’s is offering a range of Holi special products, that are ideal for gifting in the festive season.
Speaking about the importance of Holi and the campaign by Haldiram’s, Kailash Agarwal, President – Retail & QSR, Haldiram’s, said: “Holi, the festival of colours, holds a special place in the hearts of millions of Indians. It’s a time for joy, laughter, and togetherness. At Haldiram’s, we aim to enhance these celebrations by offering a wide range of delicious Gujia, Thandai and snacks that bring people closer. The new digital video is a testament to the experience that we as Haldiram’s induce within Indians as we celebrate the festival of colours to the fullest.”
Today is Makar Sankranti, a day millions of bright kites are taking to the sky. It is also the harvest festival, with Lohri / Pongal / Bihu / Uttarayan being celebrated in different regions of India.
Every year, Ahmedabad hosts the International Kite Flying Festival. According to the chief minister of Gujarat, the kite-making industry had grown to a size of Rs 625 crore, giving employment to 1.3 lakh people of the state in 2023. The state produces 40% of India’s kites.
Production of kites and kite supplies can be seen on the streets of Ahmedabad beginning in November, to get ready for Uttarayan, and nowhere more so than in Patang Bazaar, the special kite market that appears in the old city. For the week preceding the festival, it is open 24 hours a day for all kite-lovers to stock up for the festivities.
This year, 153 kite-flyers from 55 countries, 68 national kite-flyers from 12 states, and 865 flyers from 23 cities across Gujarat participated in the festival.
According to Vinod Joshi, director of Jajam Foundation and a heritage researcher based in Jaipur, Maharaja Sawai Ram Singh, who ruled between 1835-80, brought the tradition of kite flying from the Awadh region to Jaipur. Special kites made of cloth that were called ‘Tukkal’ were made for the royals. As they flew kites from the palace terrace, it attracted the general public, later becoming a community event on Makar Sakranti. On that day, Rajasthan Tourism now organises a festival on the lakeside of Jal Mahal Palace in Jaipur in which the entire city participates in kite flying.
Kolkata’s obsession with kites apparently started way back in 1856 when the last Nawab of Awadh, Wajid Ali Shah, was exiled to the banks of Hooghly and he finally settled in Metiabruz. Apart from kites, the Nawab also brought with him his other obsessions like wrestling and poetry meets. Legend goes that tired of being beaten by rival kite-fliers, the Nawab apparently wanted his kite strings to be coated with diamond dust! Kite-flying was a passion among the “Babus” of Bengal in the early 19th century and this had prompted the growth of several kite-making units all over the city, primarily in the northern fringes of the city.
It wasn’t surprising, then, to find social media awash with kite imagery this morning.
Cadbury and Coca-Cola have gone all out with their brand colours in their posts.
The question that comes to mind is – for festivals such as Makar Sankranti, what is the outcome that marketers expect?
Unlike the Dassera and Diwali festive season, when as many as 84% of Indians increase their shopping budgets, or Karwa Chauth and Akshay Tritiya, which have been turned into shopping festivals for jewellery, fashion, homes and cars, Makar Sankranti / Lohri appear to be purely expressive festivals.
Is the purpose of these campaigns to create and strengthen interesting brand association and build relevance to culture? That might well be the case for Fevicol or Kokuyo Camlin, which are aids to craft and creativity, or Youva, a stationery brand that is all about expression, or Asian Paints – to strengthen its association with colour.
For other brands, the mere temptation for wordplay / visual puns can end up as howlers. Sample this (from last year’s campaigns):
Happy Makar Snackranti (Pillsbury)
Let your taste buds fly high (Nature’s basket)
Give wings to your dreams (McDonalds)
Don’t let inflation affect your income; invest in SIP (SBI Mutual Fund)
What stands out amongst the Sankranti campaigns is Linen Club’s campaign which pays tribute to the rich culture of Andhra Pradesh. With Sankranti being about letting go of past habits and adopting something new, it celebrates the bhogi ritual in which old belongings are ceremoniously burnt in the fire to make way for the new.
If kite-flying is about craft and creativity, what stops brands from celebrating the artisans who come up with new designs every year? If it about the competition that plays out amongst the patang baazs of Old Delhi, Varanasi and Lucknow, why not tell stories about them?
Aah, that would require creatives to leave their desks, get out into the hustle-bustle of the marketplace, interview folks and document their story. And for clients to actually fund it. Hopefully we’ll see some of that next year!
Wish you a happy Makar Sankranti / Lohri / Bihu / Pongal / Uttarayan!
Haldiram’s has recently launched a Raksha Bandhan campaign. Alongside its diverse range of delectable and well-designed gifting range of sweets, nuts & chocolates, as part of the Pyaar Ka Tohfa campaign, Haldiram’s has introduced a special box of assorted sweets.
Speaking about the campaign, Divya Batra, Head of Marketing, Haldiram’s, said: “Raksha Bandhan is a celebration of the unbreakable bond between siblings, and Haldiram’s ‘Pyaar Ka Tohfa’ campaign beautifully captures the emotions and love shared between them. Our special gifting range including an assortment of signature sweets, nuts, and much more, etc., makes the perfect gift to express affection and appreciation to your beloved siblings.”
Haldiram’s launches its new campaign to promote their Ready-to-Eat (RTE) food packets.
As part of the campaign, Haldiram’s aims to provide Indians with a healthy range of RTE food options, including popular curries like Dal Makhani, delightful combos like Rajma & Rice, and convenient instant cups like Poha and Upma, among others.
Divya Batra, Head of Marketing at Haldiram’s said: “Haldiram’s is an integral part of every household, serving as a staple brand for dry snacks and instant foods. Understanding the emotional connection that the Indian masses share with Haldiram’s on every occasion, we wanted to ensure that they never miss out on our astounding flavours, even when they are away from home. That’s why we encourage them to carry their favorite RTE foods from Haldiram’s by simply asking them, ‘Haldiram’s Pack Kiya Kya?’”
Haldiram’s launches its Navratra delights menu to fulfil all your navratra cravings. Brand has unveiled, “Flavor Wala Fast” campaign with sumptuous recipes with unbeatable taste. Serving the most hygienically prepared Navratri meal, Haldiram’s is one of the first restaurants to start with Navratra’s special delicacies.
Unveiling the new menu, Divya Batra, Head of Marketing at Haldiram’s, said:“It is time to fast with room for enough flavours as you cherish the meal by the end of the day. To make the fasting journey scrumptious throughout navratra’s, we at Haldiram’s have unveiled the specially curated Navratri menu which includes the celebrated fasting snacks to filling, wholesome dishes without making you feel guilty. Visit your nearest Haldiram’s restaurant or order online on Zomato to try these lip-smacking creations.”
Contract Advertising has won the mandate for Haldiram’s, the popular brand for sweets and snacks. The account will be handled out of the Contract Mumbai office. The mandate includes brand strategy and creatives for the domestic and export market, and Retail/QSRs.
Welcoming Contract Advertising to Haldiram’s, Pankaj Agarwal, Managing Director, said: “Haldiram’s has always been trusted for their quality offerings. As a key player in the snack, sweets, and restaurant sector, we are known to generate excitement amongst the consumers. We, as a brand, are constantly innovating and trying to raise our high-quality standards. To make consumers aware of our wide brand portfolio, we needed an advertising agency that understands our constant rise and the consumer’s changing mindsets. And that is why we are excited to partner with Contract Advertising to build effective marketing communications & reach new heights.”
On the choice of Contract as the agency for Haldiram’s, Divya Batra, Marketing Head, added: “Over the years, Haldiram’s has expanded its range from Traditional Namkeens to Western Snacks, Frozen Snacks, Ready to Eat, Ready to Cook, Chocolates, and many more food categories. To communicate the same to our consumers, we needed an agency passionate about reaching and engaging with consumers impactfully. After an extensive process and multiple pitch rounds, we are exhilarated to partner with Contract. Together with the data & consumer insights approach, we target to build effective marketing communication and increase brand footprint.”
Options Designs curates Haldiram’s campaign promoting “Apno Ko Laye Aur Bhi Paas.” The ad emphasises on bonding between families, bringing a feeling of happiness and unity.
Said Ambuj Bajaj, Marketing, Option Designs: “We consciously created the Diwali campaign so that families could spend quality time together in this acute technological world, bringing families together and safeguarding the environment”.
Added Rajat Rastogi, Marketing of Haldiram’s: “Festivals give us reasons to bond with our families. Abiding by this line of thought, we came up with the Diwali campaign that truly brings out the essence of celebration.”
82.5 Communications has won the advertising mandate for mithai and namkeen major Haldiram’s (North). Haldiram’s is also a major exporter and caters to the Indian diaspora based in the US, UK, Europe, Middle East and Australia.
Sumanto Chattopadhyay
Speaking on the win, Sumanto Chattopadhyay, Chairman and Chief Creative Officer, 82.5 Communications said: “It is a privilege to partner Haldiram’s in their communication endeavours. Haldiram’s set the benchmarks for the heights that Indian entrepreneurship can reach, an achievement that resonates with the spirit of 82.5.”
Pankaj Agarwal
Added Pankaj Agarwal, Managing Director, Haldiram’s: “We were impressed by some of the work done by 82.5 Communications for their other clients and we hope that they create some superlative work for our brand as well.”
Today is Makar Sankranti, a day millions of bright kites are taking to the sky. It is also the harvest festival, with Lohri / Pongal / Bihu / Uttarayan being celebrated in different regions of India.
Haldiram’s launches its Navratra delights menu to fulfil all your navratra cravings. Brand has unveiled, “Flavor Wala Fast” campaign with sumptuous recipes with unbeatable taste. Serving the most hygienically prepared Navratri meal, Haldiram’s is one of the first restaurants to start with Navratra’s special delicacies.
