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Purvita Chatterjee

MUMBAI, May 3

AS Amul hits more metros with its ice-creams this summer (it recently launched the brand in Kolkata and New Delhi), ad agency FCB Ulka, through its campaigns based on its `Ice-cream Mood' survey is helping the brand gain acceptance in the new markets with a focus on the take-away home segment.

According to the `Ice-cream Mood' survey, Amul is perceived as being superior on creaminess, taste and price, while Kwality Walls scored higher on its variety and range. Another finding is that Kwality Walls is perceived to be more premium with a more contemporary image than Amul, and is preferred by youngsters — especially Kwality's Cornetto and Feast — while Amul is considered to be a family brand offering a better price.

Based on the findings of this study, the agency decided to launch the `Flavour of the Month' campaign highlighting the distinct flavours on offer. Thus during summer Amul is showcasing its various `exotic' flavours such as black currant, Anjir, Rajbhoj, Cheese & Almonds, Cappucino, Dates & Honey, Fresh Litchi, Kulfi and so on. Other behavioural insights from the Ice-cream Mood study reveal that an ice-cream is not just a product but also an experience for the Indian consumer.

Highlights Mr Nitin Karkare, Vice-President, FCB Ulka, "Ice-cream consumption is still perceived to be a luxury in this country. The market has yet to mature and it is the take-home category which is going to be the future for this market.''

According to the study, in mature ice-cream markets, the take-home segment accounts for more than 70 per cent of all ice-cream consumption. While in India, the take-home segment contributes to a mere 20 per cent of the market. This is due to the overbearing social context and price factor association with ice-cream consumption in India. In a developing market, the way forward for any national brand would be through a focus on the home segment, the study says.

Another finding was that even in the most affluent cities, ice-cream eating at home is confined to a few occasions (perhaps only when guests come) and is therefore restricted to the three regular flavours — Vanilla, Chocolate and Butterscotch.

In fact Vanilla accounted for nearly 40 per cent of all flavours. This resulted in the market being limited to regular flavours, thus restricting ice-cream consumption to an occasional experience.

Explains Mr Karkare, "To break this barrier, we proceeded to increase the perceived variety to ice-cream eating as an experience by offering the variety that consumers are actively seeking and thereby elevating the sheer number of occasions of consumption''. The development of more `exotic' flavours' is thus an attempt by Amul to focus on the take-home segment. Says Mr Karkare, "The idea behind our `Flavour of the month" campaign is thus to increase the perceived occasions of consumption of ice-cream at home.'' At present, the take-home segment in India is pegged at 40 per cent of the Rs 500-crore organised ice-cream market, while the impulse category continues to dominate at 60 per cent of the market.

The agency will also be continuing with the brand's `Real Milk, Real Ice-cream' baseline. Says Mr Karkare: "We will be continuing the same baseline for Amul this season. After all Amul is still perceived as a milk and dairy company. It is the wholesomeness of its products which gives it a competitive advantage.''

Meanwhile just before the onset of the peak ice-cream sales season, the Mumbai market has recorded higher shares for Amul versus that of the market leader Kwality Walls. According to the retail audit conducted by ORG-Marg for Mumbai city, this February Amul has recorded a 38 per cent volume share surpassing Kwality Walls at 34.5 per cent. Last February, Kwality Walls had a 39.6 per cent volume share while Amul had a 33.5 per cent volume share in the Mumbai market.

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