Parle Products, the manufacturer of popular brands such as Parle-G, Hide & Seek, and Monaco, is launching a high-frequency advertising campaign to change a decades-old consumer habit in India. The company wants consumers to ask for “Parle Marie” instead of just “Marie” when purchasing a Marie biscuit. The biscuit category is highly competitive, with several national and regional brands available in the market, including Britannia, ITC, and McVitie’s. Parle began producing its version of the Marie biscuit in the 1940s.
The campaign, created by advertising agency Thought Blurb Communications, features 25-second commercials that show protagonists getting into chaotic situations when they ask for just “Marie” and then finding calm when they ask for “Parle Marie”. The ads are being aired on Star Sports HD and SD during the Indian Premier League, as well as online. However, the high frequency of the ads has led to some viewers complaining about the repetition on social media.
Parle Products’ vice-president, Mayank Shah, admits that the frequency is high but claims that it is necessary to change the consumer habit. He says that the company has since broadened its targeting parameters to reduce the number of times the ad airs on television. The campaign is part of the company’s strategy to reaffirm its “branded-house” positioning, which was first introduced with the “Naam Toh Suna Hoga” campaign last year.
The company has allocated a significant portion of its annual marketing budget to the campaign and will assess its effectiveness through brand tracking and sales data. Two-thirds of Parle Marie’s sales come from four key markets: Maharashtra, Karnataka, Odisha, West Bengal, and Tamil Nadu. Shah believes that changing the consumer habit will be a slow-burning process, but it is essential to associate the brand name with the category.
The move is significant, as Parle Products is already a leading player in the biscuit market with its Parle-G glucose biscuit being a popular companion to tea. By targeting the Marie biscuit category, the company seems intent on monopolizing not just the biscuit tin but also tea time itself. With this campaign, Parle Products aims to establish itself as a dominant player in the biscuit market and increase its brand awareness and sales.