Q] To start with, could you tell us a bit about the Quaker ‘Bowl of Growth’ program and how you are taking it forward?
Quaker ‘Bowl of Growth’, is a program that we are doing in collaboration with Mamata NGO and the Maharashtra government. After identifying a few thousand malnourished children in certain districts of Pune, we launched the program as an interdisciplinary event. It not only provides essential nutrition, but also focuses on raising awareness about the importance of proper nutrition. Our goal lies in creating a continuous process that breeds change. Alongside providing nutrition, we aim to make a socio-cultural impact on the entire family. Originally starting in Pune, the program has since been scaled, and is now expanding to Mumbai.
Q] In this journey to create awareness about nutrition, what are the different modes of communication you have resorted to?
The three pillars on which our program stands are– providing nutrition, educating families, and creating awareness. In our commitment to providing nutrition education, we have partnered with local communities and Anganwadi members to communicate the message among primary caregivers. When it comes to creating awareness, we came up with the ‘Dohale Jevan Poshanchi Vaati’ campaign. We felt that it was important to stitch the narrative with cultural integrity. An attempt was made by us to make nutrition top of mind by using the story of a boy narrating the importance of nutrition during his unborn sibling’s baby shower.
Q] When it comes to your communications for your mainline products, what are the different mediums that you leverage?
In this current age of Digital, it cannot just be about having one point of contact. Gone are the days when we made one ad and then put it on Television. Now, we speak to our consumers wherever they are; be it Mobile phones, Television, or Newspapers. Even something like influencer marketing plays an integral role in our marketing strategy. We are deploying a 360 approach for communications, and we will continue to do so.
Q] With the festive season underway, what is Quaker’s approach this year? Do you believe the festive season holds the same significance as it did in the past?
Festive season holds a lot of value, especially for a brand like us. Quaker represents more than just a porridge. It goes from being just a porridge, to becoming an integral part of the Onam Sadhya, and during Ramadan, it is even served as Sehri. Since it’s a grain, it adapts itself into the food you eat. We, at Quaker, have always wanted to be part of these festivals, and we even create campaigns around the festivities. We will continue to work in this direction in the years to come.
Q] Quaker has the duo– Kiara Advani and Sidharth Malhotra– as their brand ambassadors. Why did you pick this duo?
The first thing that we look at before formulating these partnerships is brand synergy. We stand for trust in consumers, and thus pick the partners like Sidharth and Kiara who exhibit this same trust. We intend to continue our association with these actors.
