MUMBAI: Mondelez India, the confectionery giant, is rethinking its marketing approach as it seeks to both maintain brand values and be more responsive to the needs of a new generation.

“Every year we think about what to say, we keep getting new ideas, but our agency partners and us, ultimately focus on the core of the brand, its experience and then provide new variations to it,” explained Anil Viswanathan, marketing director (chocolates), Mondelez India.

Alongside this idea of “fresh consistency”, the owner of brands such as Cadbury and Oreo, is embracing the speed of change that is everywhere in today’s world.

“It’s about being an agile giant,” Viswanathan told Afaqs!.

“I want to flex my muscles, leverage all partners, scale-up, and yet have the agility to respond to millennials, tweak things on a daily basis, do the beta work, and become aspirational to work for.”

Increasingly, however, the focus is shifting from millennials to Gen Z which requires a different way of thinking.

“Once I hook a generation, I can stay relevant to them,” Viswanathan said. “For Gen Z, the challenge to recruit is tougher, not because products aren’t relevant – it’s about staying engaged.”

The old linear funnel no longer works with this demographic, he noted: brands are now tapping into meaningful ideas and two-way conversations with a group who are less likely to consume ads.

“There’s a clear desire for multi-textural experiences and they are willing to pay a premium for interesting experiences,” he stated.

“At a basic level, it could mean making our products multi-textured – be it centre-filled, aerated, Marvellous or Oreo chocolates. It’s no longer about an iconic taste.”

Allied to this strategy, Mondelez is also developing its online shopping, the Business Standard noted, offering new products only via this channel or making them available here before stores, or encouraging gifting during festivals. This also brings vital first-party data to the business.

Sourced from Afaqs!, Business Standard; additional content by WARC staff