Cadbury has launched a new chocolate bar with four flavours in one to promote diversity in India. The flavours include dark, blended, milk and white chocolate together in one chocolate bar.
The chocolate bar, named Unity, was launched around India’s Independence Day in an attempt to champion the unity of “people of different castes, creed, languages, regions and religions”. The limited edition chocolate, created in partnership with Ogilvy India, has redesigned packaging which features an illustration of Indian citizens holding hands, representing different religions and cultural backgrounds.
Source: The Economic Times, Mumbai
For its launch in India, the Unity chocolate bar was featured in The Economic Times, with headlines printed in different languages in each city to recognise and demonstrate the diversity of background throughout the different regions of India.
Creating conversations
India is known for its diversity when it comes to culture, traditions, languages and religions. The concept of ‘unity in diversity’ is one which shifts focus from unity based on mere tolerance of one’s differences towards a more complex unity based on an understanding that difference enriches human interactions.
Brands are increasingly looking for opportunities to take a stand and create conversations about controversial topics, but this needs to be done in a way that appreciates the nuance of that conversation.
Cadbury’s campaign in The Economic Times was a nice demonstration that it understands there are many barriers to unity, like the number of languages spoken throughout the country. By using a Kannada headline in the Mumbai edition, a Telugu headline in the Delhi edition, and a Marathi headline in the Bengaluru edition, it gave what could have been a blatantly commercial and hollow attempt at ‘unity’ a little more depth.
What we think
Mintel Trend ‘Buydeology’ highlights how consumers are affiliating themselves with companies that share their cultural and ideological values.
Although brands are increasingly being expected to take a stand on issues, the method in which they do continues to invite backlash from sceptical consumers. When getting involved in cultural conversations or hot-button topics, it is important that companies and brands demonstrate at least a basic understanding of the issue at hand and appreciate the complexities to avoid coming across as simply an attempt at co-opting the zeitgeist for profit. While it is impossible to please everyone, brands will look more credible if they make an effort to do something tangible alongside a limited edition campaign or product.
