Well, Color me purple…

Yes.. This is what I said to my nutritionist whens she found out that the reason for her diet plan to fail was my indulgence in something which I (and I believe millions like me) can't resist.. Chocolates… (Drool…)

Color me Purple (Literally)… Cadbury Dairy Milk is what must have come to your minds when you see a bar wrapped in purple packaging.. Dairy Milk is a true Mega-brand.. It means celebrating life's everyday pleasures with a bar of Cadbury.. For the last 62 years the brand Cadbury has maintained its image but has matched itself to consumer lifestyles in specific market segments.

You'll remember the below advertisements if you have grown up in 1990's in India..

In 1990's Cadbury Dairy Milk (CDM) re-defined the chocolate category from being "meant for kids" to "meant for the child in every adult" with its "Real Taste of Life" campaign. CDM sensed the spontaneity and Energy in Indian household post-liberalization and voiced it through these TVC's.. The un-inhibited expression of happiness by the dancing girl on the cricket field is still etched in everyone's memory.. The girl danced into our hearts and rest as they say is history… (This campaign went on to be awarded 'The Campaign of the Century', in India at the Abby Awards)

Now that CDM had won everyone's hearts it was time for CDM to take the place of traditional Indian sweets and increase chocolate consumption.. So came 'Khanewalon Ko Khane Ka Bahana Chahiye'.. The campaign was built to increase social acceptance of chocolates among adults thus showed adults sharing moments with CDM chocolates..

CDM had won hearts by now.. It was now time to celebrate.. So came the "kuch meetha ho jaye" campaign..

CDM identified lingo that common Indians used in everyday life.. It became synonymous with "meetha"..To such an extent that people ask the retailer for CDM ("Bhaiya zara dairy milk dena") when they want a chocolate.

Remember "Pappu paas ho gaya"?

The interactive campaign for "Pappu Pass Ho Gaya" bagged a Bronze Lion at the prestigious Cannes Advertising Festival 2006 for 'Best use of internet and new media'. The idea involved a tie-up with Reliance India Mobile service and allowed students to check their exam results using their mobile service and encouraged those who passed their examinations to celebrate with CDM. The 'Pappu Pass Ho Gaya' campaign also went on to win Silver for The Best Integrated Marketing Campaign and Gold in the Consumer Products category at the EFFIES 2006 (global benchmark for effective advertising campaigns) awards. The "Pappu" campaign was used extensively to express joy in a moment of achievement / success and became part of street language.

As a result of the campaign penetration of chocolates increased faster in the last four years than it did in the decade before that! Frequency of consumption among adults grew by 16% in metros and mini metros. 'Celebrating a happy moment' emerged as a need state in four years and preference of CDM for celebratory moments increased on an average by 34% across town classes.

CDM is now into celebrating small moments of happiness that life has to offer... The latest ones being the "Celebrating the Pay Day" campaign on "Kuch meetha hai khana aaj pehli taareekh hai".. And the "Shubh Aarambh" campaign launched a month back.

The campaign is about CDM consumers to also enjoy their much loved chocolate before embarking on an important task, in anticipation of a successful outcome. The "Shubh aarambh" TVC is targeted to the youth who have come of age but still have Indian values in their heart. The TVC has a young boy asking a young girl sitting in a bus stop enjoying her CDM for a cube of her chocolate and stating the reason as having something sweet before starting something auspicious- asking her to drop her home on his bike J

The success of the Cadbury brand can be seen in how its image is continually maintained over time. Identifying brand values, and matching these to consumer lifestyles in specific market segments can help develop a clear advertising message.

The Most recent Global campaign of Cadbury is a run up to the 2010 London Olympics(Cadbury is the official treat provider) and it aims to take consumer engagement to a next level.

As games get people playing, they bring people together and sometimes they even reveal an undiscovered talent. Cadbury has launched Spots v Stripes. They are asking people to choose sides and split into Spots or Stripes in order to play, what's quite possibly, the biggest, longest game ever. The games range from on-ground events (cricket, dirt racing etc.) in 5 cities of Great Britain to online games (where everyone can take part)... To take part people have to register (http://www.spotsvstripes.com) with the side they want to play for - Spots or Stripes. Then whenever you play a game against someone from the opposing side, the winner scores a point for his/her side. All the points get logged and are updated live on Score'o'tron on the website. The teams have to score enough points and participants stand a chance to become one of their side's all-star heroes along with prizes.

So..

Are stripes too straight for you or spots too rounded??

Have you joined your team yet?