DS GROUP'S ENTRY INTO FOOD AND BEVERAGES SECTOR
INTRODUCTION
CATCHING UP WITH ‘CATCH'
THE PASS PASS GAMEPLANIn India, saunff
(aniseed) or elaichi (cardamom) were commonly used as mouth fresheners.
However, a yearlong research conducted by DS Foods prior to the launch of
Pass Pass, revealed that while younger people consumed chewing gum, adults
had paan masala, gutka and paan11 . Explained Aggarwal, “Results showed that
there was a need for a non-toxic, natural, herbal mouth freshener, since
there was a vacuum in the market for that kind of product.”
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DS Foods saw an opportunity in this segment and came
up with Pass Pass, which they claimed did not have the health hazards of
gutka (considered to be carcinogenic) or candy (bad for teeth). The
ingredients included dried dates, dried-and-shredded coconut, saffron,
silver-coated cardamom seeds, saunff and a herbal sweetener. The
sweetener was imported and did not contain sugar or saccharine.
Pass Pass was conceived as a product that would appeal to both adults
and young people. The USP of Pass Pass was the health aspect and absence
of synthetic essences or flavoring. It was offered in two flavours –
mint and katha (tobacco). The katha Pass Pass was targeted at consumers
who wanted to shed the paan masala/gutka chewing habit. It tasted like
paan masala, but was claimed to be harmless. |
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As Pass Pass was an impulse buy, positioning would be a key
determinant of success. The ad campaign for Pass Pass was targeted at the 15
to 40 age group. Said Ashish Dabral, Vice President, Accounts Manager,
Contract12 , “It was positioned as ‘time-pass'shared fun kind of brand, one
that would be bought over the counter on impulse.” The brand personality,
therefore, had to be peppy and youthful. The name Pass Pass also seemed to
convey the right kind of attitude — casual, trendy, catchy and, at one
level, romantic.
According to analysts, packaging was another important factor for the
success. Pass Pass was launched in a poly-pouch and the colour schemes used
were eye-catching. The mint flavour came in a bright green pack, and the
katha flavour, in a yellow pack. Analysts felt that the pricing also worked
in the brand's flavour. At Re 1, it was both convenient and affordable.
DS Foods had 12 depots, from which supplies were sent to 300 distributors.
These distributors, in turn sent the product to the retailers. The
distribution network for Pass Pass was not restricted to paanwallahs and
cigarette-shop owners. General stores were also made key retail outlets and
accounted for 20% of the sales. Analysts felt that this was probably done to
make the product accessible to women.
In mid 2000, DS Foods also launched a new flavour of Pass Pass – Meetha
(Sweet) Paan. The launch was based on a survey that revealed that women were
the largest consumers of Pass Pass and that the meetha paan flavour would
welcomed by them. In 2001, DS Foods also tried in-movie placement of Pass
Pass, first time in ‘Yaadein13,'a movie by Mukta Arts14 . Though the movie was
not successful, DS Foods seemed happy with the exposure the brand got.
Commented Aggarwal, “Can anyone predict the fate of a movie? In any case, we
were very happy with Pass Pass'placement in Yaadein.” The company planned
to enter into agreements with other major banners for in-movie placements.
Explained Aggarwal, “We have identified two platforms for in-film placement
of Pass Pass - either it has to be a love story or a script which can be
integrated with our brand.”
In November 2001, in a bid to increase the visibility of Pass Pass,
particularly among the youth, DS Foods set aside a budget of Rs 10 million
for exploring new branding initiatives. The company entered into an
exclusive tie-up with Appu Ghar, a popular amusement park in Delhi. Under
the agreement, Pass Pass would be associated with two major events at Appu
Ghar in a year. DS Foods was also negotiating with Essel World, an amusement
park in Mumbai (Maharashtra).
DS FOODS - SPICING UP STRATEGIES
EXHIBIT I - DS FOODS'PRODUCT LIST
EXHIBIT IV - COMPARISON OF PRICES OF VARIOUS BRANDS OF SALT & SPICES
[11] Rolled betel leaf filled with spices and lime.
[12] The ad agency that handled the Pass Pass campaign.
[13] The brand has an integral role in the film and is seen with the lead
cast.
[14] One of the leading Hindi movies banner in India.
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