“All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt.”
-Charles M. Schulz.
During my childhood, dad used to gift me Dairy Milk chocolates whenever I felt low. For me Dairy Milk was not just a chocolate bar, it was a magic bar that had the power to change my mood. As I grew up, Dairy Milk became a synonym for love. Family and friends show their affection by gifting me Dairy Milk. It has become an emotion to me. The brand has been in India for more than 70 years now. Over the years it has undergone shifts in advertising, packaging, logo, etc. However, one thing remained the same. The brand always used emotional marketing to connect with consumers and it continues to do so even today!
Chocolates have traditionally not been a part of our Indian culture; hence Dairy Milk’s first aim was to create the need amongst consumers. During the initial years it relied on print advertising to achieve this. It was only few decades ago that they ventured into TV advertising.
Ad Campaign Evolution
1980s – Television campaign ‘Sometimes, Cadbury’s can say it better than words’ featured a happy family enjoying little moments of togetherness.
1994 – ‘Asli Swad Zindagi Ka’ Dairy Milk ad that changed the brand’s ‘kids-only’ image and positioned it as a product for adult consumption. The iconic ad features a young woman enjoying the chocolate in a cricket field.
2000s – Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan became Cadbury’s first celebrity ambassador to promote Dairy Milk under the ‘Kuchh Meetha Ho Jaaye’ series of ads. This positioned the brand as a substitute for traditional sweets during festivals. Star power helped them tackle the worm controversy.
2008 & 2010 – Varied consumer needs made Cadbury launch new products like Dairy Milk Shots, Bournville, Fuse, 5Star 3D and Dairy Milk Silk which now comes with multiple variants like Bubbly, Oreo and Nuts. Dairy Milk Silk, the company claims, is the second largest variant after the mother brand which made them create campaigns around it.
The classic ‘Kiss me, close your eyes’ jingle campaign was launched to celebrate intimate romantic moments amongst youngsters to keep the relationship healthy. This is my all-time favorite campaign and the jingle continues to be used even today for promotional advertising.
2020 – Now during social distancing, they have launched a new campaign ‘How far will you go for love’ targeted at youth. It was unveiled on Valentine’s day. As the meaning of love is evolving, there is a higher focus on gestures and acts that keep the romance fresh and alive. Silk is focusing on being an integral part of expressing love for your special one. It is on its way to become a symbol of romance. In my opinion, it is the next logical step for the brand. This is an integrated campaign using social media influencers and other digital marketing channels. The brand has come a long way from print media.
The crux of all these campaigns is how the brand fits into our relationships with family, friends and lovers. It started off as a chocolate for kids, but now it is catering to all demographics. Life without a Cadbury Dairy Milk is impossible for me to imagine!