Last updated : March 04, 2019 06:14 AM
What does it take for a brand to replace its name/logo with a goofy word? Apparently... not much. And there aren't many that have created precedence for this. But nuts, caramel and chocolate-based bar, Snickers, from Mars Wrigley Confectionery, actually seemed to have pulled it off. Originally, the topside (face) of the packaging is covered by the brand name/logo - Snickers. It has now been replaced by words like Junglee, Princess, Nautanki and others.
Launched as limited-edition packs, it is now a permanent development in Snickers' branding.
Snickers' global effort. Source - AdweekWhile the effort has been a global exercise for Snickers and has been carried out in different parts of the world over the years, the brand decided to play it out in India in 2017. The words have a vernacular flavour coinciding with a hunger reference and have been influenced by the copy of the brand's commercials. The packages have been launched in seven other Indian languages apart from English.
The words include -
English: Clueless, Rowdy, Crazy, Princess, Drama Queen, Junglee, Confused, Tubelight
Hindi: Bhukkad, Laatsahab, Bheja Fry, Nautanki
Tamil: Vetti-scene, Pokkiri, Tension-party
Malayalam: Freaken, Kattapost, Scene contra, Kalippan
Telegu: Dookudu, Neerasam, Pokiri
Kannada: Kalakaar, Blade, Nazuk Rani, Kirik
Gujarati: Rajkumari, Ghelo, Dhuni
Marathi: Naatki, Beparwa, Sanki
It's time for Hunger Bars 2.0. Can you find all the #HungerBars coming out this time? Spot them here and comment below. #EatASnickers pic.twitter.com/3QGOSt89Sr
— SNICKERS India (@Snickers_IN) 12 December 2018
It's time for Hunger Bars 2.0. Can you find all the #HungerBars coming out this time? Spot them here and comment below. #EatASnickers pic.twitter.com/Dpp89zwHXA
— SNICKERS India (@Snickers_IN) 19 December 2018
The effort aims at positioning the product as an on-the-go solution for hunger. For example, in the 'Nautanki' commercial (nautanki = attention-seeker), the character, a student, displays strange gimmicky behaviour in a classroom only to be calmed down with a Snickers bar. The behaviour was apparently caused by untimely hunger.
The idea for this story struck us when one of our teammates pulled out a bar of Snickers from his bag and offered it to a hungry colleague a few hours post lunch. The 'Princess' wrapper in the first image of this article is from that bar.
The commercials and new names tie in with the brand's anti-hunger positioning and tagline - "Who are you when you are hungry?"
Although the name is replaced, the design, colour, font and other aspects are the same.
As a strategy, the buzz around these words is built up by the commercials. During the launch in 2017, the new packs were planned as limited-editions to the product portfolio. However, they were re-introduced permanently in 2018 based on 'positive consumer feedback'. Bars with the customised packaging are available across traditional and modern trade outlets throughout the country.
Also, the brand has not entirely done away with the original logo. "Every fifth bar has the original brand logo on the top and all the bars have the logo on the side of the pack," says a Snickers spokesperson.
Such "stunts" do come with a risk, especially when the brand name is replaced. It takes some confidence to pull it off.
The Snickers team reveals to afaqs! that the packaging had already built an identity because of its colour and logo and studies reflected a "strong association" of the brand and pack without the logo on the top at all. The placement of every fifth bar with the original brand logo on the top is also aimed at mitigating the risk.
Speaking about the influence of advertising copies on the new replacement words on the packaging, a Snickers spokesperson says, "Packaging was the central idea of the campaign as packaging and advertising are complementary today. One can say that the packaging is like an on-going ad campaign for a brand. While it may not be the main focus for every campaign, it is one of the strongest assets. Whenever we think of a new ad campaign for Snickers, we ensure that the marketing mix takes into consideration the product packaging as well."
Mars Wrigley Confectionery India recently launched a new variant of Snickers. It includes almonds as a primary ingredient.
Industry speak:
Shekhar BadveShekhar Badve, director-strategy and marketing, Lokus Design, says, "Consumers won't be confused or mistake the pack for something else. It's similar to the coke campaign of using words or emotions. One would check the outcome before taking such a step. It looks like the brand is trying really hard to get there."
Badve opines that marketers today are more experimentative and taking interesting and bold steps. "This is opening up innovation and creative possibilities which will eventually add up for the brand and organisational benefits," he says.
"There two dimensions to this - one, the brand and the packaging design have a very strong recall and second, Snickers has the ethos and the will to try out new things or innovate. Hence, it can attempt to do such a thing," he adds.
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First Published : March 04, 2019 05:05 AM