Amul’s Topical Advertising – Unleashing the Power of Hoardings

            


Details

Case Code : CLMC-002
Publication date : 2005
Subject : Marketing Communications
Industry : FMCG
Length : 04 Pages
Price : Rs. 100

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Key words:

Amul, Gujarat Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF), Hoardings, Topical Advertisement, below the line, Amul Girl, Food products, Cheese, Brand Mascot, Butter, daCunha Communications Pvt. Ltd

Note

1: This caselet is intended for use only in class discussions.
2: More comprehensive case studies are priced at Rs.200 to Rs.700 (US $5 to US $16) per copy.

 


Abstract: ICMR India ICMR India ICMR India ICMR India RSS Feed

Amul, the mother brand of India’s largest food products organization, the Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF), redefined the way food products were advertised to the people. This caselet highlights the clever use of topical advertising by GCMMF using humor, to generate higher brand recall. The caselet brings out the utility of hoardings as an effective marketing communications tool for marketers. Finally, this caselet discusses the rationale behind GCMMF’s strategy to introduce the ‘Amul Cheese Boy’ as a brand mascot for its Amul cheese brand, despite the popularity of the ‘Amul Butter Girl’.

Issues:

  » Role of topical advertising
  » Hoardings as a marketing communications tool
  » Influence of brand mascots on brand image.

Introduction

The Gujarat Co-operative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF) is India’s largest food products organization. It manufactures value-for-money food products that include bread spreads, cheese, mithaee (ethnic sweets), ghee, milk powders, fresh milk, curd products, ice creams, chocolate and confectionery, health drinks, and ready-to-serve soups. GCMMF handles around 6.9 million liters of milk per day with a producer membership base of 2.36 million. Amul is the mother brand for all the products of GCMMF.


Before Amul entered the picture, companies used conventional methods of advertising where the focus was only on the food products and the tone of the pitch was serious. Amul changed the way food products were communicated to the people in India. It always advertised its mother brand – Amul, and not its products like butter, pizzas, or cheese. The cooperative has been making extensive use of hoardings for promoting its flagship brand ‘Amul Butter’ since 1966, and is all set to enter the Guinness Book of World Records for the longest run promotion campaign .....

Questions for Discussion:

1. Analyze the reasons for the success of GCMMF’s hoardings, which continue to evoke customer interest even after 39 years. To what extent do you attribute this success to topical advertising?

2. GCMMF introduced the ‘Amul Cheese Boy’ in 1999 to create a brand recall for its Amul Cheese slice as the ‘Amul Girl’ did for its butter. How can GCMMF establish the new mascot and avoid creating confusion in the minds of the consumers?