Market Achievements But a product to In India the symbol of nourishment and health is Pillsbury is a stunning story survive in the harsh roti – described by Gabriel Garcia Marquez as of success. With so much marketplace must an edible spoon. Whole wheat flour is an stacked against it, the brand live through its integral part of India's food culture. Not has used imagination, promise.To ensure surprisingly, India produces 75 million tonnes of tenacity and research as the that the final Pillsbury wheat – some 12% of the world's output. tools to break resistance. product literally Given the vast rural face and unyielding The launch itself was stood the test of tradition, much of the flour used in Indian preceded by a year's study time, sophisticated homes is freshly ground in a local mill or chakki. to understand the market instruments were Housewives believe that atta ground in front of and the psyche of the used to test the them is unadulterated and retains the goodness housewife. Four truths sheer value – or of wheat.This is the reason why branded flour emerged: first, the need for softness – of the has had an uphill fight rotis. and accounts for, even The third step was now, no more than 2% to communicate the of the market. difference through In this one fact is advertising.This was opportunity. But the done using a variety challenge is to convince of situations, each the housewife that showcasing the convenience apart, she husband and child – is also getting a no- the two imperatives compromise product in an Indian manufactured from housewife's life – selected high-quality enjoying the rotis. grains using the world's To create a most modern techniques. a differentiation strategy. Second, to create a memorable twist in execution, the softness It was in this difficult market that, on 11th high-quality product and ensure its credentials. benefit was rendered with the now-famous, March 1998, Pillsbury Chakki Fresh Atta was Third, to communicate the difference in an three-finger tear visual. launched. It was positioned as a high-quality incisive manner. Finally, the execution, which the To ensure the continuity of its hard-won packaged alternative to home-ground chakki company believed should be so sharp as to rest success, the company has introduced new atta.There were many risks associated with the on a knife's edge. manufacturing processes that combine the launch; not least of all was the fact that Pillsbury, Part of its success was assured when a wish- authenticity of traditional chakki-grinding with in a tradition-bound market, was a foreign brand statement – I wish there was a way to keep the modern day, industrial scale milling. that could simply not know enough about Indian rotis in my husband's lunch box soft till the time Six years later, having made an important idiosyncrasies.The pundits had predicted a he eats them – was picked by every consumer contribution to shifting consumers to branded quick demise. group.The need-gap had been identified. products, Pillsbury took the next step in market Yet, despite all odds, the brand was an Pillsbury Chakki Fresh Atta was launched in consolidation. In 2004, it moved from the immediate success, scaling positions of 1998 with a single-minded statement – Rotis so softness platform to the higher order platform leadership in key metro cities just three months soft they stay soft over six hours.The reference of wellness. It was once again research that after launch.The brand went from zero to six hours was borne out of the normal time came to the front. Studies had indicated an awareness to 75% recognition in a very short the rotis were made at 7am and consumed alarming rise in cardio-vascular diseases span.Today, ten years later, it is clear that at 1pm. amongst Indians and the emerging and Pillsbury is here to stay.

148 SUPERBRANDS perceptible shift to health consciousness. who yearns for commoditised perception Pillsbury was re-launched with the tag line convenience without of atta into a marketable, 'Whole wheat atta is good for your family's compromise and who branded product.The heart.' This matter-of-fact statement was seeks modern ways to advertising has been endorsed by the prestigious Heart Care fulfill her traditional role seminal, from the launch Foundation of India (HCFI). of a nurturer. slogan of Thandi Ho Ya The brand moved up another notch in 2008. In the kitchen, she Garam, Rotiyan Rahe Naram It reinvented the atta by laying claim to the finds in Pillsbury a (Rotis so soft, they stay soft), obvious belief that whole wheat grain was a friend who has to the current 'Shift to a good source of fibre, iron and nutrients.This promised her quality, Healthy Choice' TV campaign. was a critical input given the fact that millers freshness, The Pillsbury Doughboy has often removed the bran to make rotis whiter. played a huge role in With this new platform, Pillsbury overcoming consumer inertia urged consumers to shift to a healthy and inviting consumers to the alternate and move to Pillsbury Whole brand. As a repository of the Grain Atta. brand's emotional qualities, he is Today, Pillsbury is one of the top the human heart of the brand three brands nationally and is and the source of unconditional recognised as the image and innovation love. As mom's special friend, the leader in the market.The brand is used Doughboy brings convenience and by more than 20 million consumers and cheer to the serious task of cooking has helped popularise and grow the for the family.The Pillsbury branded atta market in India. Research has Doughboy has been leveraged in a shown more than 90% brand awareness range of exciting consumer while advertising awareness has registered promotions over the years. As an more than 75% recall.The brand also has a Indian mother put it, “this is the only strong distribution network with products atta with a face.”The Doughboy is distributed in over 100,000 outlets mom's special friend and helper throughout India. in bringing wholesome, Following its wholesomeness convenient, high-quality food success, Pillsbury and authenticity.This bond of to the family. has also trust has developed over the launched cake years – first as an atta that Brand Values mixes and offered long-lasting softness. The Pillsbury brand promise vermicelli – Later, Pillsbury demolished is all about empowering products available regional biases moms.The effect of Pillsbury's in premium retail by customising rational and emotional benefits stores, bakeries and the product to is to liberate the housewife from food service outlets. meet provincial drudgery, to reinforce her role as a preferences. For good mother and cook, to promote History instance, Pillsbury offers her self-esteem, to invite One of the world's medium ground atta in the appreciation and gratitude from leading food North and fine ground in the her family, and to deliver quality companies, General West, the two distinct time for self-development. Mills markets products preferences in these zones.To in more than 100 ensure that Pillsbury actually reaches www.generalmills.com countries and its the housewife chakki fresh – the portfolio contains more than 100 consumer other promise it had made – the brands, including , Häagen-Dazs, Nature brand has invested extensively Things you didn’t know about Valley, , Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old in double-layered laminated Pillsbury El Paso, , Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen packaging. and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Keeping its ear to the ground The Pillsbury barrelhead evolved from an 1869 Minnesota, in the US, had fiscal Pillsbury, has renewed its bond of trust with the tradition of selling flour in barrels 2008 global net sales of US$ 14.90 billion Indian housewife by offering not just good, (Rs. 71,520 crore). consistent quality, but also by caring for her Charles Pillsbury painted his name on the top General Mills has its family's health and well-being. of the 196-pound flour barrel, with nail heads roots in two mills built on around the circumference. As packaging opposite sides of the Recent Developments evolved the barrelhead remained, looking much Mississippi River in The brand reached another as it does today: a blue and white circle with Minneapolis. In the 1800s, milestone in 2008 when it the Pillsbury name and nail heads in white entrepreneurs flocked to launched its multi-grain atta. The Pillsbury Doughboy is one of the top ten build flour mills that also The Pillsbury team conducted advertising icons in the world. A little over eight harnessed the water extensive research to assess inches tall, he wears a baker's costume and has power of this huge river. the trends of atta usage and the colour and texture of fresh dough. He also Founders of today's discovered that consumers comes with expressive blue eyes and a mild General Mills, Cadwallader were mixing various grains like swagger when he walks C Washburn and Charles soy and oat to make atta even Pillsbury, were among healthier. The tummy poke is a strategic ending to every the first. Pillsbury Atta with multi- Pillsbury film, with mom poking the Doughboy's Over the years, Pillsbury grains was launched as a unique belly, causing the Doughboy to giggle with has grown to be a global seven-grain mix to keep the happiness, reinforcing their unique relationship brand of repute, with sales family, in a manner of speaking, on all continents, spanning seven steps ahead. A good Pillsbury Atta was one of the first packaged a diverse range of products source of fibre, iron, proteins, goods brand in India, to offer a toll-free help- from flour to baking mixes calcium and vitamins, Pillsbury line service to its consumers.This was branded and dough-based foods. Atta with multi-grains provides Namaste Pillsbury and is operational from wholesome nutrition without 9am to 9pm from Mondays through Product compromising on the taste or Saturdays For the last several the softness of rotis. The artist who first drew Poppin' Fresh (the decades, the Indian Pillsbury Doughboy) was Martin Nodell. He is housewife has been at a Promotion well-known in the world of comic books as the crossroads, torn between Pillsbury's aggressive promotion creator of the original Green Lantern, for DC her emerging self-image of strategy has played a key role Comics a middle-class home-maker in changing the hitherto

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