Maggi turns 25, Nestle to unveil new campaign

Nestle India is set to roll out a new marketing drive to mark the 25th anniversary this week of its instant noodles brand, Maggi.

Called ‘Me & Meri Maggi’, the campaign is supposed to celebrate the consumers’ bond with brand Maggi. The company plans “360 degree activation” across television, print and the internet, beside on-ground activities.

“We were pioneers in convenience food when we launched Maggi 25 years ago. The product is not only a good value proposition but is also strong on the taste front. This is an opportunity to celebrate this journey by acknowledging our consumers and their Maggi experiences,” said Shivani Hegde, general manager, food business, Nestle India.

Acknowledging the reach of the digital media, Nestle has launched an interactive website for the consumers, www.meandmeri.in. Nestle has been keeping the price point at Rs 5 since the year 2000 to address the low-income group. Maggi has been a growth driver for the company. The prepared dishes and cooking aids wing of Nestle, in which Maggi falls, accounted for 21.4 per cent (Rs 781 crore) of total revenue in 2007 of Nestle India.

To incorporate its health and wellness slogan — ‘Taste bhi, health bhi’ — in the noodles brand, Nestle renovated the two-minute noodles to ensure more calcium and protein content in the product.

The packaging has been tweaked to accommodate the pictures of consumers whose entries the company chooses. “If a consumer has a story to tell about Maggi, we can put him or her on the packaging, TV or print,” Hegde added.

Nestle would continue to innovate and renovate products under the Maggi umbrella, she said. In 2008, two brand extensions — Maggi Bhuna Masala and Maggi Cuppa Mania Instant Noodles — were added to the portfolio.