Lintas, Initiative win Sanjiv Goenka Group's Rs 100 cr Too Yumm ad account

The two agencies pip rivals McCann Worldgroup, Ogilvy & Mather, among others to bag the deal

In a significant development, the RP-Sanjiv Goenka (RP-SP) group has awarded the Rs 100-crore advertising and media mandate of its food business Too Yumm to agencies Mullen Lintas and Initiative respectively. The development was confirmed by executives at the RP-SP group and comes at a time when the Kolkata-based conglomerate is beginning to unveil its food products - wheat thins and foxnuts - across markets. 

"We had called for a pitch earlier this year, which involved six ad agencies. Mullen was one of them and we felt that they were best able to interpret the brief we had given all agencies during the pitch," Suhail Sameer, chief business development officer, RP-Sanjiv Goenka Group, said.

Other agencies in the fray included McCann Worldgroup and Ogilvy & Mather. Initiative, Sameer said, was awarded the media duties since it belonged to the same group (Interpublic) and would ensure seamless delivery of services. 

"In the first phase of rollout, we are targeting three cities including Kolkata, Pune and Gurgaon. The second phase will see markets such as Delhi and Bengaluru added to the list. Within a year, we propose to reach 20-25 cities by which time we will also add more products to the food portfolio," Sameer said.

"Too Yumm is targeted at youth, primarily working professionals, who want to snack on healthy products," Virat Tandon, chief executive officer, Mullen Lintas said, when contacted. A mail to media agency Initiative elicited no response till the time of going to press.

While the print and digital leg of the campaign for Too Yumm has been unveiled in markets such as Kolkata and Gurgaon, the television campaign is expected to be rolled out in the next few months as the group expands reach across markets. Radio is also expected to be part of the media mix, Sameer said, as it looks to reach consumers across touch points. 

The group has also leveraged its IPL team – Pune Warriors – which has the logo of foxnuts on the jersey of players, he said. “While the (food) products would be available in Spencer’s Retail, we are also targeting other modern retailers in a bid to expand distribution,” Sameer added.

The RP-SP group has big plans in fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) and proposes to derive a third of its group revenue in the next five to seven years from this business. The group has a presence currently in areas such as power distribution (CESC), retail (Spencer’s Retail) and music production (Saregama).

The plan in food specifically involves targeting three segments – mass-market with value-for-money products priced at Rs 5 and Rs 10 per unit, mid-market products under Too Yumm, priced at Rs 20-30 per unit, and organic products, priced between Rs 50 and 70 per unit. 

Apart from snacks and other packaged foods, the group proposes to get into segments such as juices later. In about two to three years, the group will step into personal care to increase its presence in FMCG, Sameer added.