Everything Is Fair In Love, War & Lay's: Witness The Ultimate Test

Showcasing a witty and humourous snack showdown, the most-loved mother-son duo, Ranbir & Neetu Kapoor stand head-to-head in the latest campaign of Lay's, 'Isey Kehte Hain Pyaar'. The campaign vibrantly delves into the playful struggle as they navigate through situations to safeguard their prized packs! The magnetic pull of Lay's signature taste puts even the strongest bonds to the test, proving that no one willingly surrenders their packet.

In a freewheeling conversation, Saumya Rathor, Category Lead – Potato Chips, PepsiCo India takes us through details of their latest campaign, how the brand is pushing the envelope to give what the consumers are seeking, their glocal communication approach and their efforts to always rekindle consumers' love for their classics.

Excerpts:

Q1. Lay's isn't just a snack, it's an indelible symbol of innovation, great taste, value and loyalty. With a legacy so rich, how are you ensuring that it remains intact and in fact, strengthens with time?

Fundamentally, Lay's is a landmark brand that stands as a memory-maker. A lot of us have a story about it. And so, it evokes a lot of strong emotions. 

With a brand of that scale and stature, responsibility goes hand-in-hand. And hence, it becomes integral for us to know two things. One, always rekindle the love that you're known for, which is our classic flavors. Second, accept that consumers change. And consumers look for variety and experimentation. For this, we have a massive team in the form of insights as well as product development, where we are constantly listening to them and trying to architect products that serve their varied needs.

Q2. The brand has stood the test of time and is cemented strong across generations. How will your new campaign, #IseyKehteHainPyaar, featuring Ranbir and Neetu Singh, reinforce this narrative further?

This entire campaign is about love, loyalty and a bag of Lay's. With Ranbir and Neetu in it, you'll realise that if you love something so much, you don't like sharing it, even with your most cherished ones. This campaign is a snack showdown, reiterating that everything is fair in love, war and Lay's.

Q3. What is the kind of media mix you have locked in for this campaign?

TV being the broadcast medium, stands pivotal for us. Alongside, digital is equally important for us to engage, enable conversations and allow narrowcasting. Hence, you will see a good mix between TV and digital.

With consumers spending a lot of their lives on their mobile devices, it's going to be an approach that encompasses all the screens—a holistic media approach is what we are aiming for.

Q4. Do you feel having an ambassador for your brand invariably brings in better engagement and conversions?

Of course, celebrities add value and help break the clutter. But having said that, your brand has a certain DNA and that DNA needs to tell a story. Whatever helps that story come to light is important. Having brand ambassadors is one of the ways to build your brand. I do feel that, as marketers, we need to stay true to the brand and its story. And whatever helps you break the clutter is a good ingredient in the marketing mix. 

In our latest campaign, I wanted to tell the story of a mother and a son. And I wanted to tell it in a manner that would stand out. Because Ranbir and Neetu Kapoor are a loved mother-son duo and they are so convincing in their roles, the film evokes endearing feelings from a reaction perspective. 

Q5. What are some of the insights you have gathered about your consumers over time? How do you incorporate them into your business & marketing strategies?

Our consumers are the ones who gravitate towards joy. In these fast-paced lives that we are leading, some amount of comfort is also what is required for them. This approach has been our guiding star because, for us, love is a pathway to joy. And that's what we are attempting to establish with this campaign—offering a sliver of joy, nostalgia and emotions to our consumers. 

Q6. In the fiercely competitive snack food industry, how do you tailor your communication strategy, especially for the Indian market? Also, how important has the Indian market been for the brand?

India is a very important market. From a global lens, it stands within the top 10 markets. This establishes that we have a massive seat on the table, from a pure number perspective. 

We have a huge demographic of consumers sitting in India that needs to be understood a lot more deeply. While we will have global propositions, our intent is always to figure out the glocal approach. There will always be towering strengths of Lay's for international flavors and an international image, but we like to mix the local nuances to bring the best of them to the Indian market.

Q7. What is in store for Lay's in 2024? What are some of the new developments we should be waiting to hear?

'Get ready to fall back in love with Lay's' would be my line for 2024. It will all be about reviving the love for Lay's, from a focus perspective. And of course, we're going to have a very action-packed year ahead, with some very exciting things that are under wraps at the moment.