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Who wouldn't want to share the screen with Shah Rukh Khan? For most of us, it's a distant dream, or Genie's Miracle! In autumn 2023, FMCG giant ITC spirit What does this event mean for the millions, no, billions of SRK fans? It has raised the anticipation to a new level. ITC has brought superstar Shah Rukh Khan to Sunfeast Dark Fantasy — Launched using Gen AI #MyFantasyAdWithSRK Campaign Consumers got the opportunity to share the screen with SRK in the TVC brand just by taking a selfie.
The campaign went viral, garnering attention across the country and reaching a million people within just a few weeks of its launch. The mavericks behind the innovative campaigns, who often go unrecognized, are continuing the tradition. When Shubhadip Banerjee took on the digital marketing leadership role at ITC in 2022, his mantra was Resilience, Agility and Innovation. “Communication should be a two-way exchange of information and hence it has become imperative for brands to design communications that easily connect with their target audience. We are increasingly focusing on customization and personalization to build consumer engagement and we have done just that with the SRK campaign,” said Shubhadip Banerjee, Chief Digital Marketing Officer (CDMO), ITC Ltd.
Being a market leader in the consumer sector requires constant innovation. Needs are constantly evolving and are shaped by various factors including taste, quality, product safety, price, etc. Marketing executives ensure that they connect, engage and interact with customers to create products that cater to their needs. As a challenger organization, ITC has launched several first-to-market products in the last two decades. To understand preferences, the company is constantly monitoring evolving trends. Its sensing engine, ITC Sixth Sense, constantly listens to social conversations and glean insights. A central repository of first-party data, the Customer Data Hub, helps in understanding demand and driving new communications and product innovations.
Understanding how consumers think and make decisions is the secret to success for FMCG companies. Citing the experience of a first-time entrant, Banerjee said, “There is a growing desire among people to try Korean food and culture. Based on our market and consumer research, we found that Korean snacks are not easily available in the market. Now, as an organisation committed to offering differentiated products, we have launched three varieties of Korean snacks under ITC Bingo!, becoming a first entrant in this space.”
The company leverages digital tools and technology to understand its consumers, and has a strong product development team. After the pandemic, there has been a big change in consumer behavior when it comes to purchasing packaged products. “To empower our buyers and further enhance their experience, we have a policy of ensuring transparency, for example, by providing facilities where consumers can tour wheat farms.”
Customer centricity remains at the heart of ITC's efforts and interventions. “The company has been committed to leveraging innovation, technology and corporate synergies to deliver superior, differentiated world-class products and experiences to Indian consumers,” the CDMO explained.
