Lighting Up The Cash Registers

GST concessions, eclectic consumer preferences and rising marketing budgets have boosted FMCG sales this festive season

- Monica Behura

FOR A MARKETER, THE FESTIVE SEASON is a great time to come up with campaigns and product offerings that can help the brand build more relevance in the market. The most common proposition that brands generally engage in vis-à-vis attracting consumers during the festive season are discounts, pricing offers and promotional schemes. New packaging advent such as multipacks is also a big hit among consumers during this time. Rural market and Tier 2 cities are very important and thus, many brands plan and launch newer commercials and campaigns.

Volume-led growth, innovations in product launches and the monsoon have added to optimism ahead of the upcoming festive quarter. Besides this, India’s economic revival has been robust and GST has been reduced on many items of daily use.

“The festive time is the peak season for the sales of edible oil, as the consumer start preparing Indian sweets at home, with a rational increase in consumption. Therefore, we have launched Gemini Rice Bran Oil for consumers across Maharashtra and Karnataka and NatureFresh Acti Heart for consumers across the country,” says Milind Pingle, Director, Sales & Marketing, Cargill’s food business in India.

New product launches has always been the norm in festive seasons, apart from discount offers and pricing. “This festive season, we have introduced mocktails, koolers and the ethnic beverage ranges to give a wider variety of fresh flavours and fruity options,” says Adarsh Sharma, EVP, Sales, Dabur India.