The Cadbury Bourn Vita Forced Pack Campaign – Square Peg in a Round Hole?

1. Introduction to Emotional Marketing

Marketers might as well be neuroscientists, given how the most successful ad campaigns of the digital age have expertly targeted the brain's key regions—namely the amygdala, the prefrontal cortex, and the hippocampus—to forge deep emotional bonds with their brands. (1,2) The six core emotions—happiness, sadness, fear, surprise, anger, and disgust (heaven forbid they all strike at once!)—have been masterfully manipulated by marketers to not only drive billions of dollars in sales but also act as storytelling devices to drive brand positioning that need not always be focused on the product at stake but building an emotional bond with the consumer. Recall Dove India’s “The Beauty Report Card”, Ariel’s “Share the Load”, and Vicks’ “Generations of Care”. They all have built up their brand equity by taking up a cause they see their brand align symbolically. The Cadbury Bourn Vita campaign, titled “Forced Packs,” epitomizes emotional marketing by addressing societal pressures and encouraging parents to show “Faith, Not Force.”

2. Overview of the Campaign

Cadbury Bournvita, a leading nutritional beverage brand, launched its “Forced Packs” campaign around Children’s Day 2022 to spark dialogue on progressive parenting and parental pressure.(3) Created by Ogilvy India, the campaign replaced the iconic jar with unconventional packaging resembling toilet cleaners, soap boxes, and tissue containers, serving as a striking metaphor: “Are we forcing children into roles they aren’t meant for?” The tagline #FaithNotForce urged trust in children’s individuality and potential, drawing widespread praise and scepticism.(4)

3. The Emotion and The Impact

Emotion

Parents might believe they are guiding their children toward ideal fields but could unintentionally misdirect them. The campaign resonates by invoking parental guilt, care, and the universal aspiration for a child's success. By juxtaposing “misfit jars” with the idea of forcing children into unsuitable roles, it evokes guilt, empathy, and shock in equal measure. However, the tagline #FaithNotForce inspires introspection, encouraging parents to support their child’s natural inclinations and celebrate their uniqueness.

Impact

The key to building brand equity lies in resonating with the audience. This campaign generated significant intrigue and shock, sparking widespread debate and reflection on social media. It elevated Bournvita from a health drink to a champion of progressive parenting, accelerating its brand equity. Though the creative execution risked overshadowing the brand, it successfully placed Bournvita in the spotlight, driving high ad views and engagement.

4. The Consumer Behavior Perspective

What was once a habitual-buying behavior with emotional attachment, suddenly became a topic of widespread conversation. While Bournvita remains a staple on many grocery lists, the campaign aimed to create a deeper buying experience, positioning the product as a vital part of a child’s formative years. For consumers who exhibit dissonance-reducing buying behavior (5), particularly in choosing health beverages, the emotional connection fostered by this campaign helps Bournvita stand out in a competitive market.

By leveraging emotional triggers like fear of failure and hope for success, the campaign influences buyers’ social contexts, mood, and purchase motivations, such as securing a bright future for their children and meeting societal expectations. This aligns with Maslow’s Esteem Needs Level, addressing self-respect and achievement for parents and recognition for children.(6).

Target Audience Personas:

1. Aspirational Middle-Class Parents: Value education and lean towards traditional careers like engineering or medicine.
2. Progressive Urban Parents: Open to unconventional career paths but hesitant due to societal pressures.

5. Marketing Integration and Strategy (AND THE CATCH!!)

Brand Positioning: Bourn Vita positions itself as a brand of health drink that supports overall growth and development, leveraging its USP: a delicious chocolaty drink fortified with vitamins and minerals. (7) Through the “forced packs” campaign, the brand aim is to not only nourish physical growth but also support emotional well-being and progressive thinking. By addressing a societal pain point, the campaign reinforces its role of being a purpose-driven brand in parenting, through emotional triggers of fear and hope. The communication mix consisted of digital (hashtag and social media conversations) and experiential (limited edition packs as a tangible extension of the campaign).

But, here’s the catch! There was a good deal of scepticism regarding the campaign among the branding and management professionals in particular and the consumers in general. The campaign stands in stark contrast with Bourn Vita’s more popular campaign “Tayaari Jeet Ki”. While “Tayaari Jeet Ki” has a more mass segment targeted approach through the element of sports, for the same product, Bourn Vita seems to be targeting a more niche segment of affluent, urban parents who will perhaps not buy from a local “kirana store” but from a supermarket (exclusively at Star Bazaar as seen in the ad), thus raising concerns of elitism. In this respect, the brand seems to be excluding broader demographics who might also benefit from the message. (8)

While the intention of empathetic and inclusive branding strategy is appreciable, the campaign seems to be designed for awards, and not as a scalable and impactful initiative.

References:

1.????????? The Ultimate Guide to Emotional Marketing. https://blog.hubspot.com/marketing/emotion-marketing#what.

2.????????? Plutchik’s Wheel of Emotions: Feelings Wheel ? Six Seconds. https://www.6seconds.org/2022/03/13/plutchik-wheel-emotions/.

3.????????? Cadbury Bournvita - Forced Packs | #FaithNotForce. https://campaignsoftheworld.com/outdoor/bournvita-forced-packs-faith-not-force/.

4.????????? Cadbury Bournvita’s ‘Forced Packs’ tears open a raging conversation. https://www.afaqs.com/news/advertising/cadbury-bournvita-ogilvy-creative-campaign.

5.????????? What Is Consumer Behavior? Mastering the Arts | Maryville Online. https://online.maryville.edu/online-bachelors-degrees/marketing/resources/what-is-consumer-behavior/.

6.????????? 3.1: Factors That Influence Consumers’ Buying Behavior - Business LibreTexts. https://biz.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Marketing/Principles_of_Marketing_(LibreTexts)/03%3A_Consumer_Behavior-_How_People_Make_Buying_Decisions/03.1%3A_Factors_That_Influence_Consumers_Buying_Behavior.

7.????????? Bournvita: the challenge of balancing freshness AND consistency - the brandgym. https://thebrandgym.com/bournvita-show-the-risks-of-re-positioning/.

8.????????? Cadbury Bournvita ad: leap of faith or force fit?, Marketing & Advertising News, ET BrandEquity. https://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/advertising/cadbury-bournvita-ad-leap-of-faith-or-force-fit/95488793.

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