Consumers buy solutions to their problems, not products, says Ankit Agarwal of PepsiCo

PepsiCo’s nacho chip brand Doritos recently set up a ‘boldline’ that customers could call to record their ‘bold’ dreams, for the brand to try and make them a reality. Ankit Agarwal, Associate Director, Brand Marketing, PepsiCo India, talks of the initiative, that resonated with consumers across the country, as well as his plans to grow Doritos.

Tell us about the #ForTheBold brand philosophy of PepsiCo’s Doritos, and what it aims to achieve. How have you aligned it with marketing the brand recently?

Doritos is not just a chip; it is fuel for igniting bold self-expression. Doritos is a brand for bold individuals who love to explore their edges and to see the boldness in those around them. We know that when you are yourself and live your truth, your boldness radiates and inspires people around you to do the same. We believe that today’s generation exemplifies bold self-expression like no other and we put this bold attitude at the heart of everything that we do.

The #ForTheBold campaign not just epitomizes this belief of bold self-expression, but is also fun, fresh, and larger than life. From the bold new TVC, the dream-building Doritos BoldLine, and now the Doritos BoldChoice that lets people decide how our new TVC ends, our campaign connects with the audience and encourages them to express themselves, in their own bold ways.

How did you come up with the idea of the Instagram AR filter ‘Doritos BoldChoice’? What has been the response to it since launch?

Doritos believes that bold people make their own choices. We applied this insight to our #ForTheBold campaign and hence wanted to give our consumers the option to choose how our latest TVC ends. We also know that the Gen Z audience is increasingly relying on smartphones for entertainment. Thus, to deepen our connection with them, we harnessed the power of augmented reality and social media to create this first-ever Instagram filter where our consumer decides what ending they want to see, depending on what flavour of ‘bold’ they are. We are thrilled to share that the Doritos BoldChoice Instagram filter has already attained an engagement of over 25 million in the past two weeks.

What are the unique ‘bold dreams’ that consumers have shared? How do you plan to take it forward and help consumers fulfil their bold dreams?

There is nothing bolder than achieving a dream you set out for yourself, and the Doritos BoldLine was a natural extension to our campaign. With over a lakh calls across 24 States, we had dreams pouring in from across the country. These callers have expressed a wide range of bold dreams, including academic, career, entrepreneurial, and even philanthropic.

The vast spectrum of dreams and aspirations that have been shared with us is a representation of how brands can be mediums of trust and enablers of change in today’s world. Our bold dream is to change lives, one bold move at a time. Our independent jury is currently carefully evaluating entries on the basis of our judging criteria, and the winners will be announced by brand ambassador Kartik Aaryan at a special event.

Please share a few behind-the-scenes anecdotes from working on ‘Doritos BoldChoice’ with brand ambassador Kartik Aaryan and cricket icons Ravindra Jadeja and Chris Gayle.

In keeping with the flavour of cricket, we challenged two cricket icons, Ravindra Jadeja and Chris Gayle, to use the filter and share their ‘bold’ choice with their fans. We felt that they were the perfect fit for the campaign, as making ‘bold’ choices is a cricketer’s way of life. Both the cricketers had a great time expressing their ‘bold’ selves, whilst also showing some of their trademark moves.

Going forward, what will be your strategy to grow the brand, as well as market it and engage consumers? What is PepsiCo’s overall brand strategy for Doritos in India?

With unique activations, strategic partnerships, and larger-than-life campaigns such as #ForTheBold that celebrate ‘bold’ self-expression, we aim to not only familiarize Doritos with our targeted consumers but also strengthen our connection with them through brand resonance that is positive and inspiring.

What is one big marketing truth that you have realized across your career, working with Wipro, Whirlpool, Del Monte, and PepsiCo?

Having worked in companies across consumer durables and the FMCG industry, one truth I have realised is that consumers buy solutions to their problems, not products. Promoting a product by saying how great it is will not convince them to buy your product. But when you tell them how your product is going to solve their need, whether voiced or unvoiced – that’s when they are more likely to buy what you are selling.

Published on: Monday, March 21, 2022, 07:53 AM IST