1982, Maggi Noodles were launched in India, targeting working women. It was positioned as a \u201cconvenience product\u201d – an alternative for lunch and dinner. By creating a new category called \u201cInstant Noodles\u201d, Maggi was the first of the blocks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nestle believed that the taste would help in penetrating the market. They were unable to do so as Indian consumers did not want to change their traditional behaviours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, the Nestle team led by Sangeeta Talwar started looking for occasions, where habits would be weak and change, easier to make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvening snacks\u201d was a slot available as there was no strong solution, and the existing ones had problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Importantly, it was seen that when children came home from school, they were generally hungry and housewives had to cook something fast and give them. (Evening Snacks). The problem was there were ready to eat products like chips, biscuits which were not necessarily filling and healthy; homemade snacks were time-consuming and doing it every day was an irritating chore, more so with working women; snacks from outside were expensive and also unhealthy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So it figured that \u201cMaggi\u201d had to be promoted as an \u201cin-between\u201d meals product and as an alternative to \u201cEvening Snacks\u201d to children (kids also liked the taste of Maggi noodles). It helped that the kids’ behaviour was easier to change than adults with habits entrenched.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This brand was positioned as a mother-child indulgence, playing on the understood psychology of mothers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
HTA was briefed and the film was by Prahlad Kakkar. It is suggested that he insisted on ‘2 minute’ instead of instant as this could be translated in any language and showed convenience, saving time and effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMummy, Bookh Lagi hai\u2026..Bas 2 Minute\u201d changed all that<\/p>\n\n\n\n