Skippi’s ad budget for the festive season is up 20% over last year: Ravi Kabra

Skippi, touted as India’s first ice pop brand, is the brain child of Ravi and Anuja Kabra, who wanted to revive the nostalgic joy of ‘Chuski’, creating a refreshing treat that resonates with both children and adults. Skippi’s rise to success was highlighted during its appearance on the inaugural season of ‘Shark Tank India’, where it became the only startup to secure investment from all the five sharks. Since then, the brand has witnessed remarkable growth, achieving a staggering 60x increase in revenue and expanding its team size by over 300%.

In this interview with Adgully, Ravi Kabra, Co-Founder of Skippi, shares his insights on consumer sentiment during this festive season, Skippi’s unique marketing strategies, and how the brand aims to become an integral part of festive celebrations across India.

What are your observations on the overall consumer and market sentiment during the festive season this year?

The market sentiment this year is very positive, and people are eager to embrace full-scale celebrations. Consumers are looking for products that bring joy and are easy to share with family and friends. There’s a noticeable trend towards choosing options, with consumers increasingly conscious of what they consume, especially during festivals. For Skippi, which emphasizes natural ingredients and preservative-free products, this aligns perfectly with our brand. People are drawn to fun, refreshing treats, and our ice pops offer a guilt-free indulgence, making them a popular choice this season.

What forms the core of your festive marketing strategy this year? Could you tell us about your campaign strategy for the festive season?

This year, our Festive Mood marketing campaign focuses on three key pillars: celebration, togetherness, and quality. We’re aiming to position Skippi as the perfect companion for every festive occasion, from Diwali parties to family gatherings. Our strategy is to build a strong emotional connection with our customers by highlighting how our Skippi product can make their celebrations cooler and more fun.

In terms of execution, we’re rolling out engaging social media campaigns showcasing how Skippi can add joy to every festival. We’re also leveraging in-store promotions to capture impulse purchases at the point of sale. Skippi’s bright and colourful nature fits perfectly with the vibrant festival season, and we’re ensuring that this messaging is consistent across all channels.

What is your marketing/ advertising budget for the festive season in 2024? What percentage increase (or decrease) is it compared to the previous year?

Our marketing and advertising budget for the festive season has seen an approximate 20% increase compared to last year. With the growing demand and the need for more visibility across both online and offline platforms, we’ve strategically allocated resources to ensure we reach a broader audience. This increase reflects our commitment to creating a larger impact during a period when consumer spending is at its peak. We believe this is the perfect time to invest in brand visibility, especially as we expand to new regions and markets.

Given the increasing fragmentation of media consumption, how are you allocating festive ad budgets across different platforms?

With the fragmentation of media consumption, we’ve adopted an omnichannel approach for our festive campaign. A significant portion of our budget is focused on digital platforms, where we see higher engagement from our core demographic – families and young adults. Social media (Instagram, Facebook) is key for building brand engagement.

At the same time, we’re not ignoring traditional media. We’ve allocated a part of the budget to in-store branding and POS materials, which are crucial in capturing consumer attention during shopping sprees. We’ve also invested in regional campaigns for greater penetration in specific local markets. This year, we’re combining online and offline activations to ensure that Skippi is visible wherever consumers are spending their time and money during the festive season.