Popping to New Heights

Taking on Major International Brands in A Niche Market – Our Challenge

Gourmet popcorn brands have seen a rise in popularity, with a plethora of flavours being marketed in-stores and online. While some of these brands have marketed themselves as premium brands, others have made themselves more affordable – vying for as large a potential market share as possible.

Though some popcorn brands have managed to pop interest in people’s minds, they still face heavy competition in terms of snack choices. When people in Pakistan think of snacks, they think of chips or other savoury items – with popcorn not really a major part of the discussion.

So, how can a local brand thrive in a market with lots of local and international competition and more importantly how can we convince people to abandon their chips and have a pop at something else?

Pop into view and stay there – Our Objective

In order to differentiate ourselves, we needed to give our brand a unique image and voice - a voice that could resonate with teens and adults alike.

After all, the only way for us to stand out was by showing our audience what made us unique.

Our communication was to be built around sharing our brand’s USPs and creating an image of a cool, modern, and fun brand that while local, had all the benefits of foreign brands…and all that was available at a reasonable price.

We knew we had an uphill battle to fight, but we were confident that once we popped into our audience’s mind we could stay there.

Top of the Pops – Our Strategy at Play

We began with a social media campaign that relied heavily on video. Our research had shown the immense popularity of reels and other short form video formats on social media channels, this convinced us that the best way forward was to be engaging and eye-catching.

Our visuals were simple, yet colourful. Our captions were witty, yet subtly so.

We ensured every aspect of our pages, from Facebook to Instagram were in sync with one another – portraying an image of a young and fun brand that anyone could enjoy.

Our campaign was based around the idea that snack-time could be any time you wanted.

Playing a game? Pop in some Kernel Pop.

Watching a movie? Pop in some Kernel Pop.

On the go? Grab some Kernel Pop.

Our messaging continued during sports events – something the Pakistani population adores. For the Cricket World Cup, we created unique messages that were shared as stories. These included a witty line for a dropped catch or a snippy statement regarding an on the field incident.

In time, Kernel pop’s popularity soared to new heights. Our campaign was able to give them a unique identity, one they continue to wear with pride!