Why Are 5 Star and Dairy Milk Fighting Over Valentine's Day?

Summary

Cadbury's innovative marketing strategy during Valentine’s Day cleverly targets both ends of the emotional spectrum with its two chocolate brands: Dairy Milk Silk and Five Star. While Dairy Milk Silk celebrates romance with heartfelt campaigns, Five Star appeals to those who dislike or dismiss the occasion. This strategic positioning allows Cadbury to dominate both the 'love' and 'anti-love' segments, never directly competing with itself. By tapping into both romantic and rebellious sentiments, Cadbury successfully expands its market reach, proving the power of smart brand positioning in a highly segmented market.

Takeaways

• 😀 Cadbury's Dairy Milk and Five Star brands use contrasting Valentine's Day messaging to appeal to different audiences.
• 😀 Dairy Milk targets those who celebrate love and romance on Valentine's Day, while Five Star appeals to those who dislike or ignore the occasion.
• 😀 The strategy of using two different brand messages helps Cadbury capture both sides of the Valentine's Day market.
• 😀 Valentine's Day is the second-largest occasion for chocolate sales in India, after Diwali, which makes it a significant marketing opportunity.
• 😀 Many chocolate brands launch special Valentine's Day editions, but Cadbury stands out by targeting both lovers and Valentine's Day haters.
• 😀 Dairy Milk celebrates love with campaigns like 'Silk Unforgettable Love Trips,' while Five Star uses humor and indifference in campaigns like the 'AI-powered Mush Detector.'
• 😀 Cadbury creates a division in sentiment around Valentine's Day, with one brand appealing to the romantic side and the other to the rebellious side.
• 😀 Both brands maintain a playful rivalry, but they never undermine each other, which strengthens overall brand awareness and reach.
• 😀 In 2024, Dairy Milk launched personalized love story videos, while Five Star created a time travel-themed campaign to skip Valentine's Day altogether.
• 😀 The strategic positioning allows Cadbury to dominate both the market for Valentine's Day lovers and those who find it cringeworthy or unnecessary.

Q & A

Why did Cadbury use two different chocolate brands, Dairy Milk Silk and Five Star, for Valentine's Day marketing?

Cadbury used Dairy Milk Silk to target consumers who celebrate love and romance, and Five Star to cater to those who dislike or are indifferent to Valentine's Day. This allowed Cadbury to tap into two distinct consumer segments, maximizing their reach during the holiday.

How did Cadbury's approach during Valentine's Day differ from other brands?

Unlike other brands that only target consumers celebrating Valentine's Day, Cadbury strategically targeted both groups: those who celebrate love (with Dairy Milk Silk) and those who dismiss the holiday (with Five Star). This allowed them to capture a larger portion of the market.

What was the significance of Cadbury's two billboard ads in Mumbai during Valentine's Day?

The two billboard ads featured contrasting messages—one promoting Dairy Milk Silk as a celebration of love and the other using Five Star to promote indifference toward Valentine's Day. This playful 'brand war' caught people's attention and directed them to two different Cadbury products based on their preferences.

Why did Cadbury's approach work so effectively compared to other brands' strategies?

Cadbury's strategy was unique because it acknowledged the polarizing nature of Valentine's Day. By catering to both sides of the sentiment—romantics and non-romantics—Cadbury expanded its market reach, ensuring that no segment was left untapped.

What are some examples of how Dairy Milk Silk and Five Star's marketing campaigns differed?

Dairy Milk Silk launched romantic, sentimental campaigns like 'Silk Unforgettable Love Trips,' whereas Five Star created campaigns mocking Valentine's Day, such as the 'AI-powered Mush Detector' app to help singles avoid romantic spots. These contrasting campaigns appealed to two very different consumer attitudes.

How did the Dairy Milk Silk campaign in 2024 differ from Five Star's campaign that same year?

Dairy Milk Silk focused on personalized love stories and romantic content, partnering with filmmaker Zoya Akhtar to create AI-generated animated films. On the other hand, Five Star's campaign used humor and rebellion to encourage people to avoid Valentine's Day, including a campaign with a time travel theme to skip February 14.

What does Cadbury's ability to market both Dairy Milk Silk and Five Star without direct competition suggest about their brand strategy?

It suggests that Cadbury's strategy was smart and thoughtful, avoiding internal rivalry by ensuring that each brand appeals to a different audience. Rather than competing, the brands complement each other, allowing Cadbury to dominate multiple consumer sentiments simultaneously.

What role does the 'love it or hate it' sentiment play in Cadbury's marketing strategy for Valentine's Day?

The 'love it or hate it' sentiment plays a crucial role by allowing Cadbury to create targeted campaigns for both groups—those who embrace romance and those who dismiss Valentine's Day as unnecessary. This dual approach ensures that they appeal to a broad spectrum of consumers.

What did Anil Vishwanathan, Managing Director at M India, say about the relationship between Dairy Milk Silk and Five Star?

Anil Vishwanathan stated that there could only be conflict if one brand claimed superiority over the other. Since both brands have strong market awareness, they help each other by increasing the overall reach, benefiting from the playful contrast in messaging without directly undermining each other.

How has Cadbury's brand positioning strategy helped them stand out in the chocolate market?

Cadbury's brand positioning strategy has allowed them to create unique identities for both Dairy Milk Silk and Five Star, effectively appealing to two different emotional responses to Valentine's Day. By doing so, Cadbury has been able to dominate both sides of the market—romantic and rebellious—without competing directly with themselves, which makes their strategy highly effective and impactful.