Alpenliebe, Happydent & Center Fresh—How Perfetti Van Melle Keeps Its Iconic Brands Fresh

“Nostalgia gives brands emotional equity, but relevance demands reinvention,” says Gunjan Khetan, Marketing Director at Perfetti Van Melle India (PVM). With iconic brands like Alpenliebe, Happydent, Chupa Chups, Center Fruit, and Center Fresh in its stable, PVM has become synonymous with Indian confectionery advertising over the last three decades.

Since entering the Indian market in 1994, PVM has stood out not just for its wide distribution—across five million outlets—but for creating culturally sticky, emotion-led TVCs. In a category where impulse drives purchases, PVM bets big on humor, storytelling and resonance—and wins.

From Mass Media To Meme Culture

While its legacy is steeped in television, today’s media playbook looks very different. “This generation doesn’t just watch ads—they scroll, skip, remix and share.” So while PVM remains rooted in emotional storytelling, the spaces it tells those stories is changing.

Take Center Fruit’s recent ‘Kaissi Jeebh Laplapayi’ campaign. It went from a cheeky phrase to a digital juggernaut—with integrations into Paytm Soundbox and branding in the Delhi Metro. From short-form videos to creator collaborations and interactive experiences, the focus is now on seamlessly blending into digital culture.

Still, the past is never far behind. Campaigns like Happydent’s cinematic reboot and Mentos’ “Yes to Fresh” continue to nod to earlier successes, just repackaged for a new generation.

The Cultural Pulse 

“For Gen Z, confectionery is as much about mood and self-expression as it is about indulgence,” Khetan explains. “Flavour experimentation, format innovation and ingredient consciousness has grown in importance. Additionally, Gen Z expects brands to show up in culturally relevant ways.” This insight has shifted how PVM builds both products and communication.

Happydent’s latest campaign—Chamking Gum: Chamka Muskaan, Jagmag Jahaan—isn’t merely about oral freshness. It’s a cinematic ode to how something as simple as a smile can spark change.

Crafted by advertising veterans like Prasoon Joshi, Shantanu Moitra and Vinil Mathew, the film blends lyricism, music and visual storytelling—underscoring Khetan’s belief that “brands can do more than advertise; they can inspire.”

Alpenliebe is evolving from a nostalgic comfort brand to one that experiments with formats like dual-layer jellies. Chupa Chups is pushing its sour jelly line with quirky shapes, and Mentos remains plugged into youth culture through events like Social Nation and digital-first activations.

The Balancing Act

But nostalgia, if overplayed, can turn gimmicky. “We treat nostalgia not as a static memory, but as a springboard for new experiences,” Khetan says. The challenge lies in staying emotionally familiar while being format- and platform-forward. “The key is to retain the core promise—the familiar taste or feeling—while delivering it in a way that resonates with digital-first audiences.”

This balancing act is also evident in PVM’s distribution model. Urban markets get premium offerings and innovation, while rural areas focus on affordable, core SKUs. E-commerce and quick commerce currently form 3–4% of sales but are crucial playgrounds for testing new bundles, formats and price points.

Commercial Creativity

“We’ve had the chance to work with some of the best creative minds in the industry—Ogilvy, McCann, and several agile digital agencies that help us navigate today’s media fragmentation,” Khetan notes.

That multiplicity extends beyond creative partnerships. While general trade remains dominant, quick commerce and digital channels are now critical to engaging younger consumers who demand novelty, speed, and relevance in equal measure.

Like many contemporary marketers, Khetan emphasizes that creativity must be grounded in commercial reality. “Marketers must evolve into commercial leaders,” he says, pointing to a hybrid approach where performance metrics and brand equity are not seen as competing goals.

This dual mindset is essential in an impulse category like confectionery, where measuring love is easy—but tying it to purchase can be harder. PVM’s experimentation in bundling, rapid launches, and regional customisation attempts to address just that.

India, In All Its Flavours

India isn’t a single market—and PVM knows it. “Our distribution strategy is built on three integrated levers: depth, agility, and distinctiveness,” Khetan says. While consistency matters, regional preferences, price sensitivities and cultural cues demand hyperlocal responsiveness.

The confectionery market is more crowded than ever. Trends shift fast, attention spans are shorter, and brand loyalty is harder to win. But in PVM’s journey—from Alpenliebe’s creamy pull to Center Fruit’s tongue-tickling twist—what persists is a clear desire to stay emotionally relevant.

“Sometimes the sweetest success,” Khetan says, “isn’t in being the loudest, but in staying tuned to the quiet shifts in consumer behaviour—and finding space to grow within them.”

Published on: Monday, June 30, 2025, 06:00 AM IST