Remember the 1980s TV commercial where a hungry child tells her mother she’s hungry and the mother asks for ‘two minutes’, proceeding to cook Maggi for the young girl and her friends? The ad succinctly conveys two things — Maggi is easy to cook and is trusted by mothers. Since then, Maggi has become one of India’s most popular noodle brands. Clever marketing and relevant ads have ably supported its growth. And their new campaign — ‘First Cook’ is testimony of this.
“It focuses on the evolving relationship between parents and teenagers. Parents want to create an environment where teenagers are loved and pampered, while giving them the right skills to prepare for a successful future,” says Nikhil Chand, director – foods and confectionery, Nestlé India. He adds that the simple act of cooking not just makes us more curious, creative and empathetic, but also teaches independence, resourcefulness and awareness.
Maggi’s new ad shows a teenage boy calling his mother, asking for good food. She asks him to make Maggi for himself, as he would have to, when he moves to the hostel. But the boy says he ‘has never entered the kitchen!’ That’s when she realises the importance of making him independent. She guides him on the call and helps him make his first bowl of Maggi. Chand says that the objective was to encourage young consumers to step into the kitchen for the first time and experience the satisfaction that comes with being able to cook. In the last frame of the ad, the mother enters the house, tastes the Maggi made by her son, and gives an approving nod, saying he is now ready for hostel life.
Jitender Dabas, chief strategy officer, McCann Worldgroup, says, “The magic of this brand has always been related to consuming a hot fresh bowl of Maggi noodles. This time, we have shown that cooking for the first time is a magical moment.” The ad is sure to strike a chord with the audience for its sheer simplicity and slice-of-life situation. And by choosing a boy as the teenager, it candidly touches upon the fact that not just girls, boys need to learn to cook as well. Kudos to Maggi for doing all this and more, in well under two minutes!