12 kids chosen as Vadilal’s brand ambassadors for 2012

It is a child’s dream come true - becoming a celebrity and winning prizes for doing no more than enjoying ice cream. In a unique consumer-outreach initiative, Vadilal, the country’s second largest ice cream producer, has brought together children and ice cream to create 20,000 wall and table calendars for the year 2012.

The outreach programme represents Vadilal’s move to connect with consumers directly. The imaginative strategy stirred tremendous interest in the public, media and industry experts because Vadilal was banking on its consumer focus to veer away from the conventional tactic of using celebrities for promotions. Instead, the company shone the spotlight on seemingly unknown faces.

Devanshu Gandhi, Managing Director, Vadilal Industries, said, “The kids to be featured in the calendar were chosen through an innovative campaign in which children’s participation was encouraged by means of a public competition. Vadilal had launched the ‘Freeze the Moment’ contest seeking submission of photographs that showed children enjoying their favourite ice cream.”

Over 1,000 entries were received from all over India and an independent panel chose the images that best expressed pure delight. The campaign officially kicked off in the last week of November and entries were invited from children aged between five years and 10 years. The calendars will be available at all Vadilal’s ‘Happinezz’ outlets and vendors’ retail points. The company shall also gift the calendars to all contest participants. The 12 winners will receive cash awards as well.

“The contest itself generated heart-warming response and excited discussion about the campaign. Indeed, on the very first day of the campaign, the company received hundreds of responses with parents showing keenness to have their children winning a place on the calendar,” added Rajesh Gandhi, Managing Director, Vadilal Industries.

Vadilal’s journey from being a small outlet in Ahmedabad over 80 years ago to emerging as India’s second largest ice cream player has been hastened by consistent innovation in both marketing and product creation. Today, the company is also one of the largest processed food players in India with significant exports of frozen vegetables and ready-to-eat snacks, curries and breads.