Latest news with #HungryMan
Time of India
11-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
How MTR got GenZ eating out of its hands
Gen Z, a demographic often perceived as a discerning and unpredictable audience, with a reputation for rapidly switching allegiances posed a significant challenge for the Bengaluru headquartered, MTR . Gen Z was known to seeing traditional brands as relics of a bygone era. And MTR was more than a century old. For the ready-to-eat legacy brand, the answer lay not in a conventional advertising blitz, but in a comic-book inspired, pop culture embrace. The challenge is that many legacy brands are seen as catering to a "homemaker" demographic. The challenge for Wavemaker, the agency of MTR, was to prove that authentic storytelling transcends generations. "Whenever we are planning to target Gen Z, we don't know how," admits an agency executive, highlighting another problem. "They know everything and if they want to latch on to something, they may latch on to something and they can switch very easily." To bridge this gap, the brand chose to associate with Gen Z through the one thing they're "latched upon"—pop culture. The brand became a key player at Delhi's Comic Con, opting for a highly unconventional approach. Instead of a traditional sales booth, the goal was to foster engagement and understanding. "Our objective was to have an understanding and how we can engage with the audience. At the same time they should know what kind of brand offerings are there for them," the Wavemaker executive stated. The Rise of the 'Hungry Man' To connect with the audience, the brand created a roster of "superheroes" or mascots, each embodying a quintessential Gen Z trait. They included, The Night Owl: the late-coming queen; The Hungry Man: a perpetually hungry individual who wants immediate food; The Disaster Master: someone who thinks they can cook but can't. These characters were more than just mascots. They were relatable archetypes designed to resonate with a young audience. A dedicated arena at Comic Con became their home, where they interacted with an estimated 60,000 attendees, primarily aged 15 to 24. The space was filled with games, quizzes, and meet-and-greets, creating a "fun-filled" and highly interactive experience. The campaign's success was not just anecdotal. The three-day event, targeting an audience primarily aged 14 to 22, drove significant growth for the brand. Wavemaker claims that a pre-campaign digital push reached 22 million people and the event itself saw 49,000 footfalls. This effort led to a 30 per cent increase in sales for the brand in the Delhi market during that month of the campaign. What also helped is the fact that the MTR range could be ready in three minutes, for a generation that believes in instant gratification. Quick Commerce and the Future While the exact percentage of sales attributed directly to Gen Z is difficult to pinpoint—due to a lack of age-specific sales data—the campaign confirmed a crucial trend: the growing importance of quick commerce. In 2023, nearly 80 per cent of the brand's sales were still offline in 2023, the year 2024 saw a significant shift, with online sales potentially reaching 35 per cent. 'The brand's focus on quick, three-minute recipes perfectly aligns with the Gen Z desire for immediate, convenient food options.' the executive says. This strategic shift isn't about abandoning the brand's legacy customers, but rather about growth. "Every brand needs growth in terms of penetration or frequency of purchase," the Wavemaker representative explained, adding, "Gen Z is the cohort that we need to target, and we have a product range which is very apt for them." The brand's legacy, in fact, aids this new approach by giving customers confidence in the quality and safety of the product. For now, the superheroes of Comic Con have done their job, proving that with a little creativity and a deep understanding of a new audience, even a legacy brand can be the hero of its own story. The question remains, however: will the Hungry Man and his fellow mascots continue to live on? That, it seems, is a question for the next campaign. (This is a report of the proceedings at The Ad Club Bangalore's inaugural Neuron Nights which offered a peek behind the curtains of campaigns, narrated by the minds who crafted them.)
Boston Globe
04-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Mindy Kaling gets a party planning lesson from the Duchess of Sussex in new Netflix series
In addition to the frittata, Meghan prepped a yogurt parfait for Kaling using some of her Advertisement 'When I received that in the mail, a box of your preserves, it was probably one of the most glamorous moments of my life,' Kaling said, before admitting she got a little self-conscious after noticing the number 50 on the gift's label. 'And then I, of course, as a very hierarchical person, was like, 'Who are these other 50? Does having a lower number make me more special?'' 'I did not think about it,' Meghan admitted to Kaling, revealing that the gifts were not ranked at all. 'It was just, 'Let me share them.' And then people started to take it very personally.' Kaling joked that she went on Instagram to do some sleuthing over who else might have gotten the jars, 'zooming in to see what numbers they had.' 'It was extremely good,' Kaling said. 'And a lot of people asked to taste it. And you know what I told them? 'Get your own jar.'' Advertisement From left: Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Mindy Kaling in episode two of "With Love, Meghan." Courtesy of Netflix Meghan proceeded with a lesson in planning kids parties, asking Kaling if she goes all out for her children's birthdays, with the Bay State star joking, 'The woman I hire does.' 'Great, I'll tell you how to do it without her, not that I want to take her out of a job,' responded Meghan, who went on to teach Kaling how to throw a party like a true royal. Toss out the Market Basket birthday cake, because this shindig includes 'cute little sandwiches' cut into delightful shapes, a fruit plate styled in a rainbow, fresh mint tea using herbs from her garden, homemade balloon art, and custom gift bags. While it all sounds a bit fancy, the Duchess of Sussex shared that she used to be a 'latchkey kid' who was raised on 'a lot of fast food' and 'TV tray dinners.' Kaling admitted that her favorite as a kid was the Hungry Man meals because of the 'apple crumble in it.' When it came to fast food, Meghan was a fan of Pollo Loco, Taco Bell (extra hot sauce on her Mexican pizzas), and Jack in the Box. 'I don't think anyone in the world knows that Meghan Markle has eaten Jack in the Box and loves it,' Kaling said before getting corrected by Meghan for not using her new royal family name. 'It's so funny, too, that you keep saying Meghan Markle. You know I'm Sussex now,' Meghan told Kaling. 'You have kids and you go, 'No, I share my name with my children.' And that feels so... I didn't know how meaningful it would be to me, but it just means so much to go, 'This our family name, our little family name.'' Advertisement 'Now I know, and I love it,' Kaling replied. The episode ends with Meghan and Kaling having a fancy outdoor garden party with all of the bites and crafts they created, with the Duchess of Sussex promising to send the star home with some peach nectar preserves. 'When I post on it, I'll see what other people have also gotten it, or is peach nectar just me?' Kaling joked. 'Only I have the peach nectar.' Other big names who show up on 'With Love, Meghan' this season include Roy Choi, Alice Waters, and yes, Meghan's husband Prince Harry, Duke of Sussex. 'With Love, Meghan' is now streaming on Netflix. Matt Juul can be reached at
