‘A Parle-G version of me’: Radhika Gupta’s throwback to her first ‘wow advertising moment’

Edelweiss Mutual Fund CEO and MD Radhika Gupta took to social media to share her “first wow advertising moment” when her face was on a special Parle-G pack the company had made to thank her for one of her monthly articles. 

Sharing an image of Parle-G’s gift to her, Gupta said on social media, “Throwback to my first wow advertising moment. When I had just started as MF CEO, used to write a monthly article in our factsheet to try and connect with investors in a unique way. In one of them I talked about the power of simple products like mutual funds and simplicity in MF, likening it to Parle, a product that is available even on India’s remotest borders. A week after the factsheet released I got this from the Parle team. A Parle G version of me, along with a lot of yummy biscuits. And since then this picture remains on my wall as a reminder of how it takes not a big budget but a differentiated thought to catch an eye.”

The image showed her face on a Parle-G pack, along with a message that read: “Dear Radhika Gupta, We at Parle-G couldn’t have wished for a better start to 2018. Thank you for your passionate words about the importance of simplicity and comfort in business, and how Parle-G as a brand reflects those values. Here’s to cherishing childhood memories forever and making new ones this year. Love, Parle-G Team.”

Mohanlal Dayal founded the House of Parle in 1928, and set up the first factory in 1929 where just 12 people made confectionery. Parle Gluco was first baked in 1939, the same year Monaco biscuits were introduced. The company continued to add more products in their portfolio, like Cheeslings, Kismi, Poppins, Krackjack, before Parle Gluco was renamed Parle-G in the early 80s. Melody and Mango Bite toffees were eventually introduced, before Hide & Seek biscuits were introduced in 1996. 

The biscuit-maker posted net sales of Rs 17,223 crore with profit of Rs 905 crore in the year-ended March. A year before this, it posted sales of Rs 16,490 crore and profit of Rs 255 crore. The company, in FY22, crossed $2 billion in annual revenues, with Parle-G biscuits cross the billion-dollar sales mark. 

Sales of Parle-G biscuits that positions itself as ‘Bharat ka apna biscuit’, was driven up by rural areas, helped by its value-for-money strategy. 

Also read: 'Feel like I'm going back richer': Edelweiss AMC's Radhika Gupta shares her Shark Tank India 3 experience