Red Label Tea – Social Harmony Insight in Communication

Executive Summary

Brooke Bond Red Label, owned by Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), is one of India's leading tea brands. This case study examines the brand's communication strategy centered on promoting social harmony and inclusivity, particularly through its long-running advertising campaigns that address social issues. The analysis focuses on publicly documented campaigns and their strategic positioning in the Indian tea market.

Company Background

Hindustan Unilever Limited is one of India's largest Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) companies. According to HUL's corporate website, Brooke Bond Red Label was launched in India in 1903 and has been a significant player in the branded tea segment. HUL's Annual Report FY2023 states that the company holds a leadership position in the Indian tea market, though specific market share figures for Red Label are not disclosed in public documents. The brand operates in India's highly competitive packaged tea market, which includes players such as Tata Tea, Wagh Bakri, and various regional brands. According to a March 2019 article in The Economic Times, the Indian tea market was valued at approximately ₹20,000 crore, with branded tea accounting for roughly 55-60% of this market.

The "Taste of Togetherness" Platform

Campaign Genesis

According to multiple press reports and advertising industry publications, Red Label launched its "Taste of Togetherness" communication platform in the mid-2010s. A Campaign India article from January 2014 documented one of the early campaigns titled "6-Pack Band," though the exact launch date of the broader platform is not explicitly stated in available public sources. The Economic Times reported in September 2017 that Red Label had been consistently working on campaigns that promoted social harmony and inclusivity. Shiva Krishnamurthy, then Vice President – Home Care and Tea at HUL, was quoted in this article stating that the brand's purpose was "to promote a more open and inclusive society."

Notable Campaigns

1. "6-Pack Band" (2016-2017): According to Campaign India (August 2016) and multiple news outlets including The Hindu (August 2016), Red Label created India's first transgender band called the "6-Pack Band." The initiative was developed in partnership with Y-Films (a division of Yash Raj Films) and featured six transgender individuals performing popular Bollywood songs. The Hindu's article (August 12, 2016) reported that the band's first music video was released on YouTube. Ashish Patil, then Vice President – Marketing, Tea at HUL, was quoted in Campaign India stating, "Through Red Label, we want to initiate conversations and break stereotypes."

2. "Free Ka Funda" Campaign: The Economic Times reported in April 2017 about Red Label's campaign addressing the issue of free meals (or "free ka funda") in Indian society. The campaign highlighted how people often avoid interacting with those from different socio-economic backgrounds. However, specific metrics on reach or impact are not publicly disclosed.

3. "Swad Apnepan Ka" Series: According to Brand Equity (a publication of The Economic Times), Red Label ran multiple campaigns under the "Swad Apnepan Ka" (Taste of Togetherness) umbrella that addressed various social issues. A May 2019 article in Campaign India documented a campaign addressing generational divides and technology adoption among elderly people.

4. Campaigns Addressing Religious Harmony: Multiple advertising industry publications, including afaqs! and Campaign India, documented Red Label campaigns in 2017 and 2018 that depicted Hindu-Muslim harmony, particularly around religious festivals. An August 2018 article in The Economic Times covered a campaign showing a Hindu priest and a Muslim father bonding over tea during iftar.

Strategic Communication Approach

Based on publicly available campaign materials and executive statements in press reports, Red Label's communication strategy appears to follow these documented patterns:

Use of Real Social Issues: The campaigns consistently address documented social challenges in India, including communal harmony, gender identity acceptance, and generational gaps. This is evident from the themes covered in multiple campaigns between 2014 and 2020, as reported across various news outlets.

Emotional Storytelling: According to advertising industry analyses published in Campaign India and Brand Equity between 2016 and 2019, the brand consistently used narrative-driven advertisements rather than product-focused messaging.

Tea as a Social Connector: The campaigns position tea-drinking moments as opportunities for social connection and dialogue, though no verified information is publicly available on consumer research or insights that led to this positioning.

Market Response and Recognition

Industry Recognition

• The "6-Pack Band" campaign won multiple awards. Campaign India reported in November 2016 that it won a Gold at the Goafest Abby Awards in the Film category.

  
  

• afaqs! reported in October 2017 that Red Label's campaigns had won recognition at various industry forums, though specific details of all awards are not comprehensively documented in a single public source.

  
  

Media Coverage

The campaigns generated significant media coverage. A review of major Indian news outlets shows that campaigns were covered by The Hindu, The Times of India, The Economic Times, Hindustan Times, and other publications between 2016 and 2020. However, no verified data on earned media value or reach metrics is publicly available.

Business Performance Context

According to HUL's Annual Reports from FY2016 to FY2023, the company's overall Foods & Refreshment segment (which includes tea) showed growth, but specific performance data for Red Label is not disclosed separately. The reports state that the tea category faced challenges including commodity price volatility and competitive intensity, but attributing business performance to specific marketing campaigns is not possible with publicly available information.

Strategic Considerations

Balancing Purpose and Product

Press reports and advertising industry commentary suggest that Red Label's approach represented a shift from product-centric to purpose-driven marketing. An article in Brand Equity (March 2018) noted that FMCG brands were increasingly adopting cause-related marketing, with Red Label cited as an example. However, no verified information is publicly available on HUL's internal decision-making process or strategic rationale documented by executives in detail.

Market Context

The campaigns occurred during a period when purpose-driven marketing was gaining prominence globally. According to a report titled "Brands Take a Stand" by Sprout Social (2017), which was covered by multiple marketing publications, consumers were increasingly expecting brands to take positions on social issues.

Limitations

1. Consumer Insights: The specific consumer research, insights, or data that led to the development of the "Taste of Togetherness" platform

   
   

2. Financial Metrics: Any ROI calculations, sales impact, or financial performance directly attributable to these campaigns

   
   

3. Strategic Planning: Detailed documentation of HUL's internal strategic planning process or decision-making for this positioning

   
   

4. Consumer Perception Data: Brand tracking studies, consumer sentiment analysis, or perception metrics before and after campaigns

   
   

5. Media Investment: Media spending figures or budget allocations for these campaigns

   
   

6. Long-term Impact: Sustained impact on brand equity, consumer loyalty, or market position beyond anecdotal media reports

   
   

7. Implementation Details: Media planning approach, agency briefing process, or campaign development methodology

   
   

8. Competitive Response: Documented reactions or strategic changes by competing brands

   
   

9. Internal Metrics: Team structure, organizational alignment, or internal success metrics

   
   

10. Distribution Impact: Any changes in retail partnerships, distribution strategy, or trade response linked to the campaigns

    
    

Key Lessons

1. Consistency in Theme Execution

Public records show that Red Label maintained a consistent focus on social harmony themes across multiple campaigns spanning several years (2014-2020). This consistency is evident from the documented campaign launches reported in press releases and media coverage.

2. Cross-Functional Partnerships

Documented collaborations with entertainment companies (Y-Films), NGOs, and transgender community members for the "6-Pack Band" campaign demonstrate the brand's approach to partnering with external stakeholders, as reported in The Hindu and Campaign India articles from 2016.

3. Media Coverage Generation

The campaigns successfully generated earned media coverage across mainstream news outlets, as evidenced by articles in major national newspapers and business publications. However, the commercial value or marketing efficiency of this coverage cannot be determined from public sources.

4. Industry Recognition

Award wins documented in industry publications suggest that the creative work was recognized by advertising professionals and jury members, though the correlation between creative awards and business outcomes is not established in public documents.

5. Evolving FMCG Marketing Approaches

The campaigns represent documented examples of FMCG brands in India moving toward purpose-driven communication strategies, as noted in various marketing publication analyses between 2016 and 2019.

Conclusion

Red Label's "Taste of Togetherness" platform stands as a documented example of corporate communication addressing social issues in contemporary India. Whether this approach delivered sustainable competitive advantage, measurable business returns, or lasting consumer loyalty remains unverifiable through public sources alone. Red Label's "Taste of Togetherness" platform represents a documented strategic shift from product-focused to purpose-driven marketing in India's FMCG sector. Between 2014 and 2020, the brand consistently addressed sensitive social issues—transgender rights, communal harmony, and generational divides—positioning tea as a catalyst for social connection.

Discussion Questions

1. Strategic Positioning: Given the limited publicly available information on market share and competitive positioning, what framework would you use to evaluate whether Red Label's social harmony communication strategy represents an appropriate differentiation approach in the packaged tea market? What additional data would you need to make this assessment?

   
   

2. Purpose-Driven Marketing Trade-offs: Red Label's campaigns addressed sensitive social issues including religious harmony and transgender rights in the Indian context. Without access to consumer sentiment data or sales impact figures, how would you approach analyzing the potential risks and rewards of such positioning? What stakeholders' perspectives should be considered, and what metrics would be most relevant for evaluation?

   
   

3. Measuring Marketing Effectiveness: This case study reveals significant gaps in publicly available performance data. If you were on HUL's marketing team, what specific metrics would you track to evaluate the success of purpose-driven campaigns like "Taste of Togetherness"? How would you isolate the impact of communication campaigns from other business factors affecting brand performance?