Bournvita Controversy:

Wake Up call for all brands

Names : Roll no.

Aditi Parik 33
Dhruvi Raut 36
Kashya Shah 39
Yash Sheth 42
Hazel Singh 45
 Bournvita- Tayyari ki jeet

The Journey:
The brand has been an enduring symbol of mental and
physical health ever since it was launched in 1948. It is
hardly surprising then, that Bournvita enjoys a major
presence in the Malt Food market. Given its market share
of 17%, Cadbury Bournvita reaches across hundreds
ofcities, towns and villages through 3,50,000 outlets in
India.
 Timeline

During the '70s the communication centered on 'Good

upbringing' andBournvita became an essential buildingIn the early '90s all brands in the category provided purely
block for childhood. "Goodnessthat grows with you" was physicalbenefits like nourishment, energy and growth. It
the campaign idea that communicated thisthought was at this time thatBournvita decided to raise the bar by
promising physical and mentalbenefits. This resulted in
the famous Tan Ki Shakti, Man Ki ShaktiCampaign which
became an anthem for the brand
In the 80's the focus shifted from 'Upbringing' to
'Intelligence' withthe more aggressive "Brought up right,
Bournvita bright" campaign,which was very successful
•“Bournvita Li’l Champs” Ad Campaign – It adopts “Bandwagon Strategy” where Kajol Devgan promotes the tagline
that intelligent mothers choose Bournvita for their children. Brand uses this technique to convince mothers to opt for
this product and be on the winning side for their child’s overall growth.
•The brand has been a part of Movie Marketing in the film “Koi Mil Gaya”. The film is famous for Rohit’s favourite
drink – Bournvita and how he drinks its every day as a part of his routine. It indirectly insists that Bournvita can be a
huge source of development as a milk supplement in the initial years of a child’s life.
•It hosts the “Cadbury Bournvita Quiz Contest” since the year 1972 as a live radio show and lately as a prominent
show on television.
•Bournvita is also associated with “Bournvita Confidence Academy” which is aimed at discovering Confidence
Champions who are beyond the ordinary, who have achieved considerable success in any given skill at the
State/National/International level. This is done to have a balance with their academics and extracurricular activities.
Since beginning, Bournvita has always maintained its goodwill position in the Indian market which has helped the
company to grow phenomenally. The company has a lot of potential opportunities to run ad campaigns on social
media and make them viral. Though the company has successfully formed perception in the mind of its customers
that Bournvita as a brand is a perfect blend of health, taste, intelligence and confidence.

How it grew in india

Tayyari Diabietes Ki!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
QzyQFqQflT0
 The legal action was taken by the company after the viral
video was shared by popular figures like actor-
politician Paresh Rawal and former cricketer Kirti Azad. In
the video, Himatsingka claimed that Bournvita has sugar,
cocoa solids and cancer-causing colourant

Apex child rights body NCPCR on Wednesday asked Mondelez

India-owned brand Bournvita to withdraw all "misleading"
advertisements, packaging and labels after a video claimed that
the health drink has high sugar content.
In a notice to the confectionery major, the National
Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) also asked it
to send within seven days a detailed explanation or report to
apprise the panel on the matter.
The child rights body also urged the Food Safety and Standards
Authority of India (FSSAI) and the Central Consumer Protection
Authority to take action against companies that fail to meet the
guidelines on food safety or advertising.
"Bournvita is a little more complicated. The cocoa is mixed
with malt, glucose, sugar and egg, the resultant 'goo'
being pumped into a continuous vacuum band drier.
When dried the result is a 'honeycomb' sheet which when
granulated can be packed as Bournvita."

tweets
 Bournvita reaction to controversy
The company said the claims made by the influencer Revant
Himatsingka, who took down the video after being served a
legal notice, are “unscientific” as he “distorted facts and made
false and negative inferences”. Himatsingka claims to be a
nutritionist
Mondelez saidand a health coach.
Bournvita's formulation had been scientifically
crafted by a team of nutritionists and food scientists to
offer the best of taste and health. "All our claims are
verified and transparent and all ingredients have regulatory
approvals. All the necessary nutritional information is
mentioned on the pack for consumers to make informed
choices," the company said.

"Bournvita is best consumed with a glass of 200 ml hot or

cold milk as highlighted on the pack. Every serve of 20 gm of
Bournvita has 7.5 grams of added sugar, which is
approximately one and a half teaspoons. This is much less
than the daily recommended intake limits of sugar for
children," the American food firm said.
Dismissing the claims that the drink had nothing to boost
immunity, Mondelez said: "Bournvita contains nutrients namely
Vitamin A, C, D, B12, Iron, Zinc, Copper and Selenium which
supports the immune system." The food major said these had
been part of its formulation and it had always called out
“Helps with healthy functioning of the immune system” on the
back of its pack for several years.
"Caramel Colour (150 C) is within permissible limits as per
guidelines defined by regulations. All ingredients are safe,
approved for use and within permissible limits as per the
regulatory guidelines," the company said.
What Bournvita should have done instead
exchange4media asked experts what the right approach to
handle the controversy was without drawing more attention to
itself. According to N Chandramouli, CEO of TRA Research, a
legal notice isn't it. "It is the last of the actions that Bournvita
should have taken. When the Legal Department intervenes, it
should be the last resort. Bournvita does not have a case, other
than showing muscle power, in which the influencer has to
cower down. Assuredly, Bournvita is the loser in this action.”

The experts unanimously agreed that sending a legal notice

was a bit exaggerated reaction by the company. From a future
perspective to handle a crisis like this, Chandramouli said, “All
brands must have a Brand Trust expert on their advisory, the
only voice which will help keep customer trust centric action
for the brand. The Brand Trust expert should be empowered so
that the customer's voice is heard.”
Almost eight months after controversy over the high sugar
content in Cadbury's Bournvita chocolate 'health' drink
erupted, the brand has now reduced the quantity of added
sugar by 14.4 percent.

The company said Bournvita is best consumed

with a glass of 200 millilitere of hot or
cold milk as highlighted on the pack.
"Every serving of 20 gm of Bournvita has
7.5 grams of added sugar, which is
approximately one and a half teaspoons.
This is much less than the daily
recommended intake limits of sugar for
children," said Mondelez India, the company
which owns popular brands such as Cadbury
Though Bournvita responded to the claims of
Dairy Milk, 5 Star, Oreo cookie and Gems.
Himatsingka who then apologised to the
company and deleted the video, social media
users have unleashed a flurry of posts,
disputing health benefits of Bournvita and
criticising the company for browbeating
Himatsingka.
 Pantanjali misleading ads

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday, November

21, asked Patanjali Ayurved to immediately stop
publishing misleading claims and advertisements against
modern systems of medicine, warning of a hefty fine if it
does not.
 KEY TAKEAWAYS FOR OTHER BRANDS

1. **Transparency Matters**: Consumers value transparency in product labeling and

marketing.

2. **Health and Nutrition Awareness**: With increasing awareness about health and nutrition,
consumers are more scrutinizing of food and beverage products

4. **Reputation Management is Vital**: How a brand responds to controversies can greatly

impact its reputation. Brands should prioritize reputation management strategies to mitigate
damage during crises.

5. **Ethical Business Practices are Non-Negotiable**: Unethical conduct, such as deceptive

marketing tactics or compromising product quality, can have far-reaching consequences for
brands.

By learning from the controversies faced by other brands, companies can proactively address
challenges, prioritize consumer interests, and strengthen their reputation in the marketplace.
 Business ethics lenses
ETHICAL BUSINESS DECISIONS: THE LENS

Ethics are a set of beliefs and values that help individuals determine
what actions are right or wrong based on their personal
beliefs. Business ethics are principles and values that guide decision-
making and behavior in business. It is an ethical code that businesses
should follow to maintain a healthy and successful environment.
In the Bournvita controversy, various dimensions of ethics were potentially violated. Here
are five dimensions among meta ethics, prescriptive ethics, teleological ethics, virtue
ethics, descriptive ethics, and applied ethics:

1. **Prescriptive Ethics**: This dimension of ethics involves examining moral principles

and rules that prescribe how individuals or organizations should act. In the Bournvita
controversy, violations of prescriptive ethics may include failing to adhere to ethical
guidelines regarding transparency in labeling and marketing practices.
2. **Applied Ethics**: Applied ethics involves the application of ethical
principles to specific practical situations. In this case, violations of applied
ethics may include disregarding the health and safety implications of
Bournvita's high sugar content and failing to consider the well-being of
consumers.
3. **Teleological Ethics**: Teleological ethics, also
known as consequentialist ethics, focuses on the
consequences of actions to determine their moral
worth. Violations of teleological ethics in the
controversy may involve prioritizing profit over the
health concerns of consumers, leading to potentially
harmful outcomes.
 CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the controversies surrounding brands like Bournvita offer critical lessons for the food and
beverage industry, emphasizing the importance of various factors such as transparency, health consciousness,
regulatory compliance, and reputation management.
Transparency emerges as a key theme, highlighting the necessity for companies to provide accurate

Moreover, the controversies shed light on the growing awareness of health and nutrition among consumers.
With rising concerns about diet-related health issues, including obesity and diabetes, consumers are becoming
more discerning about the products they purchase.

Brands that prioritize health-conscious ingredients and provide genuinely beneficial products stand to gain a
competitive edge in the market.

In essence, the controversies surrounding brands like Bournvita serve as a reminder of the multifaceted
challenges faced by the food and beverage industry. By embracing transparency, prioritizing health-conscious
practices, adhering to regulations, and effectively managing their reputation, companies can navigate these
challenges and thrive in an increasingly competitive market landscape.