How Amul’s Digital Strategy Keeps It Relevant

Unlike other dairy companies in India, Amul has built a unique image through its exclusive brand aura, having been a part of Indian kitchens for decades. Since its inception, it has been producing affordable yet high-quality products like butter, milk, cheese, chocolates, and ice cream that connect with the souls of many generations. 

What sets Amul apart is not merely the range of products but the association with the notion of The Taste of India. While being simply a farmer cooperative in Gujarat, it has now set itself up as one of the most trusted FMCG brands worldwide. 

Now, shall we discover its inspiring history, business model, and digital marketing strategies that created this legend?

History of Amul

Amul was set up in the year 1946 in Anand, Gujarat, by Dr. Verghese Kurien and Tribhuvandas Kishibhai Patel. It first saw the light during a farmers’ movement against exploitation by middlemen, with steep aims at achieving a fair price to farmers while assuring consumers of quality dairy. The cooperative drives started evolving into Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (or GCMMF), the present-day managing body of the Amul brand. 

From being a pillar of the White Revolution in India, Amul is now a global dairy major with exports to more than 50 countries. 

Brief Detail Information: 

• Legal Name: Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF) 
• Headquarters: Anand in the state of Gujarat, India 
• Employees: 1,000 in-house (and maybe millions indirectly through cooperatives) 
• Annual Turnover: More than ₹55,000+ crore (FY 2023) 

The Amul Business Model

Amul’s successful cooperative structure is based on the three tiers: 

1. Village Societies– Farmers collect and supply milk. 
2. District Unions– process and manufacture milk into products. 
3. State Federation (GCMMF) – Competes in marketing and distribution. 

With the Amul model of business, the profit is returned to farmers, while consumers are assured of quality dairy products at really affordable prices. Being a cooperative of farmers, there is always a humanistic approach, and it is considered a people-first brand.

Target Audience of Amul

The customer base of Amul is well diversified into the B2C and B2B sectors: 

• B2C (Consumers):

Kids: Chocolates and flavored milk. 

Youth: Cheese, pizzas, and beverages. 

Adults and Elders: Butter, ghee, lite products, Nutramul. 

• B2B (Businesses):

Restaurants, tea stalls, bakeries, hotels, and food manufacturers. 

By staying competitive in prices, Amul caters to all income groups-from rural households to urban families.

Marketing Strategy of Amul

1. Brand Identity – The Taste of India 

Amul connects emotionally with the Indian community through the positioning of something more than just a brand. It claims to be part of this national identity. 

2. Mascot Marketing – The Amul Girl. Since 1966, it has been one of India’s iconic advertising mascots. She has entered popular culture thanks to witty and topical ads on hoardings, newspapers, and digital platforms. 

Fun fact: Amul holds the Guinness World Record for the longest-running advertisement campaign for a single mascot. 

3. Moment Marketing –  Amul is best at staying relevant. Whether it is sports victories, political happenings, Bollywood, or the world beyond, the brand has always been quick to catch the moment and churn out instant funny advertisements that go viral. 

Example: Ad campaigns congratulating Neeraj Chopra for Olympic gold or witty repartees involving global tech personalities like Elon Musk. 

4. Catchy Taglines – 

• Utterly butterly delicious- Amul butter. 
• Amul Doodh Peeta Hai India- Positioning milk as India’s core strength. 
• The Taste of India- Bringing all products under one single brand identity.  

5. Pricing Strategy – The pricing for Amul products is designed for the common man. With a balance between price and quality, Amul ensures the availability of its products to all layers of society.

Amul’s Digital Marketing Strategy

The company uses traditional advertising and its trademark hoardings and witty one-liners as a cornerstone to remain entrenched in the market. Amul adds a layer of humor and relevance in the online space that many competitors cannot replicate, while adapting to the fast-changing digital landscape. 

Here is how Amul uses the different platforms: 

1. Facebook

Facebook is much more than mere product promotions for Amul: it creates communities. Recipe contests, live cooking shows, and posts encouraging customer engagement- all help encourage the community to get creative while using Amul products in their kitchens. 

• Example: Via the #CookWithAmul campaign, people are encouraged to post images of homemade food prepared with Amul butter, cheese, or ghee, thereby generating user-generated content (UGC) while also building greater brand love.
• Facebook currently has over 10 million Amul followers and is increasingly being used by Amul as an interactive two-way platform, strengthening its household brand image.

2. Twitter/X 

Twitter is truly the hub of Amul’s always-on moment marketing. The Amul Girl ads react quickly to trending news, sports, political, and entertainment updates. 

• An instance is the one for the gold medal win by Neeraj Chopra during the Tokyo Olympics, with the tagline: “Neeraj ne jita, Amul ne pita!” 
• With such topical ads, they often go viral and are shared on several platforms, reinforcing the picture of Amul as an agile digital marketer. 

3. Instagram 

On Instagram, Amul goes towards a more visual and lifestyle setup. This platform is filled with: 

• Festival graphics (Diwali, Holi, Independence Day).
• Humorous reels and memes featuring Amul products.
• A mix of modern design trends with the traditional Amul Girl mascot.

With the use of this strategy, the brand continues to remain relevant to the younger crowd and has managed to stay “Instagrammable” along with its nostalgic appeal.

4. YouTube – Branded Content with #SimpleHomemadeRecipes

Amul’s YouTube channel is quite famous for long storytelling and branded content. The flagship campaign under the channel is #SimpleHomemadeRecipes, which invites chefs, influencers, or home cooks to the kitchen to prepare dishes with Amul products. 

• This not only highlights the wide applications of its products but also promotes organic content marketing with viewers attempting the recipes at home. 
• Since cooking is one of the most searched categories on YouTube, the marketing tactic has made sure that Amul is exactly where its audience is looking for.

Key Takeaways from Amul’s Success

There is more to learn for entrepreneurs and marketers from Amul, such as: 

• Customer-Centric: Affordable and accessible to all. 
• Transparency: Fair trade and ethical dealings with farmers and consumers. 
• Consistency: Same verve and humor for branding throughout some decades. 
• Facing Risks: Entering newer product categories-flavored milks, chocolates, and pizzas. 
• Keeping Relevance: Getting into the limelight through moment marketing.

Final Thoughts

Amul is not just India’s leading dairy brand; it is a cultural phenomenon. Starting from the concepts of cooperatives to innovative advertisements, Amul, a personified brand, had to balance between matters such as quality, pricing, and reliability. The lesson here is this: If the core is built on a sound business model, with customer-first marketing techniques, a brand can become relevant for generations. 

An entrepreneur may consider Amul a textbook case: Build trust, be consistent, and stay attached to consumers at all times. 

If you are searching for a digital marketing agency in Ahmedabad that can create the best campaigns for your FMCG company, reach ShoutNHike today.