Marico’s Saffola Masala Oats’ new campaign targets young and conscious snackers

Saffola Masala Oats has launched a witty new campaign launched this cricket season. Continuing the conversations with younger audiences, the brand now brings cricket commentator Sanjay Manjrekar back into the spotlight—this time with a wink at his own spicy past. In a sharp departure from their conventional style of advertising, the campaign uses nostalgia, humour, and Manjrekar’s iconic “masaledar” commentary, flipping it into a narrative that positions Saffola Masala Oats as the go-to snack for those who want the best of both worlds - bold flavour and better choices.

The film, conceptualized by Mullen Lintas, with support of Social Panga and Madison Communications, is set in a podcast-style studio and opens with an interviewer confronting Manjrekar about his “brutal commentary” while displaying some of his most talked about takes—“bits and pieces player,” “not having the range”—in an unmistakably cheeky fashion. Manjrekar, caught mid-snack with a masala chakli in hand, chuckles and responds: “Eh… thoda masala toh chahiye na!” The punchline lands when the interviewer calmly slides over a heart-shaped bowl of steaming Saffola Masala Oats and says, “Sirrrrrrr... masala chahiye toh yeh lo.” Surprised, Sanjay takes the bowl and looks at the interviewer questioning —Saffola Masala Oats? The spot closes with Manjrekar, speechless but clearly impressed, tucking into the flavourful bowl as the brand’s signature message appears: “Saffola Masala Oats – Dil ko na kar mana!”

The campaign embodies Marico’s larger ambition of making Saffola Masala Oats the go-to snack for India’s time-pressed, health-conscious consumers. This vision is further supported by innovations like the Cuppa format, delivering the same flavour-packed nutritious benefits in a convenient and on-the-go avatar. Strengthening this momentum, Saffola has also expanded its Masala Oats portfolio with a gourmet range featuring new flavours that elevate the oats snacking experience across demographics.

Speaking on the campaign, Ashish Goupal, Chief Executive Officer – India Core Business, Marico Limited, said, “Saffola has always stood for smart choices—products that are nutritious, convenient, and great-tasting. Over the last year, we’ve evolved our brand storytelling to resonate more deeply with younger audiences. The cricket campaign is a significant step in this journey—combining humour, nostalgia, and relatability with a message that snacking can be both nutritiously convenient and genuinely enjoyable. Sanjay Manjrekar brings the perfect blend of edge and familiarity to drive home this idea.”  He adds, “We are also seeing growing consumer acceptance of oats in India—not just as a breakfast option, but increasingly as a savoury, anytime snack. As a category leader, we are committed to shaping this evolving snacking culture—offering exciting formats and bold flavours that meet the expectations of today’s health-conscious yet taste-loving consumer.”

Talking about the creative thought process behind the campaign, Ram Cobain, Chief Creative Officer, Mullen Lintas, said, “What’s cricket without a spicy take by Sanjay Manjrekar? Last year, we used Manjrekar’s famous (or rather infamous) ‘Behave’ remark as the central idea for the film. For this year’s IPL, we’ve used not one, but half a dozen of his ‘masaledar’ comments from the past, to cook up a fun banter between him and an interviewer. And smoothly slid a bowl of Saffola Masala Oats as a cheeky, socially-palatable alternative.”

Sharing their experience of working on the campaign, Ketki Karandikar, Creative Head, Social Panga Mumbai, shared, “When it comes to exciting and flavourful experiences, Sanjay Manjrekar's unfiltered opinions on cricket find the perfect match in Saffola Masala Oats. We crafted bite-sized, snackable content tailored for social media platforms and paired it with sharp quick commerce collaborations. The result? A seamless journey from screen to spoon, ensuring the masala flavour wasn’t just talked about, but tasted in real-time.”

Reflecting on the strategy of tapping into India's cricket frenzy, Jolene Fernandes Solanki, COO of Madison Media Ultra, shared “Consistency is key to brand building, two years in a row now, we've hit a six with cricket fans! Our continued partnership with cricket events and having associated with Sanjay Manjrekar has not only driven engagement but also reinforced Saffola Masala Oats as a anytime snacking meal”