by A couple of months back, Preethi , one of India’s biggest Kitchen Appliances company managed to pull off an one-of-a-kind Guinness World Record in Chennai. The World record was for building a 41.8 ft cupcake tower (18,818 cupcakes to be exact) with the help of their popular mixer grinder, Preethi Zodiac. Along with a Master Chef Plus Jar to prepare the cupcake batter, Preethi Zodiac managed to dish out all those 18K cupcakes in record time . With the help of employees, support staffs and collaborating with Food Consulate, Preethi has managed to pull off this great feat which no other brand has attempted to do.
Being a popular Kitchen Appliances firm, Preethi has been a household name in most South Indian cities thanks to their innovative & quality products as well as the brand value that’s been built over the decades. It’s almost impossible to find a home in South India without a “Preethi” mixie , grinder or a Gas Stove. A name that’s been synonymous with the word “Guarantee”, “Lifetime service” and “Quality”, Preethi has truly enjoyed an indomitable position in this segment. So it wasn’t quite surprising when I got to know that they attempted something of this magnitude to showcase the true power and resilience of their recent launch, Preethi Zodiac mixer grinder.
Fortunately, I had a chance to interact 1-1 with the Managing Director of Preethi, Mr.S.Subramanian to find out more about this interesting initiative and the reasons behind doing so. So many insights came out from this meeting and in the end it made absolute sense as to why this was planned & designed in the first place.
The Idea Behind the Guinness Record
Preethi wanted to differentiate themselves in the market and showcase the fact that their ranges of Mixer Grinders was not only meant for south indian items like Idly & Dosa but also can be used for Western & Multi Cuisine dishes. This included cupcakes as well.
As a tribute to 40 years of Preethi being in the industry , they planned to construct a 40ft cupcake tower.
The fact that they held a record for a 500kg, Longest grinding marathon in a mixer grinder category in Asia was also a reason to try attempt a Guinness Record. Nevertheless , their company being a Guiness World Record holder was a huge morale boost to the employees and the dealer networks as well.
Putting themselves out on the world map , with the record reflecting the durability, quality of the product was also a key talking point in their communications.
This also happened to be the PR’s field day both in the online as well as offline segment both during the course of the event and post the record with good coverage in print, radio and online sites.
Execution Challenges
Attempting a Guinness Record of this scale and size will always come with it’s execution challenges: The whole feat should be covered in a given amount of time, the product should deliver the expected rate of output without any mechanical issues and of course prevent any external challenges cos of building this in mammoth tower in a mall. Having tied up with Food consulate and getting help from their own staffs and ex employees, it probably relieved them of their pressure but yet it could never be easy unless it was actually completed.
In short, they had to get it right the first time itself.
Investing in the Future
Even attempting a Guiness World Record can be a major investment for any firm. Building a 40ft tower with 18000 cupcakes, collaborating with Forum Vijaya Mall and managing the work of so many people can be a huge effort . But when you achieve it, you realize it all makes perfect sense.
Going down the road a few years later, you realize this was the perfect long term investment you might have made. An award that’s unparalleled , a statement to prove that they actually do what they claim is a dream for every brand.
Guinness Record wasn’t their primary goal but rather a means to the end. The end goal, being a brand known for their quality, innovation and service. An investment behind these 3 pillars was rather the primary goal.
A Brand without a Celebrity
I always wondered, why a household brand like Preethi never opted for a celebrity to endorse their brand. Hiring a “Masterchef” winner or a popular actress could have well been their choices but they never opted for any. Mr.S.Subramanian replied that end of the day Brand has to deliver and their only hero was the product. Their second biggest endorsement came from their trade channels, network of dealers etc. Third being the consumers themselves and Preethi enjoyed a very strong word of mouth influence.
Preethi currently exports to several countries including USA, Canada, UK, Middle East and parts of Asia including Singapore.
