Nestlé comes up with 'miss-you Maggi' ads

Nestlé India has been given a six-week deadline by the Bombay High Court to prove that the product is safe

Plugging into the popularity of instant noodle brand Maggi, Nestlé India has released new ‘miss-you Maggi’ ads on social media.

This is the first time since the June 5 recall and ban of Maggi by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India and the consequent court-room drama, that Nestlé India has released ads pertaining to the brand.

The under-one-minute films titled ‘Menu Cards, Mom and Neighbours’ speak of how much Maggi is missed and how it acted as a crucial snack at any time of the day or night.

A Nestlé India spokesperson said, “These short films reflect the spontaneity and affection between consumers and Maggi.

"We are making efforts to get Maggi noodles back on the shelves and have been overwhelmed by the messages of love and support that we receive each day.

"Such messages strengthen our resolve to be back with our beloved consumers. We want to share the warmth of our relationship through these films.”

It may be recalled that Nestlé and Maggi's past and present brand ambassadors, including Madhuri Dixit, Amitabh Bachchan and Preity Zinta, were served notices end-May by the Haridwar Food & Drug Administration for making false claims in ads for the brand.

This had practically gagged Nestlé from running existing ads or releasing new ads for the brand prior to the recall and ban.

While the Bombay High Court has since lifted the ban in its order dated August 13, the company has been given a six-week deadline to prove the product is safe.

It is unclear whether the Bombay High Court's partial relief prompted the firm to release new ads.

But the company's legal woes are not over yet as it continues to battle the government in a new class-action suit, filed by the consumer affairs ministry recently on behalf of Indian consumers.

The suit sought to seek damages of Rs 640 crore (Rs 6.4 billion) from the company for misleading consumers with ads that claimed that the instant noodle was a healthy snack.

The new ads, incidentally, are also supported by a twitter hashtag ‘wemissyoutoo’ that had surfaced right after the Bombay High Court verdict on August 14.

This hashtag has since then received around five million impressions, according to MindShift Metrics, a digital agency that maps reach and trends on social media.