Melody Itni Chocolatey Kyun Hai?

What started as a tag-line for ad campaigns by Parle Products Pvt Ltd to promote its toffee brand ‘Melody’ soon became a national sensation and people started asking each other ‘Melody itni chocolatey kyun hai?’ (Why is Melody so chocolatey?)

Irrespective of the fact that these ads usually ended with a vague answer to this question, i.e. ‘Melody khao, khud jan jao.’ (Eat Melody and you shall know it yourself.), this age old question has had the Indian population pondering over for decades and has become a hot topic of discussion over various forums and platforms. Such is the cultural impact of this question that today it has found its way in various social media and memes.

The 90’s kids have been trying to decode this profound mystery since their younger days and as they are inching towards mid-life crisis, this one question often baffles them to their core. The following presentation is an attempt to demystify the mystery and finally put to rest the ultimate question of this millennium.

1. Melody Itni Chocolatey Kyun Hai? Presentation by Raju Verghese 1

2. INTRODUCTION The idea of this presentation came to me while having a causal chat with my friends & colleagues Ms. Afzaleen and Ms. Sujata. During our conversation, Ms. Afzaleen challenged me to find out why Melody chocolates taste so chocolatey? I took up the challenge and undertook a research on this topic. But rather than just conveying the facts orally, I decided to make a presentation. After all, the question was being answered by a management graduate. 2 I would like to thank Ms. Afzaleen and Ms. Sujata for instilling this creative idea in my mind. I enjoyed every moment spent on the research and I hope all the readers would find it equally engaging and insightful. I would also like to use this opportunity to express my gratitude towards the professors & batch-mates of my B-school who helped me understand the nitty-gritties of preparing an academic presentation. I have tried to keep the language as simple as possible while not overloading the presentation with jargons or data analysis which would be incomprehensible for many. This presentation is dedicated to all the chocolate lovers.

3. DISCLAIMER The following presentation is for educational purpose only. All the facts and figures given in this presentation are based upon the research conducted on the freely available content over the net. No scientific testing of facts has been undertaken by the researcher himself and thus there may be certain disparity between the published content and the actual reason for melody being so chocolatey. The researcher shall not be held responsible for any such difference of opinions or facts. This research content may be used for educational and non-commercial purpose by anyone at their own risk. D ue credit given to the content creator would be appreciated. This presentation is not associated with PARLE, MELODY or any other company or brand-name used in the presentation. All the opinions given in this presentation are author’s personal views and are not intended to challenge or influence any individual’s or group’s preference or taste. Grammar-Nazis and professional presentation makers may kindly excuse the imperfections found in the following presentation. This is just a preliminary draft of unascertained facts complied within a span of few hours on a lazy Sunday afternoon. Suggestions for improvement are always welcomed. NO CHOCOLATES WERE HARMED DURING THE PREPARATION OF THIS PRESENTATION . Subject to jurisdiction of Chocolistan 3

4. Melody Itni Chocolatey Kyun Hai? What started as a tag-line for ad campaigns by Parle Products Pvt Ltd to promote its toffee brand ‘Melody’ soon became a national sensation and people started asking each other ‘Melody itni chocolatey kyun hai ?’ (Why is Melody so chocolatey?) Irrespective of the fact that these ads usually ended with a vague answer to this question, i.e. ‘Melody khao , khud jan jao .’ (Eat Melody and you shall know it yourself.), this age old question has had the Indian population pondering over for decades and has become a hot topic of discussion over various forums and platforms. Such is the cultural impact of this question that today it has found its way in various social media and memes. The 90’s kids have been trying to decode this profound mystery since their younger days and as they are inching towards mid-life crisis, this one question often baffles them to their core. The following presentation is an attempt to demystify the mystery and finally put to rest the ultimate question of this millennium. 4

5. What are chocolates? We All Love Chocolates! As per Google Dictionary, chocolate is ‘ a food in the form of a paste or solid block made from roasted and ground cacao seeds, typically sweetened and eaten as confectionery . ’ The quality and quantity of the cacao bean used to manufacture chocolate determines its taste. Of course, the processing methodology and other ingredients like sugar, cocoa butter, artificial flavours, and preservatives constitute to the final look, feel and taste of the product. 5

6. Why do we love chocolates? During ancient times, the Aztecs used to consider chocolates as food fit for Gods. The early Europeans even marketed it as love potions. Apart from the taste, the smell, and the soothing feeling of a piece of chocolate melting in your mouth, the real scientific reason that makes chocolates so loveable is that it triggers release of Endorphins and Serotonins , which makes us feel good. Chocolates also contain small amount of chemicals like Phenylethylamine and Theobromine that elevates our mood and makes us feel happy. As a matter of fact, these are same chemicals released in our body when we are in love. 6

7. What is Melody? Melody is a brand of chocolate toffees manufactured by Parle Products Pvt Ltd. It was launched in 1983 and since then it has created waves in Indian confectionery industry due to its unique taste, brand recall value, and brand elements like its jingle, tagline and packaging. It was an instant hit and people loved its two-in-one flavour. It’s unique blend of caramel coated chocolate won hearts and taste-buds across geography and demography. No wonder that it has attained the status of one of the most iconic chocolate brands in India and continues to be a favourite of many for more than three decades. 7

8. Melody’s Ingredients As mentioned earlier, Parle’s Melody toffee is a layer of caramel on the outside with chocolate fillings inside. Following are the ingredients used for manufacturing our beloved toffee: Sugar Artificial Flavours Natural Flavours (Vanilla) Salt Liquid Glucose Edible Vegetable Oil Cocoa Solids (10.8%) Milk Solids Emulsifier (Soya Lecithin) 8

9. What Makes A Chocolate Chocolatey? - I Chocolate making is as much art as science. It starts right from cultivation of land for producing Cocoa beans to harvesting, fermentation, roasting, blending, grinding, mixing, refining, conching , tempering, tabling and storage. The abovementioned factors contribute significantly to the chocolatiness of any chocolate. However, manufacturers add certain artificial flavours, preservatives and sugar to make it sweeter or to give it a particular taste or flavour. Carrageenan (a food thickening agent) Monoglycerides (glycerol linked to fatty acids) Cellulose Gum (makes chocolate creamier) Polysorbate 80 (makes chocolates smoother) Few of the chemicals that enhance the chocolatiness of a chocolate are as follows: 9

10. What Makes A Chocolate Chocolatey? - II 10 Carrageenan Monoglycerides Cellulose Gum Polysorbate 80 A substance extracted from red and purple seaweeds. Consists mixture of polysaccharides. Used as a thickening agent in food. I t gives chocolate its desired thickness. These are a class of glycerides which are composed of a molecule of glycerol linked to a fatty acid via an ester bond. It ensures emulsion of oil and water, thus giving chocolates its desired consistency and creaminess. It is a thickening agent used in all kinds of food products. It gives the food a thicker and creamier consistency. Thickness and creaminess increases the taste and appeal of a chocolate. It is an emulsifier often used in food and cosmetics. It makes chocolates smoother and increases its resistance to melting. This keeps the chocolate soft yet firm in Indian climates.

11. What Makes Melody So Chocolatey? And finally, we reach to the main question. For sake of easy understanding, the answer to this question is broken down in three parts. Scientific Reason The science behind the ingredients and components used to make Melody chocolates that make them chocolatier than other similar types of chocolates. Artistic Reason The art behind making Melody’s chocolatiness perfectly balanced and how it constitutes towards making it so chocolatey. Psychological Reason Food and psychology are well connected with each other. This also plays a pivotal role in making Melody an iconic brand and so chocolateous . 11

12. What Makes Melody So Chocolatey? Scientific Reason Melody contains ingredients like Cocoa, Milk Solids, Liquid Glucose, Sugar, Edible oil, etc , which gives it its chocolatey flavour. However, what sets it apart from other similar type of chocolates are key chemicals like Carrageenan ,  Monoglycerides ,  Cellulose gum  and   Polysorbate 80 , which makes it thicker, creamier and smoother than other similar toffees. In short, this is what makes Melody more chocolatey than others. Melody is a bi-layer toffee that consists of a layer of chocolate covered with a layer of caramel. Caramel is gooey in nature and melts quickly in the mouth. Once the coating of caramel melts away, it gives access to the chocolate inside. The sweet sticky flavour of caramel, mixed with the chocolate flavour that follows, increases the chocolatiness and enhances the taste that lasts longer in the mouth than a typical toffee. 12

13. What Makes Melody So Chocolatey? Artistic Reason In the previous slide we saw the science behind what makes Melody so chocolatey. However, just mixing up all these ingredients won’t give you the desired consistency or flavour . That’s where art comes into picture. There has to be a perfect blend of all the components in the desired volume and ratio. For example, greater quantity of caramel would make it more sticky and one cannot fully enjoy the inner chocolatey layer. Similarly, more of chocolate would make it taste like a piece of chocolate bar than a caramelised toffee. In short, any change in the ratio of the added ingredients or chemicals will take away its chocolatey flavour. And to achieve that delicate perfect balance is definitely an art. A knowledge that comes with years of experience in chocolate making. 13

14. What Makes Melody So Chocolatey? Psychological Reason Science and Art are definitely responsible for making Melody chocolatey; however, psychology also plays a pivotal role. From the beginning itself, the Marketing team of Parle Products Pvt Ltd ensured that its consumers are bombarded with the fact that Melody is chocolatey . Be it through their ads, taglines, jingles or packaging, everywhere the word ‘ chocolaty ’ appears. Thus inducing a recall value and making its consumers think that Melody is indeed more chocolatey than its competitors. It is a known fact that psychology plays a big part in creating perception of a brand and giving it a distinct brand image. Despite the fact that there have been other chocolates and toffees which were richer and creamier than Melody, the ‘chocolatey’ tag has been retained by it since decades. 14

15. Conclusion & Summary So what makes Melody so chocolatey? The perfect balance of Science, Art and Psychology. S cience of selecting the right ingredients and chemicals. Art of perfectly blending these ingredients and chemicals to achieve the desired taste. Psychologically inducing the fact in consumer’s minds that Melody is chocolatey via advertisements, promotional campaigns, packaging and nostalgia. And if someone still has doubts over why Melody is chocolatey? Then… 15

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17. Sources of Information and Pics Google Wikipedia Quora (Why is Melody so chocolatey?) ParleProducts.com Ad World Marketing World Daily Herald FoodNetIndia.in KissPNG.com ExpertEnough.com 17