In this Greatest Hits episode of Getting to Aha!, Darshan Mehta is joined by Monish Debnath, CMO and Founding Team Member of WickedGüd, to discuss the fascinating world of consumer insights. They delve into how culture impacts consumer behavior; why simple moments are the biggest aha moments; and why taste is the number one consideration for brands in the food industry, even if they focus on health. This episode is a must-listen for anyone intrigued by the intersection of psychology, business, and delicious food.

Monish is the Chief Marketing Officer and a Founding Team Member of WickedGüd, a food and beverage retailer on a mission to “UnJunk” India and the World one kitchen at a time. Prior to this, he was the Lead Strategist and Vice President of Strategic Planning at Havas, where he assessed creative ideas by grounding them in strategic consumer insights. He is an entrepreneur, design thinker, philosopher, and activist with a passion for consumer behavior and communication that amplifies human potential and shapes subtle qualities of the human spirit.

We can’t wait for you to hear what he has to share with us!

KEY TAKEAWAYS

👉 Monish has been intrigued by consumer behavior since he was very young. Now, he sees humans behave differently based on their exposure to the external environment, culture, and people around them. He has seen certain behaviors that seem to cut across cultures, which in and of itself was a big aha moment. To him, simple moments such as food choices based on culture are more significant aha moments than complex moments you never expect to happen. It is all about driving for simplicity. 

👉 According to Monish, every day is a day of insights and aha moments, yet people always struggle to find them. This is because they are not new; they are already existing and evolving. For example, when he ventured into the food and drink industry, he realized that a good mom always says no and a bad mom always says yes. This is not a judgment on their parenting but an observation that the mother who wants good for her family will say no to many things in the food space. That is a progressive mom. This is something people experience growing up and likely feel annoyed about, but it becomes an aha moment later in life.

👉 Food is important to Indian culture, and Monish got into the food industry to bring about desperately needed disruptions.. He wanted to bring healthiness to indulgent foods where health was a missing narrative. He and his team wrapped healthy ingredients into indulgent dishes: pasta and noodles. The whole idea was to take something healthy and make it just as indulgent and delicious as comfort foods while still appealing to the market.

👉 Taste is intricate, and taste is linear. You either like something, or you don’t. When it comes to food, India is a taste-first culture, not a health-first culture, and so Monish and his team have had to put taste as the top priority, both in their development and their marketing. As they are developing new products, they are constantly gaining consumer feedback and keep improving their recipes to ensure that the food is just as delicious as the typical versions, but with all the added health benefits of their ingredient choices. They have also had to focus on texture and appearance, ensuring their products are appealing before consumers taste them. One way they have done this is by incorporating a transparent exclamation point on their packaging so that consumers see the food item before they even open the box, knowing what to expect.

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Darshan’s Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/darshan--mehta

IResearch Website - https://iresearch.com

Connectqik Website - https://www.connectqik.com

Monish on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/monish-debnath-9420049 

WickedGüd Website - http://www.wickedgud.com