Approximately 120,000 tons of branded tea are consumed in Pakistan every year and the category has an annual growth rate ranging between four and six percent. The major players in the category continue to be established brands such as Lipton, Supreme, Tapal and Vital, with a combined market share of over 80%.

The Mezan Group, best known for their cooking oil and ghee, entered the category in 2015 with the launch of Danedar, Mixture and Super blends under the Mezan Har Dum umbrella and Mezan Baithak and Awaz in the tea dust segment (the latter is only available in Sindh). A year later, Ultra Rich – their premium flagship brand was introduced and now in a bid to increase market share, the company rolled out an advertising campaign in October 2020, featuring Mahira Khan – also known as Pakistan’s sweetheart – endorsing Mezan Ultra as the perfect blend for anyone looking for a soothing yet energising cup of tea. As Mezan’s premium brand, Ultra Rich is slightly more expensive than their other brands.

According to Alamgir Janjua, GM Marketing, Mezan Group, the brief communicated to Magnet Media (their creative agency) was to showcase the brand’s “richness in taste, colour and aroma – the three essential ingredients for a perfect cup of Mezan Ultra Rich Tea and with the beautiful diva of Pakistan romancing it.”

To stand out from the clutter, the campaign moved away from “stereotypical tea making procedures and conversations” as depicted in most tea commercials. Instead, according to Janjua, the campaign takes audiences on a “sensorial and poetic journey in tea making and drinking as experienced by the enchanting Mahira Khan” all the while focusing on the “beauty” of the tea-making process, as well as Ultra Rich’s colour and aroma.” As a result, we see Khan indulging in Mezan Ultra Rich during various times of the day, thereby reinforcing the tagline ‘Har Pyali Dil Wali’ (Tea for the Rich Hearted).

“We used beautiful high-speed shots with Mahira Khan and tea infusion simultaneously. Thanks to our directors such as Adnan Malik, we were able to bring the story we had in mind to life,” says Ayeshay Wasay, Creative Consultant, Magnet Media.

Janjua says several factors made October the right time to roll out the campaign. “Our research showed an increase in food consumption patterns since the onset of the pandemic, with people forced to stay indoors. As tea is Pakistan’s favourite hot beverage, it benefited tremendously from this, especially as people continue to work from home and drink tea throughout the day. We wanted to entice them to try Mezan Ultra Rich as we were confident that once they did, they would become regular users.”

Speaking about choosing Khan, Wasay says that she perfectly embodies the tagline ‘Har Pyali Dil Wali’. “She has represented Pakistan on the global stage and her inside-out beauty shows her richness of heart as does her choice of tea.” Another reason was the fact that the brand team felt women connect and relate to her; this was especially important given that the brand’s target market includes women who live in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore as well as smaller urban centres such as Faisalabad and Multan (where Ultra Rich is available). To which Janjua adds that “Women all over Pakistan, irrespective of age or SEC, love Mahira Khan because she brings a touch of class to everything she does.”

The campaign was featured on all major TV channels, newspapers, OOH, digital – with an emphasis on social media, including the Mezan Chaiholic Facebook page – and in-store activities. “As evidenced by our social media platforms, the campaign is loved nationwide and our distributors and national sales team are highly motivated by the tremendous response to the campaign,” adds Janjua.

As for the future, Janjua plans to expand the brand’s footprint into smaller cities and towns across Pakistan. “So far, we have a presence in Punjab and Sindh and we look forward to extending this across all provinces. We are confident of the superior quality of our brand and that Ultra Rich will become the number one choice for all tea lovers across Pakistan.”