Client Overview
Dessert Diaries, a boutique dessert brand in Pune, specializes in cheesecakes and fusion mithai. With a niche but loyal audience, they had already earned rave reviews for their innovative creations. However, during festive seasons like Diwali and Christmas, they struggled to compete with heritage sweet shops such as Chitale Bandhu and Kayani Bakery, which dominate the festive gifting market.
The brand wanted to position itself as a modern alternative to traditional mithai while capitalizing on the festive demand for premium gifting.
Challenges
- Traditional mindset – Most customers associated festivals with gifting mithai or dry fruits, not cheesecakes.
- Strong competition – Established Pune bakeries enjoyed powerful word-of-mouth marketing.
- Pricing barrier – Higher price points for artisanal cheesecakes created hesitation among first-time buyers.
Strategy
- Festive Innovation in Products
- Designed Diwali hampers with mithai-inspired cheesecakes such as rasmalai cheesecake and motichoor truffle cups.
- Created limited-edition Christmas hampers with plum-cake cheesecake and chocolate fusion desserts.
- Content Marketing & Storytelling
- Produced Instagram Reels showing behind-the-scenes of dessert making, tapping into the “Instagrammable” culture.
- Highlighted the fusion concept (traditional mithai + modern dessert) to spark curiosity.
- Influencer Collaborations
- Partnered with six Pune-based lifestyle influencers to run unboxing and gifting campaigns.
- Influencers showcased hampers as premium, modern gifting options for Diwali parties and family celebrations.
- Customer Retention & Pre-booking
- Used WhatsApp campaigns to target loyal customers with pre-booking offers.
- Shared festive menu PDFs and delivery schedules to create urgency.
- Local SEO & Visibility
- Updated Google My Business with festive offers, menus, and optimized delivery timings to capture local search traffic.
Results
- 210% growth in online festive orders within 6 weeks.
- 40% of Diwali orders came from new customers, largely driven by Instagram campaigns.
- One influencer reel crossed 32,000 organic views, leading to direct DMs for pre-orders.
- Repeat purchases sustained sales even after Diwali, proving long-term impact.
Key Learnings
- Festive branding must blend tradition and modernity: Customers are open to trying new things when they see familiar cultural flavors (rasmalai, motichoor) presented in trendy formats (cheesecake jars).
- Content drives trust: Behind-the-scenes videos and reels built transparency and engagement, making premium pricing feel justified.
- Influencer marketing accelerates awareness: Mid-tier lifestyle influencers had a stronger local impact than national-level creators, especially in a city-driven festive market.
- WhatsApp is a powerful retention tool: Pre-booking via WhatsApp ensured steady demand and reduced last-minute rush.
- Google My Business boosts local credibility: Keeping GMB updated with festive timings helped capture last-minute gift buyers searching for “Diwali hampers in Pune.”
Conclusion
This campaign proved that premium dessert brands can successfully compete with legacy sweet shops by creating a unique festive positioning. Dessert Diaries carved its niche by fusing tradition (mithai flavors) with modern presentation (Instagram-worthy cheesecakes), leveraging digital-first strategies to maximize impact.
For F&B businesses, the takeaway is simple:
- Innovate around cultural relevance.
- Use content and influencers to amplify your story.
- Retain customers through personalized communication.
Festivals in India are more than just celebrations—they’re opportunities to create memorable brand experiences that turn first-time buyers into loyal patrons.