Marico Limited’s Saffola Masala Oats is adding a “playful” twist to healthy snacking this cricket season.
With a new campaign starring cricket commentator Sanjay Manjrekar, the brand serves up a mix of nostalgia, humour, and masala — reinforcing its position as the go-to snack for young, health-conscious Indians.
The campaign, launched on the back of the ongoing IPL, captures a shift in Saffola’s tone — from purely nutrition-forward messaging to a more culturally relevant and witty storytelling approach. The new spot is built around Manjrekar’s signature “masaledar” commentary and presents Saffola Masala Oats as a tastier, smarter snack alternative for modern lifestyles.
The campaign film, conceptualized by Mullen Lintas in collaboration with Social Panga and Madison Communications, is set in a podcast-style studio where an interviewer calls out Manjrekar’s past spicy remarks like “bits and pieces player” and “not having the range.” Caught mid-snack with a masala chakli, Manjrekar responds, “Eh… thoda masala toh chahiye na!” The witty comeback is followed by the interviewer sliding over a bowl of Saffola Masala Oats and saying, “Sirrrrrrr… masala chahiye toh yeh lo.” The spot closes with a clearly impressed Manjrekar digging into the bowl, as the line appears: “Saffola Masala Oats – Dil ko na kar mana!”
Marico Limited’s chief executive officer – India Core Business, Ashish Goupal, said: “Saffola has always stood for smart choices — products that are nutritious, convenient, and great-tasting. Over the last year, we’ve evolved our brand storytelling to resonate more deeply with younger audiences. The cricket campaign is a significant step in this journey — combining humour, nostalgia, and relatability with a message that snacking can be both nutritiously convenient and genuinely enjoyable. Sanjay Manjrekar brings the perfect blend of edge and familiarity to drive home this idea.”
Goupal added: “We are also seeing growing consumer acceptance of oats in India — not just as a breakfast option, but increasingly as a savoury, anytime snack. As a category leader, we are committed to shaping this evolving snacking culture—offering exciting formats and bold flavours that meet the expectations of today’s health-conscious yet taste-loving consumer.”
Mullen Lintas chief creative officer Ram Cobain shared: “…Last year, we used Manjrekar’s famous (or rather infamous) ‘Behave’ remark as the central idea for the film. For this year’s IPL, we’ve used not one, but half a dozen of his ‘masaledar’ comments from the past, to cook up a fun banter between him and an interviewer. And smoothly slid a bowl of Saffola Masala Oats as a cheeky, socially-palatable alternative.”
Madison Media Ultra COO Jolene Fernandes Solanki commented: “Consistency is key to brand building, two years in a row now, we’ve hit a six with cricket fans! Our continued partnership with cricket events and having associated with Sanjay Manjrekar has not only driven engagement but also reinforced Saffola Masala Oats as an anytime snacking meal.”
The campaign aligns with Saffola’s broader innovations, such as the convenient Cuppa format and the recent introduction of a gourmet masala range, catering to taste-forward consumers without compromising on health.
