The Indian diet is notoriously low on protein. Therefore it makes sense for brands to eye the Protein supplements market in an increasingly health conscious Indian population.
The protein supplements market is expected to grow rapidly at an estimated CAGR of 8.8% from 2024 to 2030 (reported by Grandview Research). With a revenue figure of 237 million US dollars in 2023, this number is expected to become 430 million USD by 2030. Therefore you see many brands clamouring for a taste of this large pie.
But the market is still mostly fragmented. According to this blog by deserv.in there are so many players and none of them is big. Thus, the top 5 players account for only 8% of the market share as of 2023.
The last time I went looking for protein powder to the shop, it looked like every Tom, Dick and Harry has decided to take a wager on the protein market. There is Amul, Yoga bar, Max protein, Muscle Blaze, Fast n Up, Cosmix and a multitude of options.
So, what makes each brand stand out? It is hard for me to tell because I have not tried them all. In fact, I am a loyalist to Cosmix plant protein, because I am not so tolerant of whey protein. However, in this post, I am not here to compare the products.
As usual, I am here to analyse which brands are speaking up effectively and which communication stands out and promises a better future for the company. Let’s take a dive.
We’ll start with Muscle Blaze, because that is probably the most heard of name nowadays. And their adverts do pack a punch.
I must say that after watching all the adverts that Muscleblaze marketing team is quite serious about building the brand. They have chalked out a very clear plan to ensure they communicate effectively with both emotional and rational appeal to the audience. This ad by them is so inspirational that it gives me goosebumps.
I liked Muscle Blaze so much that I included a second advert by them below. Enjoy.
Next, let’s look at the one of the world’s best, Optimum Nutrition.
It is hard for me not to notice that they are the heavy weights in the protein market race. They probably have the biggest money backing them up and therefore you see them hire one of the top cricketing teams in Indian Premier League (IPL). It is quite a functional advert that tries to borrow the aura of the top cricketers of India.
Next up: The Whole Truth.
I think quite a low budget advert with just a clear message about their USP. I would probably do the same if I were them (sans the funding). It does the trick for communication. However, for a product like theirs, I would wish to do a more effective advert which ensures that the audience’s attention is retained and recall is captured. I mean I love their products. Whenever I need to have a back up snack on my long run days, I use the Whole Truth. They are really good. I just wish their ad was a bit better.
Milky Mist is next on my list.
Oh this one is catchy! I have been guilty myself of counting protein daily. There are a whole lot of apps helping us do that nowadays. However, the advert showcases how easy it is to keep track if the product mentions things clearly and offers in large quantities. The only thing I find missing is that it is not a differentiator. But I guess I can’t blame them coz this is probably not their creation, and instead it has been done by Zepto.
Alright, lets looks at RiteBite Max Protein now.
It is a plain Jane, run of the mill kind of a functional advert. I don’t have much to say about this really. I mean it is not exemplary, but not entirely ineffective as well. But if 10 years later you make a list of the best protein brand adverts, this one won’t make it in all likelihood.
Who next, but Protinex.
This brand is the grandfather of Protein drinks. Why would I say that? Because Protinex has existed in India way before Protein became a cool and necessary supplement for gym goers. They have a long list of adverts, but mostly every one of them is fact based, functional appeal type ads. I am sorry to say but a lot of upstarts are going to take away the limelight soon unless Protinex rebrands and revitalises itself.
Alright now to the final protein brand advert: Cosmix.
To be honest, this one does not really count as an advert. It is more of a YouTube Vlog thing for them. But that aside, they have a real good product. I use their protein powder after all my heavy runs. They are good and taste nice. But I wish they had a better investment into their brand. With a product like theirs a good advert would take them far.
Bottomline, in all the above list, Muscleblaze take the cake with its inspirational adverts. But there are other better products above (like The Whole Truth and Cosmix). It would be great if we see these wonderful products get some cash to put into brand building. Indians definitely needs more protein in their diet and with good brands around, that could be a great win-win for everyone.