NEW DELHI, INDIA — This World Smile Day, creative agency McCann Worldgroup India has partnered with cookie brand Britannia Good Day, India’s largest cookie brand, to unveil a heartwarming “Cleft Cookie” campaign, celebrating diversity and inclusivity. Known for its iconic cookies adorned with a myriad of smiles, Britannia Good Day has chosen to mark World Smile Day by supporting the smiles of children born with cleft lip and palate.
Owing to India’s substantial population, the country grapples with one of the highest incidents of cleft births worldwide, with roughly 35,000 children being born with this condition annually. Clefts, which involve a gap in the upper lip and/or the roof of the mouth (palate), are a prevalent birth condition occurring across all socio-economic backgrounds.
“Cleft Cookies” sees the creation of limited-edition packs, each adorned with a heartwarming cookie featuring a cleft smile semblance, seamlessly joining the diverse range of smiles that already grace the Good Day lineup. Over six crore of these special packs will be made available for two months across Maharashtra and Gujarat, symbolizing the brand’s commitment to celebrating smiles of every kind and championing inclusivity.
The campaign aims to educate people about cleft lip and palate and, more significantly, to spark global recognition of the importance of inclusivity for children with facial differences. Each limited-edition pack features a QR code, which, when scanned, takes consumers to a site containing information about cleft conditions.
Consumers are also able to donate to Smile Train, the world’s largest cleft-focussed organization and NGO collaborator with Britannia Good Day. Smile Train empowers local medical professionals with training, funding, and resources to provide free cleft surgery and comprehensive cleft care to children globally. This way, consumers are not merely alerted to the challenges faced by children born with cleft palates, but they are also presented with the means to participate in the profound transformation of lives.
Amit Doshi, Chief Marketing Officer at Britannia Industries, said, “Britannia Good Day, has always been a beacon of joy, renowned for spreading smiles and happiness to millions across India. Today, we mark a monumental milestone by warmly embracing the smiles of children born with cleft conditions on our delectable cookies. This initiative underscores our enduring commitment to inclusivity, making every smile, regardless of its unique form, an integral part of the Good Day family. Through our partnership with Smile Train, we aspire to convey a resounding message of acceptance and unity, inviting all to savor the taste of inclusivity, debunk myths, and stand with us in forging a more inclusive world, where every smile is equally cherished.”
Prasoon Joshi, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of McCann Worldgroup India and Chairman of McCann Worldgroup APAC, commented, “A smile is a universal symbol of joy. Changing an iconic product to draw attention to vulnerable children born with a cleft palate is a sensitive and valued initiative. The Britannia Good Day Cleft Cookie has brought pride and acceptance to smiles of every kind. We at McCann Worldgroup India with Britannia feel fortunate to have played a nuanced and meaningful role in making the world more joyful and inclusive.”
Mamta Carroll, Smile Train’s Senior Vice President and Regional Director for Asia, added, “We are thrilled to partner with Britannia Good Day in launching the ‘cleft cookie campaign.’ The iconic Britannia Good Day smile cookies have been a household favorite for decades and adding the cleft smile to bring focus on children with clefts on World Smile Day is a bold gesture, which will generate significant momentum in increasing awareness around clefts and promoting greater acceptance of people with clefts.”
