CCC: Chai Cinema Café Campaign Case Study
Chai Cinema Café, fondly known as CCC, is more than just a place to grab chai; it’s a vibrant hangout spot designed especially for college students. Located within a 1–2 km radius of a bustling college campus, CCC offers an affordable range of unique chai flavors and popular snacks, including pizza, fries, and the local favorite, bun maska. This blend of a cozy ambiance, great chai, and a budget-friendly menu makes it the ideal location for students looking for a quality break between classes or a relaxing post-lecture gathering spot. However, with CCC being a relatively new player, our goal was to firmly establish its brand in students’ minds and grow its popularity through a strategic and engaging campaign.
The CCC College Campaign: Leveraging a Freshers’ Event for Brand Visibility
When I learned that the college was organizing its annual freshers’ party and seeking sponsorships, it presented a valuable opportunity for CCC. With the college asking for a sponsorship of 10K, I negotiated the deal down to 7K, securing CCC’s place as a key sponsor of the event. This agreement gave CCC significant exposure on a day when hundreds of students would be celebrating together, setting the stage for CCC to make a lasting impression. My approach was not only to fulfill the sponsorship requirements but also to enhance it with a campaign that resonated deeply with students and established CCC as a must-visit spot.
Campaign Goals
The campaign’s primary goals were to:
Increase Brand Awareness: Position CCC as the top spot for students within walking distance.
Drive Foot Traffic to CCC: Incentivize students to visit the café regularly.
Create Digital Engagement: Utilize social media to extend CCC’s reach beyond the physical space.
Build Brand Loyalty: Establish CCC as a routine part of students’ lives through loyalty programs and relatable messaging.
Key Campaign Components
The CCC College Campaign was crafted to make a meaningful connection with students through multiple touchpoints, each tailored to resonate with their routines and interests.
1. Strategic Banners with Humorous and Relatable Copywriting
One of the central components was the placement of banners in strategic, high-traffic areas around campus. These banners featured quirky, humorous messages designed to draw attention and create a strong association with CCC. Understanding the language and humor students relate to, I created slogans that made CCC feel like an extension of their student life:
“Agar lecture nahi toh CCC ha sahi” — A lighthearted invitation for students to enjoy CCC during their free time.
“Fresher ho ya purana, CCC ki chai banaye sabko deewana” — Emphasizing that CCC welcomes everyone, from first-years to seniors.
“LPA ka sapna? Hamare chaiwale ki bhi 18 LPA!” — A fun take on the high expectations students have for future earnings, subtly suggesting that CCC is part of this aspirational journey.
By infusing relatable humor and a touch of campus slang, these banners helped make CCC a familiar name while leaving a positive and memorable impression.
2. Loyalty Program: “10th Meal Free”
To encourage students to return frequently, we introduced a loyalty program: for every nine meals purchased, students earned the 10th meal free. The loyalty cards were distributed at the event, making it easy for students to start accumulating points from their very first visit. This program served two purposes — rewarding repeat visits and creating a feeling of exclusivity and belonging among students, who now felt a special connection to CCC. With each return, they strengthened their relationship with CCC, viewing it as a place that not only served good food but valued their loyalty.
3. Engaging Students with On-Stage Activities
As part of CCC’s sponsorship benefits, we secured time on stage during the freshers’ event. I planned a series of fun activities, where participating students could win a free meal at CCC. These games were designed to be interactive and inclusive, encouraging students to participate and create positive associations with CCC. Not only did this enhance CCC’s visibility during the event, but it also made CCC a part of the day’s memories. The winners who visited CCC to claim their free meal often brought friends along, helping to further spread awareness and excitement about the café.
4. Instagram Filter and Social Media Contest
Recognizing the influence of social media on students, we designed an exclusive CCC Instagram filter for the event. Students were encouraged to post a story using the filter to enter a contest, with the chance to win a free bun maska. This social media tie-in created digital buzz for CCC, as students shared their stories and tagged CCC’s Instagram page. By interacting with CCC online, students extended the café’s presence to their personal networks, helping to build a following and keep CCC top-of-mind even after the event ended.
Other Designs
Results and Impact
The CCC College Campaign proved to be one of the café’s most successful marketing initiatives to date, yielding a noticeable increase in brand visibility, foot traffic, and loyalty among students. One year after the campaign, CCC’s connection with the college student demographic remains strong, with students now making up a significant portion of its customer base.
Key Results:
Revenue Increase: College students now contribute to 30% of CCC’s overall revenue, with the café seeing a 60% student presence during pre-evening hours.
Sustained Foot Traffic: The loyalty program fostered repeat visits, establishing CCC as a regular go-to for students.
Enhanced Brand Awareness: The banners and slogans made CCC an instantly recognizable name around campus, while social media engagement extended brand reach online.
Takeaways and Reflections
This campaign taught me valuable lessons about connecting with a niche audience through strategic touchpoints, humor, and relatability. By aligning CCC’s branding with the everyday experiences of students, we positioned CCC as more than just a café — it became part of their college journey. This campaign underscored the importance of immersive brand experiences that go beyond traditional advertising to establish long-term loyalty and word-of-mouth momentum.
Overall, CCC has achieved its goal of becoming a staple in students’ daily lives, proving the power of relatable branding, loyalty incentives, and digital engagement in cultivating a strong customer base. This campaign was a testament to how creative, well-targeted efforts can yield impactful results for a new brand in a competitive market.
BTS
ME (Below) and my better half (friend i mean to say)