Indonesians are spice-crazy; with every household making chili mixes and 60%+ of them buying chili sauces. Sambal ABC was a monopolistic brand with more than 32% penetration in 2017. However, with Unilever’s entry into the category through Jawara and heated contest from others, Sambal ABC faced an alarming decline in Penetration.
Sambal ABC, Indonesia’s No. 1 chili-sauce brand with 50%+ MS was losing share because its users simply started to find competition more exciting. Sambal ABC decided to simply become more spicy; puns intended.
To push the brand’s spiciness further, the brand created an online music video in the form of a dare to the whole country, ‘Too spicy even for Indonesians.’ The narrative showed an army officer’s struggle escaping the spicy noodles which were a pre-condition to promotion. The noodles with Pedasuransi were available at Ubud Food Festival and Abang-Adek for the brave ones to try.