How does an organization (and its brand) become a specialist?

For P Mark the journey towards specialization began in pre-independence India. The P Mark brand made a humble beginning in 1933 starting out with a single manufacturing facility of cold pressed mustard oil in Moga (Punjab). Across the decades, Puri Oil Mills Limited continued to focus single-mindedly on this one product – mustard oil... and till date, it continues to retain – and sharpen – this focus.

Across more than 90 years, this dedication to mustard oil resulted in an extensive knowledge base within the organization with its domain expertise being honed and expended over the years. An in-house R&D facility was established to accelerate innovation, new product development and the exploration of new applications of mustard and mustard oil.

The "Obsession" with mustard is clearly reflected in the organization's Vision Statement: to be acknowledged as the last word in mustard. In actualizing this vision, the brand has set its sights on being a frontrunner in its segment by delivering to its customers a product experience that encompasses delight, reliability and consistency... a product experience that is heightened by adhering to stringent benchmarks and best practices... and by focusing on unwavering purity and uncompromising quality. The company's quality initiatives have led to the brand receiving various awards and accolades - including Indian and International Quality Awards - in addition to earning the admiration and trust of millions of consumers across generations.

In 2014, with a view to highlighting its core competence, expertise and manufacturing capabilities in the domain of mustard oil, P Mark unveiled a new communication platform positioning itself as "The Mustard Specialist". 
 

To underline the importance of a 'specialist', the brand signed on as its brand ambassador, well-known character Actor Boman Irani - a specialist in creating unforgettable screen personalities like Professor Virus, Lucky Singh and Dr. Asthana. Like P Mark Oil, Boman Irani too has persevered painstakingly to make his mark as a specialist character actor. These shared values and beliefs have resulted in an enduring relationship between the Brand and its Ambassador.
The year 2016 marked the production and release of a quirky television commercial featuring Boman in a delightful avatar – a tabla maestro. The ad was aired on leading mainstream television channels and received a very enthusiastic response. The online version of the ad uploaded on YouTube has garnered over 4 million views till the time of writing.
2019 ushered in a mega advertising campaign from P Mark Mustard Oil. This was a three-film ad campaign featuring magnificent sets – and Boman Irani in three avatars: an overexcited boxing coach, a bumbling translator and an utterly incompetent chef. The message underlying these ads was: "Only a specialist can do the work of a specialist" – thus reinforcing the brand's positioning platform of "The Mustard Specialist".
The year 2020 witnessed the onslaught of an unprecedented pandemic and the brand stepped up as a responsible corporate citizen, distributing free face masks as a part of the promotional schemes. Across 2020 and 2021, Indians went into lockdowns and shifted to work-from-home routines resulting in an exponential increase in the consumption of digital content. Aligning with this trend, the brand initiated a major digital outreach initiative in collaboration with Google and rolled out an online campaign designed to reach over 9 million users across key markets.
Through good times and tough ones. P Mark Mustard Oil has always remained closely in touch with its customers. In its new television commercial produced in 2023, the Brand upped the ante and added more star power by featuring two well-known celebrities: our long-term brand ambassador Boman Irani is joined by Neena Gupta who plays an irritable neighbour. After a series of skirmishes, the two characters bond over fond memories of their favourite dishes prepared using P Mark Mustard Oil.
​​Our customers often tell us that there is something special about the oil in terms of flavour, aroma and the overall dining experience; according to them, there is some indescribable quality that draws them back to the brand time and time again. Echoing the feelings expressed by our customers, the proposition for the new campaign was developed: Kuch Tho Baat Hai Iss Tel Mein (there is something special about this oil). The highly engaging film was broadcast on a wide range of News and General Entertainment Channels and, according to preliminary dipstick studies, has been received well.

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