WSL Desk
In a country where Halloween remains largely a Western import, ITC Foods’ sour candy brand Candyman Sourzzz has launched a uniquely Indian take on the festival with its latest campaign, “Candyman Sourzzz Presents: A Desi Halloween.” The campaign reimagines Halloween through the lens of Indian folklore, reviving age-old legends with a playful, tangy twist.
Reviving Indian Horror Legends
While global Halloween celebrations feature vampires, werewolves and pumpkins, A Desi Halloween taps into India’s rich horror traditions rooted in haunted havelis, eerie banyan trees and mystical village tales. The campaign introduces three fictional characters—Tangy Tantrik, Sour Sundari and Meetha Khatkula—who embody the brand’s signature sourness and bring back the thrill of Indian-style horror.
Digital Storytelling Meets Bollywood Nostalgia
Unfolding through a digital-first approach, the campaign features cinematic social media films introducing the three folklore-inspired characters as they awaken in a crumbling haveli and rediscover their “flavour of horror” through Candyman Sourzzz. The creative treatment blends neon hues, humour and nostalgic references to 1990s Bollywood horror, appealing to a young, culturally rooted audience.
A Celebration of Culture, Fun, and Flavour
Anuj Bansal, Vice President and Head of Marketing – Chocolates, Coffee and Confectionery, Foods Division, ITC Limited, said, “With Candyman Sourzzz, we’ve always aimed to make sourness fun and exciting for young India. This Halloween, we wanted to localize the thrill by celebrating our own folklore in a playful, modern way. A Desi Halloween reintroduces the ghosts and legends we grew up hearing about through fun, flavour, and nostalgia making Halloween uniquely Indian in spirit and taste.”
Suchitra Gahlot, National Creative Director, FCB India, added, “Halloween is relatively new to India. But the idea of ‘Horror’ isn’t. We used the Bollywood Horror genre from the 90’s, as inspiration to get our candy-loving desi kids to celebrate Halloween, desi style. So aside from pumpkins, witches on brooms and skeletons, we wanted kids to also learn about horror imagery that is representative of our culture – in the form of Bhoot Banglas, Daayans, Bhoot Pret, Tantriks. We wanted ITC Candyman to become the brand that owns Halloween – culturally, visually and with a sense of fun. And we had so much fun doing this body of work too.”
Bringing the Desi Spirit to Life
To extend the experience beyond digital, Candyman Sourzzz has rolled out Halloween-themed packs on quick commerce platforms, featuring exclusive giveaway masks that double as candy bags for consumers in Bengaluru. The brand said it is also activating on-ground engagements through RWA events, outdoor installations and influencer collaborations with creators known for spooky storytelling.
Through A Desi Halloween, Candyman Sourzzz seeks to create a distinctly Indian celebration of horror and fun—one that fuses nostalgia, pop culture and flavour to make Halloween truly desi in spirit.
