Marketing Strategy of Licksters - India’s Premium Popsicle Brand 2025

Before diving into the marketing strategy of Licksters, I’d like to inform you that the research and initial analysis for this piece were conducted by Krisha Doshi. She is a current student in IIDE's Post-Graduation course (April 2024 Batch).

If you found this case study on Aretto’s marketing strategy, feel free to reach out to Krisha to send a quick note of appreciation for her fantastic research - she’ll appreciate the kudos!

About Licksters

Licksters is a Nagpur-based premium popsicle and ice cream brand founded in 2019 by Parimal Kalikar and Dhivya Subburaju.

The brand’s origin stems from the founders’ personal 100-day challenge to eliminate dairy and sugar from their diet, sparking the idea for a healthier frozen treat made from real fruits.

Today, Licksters operates over 33 stores across 8 states, offering a colourful product range of:

• Popsicles
• Ice Creams
• Pop-it Shakes
• Swirl-it Hot Chocolates
• Waffle Pops
• Fruity Cold Brew Coffees and more.

The brand uses up to 80% real fruit in its products, without any artificial colours, preservatives, or added sugar. Their tagline “Isse Jyada Fruit Kahi Nahi” reinforces this unique proposition.

Despite a successful appearance on Shark Tank India (Season 2) and receiving 500+ franchise enquiries, Licksters still faces brand consistency and digital scale challenges in a hyper-competitive market. That’s where a solid digital-first strategy comes into play.

Marketing Objective or Business Challenge

Licksters has a clear opportunity to scale, but faces distinct challenges:

• Inconsistent brand identity due to 15+ uncoordinated Instagram handles and messaging gaps.
• Limited national visibility, mostly relying on Shark Tank recall and local presence.
• Seasonal sales drop, especially in colder northern regions.
• Price-to-value disconnect among consumers unfamiliar with real-fruit frozen dessert pricing.

The primary marketing objective is to consolidate Licksters’ digital presence and create a performance-driven campaign that enhances awareness, builds trust, and converts interest into purchases.

Marketing Channels Used by Licksters

Digital Marketing:

• Instagram, YouTube Shorts, Pinterest: Visual-first platforms for content and reach
• SEO & Content Marketing: Long-form blogs, keyword optimisation, Quora
• Influencer Marketing: Micro & nano influencers for regional targeting
• WhatsApp & Email Marketing: Customer retention and flash offer distribution
• Meta & Google Ads: Performance-based campaigns across funnel stages

Offline & Traditional:

• In-store activations, food festivals
• College campus events
• Café & retail collabs

Liked Licksters’ sweet success story? Explore this Hatsun Agro marketing strategy to understand how India's largest dairy brand leverages effective strategies to dominate the market.

Licksters Marketing Strategy Breakdown

1. Content Strategy & Brand Voice

The core campaign concept, "A Lickster for Every You", embodies inclusivity, indulgence, and personalisation. It was created to reflect that Licksters has a treat for every mood, age, and moment.

Key Content Pillars:

• Product Features & New Launches
• User-Generated Content & Customer Reviews
• Behind-the-Scenes Factory/Flavour Stories
• Meme Marketing & Interactive Polls

Tone of Voice: Youthful, witty, inclusive, and playful — with cheeky copy like “Pop it. Lick it. Love it.”

2. Influencer Marketing Strategy

Rather than go national with high-cost macro influencers, we focused on regional micro and nano influencers to create hyper-local awareness.

Sample Influencers:

• @tastingwithfingers (Ahmedabad, 100K followers)
• @lifewithshilpa (Indore, 13.8K followers)
• @mr.foodiesingh (Raipur, 11.8K followers)

Influencers created:

• Store review reels in regional languages
• Product unboxing & taste tests
• Cross-posting UGC on brand pages

This city-level targeting drove hyperlocal awareness and allowed us to tap into micro-communities.

Enjoyed exploring Licksters’ marketing strategy? Discover the marketing mix of Mother Dairy to see how this iconic dairy brand effectively balances its product, price, place, and promotion.

3. SEO & Website Optimisation

Audit Insights:

• Missing meta titles and H1 tags
• Low DA (10) and only 57 indexed organic keywords
• High bounce rate (88%) and inconsistent UI

Actions Proposed:

• On-page SEO cleanup and meta-tag optimisation
• Blogs targeting keywords like “fruit popsicles India” and “healthy ice cream for kids”
• Off-page via Pinterest, Quora, guest blogs on Better India & Inc42.

4. Performance Marketing

Budget: ₹23.1 Lakhs/month (20% of annual revenue)
Approach: Full-funnel digital marketing split into TOFU, MOFU, and BOFU

TOFU:

• Meta & YouTube ads with quirky hooks
• Meme & trend-led Instagram Reels

MOFU:

• GMB listings and store locators
• Influencer-led reviews and content

BOFU:

• WhatsApp flash sales
• Deep links to Swiggy, Zomato
• Leverage quick-comm like Zepto, Blinkit

Curious about how top dairy brands ace their marketing? Check out this detailed marketing mix of Amul to learn how India's beloved dairy cooperative stays on top of its game.

Results & Impact (Projected)

• 2x Instagram engagement through influencer activations
• 15–20% increase in Swiggy/Zomato orders in targeted cities
• Website bounce rate reduced with UI/UX upgrades
• Positive ORM results from templated responses to negative reviews

What Works & Why

• Regional influencer strategy brings high ROI and local buzz
• SEO and Quora outreach drives low-cost visibility
• Unified brand narrative under "Every You" improves emotional resonance

What Didn’t Work & Why

• Disconnected Instagram handles reduced brand recall
• Website lacked direct CTAs or flavour catalogue
• YouTube was underused, missing out on storytelling power

Interested in more food industry inspiration? Dive into this breakdown of Zomato’s business model to see how innovative platforms reshape the dining experience.

IIDE Student Recommendations: Key Areas for Brand Improvement

1. Unified Brand Identity

• Merge Instagram handles to one master page with consistent branding
• Standardise tagline and visual identity across assets

2. Website Revamp

• Add store locator & flavour catalogue with delivery app links
• Improve mobile experience and CTA placement
• Introduce chatbot for instant customer support

3. YouTube Expansion

• Launch “Flavour in 15” Shorts series
• Include founder interviews and origin stories

4. Seasonal Product Strategy

• Create winter-specific menu with hot chocolate pops and coffee-based desserts
• Push through cozy seasonal campaigns and event tie-ups

5. Community Building

• Launch #LickstersChillTribe across WhatsApp, FB Groups
• Run polls, flavour design contests, and early-access drops

6. Enhanced SEO + Content Marketing

• Publish blogs biweekly based on trends, nutrition, and seasonal relevance
• Secure backlinks via guest posting and influencer blog collabs

7. Retail Pop-Ups & Loyalty Program

• Pop-up carts in schools, co-working spaces, and college events
• Launch loyalty club: birthday gifts, merch, referral codes, exclusive drops

Curious about the strengths behind successful food brands? Check out this SWOT analysis of Zomato to uncover insights into the leading food delivery platform.

By implementing these changes, Licksters can go from a buzz-worthy startup to a household name in India’s modern dessert market.