Cosmix and The New Thing challenge the “Healthy but Not Tasty” protein bar stereotype
Cosmix has launched a protein bar – and true to the brand, it’s a no-nonsense one. Since day one, Cosmix has built a loyal community around clean, plant-based nutrition, avoiding exaggerated promises in favour of recognisable ingredients and products that do exactly what they claim. When the brand decided to enter the crowded protein bar category, it partnered with The New Thing India. The challenge wasn’t simply to launch something new, but to create something that stayed true to Cosmix’s core philosophy.
Plant-based protein bars are often perceived as “healthy but not tasty.” Cosmix spent over two years and 88 iterations working to overturn that assumption, obsessing over taste and texture without compromising on clean ingredients. When they finally cracked it, the question became: how do you market a product people don’t expect to enjoy, without overselling it?
The film borrows the familiar language of food advertising, only to break the fourth wall and strip it back to what actually matters: a plant-powered protein bar made with clean ingredients that genuinely tastes good. Here, honesty isn’t a disclaimer – it’s the creative idea.
Alongside the film, the campaign features a founder-led video starring Vibha Harish and Soorya Jagadish, explaining the 88 iterations it took them to finally crack the perfect taste and texture.
Vibha Harish, co-founder at Cosmix, said: “Cosmix has always let the product do the talking and is known for its transparency and honesty, so it was imperative that the marketing followed suit. Our community has been eagerly waiting for this drop, which meant there was no room for shortcuts. So, we wanted to do it with a bang, all while staying true to our No-Nonsense values.”
Shraddha Panday and Anagha Annet, Creators at The New Thing, added: “We noticed that the category cues for ‘tasty’ always leaned towards ‘sexy’. And always via women. When we sat down to list these moments of ‘nonsense’, we were surprised how many came up – be it the singular drop of juice on an actresses’ lip, or a bite of chocolate that sends her into a sensuous coma. So we decided to lean into it, and then call it out.”