Britannia has launched a special edition of its Milk Bikis biscuits in Tamil Nadu, printing individual Tamil words from the Thirukkural on select biscuits as part of a campaign aimed at introducing children to the ancient literary work through a familiar everyday snack.

Consumers are encouraged to collect words printed on biscuits across multiple packs and piece them together to complete one of three Kurals centred on friendship, learning and perseverance. While the campaign seeks to build cultural engagement among children, the limited number of printed biscuits in each pack and the need to purchase multiple packets have raised questions about its effectiveness as a learning initiative.

Milk Bikis Biscuits Carry Words From Thirukkural

Under the campaign, select biscuits inside special edition Milk Bikis packs feature individual words taken from the Thirukkural, the ancient Tamil literary work attributed to poet-philosopher Thiruvalluvar.

Consumers who collect enough words can combine them to form one of three complete Kurals. A dedicated microsite allows participants to enter the words they discover and compete for hourly prizes.

The wider campaign is expected to be promoted through films, social media, outdoor advertising and partnerships with schools. Britannia is also collaborating with educators and cultural voices across Tamil Nadu.

The initiative seeks to introduce children to the Thirukkural through a product they regularly encounter and encourage engagement with the text beyond classroom learning and examinations.

Campaign Seeks To Make Ancient Tamil Text Accessible To Children

Written more than 2,000 years ago, the Thirukkural contains 1,330 Kurals divided across 133 chapters and addresses subjects ranging from ethics and relationships to governance and everyday life.

The text remains deeply embedded in Tamil Nadu’s cultural and educational landscape and can be found in classrooms, public transport, temples, television programmes and public debates.

While many children encounter and memorise selected Kurals as part of their education, the campaign seeks to encourage greater curiosity and engagement with the literary work.

The special edition biscuits are slightly thinner and larger than classic Milk Bikis, making the Thirukkural-printed biscuits distinguishable from the regular product.

Only Two Thirukkural Biscuits Found In Rs 30 Pack

An India Today examination of a Rs 30, 150 gm Milk Bikis pack found around 20 biscuits, of which only two carried words from the Thirukkural.

The two words, “Karka” and “Kasadara”, belonged to a Kural related to education, while the remaining biscuits were regular Milk Bikis.

Chennai-based consumer Prabakar N reported a similar experience after purchasing the special edition pack.

“I bought the new theme biscuit for Rs 30. The pack consisted of around 20 biscuits and out of the 20, only 2 had the Tamil words of a Thirukkural related to education – Kasadara and Karpavai. The rest were the usual classic Milk Bikis. So, to get a full Thirukkural, you may have to buy them in multiple packs,” he said.

Since a Kural consists of two lines containing seven words, consumers could potentially need to purchase several packets to collect all the randomly distributed words required to complete one.

Sales Remain Steady As Campaign Reaches Supermarket Shelves

A shopkeeper at a supermarket in Kodaikanal said the Thirukkural-themed Milk Bikis packs began appearing on shelves around two weeks ago.

“People are not actively seeking them out as of now. But sales have been usual. There’s no dip or particularly any increase in families and kids buying these Thirukkural-themed biscuits,” she said.

The campaign is still in its initial stages, with its broader promotional rollout expected to determine whether the initiative leads to increased consumer interest.

Some parents, however, have reported curiosity among children after encountering advertisements for the campaign.

Parents And Children Raise Questions About Campaign Mechanics

Harini, a CA assistant and mother of a seven-year-old, said her child became interested in learning about the Thirukkural after seeing an advertisement for Milk Bikis.

“My child saw the ad and is pestering me to buy the Milk Bikis. He asked me about the Thirukkural and was curious to learn about it. But I have to see how it actually helps him learn it,” she said.

Teenager Deeksha said she was interested in buying the biscuits out of curiosity but questioned whether she could collect enough words because her mother restricted how many biscuits she could eat.

“I’d like to buy a pack just to bite into the curiosity. But my mother will not allow me to eat beyond two biscuits. So I don’t know if I’d even be lucky enough to find all the Thirukkural words,” she said.

Fourteen-year-old Maya Manickam raised another practical concern about collecting the words printed on a perishable product.

“Even if I get two words from a pack, I cannot keep it till I find the other words of the same Thirukkural,” she said.

Six-year-old Aaradhana from Chennai, meanwhile, does not eat biscuits because of restrictions on sugary foods and will continue learning about the Thirukkural through the classroom.

Campaign Raises Questions Over Cultural Engagement And Marketing

Britannia Milk Bikis has had a longstanding presence in Tamil Nadu households, giving the brand significant reach among families and children across the state.

The campaign uses that reach to introduce the Thirukkural through an everyday consumer product and encourage children to become curious about one of Tamil literature’s most celebrated works.

However, the need to collect randomly distributed words across several packets presents practical challenges. A Kural represents a complete thought with two lines, meaning and context, while consumers receive only individual words spread across different packs.

The campaign’s microsite seeks to address this limitation by allowing consumers to record the words they find, although participation requires children and families to take an additional step beyond purchasing and consuming the biscuits.

The success of the initiative is likely to depend on whether curiosity generated by the special edition packs encourages children to explore the Thirukkural beyond the campaign itself or ends once the biscuits have been consumed.

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