For many Indians who grew up in the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, Melody is deeply connected with childhood memories.
There was a time when almost every small grocery shop in India kept Melody toffees inside large glass jars placed near the counter. Children often bought them with pocket money, while schools distributed them during birthday celebrations.
The candy became famous because of its unique taste. It had a soft caramel layer outside and chocolate filling inside.
Even today, many people remember Melody not just as a sweet, but as a symbol of simpler childhood days.
The recent viral moment has brought back nostalgia for lakhs of people online.
How Melody became so popular
Melody was launched by Parle during the 1980s when the Indian candy market was growing quickly.
At that time, Cadbury’s Eclairs was already popular in the market. Melody had a somewhat similar idea, caramel on the outside and chocolate inside, but Parle wanted the candy to have its own identity.
To make Melody stand out, Parle worked with advertising agency Everest.
This led to the creation of one of India’s most famous advertising lines:
“Melody itni chocolaty kyun hai?”
The answer was simple and catchy:
“Melody khao, khud jaan jao!”
The famous tagline was written by copywriter Sulekha Bajpai. Another popular line, “Melody hai chocolaty,” also became widely recognised.
The advertisements were designed to create curiosity among people. Instead of directly explaining what made Melody special, the ads encouraged viewers to try it themselves.
That strategy worked brilliantly.