Mumbai: G.O.A.T Brand Labs and THG Ingenuity, the technology services division of THG Holdings plc, the proprietary unified commerce platform specialising in taking brands direct to consumers globally and scale, have announced a strategic partnership to build and execute localised digital capabilities together in India.
THG Ingenuity is a unified commerce platform with a full stack technology, digital and operations omnichannel capabilities, and is preferred by several leading direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) and consumer brand giants across the world and in India.
The alliance between G.O.A.T Brand labs and THG Ingenuity will see the companies work together to develop localised digital capabilities to help India’s leading consumer brands scale up their e-commerce businesses, representing a significant step towards future-proofing the robust growth of the Indian DTC ecosystem. Furthermore, as a leading DTC player in India, G.O.A.T Brand Labs’ partnership with THG Ingenuity will provide it with additional services to help homegrown DTC brands make mindful, data- backed decisions to expand their reach to global audiences via e-commerce channels.
Backed by over 18 years of expertise in digital studios and creative, digital marketing and trading and through investment in proprietary technology, operations, brand and data, THG Ingenuity has helped power e-commerce and DTC growth for many of the world’s leading brands.
THG Holdings plc is the owner of the world’s largest sports nutrition brand, Myprotein, which has seen strong DTC growth in India in the last five years through being underpinned by Ingenuity’s core technology, operations infrastructure and digital services, including its unique influencer and content creator model.
Rishi Vasudev and Rameswar Mishra founded G.O.A.T Brand Labs in May 2021 with a vision to ‘Make Indian DTC Stars World Famous’. G.O.A.T Brand Labs and THG Ingenuity’s partnership brings it closer to its goal of making homegrown DTC companies celebrated globally.
Speaking about the partnership, THG Ingenuity CEO Vivek Ganotra said, “We are delighted to be working with G.O.A.T Brand Labs in helping brands in the DTC space scale up. I have been impressed with Rishi’s clarity of vision and focus on turbocharging DTC in India. Aligning with Ingenuity’s vision for brands to help them grow exponentially in the e-commerce sphere, we see that our partnership will help G.O.A.T Brand Labs’ brands and other Indian DTC brands to scale their e-commerce evolution to become the market leaders of their kind.”
G.O.A.T Brand Labs CEO and co-founder Rishi Vasudev said, “We are looking forward to this partnership with THG Ingenuity. This will help several consumer brands in India who are looking at scaling up and making their DTC presence more robust. Currently, our own acquired lifestyle brands are strengthening their presence in India and in global markets – US and GCC countries. THG Ingenuity will also help bolster their presence globally.”
Mumbai: Nitish Rana, the prolific left-handed batsman, has been named as SportsBuzz11’s newest brand ambassador. Nitish Rana, known for his outstanding performances in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and domestic cricket, will be the official face of SportsBuzz11.
Speaking about the association, SportsBuzz11 MD Dashmeet Kawatra said, “We are delighted to have Nitish Rana as our brand ambassador. Nitish is a talented cricketer who embodies the values of sportsmanship, and we are confident that his association with SportsBuzz11 will take our platform to greater heights. We look forward to a long and successful partnership with Nitish.”
As part of the partnership, Nitish Rana will feature in multi-channel marketing campaigns and brand engagement activities with SportsBuzz11. He will also be a part of various online and offline events. SportsBuzz11 is gearing up to launch several exciting contests and promotions in the upcoming weeks, offering users a chance to win big while enjoying their favourite sports.
With Nitish Rana on board, SportsBuzz11 users will have an excellent role model to inspire them to showcase competitive strength and skills similar to what Nitish showcases on the field.
Mumbai: Indian skincare brand Joy Personal Care from the aegis of RSH Global, has announced Bollywood actress, Disha Patani as an ambassador for its sunscreen category in India. In addition, to meet the growing demand for sun protection products, the brand announced the release of six new sunscreen products in a variety of forms, including creams, gels, and serums, allowing customers to select the product that works best for their skin type. A digital and social media campaign introducing Disha and the new product line has also been launched.
Joy Personal Care’s ‘Hello Sun’ sunscreen range has introduced three new products in a cream format, containing the key ingredient Titanium dioxide which helps reflect UV A & UVB rays. These include All Day Active Ultra Matte Dry Touch with SPF 50 PA++++, Matifying Natural tone tinted sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++, and Chemical-free Mineral sunscreen SPF 50 PA+++. Additionally, the brand has launched a Gel sunscreen, Joy Revivify Ultralight Invisible Sunscreen Daily Wear Gel SPF 45 PA+++ with Aloe Vera that soothes skin. Additionally, to meet the needs of new-age consumers, the brand has also launched two products in the serum category – Vitamin C+ Niacinamide Glow Booster Sunscreen Serum SPF 40 PA+++, and Sunblock & Anti-Tan Daily Brightening Body Serum SPF 35 PA+++. These serums provide protection against harmful UV rays, retain skin moisture, and brighten skin without leaving any white residue.
Disha Patani will be featured in a campaign aimed at promoting awareness for Joy’s newly launched product range. The digital video content released will be showcased across YouTube and social media channels, emphasizing the advantages of using Joy’s latest sunscreen, which not only offers superior protection from damaging rays but also maintains the skin’s health. As a part of the campaign, a TVC with Disha will also be rolled out in the coming month during the men’s T20 cricket league.
RSH Global chairman Sunil Agarwal said, “The newly launched sunscreen range is an exciting development for JOY, as we continue to provide customers with a wide variety of products that meet their changing needs. Our sun protection range is designed to offer superior protection from damaging UV rays and other environmental pollutants while nourishing and brightening the skin. By further strengthening our sunscreen category, we aim to consolidate our position in the Indian personal care market, providing high-quality sun protection products that are both effective and affordable.”
RSH Global CMO Poulomi Roy said, “We are happy to have Disha Patani as the new face of our sunscreen range. Her energy and enthusiasm will be the perfect partner to help us create an engaging campaign that will bring our advanced sunscreen range to life. We have carefully crafted a comprehensive campaign for our newly launched sunscreen range which takes into account the latest trends in skincare technology, customer needs and preferences, and the competitive landscape. We are confident that with Disha on board, the campaign will not only create awareness but also help us reach our target audience and drive sales of our new sunscreen range.”
Talking about her association with Joy Personal Care, Disha Patani said, “I’m thrilled to be joining the Joy Personal Care family. Protecting our skin from the sun’s harmful rays is essential, and Joy’s natural sunscreen products are the perfect choice. Their broad range of sun protection products caters to all skin types, making sure everyone can find the perfect product for their needs. I’m confident that with Joy’s sunscreen product range, everyone can remain safe and enjoy the sun!”
Joy Personal Care has an established line of sunscreen products that include creams and body locations. Joy Hello Sunblock & Anti-Tan are available in cream and lotions with SPF 20, 30 and 40.
Mumbai: Men are expected to be strong all the while – well, being human, it’s practically impossible for them to do so. They can’t be sensitive, or they are termed too girlish. They can’t cry, or they are labelled as sissies. Well, it’s about time society set them free and let them be for whom they want to be – comfortable in their skin.
DaMENSCH, a premium men’s fashion brand, is deep diving into redefining the idea of being comfortable, moving away from the age-old preconceived notion that staying within your comfort zone does not equal growth. In a confab with Indiantelevision.com, DaMENSCH senior vice president – marketing Deepti Karthik and Tata Office general manager & GoodFellows founder Shantanu Naidu elucidate about DaMENSCH as a brand, the platform called WeDaMEN and being part of it, the quirky advertising and marketing strategy of the brand, and much more.
Talking about market size, the menswear segment is growing roubstly, with revenue amounting to $31 billion in 2023, growing annually at 3.65 per cent (CAGR 2023-2027). Further, the market value of men’s apparel is estimated to be about Rs 3.3 trillion in 2028 across the country.
By turning their product experience of unparalleled comfort into an emotional one of being comfortable in who you are, the DaMENSCH brand is seeking to represent different situations where men find discomfort. From open, real conversations on relationships – married, live in, open, same-sex to simply flaunting your body and no matter what society thinks of it, to bridging the ‘macho’ divide between stoic father-son relationships – DaMENSCH is on a journey to make man-kind comfortable.
Along with this, DaMENSCH has opened up a platform called WeDaMEN – a space the brand claims has been launched with the mission of making mankind more comfortable to do more in life. A space where men can inspire each other and support one another without judgments or constant pressure of success. Staying in your comfort zone is the new way to thrive in life. The community will have a dedicated page on the DaMENSCH website and will continue to feature truly inspiring stories of men, who always stay real.
Through its campaign #ComfortInAPurpose, DaMENSCH asked men a fundamental question for 2023 – “What’s Your Purpose?” Men, as a gender, are seldom encouraged to portray their vulnerable emotions, especially care. Following the success of its Men’s Day campaign, DaMENSCH tried yet again to break stereotypes through three inspiring stories of Naidu, Aman Sharma and Chow Sureng, aged 19 to 40, who joined WeDaMEN – a community by DaMENSCH on a mission to make mankind comfortable.
On a lighter note, when asked about what keeps him happy and sane, Naidu expresses, “It changes every day. But being surrounded by people who understand me, even in silence, or the quiet company of my dog and a book, keeps me happy. What keeps me sane, however, is chasing one goal after another, after another, always looking for the next problem to solve.”
Karthik reveals, “The top six metros continue to be our top market governed by digital penetration and online commerce dominance however we have seen more than 30 per cent of our business coming from tier III cities and we believe this trend will continue to grow.”
Discussing revenue numbers, she adds, “We continue to grow 3x YOY, our ambition is to be a Rs 1000 crore brand by 2025 and hope for a 50 per cent contribution to come from offline business that is growing at a rapid pace. From just being a D2C brand, fastest to achieve the Rs 100 crore ARR milestone to being an omnichannel brand we think our journey is just getting started.
“We have operated on a healthy return on ad spend (ROAS) of 4-5 consistently and will look to optimise it even further as the focus on profitability continues to grow. While we still have one eye on growth we believe that through clutter breaking brand campaigns we can get more bang for our buck and hence punch above our weight,” Karthik states further on the advertising and marketing spends.
DaMENSCH also launched its campaign on conscious fashion in PVR where it spoke about high IQ dyes which consume 50 per cent less water and electricity and are used across its product range. It also launched Popcorn Pants which come in a unique texture and has been a bestseller in the T-shirt avatar making the brand expand it into a collection of half-sleeve, full-sleeve henleys.
Edited excerpts:
On the growth of the brand since its launch
Karthik: DaMENSCH started its journey in 2018, with three pairs of trunks and briefs in the innerwear category. We identified a huge gap in the men’s innerwear market and took that as an opportunity to provide innovative products and spark awareness in the Indian market about the need to focus on essential wear for men, a segment mostly neglected. When we launched modal innerwear at our price point, we received such a good response from our customers. We witnessed a significant increase in repeat customers, which gave us enough confidence to expand our product portfolio.
In 2021, we launched the outerwear category with more focus on innovation in our products. Our outerwear collection involves signature 500 Days t-shirts, joggers, shorts and statement popcorn collection. Our collections were focussed on providing high quality, sustainability and maximum comfort to our customers. With time we have successfully evolved according to the needs of our customers, increasing awareness and gaining more recognition in the men’s innerwear segment.
With healthy growth online, we decided to up the ante by making inroads offline. We launched our first store in Mantri Square Mall followed by stores in Jayanagar and Brigade road in Bengaluru. Further, to strengthen our commitment in having a strong omnichannel presence, we decided to open one store every month till March 2023. Our vision is to become the best essential wear brand in the country and to cross 1000 crore revenue by retaining our loyal customers and delighting them with products that are cutting edge.
On launching the brand in a hotly contested market
Karthik: The innerwear market was divided into mass pricing (Rupa, VIP), mid pricing (Jockey) and luxury pricing (Calvin Klein) in 2018 when DaMENSCH was launched which left a gaping opportunity for us to make an entry.
When we launched modal innerwear in 2018 at the price point we were the first to do so in India and it helped capture consumers who appreciated the value-for-money proposition. While many brands followed suit later, we believe competition in the innerwear segment will help in the growth of the category and we welcome the bigger brands paying attention to a category which was greatly ignored. We are proud of having helmed an era of R&D in men’s innerwear and we will continue to push the envelope on it.
On the challenges, learnings and lessons
Karthik: The idea of tapping into the men’s innerwear category, especially in India, is a challenge in itself. This category is the most neglected part of any man’s wardrobe. There isn’t much awareness of using quality essential wear among the male audience. Hence, bringing a shift in the mindset of consumers is one of the biggest roadblocks faced, in the initial years.
Further, with existing players like Jockey, Dollar, Rupa, and other unorganized, unlisted brands being widely available, makes the stickiness of customers another problem for the brand. However, with our ability to bring tech into fabric engineering and continuously manufacture innovative products that offer properties like thermoregulation, and odor cancellation. We successfully captured the market with a loyal customer base.
On the impact of covid on your business
Karthik: Being an essential wear category we were very lucky indeed to not have been impacted by covid, covid turbocharged the D2C acceptance in India and helped consumers discover new brands on social media and on ecommerce platforms . It also increased conscientiousness around slow fashion which helped us grow the business 3x.
On 2022 being the first yearafter the pandemic
Karthik: With 30 per cent awareness in our TG we believe we are at the threshold of a quantum shift in the brand’s journey post our 2022 performance which continued to see steady growth online and was buoyed by the offline foray. We believe the offline channel will be a key lever in our growth ambitions.
On your TG
Karthik: We call our TG the futuristic progressive, we believe they are discerning digital natives who are very aware of global and local brands, trends and seek the best for themselves actively in every facet of their life. While the lead adapters found us online,we grew by word of mouth because these consumers are also conscious and there is value they associate with slow fashion , for them conscious fashion is an important factor that influences purchase decisions which makes them active brand ambassadors.
We have a 40 per cent repeat rate in our consumers and more than 50 per cent of our revenue from existing customers which speaks both about our product quality as much as it does talk about the kind of consumers we are attracting and retaining.
On competition
Karthik: We are considered competition to Jockey, at a 30 per cent price premium to the market leader. We continue to aspire to take market share and find a segment of audience that might have latent needs from this category that we can cater more efficiently.
On the USP and differentiating factors that set DaMENSCH apart
Karthik: As a brand, our differentiation has been innovation, we have managed to bring in tech into fabric engineering, whether it’s the deo soft proprietary fabric of Deo Soft underwear which is odour cancelling, to Bamboo Vest to Thermoregulating Polos made out of recycled plastic, we have innovated across all the 4P of Marketing.
On the advertising, quirky campaigns and brand positioning
Karthik: We started advertising on Instagram from 2018, all of our communication is done in-house and that is the secret behind the consistency of tone, application and brand spiel. By having an in-house content, design and production team we have taken complete control of output in our own hands to ensure this stream of quirky, unique communication narrative stands its own ground against the titans of the industry and is truly breaking the category norms.
Our campaigns are a result of consumer insight that we have unearthed through consumer focus group studies, our brand truth is comfort and we want to own the comfort space by not being limited to the product experience. We want to make our consumers comfortable at all times – to achieve this goal we asked the modern man what makes him uncomfortable and the responses ranged from talking to my in-laws, asking for money I lent back to having to hide my sexuality.
Through our campaigns we want to get our consumers to be comfortable in their skin, size, shape, colour, and sexuality, to be authentic, to be flawed but awesome and that gave genesis to the community WeDaMEN which stands for a community of men who support each other.
On the kind of advertising and marketing campaigns we can look forward to in 2023
Karthik: As a brand every campaign will come under the umbrella of alternative masculinity and we will continue to establish and grow our Brand Experience of Comfort in legions that most matter to our TG- the futuristic progressive and we intend on using 3C to reach this customer segment.
We will continue to double down on communication that showcases the DaMENSCH man as Confident, Comfortable and Conscious and we hope to do this Consistently.
On participating in the campaign by DaMENSCH
Naidu: I wanted to be a part of this campaign because it gave me a platform to talk about two things: the benefits and fulfillment of intergenerational friendships between young minds and seniors, as well as the importance of flaunting your sensitivity and empathy even as a male, which is highly stigmatized in all the toxic masculinity today.
On realising your purpose in life
Naidu: I often found myself thinking “if I disappear from the face of the earth tonight, what will I be remembered for?” And when I didn’t have the answer I started my hint for it. Very quickly, I realized I want to be remembered for impacting as many lives as possible in the short span I have here. Lives that need that impact.
On your first instinct when you realised your larger purpose
Naidu: That’s the thing about realizing purpose, once you do there’s very little planning left to do. It all falls into place and your drive kicks in because you want to follow it so badly you make it happen no matter what. But first instinct has to start.
On the #ComfortInAPurpose campaign
Naidu: I wanted to portray all the sensitivities and vulnerabilities that have made me who I am. Some that my mother passed to me. Some I learned from experience. All of them strengthen my beliefs every day since they form the foundation of who I am.
On you moulding into a better, healthier, and happier person with the participation in this campaign
Naidu: It has reminded me of all the values I hold dearly. It’s nice to be reminded sometimes where you began and where you are today and why you made that journey.
On launching a brand in the market without utilising a celebrity
Karthik: Our hero has been our product and we believe that the futuristic progressive consumer appreciates the clean minimalistic and modern aesthetic we have cultivated in our design communication language which is distinct from other advertising in the category. We would like to establish our brand and wouldn’t want the celebrity to become the brand as it often happens, instead, we would like to meaningfully collaborate with celebrities whose sensibilities match those of our brand, not curated for effect.
On the use of influencer marketing
Karthik: We have collaborated with multiple influencers at various points in our lifecycle over the last few years and our influencer strategy has had three pillars
● Long-term association instead of short-term bursts
● Brand Philosophy overlap
● A match on the alternative masculinity philosophy
We work with influencers using these 3 pillars as our guardrails to ensure that our brand tonality is consistent even when collaborating with varied men from different walks of life.
On retail and D2C presence and expansion
Karthik: We currently have three exclusive brand outlets in Bangalore and intend on having seven stores open by April 2023. Our offline expansion includes GT, LFR,MT and MBO placements and we are bullish on all channels. Online we are present on Myntra, Amazon, Nykaa Fashion, Amazon, Tata Cliq, Ajio, Snapdeal and Cred. On the usage of digital and other traditional media
Karthik: We are a D2C brand and the shape of our spends currently are 100 per cent online, we intend on continuing this journey because we believe that we are better placed on finding the premium consumer online however as we foray into offline and dive deeper into Bharat we will be exploring other mediums of communication to reach our target audience relevantly and efficiently.
On the trends spicing up the market
Karthik: The key trends in the category of premium menswear in 2022 were loose trousers, statement vests, oversized crew neck tees, resort polos, relaxed cardigan, oversized hoodies, lounge wear, coord suits, men’s pouches and fanny packs bags.
Moving forward in 2023, we need to understand fashion buying for men and women both will be very focussed and versatile. As we move towards the ‘polycrisis era’ consumers are becoming more aware about sustainable fashion hence there will be critique to the lifecycle of the product. Consumers are willing to make conscious choices therefore, transparency in the value chain is expected, and ethical sourcing of materials and practices will be looked upon.
Further, going deeper, a style which is simple, more trans-seasonal, core/basic and long-lasting will drive the market. Moreover, with the increased cost of living and new variants of covid knocking on our doors unexpectedly, cost-effective items like t-shirts will witness a spike in sales. As consumers would want wardrobe pieces which are versatile and can be styled effortlessly in multiple looks.
On the innovations expected to disrupt the market
Karthik: The menswear category has witnessed innovation in terms of materials being used. The adoption of next-gen materials has significantly increased by a number of brands. Additionally, materials alternatives are also in popular demand largely due to the environmental impact.
On the vision and way forward for DaMENSCH for the next five years
Karthik: We want to be the no.1 essential wear brand in the country, the first Indian brand to cross Rs 1000 crore in revenue and even as set lofty ambitions for ourselves in terms of revenue our eyes are firmly placed on retaining our loyal customers and delighting them with products that they have come to expect from DaMENSCH.
Mumbai: Britannia Marie Gold has released a thought-provoking film titled ‘Let’s Keep it Going’ delivers a powerful message around the symbolic effort associated with celebrating women.
The film is conceptualized and created by advertising agency The Script Room.
The campaign film showcases an early morning conversation between two female employees in a corporate, an office help and a manager. It’s the day after women’s day, and the office is strewn with paper plates and napkins from the previous day’s celebrations. Pointing towards the ‘Happy Women’s Day’ banner, the office help asks the manager if it was someone’s birthday at work yesterday. She discovers that the day was for celebrating women’s contributions and accomplishments.
While the office help is pleased to hear this, she innocently poses another question to the manager, ‘’Didi yeh khaali ek din ke liye hai? (Is this only for one day?)” This causes the manager to take a brief pause. She ponders over the seemingly simple but significant question and responds with a smile, ‘Shayad Nahin (Maybe not)’’.
Britannia Industries Ltd. chief marketing officer Amit Doshi said, “International Women’s Day plays a major role in commemorating the success stories of women across the globe, and in creating awareness about gender prejudices that exist even today. Britannia Marie Gold, while joining the celebrations, wanted to do something different this year and break the convention of celebrating women just for a day. There shouldn’t be just one occasion to celebrate a woman’s contribution to her work, family, and society, but these thoughts should be re-iterated more often. This is one of the reasons behind releasing the ad film on 9 March as opposed to the conventional date of 8 March. As a brand that shares a meaningful relationship with India’s homemakers, Marie Gold and its initiatives including Marie Gold my start-up contest are the perfect example of Britannia’s commitment towards women empowerment. The brand works and interacts with women regularly, and we want to nurture and maintain these good practices throughout the year. The recent film captures the message we want to deliver, and the film will make the viewer smile while also leaving them in introspection.”
Talking on the creative spiel, The Script Room founder Rajesh Ramaswamy said, “Women’s day is unlike other special days. It is a bit different, and has many layers to it. While on one end it is to celebrate the achievements of women, on the other it is also to focus on the issues that they face. It carries different emotions at different ends of the spectrum. Coming to think of it, the day will hold no meaning at all, if the essence of it is not carried forward through the year. It’s this simple observation that led to this idea – The Day After. The equation between the two employees portrayed in the film covers a cross section. And Britannia Marie Gold as a brand has always found meaningful ways of staying connected with this audience. Over the years, the logo has gathered a lot of meaning and fondness with women. We’re so glad that Amit and team took no time to endorse this idea, and supported it wholeheartedly.”
Mumbai: On Friday, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL)announced that Rohit Jawa will be the new managing director and CEO from 27 June 2023 and will join the company as CEO and whole-time director from 1 April 2023.
Jawa will also take over as president of Unilever South Asia. He will join the Unilever Leadership Executive (ULE) effective 1 April, 2023. After a transformational tenure of ten years at the helm of HUL, Sanjiv Mehta will retire from the company.
Rohit Jawa is currently the chief of transformation for Unilever in London where since January 2022, he has successfully orchestrated the once-in-a-decade, end-to-end transformation of Unilever. Starting his career with HUL as a management trainee in 1988, he has a proven track record of sustained business results across – India, South East Asia, and North Asia.
As EVP for North Asia & chairman for Unilever China, he led a significant transformation of Unilever China into a competitive, profitable, and consistent business, now Unilever’s third biggest globally. As the chairman of Unilever Philippines, he led the business to become one of the top 10 markets for Unilever globally.
Jawa’s ability to integrate the strength of traditional markets with digital technologies and future-fit business models, positions him well to take HUL into its next growth phase.
Sanjiv had taken over as the MD & CEO of HUL in October 2013 leading the business through a period of sustained growth. During his decade at the helm, the business crossed the 50 thousand crore turnover mark and the market capitalisation of the company increased more than four times from $17 billion to $75 billion, reinforcing HUL as one of India’s most valuable businesses.
At the heart of Mehta’s success mantra has been the proposition of long-term value creation anchored by growth, high performance anatomy and distinctive capabilities. He introduced several transformative business programmes such as ‘Dial Up the Big Q’ and ‘Winning in Many Indias’ to make the business more consumer-centric, agile, and resilient. To make the business more future-fit, Sanjiv kickstarted the ‘Reimagine HUL’ agenda by leveraging data, harnessing latest technologies and designing business models to redefine how HUL engages with consumers, customers, and the way the business operates.
He has led the business into future growth segments with several strategic mergers and acquisitions such as the amalgamation of GSK Consumer Healthcare into HUL, one of the biggest mergers in the history of FMCG in the country. Under his leadership, various programmes, such as the Hindustan Unilever Foundation, Project Shakti, Project Prabhat and Suvidha scaled new heights, reinforcing his commitment to responsible growth. Sanjiv actively championed the diversity agenda making HUL an even more inclusive organisation.
Thanking Mehta for his immense and sustainable contribution to the business, HUL non-executive chairman Nitin Paranjpe said, “Sanjiv with his foresight has led HUL to become a high-performing and future-fit business. He has been an integral part of the Unilever Leadership executive and has driven the South Asia growth agenda as the president of the market cluster. As the president of FICCI last year, Mehta made a significant contribution towards the industry in India. Through his passion, commitment, and endless energy, he leaves behind a business that is now poised to achieve even greater heights.”
Welcoming Jawa to HUL, Paranjpe, added, “I am delighted to welcome Rohit back to India. He has a deep understanding of the business landscape particularly in Asia and has led the transformation of Unilever businesses in China and in the Philippines. I am certain that with his astute business acumen, and growth mindset Rohit will take HUL to the next level of performance.”
Ranjay Gulati is appointed as an Independent Director on its Board, effective 1 April 2023.
Gulati comes with a rich understanding of Business Strategy and is presently a professor at Harvard Business School. He is an expert on organizational growth and until recently, chaired the advanced management program, the school’s flagship senior leader executive program.
Gulati is the former president of the bnusiness policy and strategy Division at the Academy of Management and an elected fellow of the Strategic Management Society. He has been a Harvard MacArthur Fellow and a Sloan Foundation Fellow.
Gulati holds a Master’s Degree in Management from the MIT Sloan School of Management and a Ph.D. in Organizational Behavior from Harvard University. He graduated in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University.
Mehta said, “Gulati is a thought leader in the field of business strategy and organisational behaviour. Through his work, he has been developing solutions for organisations that are seeking to grow rapidly in turbulent markets. Gulati upholds the importance of building resilience while also retaining culture and the energy for innovations. I strongly believe that his deep insights will benefit the company immensely.”
Welcoming Gulati, Paranjpe added, “We are delighted to have such an eminent scholar on the Board of the Company. Mr Gulati’s knowledge and deep understanding of cultivating a winning mindset while keeping purpose at the heart, will surely help the Company steer further ahead in its future-fit journey.”
Gulati said, “It is a privilege to join the Board of such an iconic company. HUL is one of the best and most respected consumer goods companies in the country. I look forward to my role as an Independent Director.”
Mumbai: Insurtech platform Turtlemint has launched a new brand campaign – #FutureKaInsurance with their brand ambassador Mahendra Singh Dhoni. With the perfect blend of technology and human assurance, the campaign aims at raising awareness around choosing the futuristic way to buy insurance for oneself and family.
The Tilt Brand Solutions conceived campaign highlights that the key to simplifying the decision of insurance purchase for customers is a seamless fusion of technology and human expertise. Turtlemint’s vision is to emphasise on how expert advisors are using advanced technology to create a seamless and hassle-free experience for customers when they have to make important life decisions related to their financial security and well-being.
On the launch of the brand campaign, Turtlemint co-founder Anand Prabhudesai said, “The insurance ecosystem is a crowded one, with most players playing on the product offerings or traditional tropes of fear and responsibility. This is something we wanted to change while also highlighting what sets us apart from our competition. In the last few years, we have put our advanced AI-powered technology in the hands of over 2.8 lakhs advisors across the length and breadth of the country. While technology sifts through a lot of data to find the best options, the advisor helps make sense of it and relates it to the customer’s needs and aspirations at a human level. We are delighted to collaborate again with our brand ambassador Mahendra Singh Dhoni for the #FutureKaInsurance campaign as he exemplifies our brand values and ethos.”
Dhoni commented, “I am excited to collaborate with Turtlemint again and support its vision of increasing the insurance penetration in the country by empowering their advisors with technology and the best branding and marketing tools. I understand that insurance is a complex product and friendly, unbiased advisors, like those associated with Turtlemint, add immense value in ensuring that people make well-informed decisions that’s best for them”
Mumbai-based brand and communication consultancy Tilt Brand Solutions executive director – creative Ameya Kovale adds, “We were clear right from the outset, that Turtlemint is a unique insurance product and brand, operating at the intersection of humans and tech. This also gave us the idea to personify the tech half and we created the Turtlemint bot as the perfect jodi to MSD. This jodi of unbiased tech and human EQ is why we chose the campaign sign-off – Future ka Insurance.”
Mumbai: Shiseido Asia Pacific Pvt. Ltd. has signed a strategic distribution partnership agreement with India’s leading premium fashion and beauty destination, Shoppers Stop’s subsidiary Global SS Beauty Brands Limited to expand its brand footprint in India. Through the partnership, Shiseido will officially launch its global make-up brand, NARS Cosmetics, in the second half of 2023 in key cities in India.
Shiseido Company Limited (“Shiseido”) headquartered in Japan, is amongst the top five global beauty manufacturers comprising of iconic skincare, make-up and fragrance brands including SHISEIDO, NARS, Drunk Elephant, Clé de Peau Beauté, Narciso Rodriguez, Issey Miyake and Serge Lutens, among others.
“The beauty market in India has evolved considerably in the last few years with loyal consumers who are actively adding global brands to their collection of beauty products. Our global brand Shiseido has been present in the market since 2001 and focuses on the premium segment with our portfolio of fragrance brands.
We believe this a great time to expand our presence in India, and we are thrilled to have formalised the partnership with Global SS Beauty Brands (Shoppers Stop). We look forward to leveraging their deep experience in premium beauty as well as their extensive network and omnichannel presence, to bring one of our most-loved make-up brands, NARS, to consumers in India,” said Shiseido Asia Pacific Pvt. Ltd. president & CEO Nicole Tan.
Shoppers Stop customer care associate, MD & CEO Venu Nair said, “Beauty is a key strategic pillar for us. Our partnership with Shiseido Asia Pacific is in line with our commitment to bring to customers in India the best of Global brands. This collaboration will further strengthen Shoppers Stop’s purpose of inspiring consumers to look good and feel confident and will help grow the rapidly evolving Beauty market in India. Our wide network and strong omni-channel presence will serve as a springboard for Shiseido, and will allow NARS to launch in India with higher speed and efficiency.”
Mumbai: India’s Peer-to-Peer (P2P) platform, LenDenClub, has announced that it collaborated with Team India all-rounder cricketer Hardik Pandya as its brand ambassador. The new association will be promoted with an integrated marketing campaign. The association aims to create awareness among new-age investors to invest in P2P lending that is hassle-free and offers high returns compared to traditional asset classes.
As a part of this association, Hardik will collaborate with LenDenClub to portray the brand’s fundamental values, speaking directly with the customers with critical messages about the importance of investing in the right asset class. Pandya’s resilient personality has always delivered high returns on the ground, just as LenDenClub offers the same to its investors in the new-age Peer-to-Peer lending platform. Despite his different choices, they have consistently given him an edge above the rest. The all-rounder will display LenDenClub’s core values of knowledge, trust, & authenticity.
LenDenClub’s brand credibility is bolstered by its association Pandya, who embodies the same sentiments on the field as the brand does with its investors.
Speaking on the association, LenDenClub co-founder & CEO Bhavin Patel said, ‘As a company, we have constantly been evolving to provide the best returns to our customers that transcend from understanding the customer sentiments to creating developments that encourage investing in P2P lending. We wanted to team up with someone who can resonate with LenDenClub as a brand. Having an all-rounder like Hardik on board will help us enhance our vision of ‘maximum returns and mitigate risk’ since he is not just an international sports icon, but also an inspiration to many who delivered on occasion when required.
His different choices have paid off handsomely throughout his life. Regarding investing, Hardik’s choice of a non-traditional asset class, such as LenDenClub’s FMPP (a pioneering Peer-to-Peer investment solution powered by cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning), will motivate many new-age investors to follow suit. I am sure that our 2.5 million investor users will be able to resonate with Hardik’s brand personality as they also made a different choice when they decided to invest with LenDenClub.
Pandya’s mass appeal & forward-thinking approach makes him a perfect fit for the brand. A global icon like Hardik Pandya will get us broader recognition and complement our brand positioning and plans.”
RBI-approved NBFC-P2P Innofin Solutions Pvt. Ltd., owns and operates LenDenClub’s FMPP and is powered by cutting-edge technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning that hyper-diversifies investments into a vast pool of borrowers, mitigating the risk and maintaining the stability of returns. With more than $1.5 billion worth of loan origination and having around 10 million users, LenDenClub is targeting to double up their active user base through this brand association.
Diabetes management and reversal digital care platform BeatO has organised a camp on Holi to cheer up the elderly at the Aangan Old Age Home in Noida. BeatO aims at providing quality and affordable healthcare accessible to all.
BeatO’s #SabKiHoli initiative is enrolling the old age home’s diabetic elderly in the Diabetes Care Program, providing them with access to doctor consultation, free medicine for 3 months, and dietician’s guidance, among other benefits. Donating Curv Glucometers, strips, and lancets also shows BeatO’s commitment to ensuring that the elderly at the home have regular monitoring to lead a healthier and more holistic lifestyle.
Wild Stone
Deodorant brand Wild Stone has announced the launch of its latest campaign, “Har Vaar Ke Liye Tayyar,” featuring their popular deodorant, Wild Stone-Legend. The campaign is timed with the Holi festival, a celebration of colors and revelry, where people indulge in playful antics; however, with Wild Stone Legend, you can stand out even in the midst of the festivities.
The deodorant is specifically designed to keep you feeling fresh and smelling good throughout the day, even during the wildest Holi celebrations. With its fantastic and reassuring fragrance,it helps you maintain your noticeable presence, even if you get drenched in the dirtiest of muck.
