MUMBAI: Talk about coming clean… Himalaya Wellness is washing away more than just pimples.
Ahead of pimple acne positivity day, the brand unveiled its first-ever ‘world of neem’ at Taj Lands End, Mumbai, blending skincare science, celebrity voices and real-skin stories to change how young Indians see their skin.
With 20 crore teenagers and young adults in India battling pimples, the brand’s mission was clear: fight the stigma, not the skin. The immersive event brought together dermatologists, influencers and celebrities, showing that skincare can be simple, effective and stigma-free.
On stage, Dr Rashmi Shetty, leading dermatologist, busted myths and highlighted Neem’s natural antibacterial power. Actor Nitanshi Goel struck a chord with her personal take: “Real skin is beautiful. We don’t need to hide behind filters or shame.”
The event also spotlighted the evolution of Himalaya’s iconic neem face wash, now upgraded with a unique 5-part neem formulation that helps “skip the pimple episodes.” It’s the latest step in Himalaya’s 25-year journey as India’s most trusted face wash brand.
“Himalaya has always stood for care that’s gentle, effective and rooted in nature,” said Himalaya Wellness, business director, Rajesh Krishnamurthy. “This new formulation continues that legacy, empowering young people to embrace their skin with confidence.”
Alongside the launch, Himalaya kicked off a nationwide school programme reaching over five lakh students, championing acne positivity and holistic skincare habits.
Mumbai: Following the resounding success of its association with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during the inaugural edition of the Women’s T20 League that embraced beauty positivity, leading Wellness brand, Himalaya Wellness, is proud to announce its continued partnership with the team for the ongoing season. This year, with the #TakeMySPOT campaign, the focus shifts to celebrating their hard-earned spots and achievements on the field. Through this quirky campaign Himalaya, in collaboration with 82.5 Communications, acknowledges that while no one can take these well-deserved spots, for the unwanted spots on the face, Himalaya Dark Spot is Clearing Turmeric Face Wash and Face Care Range.
As an extension of the #TakeMySPOT campaign, Himalaya is also breaking new ground by teaming up with the GoEqual Premier League, to celebrate women’s rightful spot in the realm of football. This thrilling collaboration isn’t just about scoring goals; it’s about breaking away gender stereotypes to level the playing field. By investing in grassroots football programs and engaging with local communities, schools, and professional teams to promote football, Himalaya aims to provide the much-deserved SPOT for every woman who dreams of being a part of this sport.
The new campaign, for Himalaya’s latest offering, the Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash #TakeMySPOT, carries a very powerful message. Just like the RCB players who fight relentlessly to secure their positions on the cricket pitch, women across all walks of life have diligently carved their own spaces and earned their rightful place. While women strive hard to earn their spots, the Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash & Face Care Range effortlessly tackles unwanted spots on the face. The turmeric face care range harnesses the power of organically sourced turmeric that is extracted using the time-tested Ayurvedic method called Svarasa.
Unfolding in two phases, the campaign cleverly used the concept of “spot” with a playful twist. The teaser phase, launched during the first RCB match, saw players sporting #TakeMySPOT on their caps, leaving viewers curious while sparking social conversations. A video featuring RCB star cricketers Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Shreyanka Patil alongside content creator Danish Sait who added a layer of humour into the video with his witty take on the “spot” theme kept the audience guessing. This effectively amplified the campaign’s message making the teaser hashtag #TakeMySpot trend no1 on Twitter during RCB’s first match. To build further excitement, the brand utilised a 360-degree strategy across radio, social media, outdoor advertising, and YouTube.
In the second phase of the campaign, the brand wittingly revealed that the spots reference was to the unwanted spots on the face that Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash & Face Care Range can effectively remove. This impactful reveal seamlessly tied the campaign’s message to the brand. With this campaign, Himalaya celebrates the unwavering spirit of women who have fought hard to claim their rightful positions—on the field and in life. It reminds everyone that while no one can remove their hard-earned spots, Himalaya can help tackle those unwanted spots on their faces. The campaign sustained its clever utilisation of the “spot” concept through a series of videos featuring cheeky interactions between Danish and RCB’s star cricketers. The brand’s association was revealed on 29th February, with a change in the RCB players’ cap messages. The mystery finally resolving itself created excitement amongst the RCB fans, causing it to trend on Twitter again on the no1 position.
For more than 90 years, Himalaya Wellness Company has been a leader in bringing Wellness to every Home and Happiness in every Heart.
Himalaya Wellness Company business director Rajesh Krishnamurthy expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “The success of our partnership with the Women’s Premier League in 2023 inspired us to continue our association in this year’s edition. Along with the cricketers, we’re thrilled to bring the excitement of Danish Sait’s collaboration to the #TakeMySPOT campaign, adding a layer of humour and intrigue as we tackle the topic of stubborn spots with our new Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash and Face Care Range.
“We’re thrilled to see the incredible response to the #TakeMySPOT campaign teaser, which trended at Number 1 on Twitter on day 1 of RCB’s match and the reveal trending at no1 on the 29 of February! We’re confident that this year’s partnership, much like last year, will not only generate excitement around the product but also continue to solidify our connection with the women’s T20 league audience,” said Ragini Hariharan, Marketing Director of Personal Care & Hygiene at Himalaya. “We’re proud to introduce this face wash and face care range, formulated using a unique cold-pressed extraction technology called Svarasa that preserves the essential components of turmeric. This research-backed formula empowers our consumers to tackle dark spots and achieve healthy, radiant skin.”
Speaking on the occasion, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) vice president and head Rajesh Menon said, “We are glad to extend our partnership with Himalaya as we get into the second season. Both the brands share the same core values of inclusivity and diversity and care for the causes that matter to impact the society positively.”
The new Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash is made by harnessing the power of organically sourced turmeric extracted using the advanced Ayurvedic Svarasa Technique, which preserves its natural goodness. The non-staining formula helps you get bright, healthy, and radiant skin.
Face Wash category manager Gayatri Kabilan added, “This innovation marks Himalaya’s greater initiative towards tackling the growing problem of dark spots caused by sun exposure, acne scars, and previously overlooked concerns. While overcoming spots, we’ve also taken steps to care for the environment as the face wash comes in a fully recyclable and environmentally conscious tube.”
82.5 Communications CCO Mayur Varma expressed his excitement, stating, “We’re thrilled to unveil this campaign featuring the talented trio—Smriti Mandhana, Shreyanka Patil, Richa Ghosh—alongside the popular comic, Danish Sait. We are hopeful that the campaign’s fun-filled vibe will resonate with RCB fans and Himalaya users alike.”
82.5 Communications – South, executive vice president & branch head Naveen Raman added, “This collaboration is a game-changer. Bringing together RCB’s passionate fan base and Himalaya’s commitment to skincare, we’re proud to be a part of this winning partnership.”
Mumbai: Following the resounding success of its association with Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) during the inaugural edition of the Women’s T20 League that embraced beauty positivity, leading Wellness brand, Himalaya Wellness, is proud to announce its continued partnership with the team for the ongoing season. This year, with the #TakeMySPOT campaign, the focus shifts to celebrating their hard-earned spots and achievements on the field. Through this quirky campaign Himalaya acknowledges that while no one can take these well-deserved spots, for the unwanted spots on face, there’s Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash and Face Care Range.
As an extension of the #TakeMySPOT campaign, Himalaya is also breaking new ground by teaming up with the GoEqual Premier League, to celebrate women’s rightful spot in the realm of football. This thrilling collaboration isn’t just about scoring goals; it’s about breaking away gender stereotypes to level the playing field. By investing in grassroots football programs and engaging with local communities, schools, and professional teams to promote football, Himalaya aims to provide the much-deserved SPOT for every woman who dreams of being a part of this sport.
The new campaign, for Himalaya’s latest offering, the Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash #TakeMySPOT, carries a very powerful message. Just like the RCB players who fight relentlessly to secure their positions on the cricket pitch, women across all walks of life have diligently carved their own spaces and earned their rightful place. While women strive hard to earn their spots, the Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash & Face Care Range effortlessly tackles unwanted spots on the face. The turmeric face care range harnesses the power of organically sourced turmeric that is extracted using the time-tested Ayurvedic method called Svarasa.
Unfolding in two phases, the campaign cleverly used the concept of “spot” with a playful twist. The teaser phase, launched during the first RCB match, saw players sporting #TakeMySPOT on their caps, leaving viewers curious while sparking social conversations. A video featuring RCB star cricketers Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, and Shreyanka Patil alongside content creator Danish Sait who added a layer of humour into the video with his witty take on the “spot” theme kept the audience guessing. This effectively amplified the campaign’s message making the teaser hashtag #TakeMySpot trend no1 on Twitter during RCB’s first match. To build further excitement, the brand utilized a 360-degree strategy across radio, social media, outdoor advertising, and YouTube.
In the second phase of the campaign, the brand wittingly revealed that the spots reference was to the unwanted spots on the face that Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash & Face Care Range can effectively remove. This impactful reveal seamlessly tied the campaign’s message to the brand. With this campaign, Himalaya celebrates the unwavering spirit of women who have fought hard to claim their rightful positions—on the field and in life. It reminds everyone that while no one can take away their hard-earned spots, Himalaya can help tackle those unwanted spots on their faces. The campaign sustained its clever utilization of the “spot” concept through a series of videos featuring cheeky interactions between Danish and RCB’s star cricketers. The brand’s association was revealed on 29th February, with a change in the RCB players’ cap messages. The mystery finally resolving itself created excitement amongst the RCB fans, causing it to trend on twitter again on the no1 position.
For more than 90 years, Himalaya Wellness Company has been a leader in bringing Wellness in every Home and Happiness in every Heart.
Himalaya Wellness Company business director Rajesh Krishnamurthy expressed his enthusiasm about the partnership, stating, “The success of our partnership with the Women’s Premier League in 2023 inspired us to continue our association in this year’s edition. Along with the cricketers, we’re thrilled to bring the excitement of Danish Sait’s collaboration to the #TakeMySPOT campaign, adding a layer of humour and intrigue as we tackle the topic of stubborn spots with our new Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash and Face Care Range.
“We’re thrilled to see the incredible response to the #TakeMySPOT campaign teaser, which trended at Number 1 on Twitter on day 1 of RCB’s match and also with the reveal trending at no1 on 29th of February! We’re confident that this year’s partnership, much like last year, will not only generate excitement around the product, but also continue to solidify our connection with the women’s T20 league audience,” said Himalaya marketing director – personal care & hygiene Ragini Hariharan. “We’re proud to introduce this face wash and face care range, formulated using a unique cold-pressed extraction technology called Svarasa that preserves the essential components of turmeric. This research-backed formula empowers our consumers to tackle dark spots and achieve healthy, radiant skin.”
Speaking on the occasion, Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) VP & head Rajesh Menon said, “We are glad to extend our partnership with Himalaya as we get into the second season. Both the brands share the same core values of inclusivity and diversity and care for the causes that matters to impact the society positively.”
The new Himalaya Dark Spot Clearing Turmeric Face Wash is made by harnessing the power of organically sourced turmeric extracted using the advanced Ayurvedic Svarasa Technique, which preserves its natural goodness. The non-staining formula helps you get bright, healthy, and radiant skin
Face Wash – category manager Gayatri Kabilan added, “This innovation marks Himalaya’s greater initiative towards tackling the growing problem of dark spots caused by sun exposure, acne scars, and previously overlooked concerns. While overcoming spots, we’ve also taken steps to care for the environment as the face wash comes in a fully recyclable and environmentally conscious tube.”
BENGALURU: On the eve of World Smile Day, wellness brand The Himalaya Drug Company rolled out its flagship social impact initiative, Muskaan, to spread awareness about cleft lip and palate conditions. In partnership with Smile Train, the world’s leading cleft lipand palate charity, the initiative will support free life-saving cleft treatment to children in need.
Through the EkNayi Muskaancampaign, Himalaya Lip Care will focus on educating people about cleft lip and the availability of corrective treatments at the grassroots level. The awareness drive kickstarted with a heart-warming video capturing the inspirational story of eight-year-old Munmun. The film portrays how Munmun’s life was transformed with safe cleft surgery.
As part of the initiative, a multimedia awareness campaign has started reaching out to people across Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. Smile Train India’s toll-free Cleft Helpline, 1800-103-8301, is available for people to enquire about cleft and avail free cleft treatment.
This year’s campaign featured Arjuna awardee and Commonwealth gold medallist Geeta Phogat, who extended her support to the initiative.
“As a wrestler, I have faced multiple challenges throughout my journey, but never let go of my dreams. Every child has a dream, and the ability to achieve the dream should not be limited by a medical condition like cleft. I am extremely happy to be associated with Muskaan, which has been helping children lead a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life. Such initiatives show how a simple surgery can transform the life of children and help them discover a better future,” said Phogat.
Every year in India, more than 35,000 babies are born with a cleft. This can greatly impact their ability to thrive, as having an untreated cleft can cause difficulties in eating, breathing, hearing, and speaking.Smile Train VP and regional director Asia Mamta Carroll said it is imperative to generate awareness around cleft and the importance of early medical intervention.
“There is a lack of awareness that cleft can often be treated with a safe surgery. With enhanced safety guidelines to protect both patients and health workers, our partner hospitals across Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh are now slowly resuming cleft surgeries and we are supporting free treatment for cleft patients,” Carroll elaborated.
Rajesh Krishnamurthy, business director of consumer products divisionat The Himalaya Drug Company believes that the social awareness campaign is true to the brand’s spirit of spreading happiness through wellness and changing lives for the better.
“EkNayi Muskaan is very close to our hearts. Through our partnership with Smile Train India, we have brought smiles to a lot of families across India in the past five years by facilitating free cleft surgeries for their children. Our endeavour is to continue transforming the lives of many more children living with cleft and help them achieve their dreams,” he said.
Himalaya Lip Care has been consistently spearheading cleft care awareness and making efforts to bring many more smiles to children across the country through Muskaan. In addition to creating awareness, Rs 3 is contributed towards Muskaan with the sale of every Himalaya Lip Care product.
MUMBAI: The Himalaya Drug Company has brought forth the importance of practicing hand hygiene and sanitation with Himalaya Pure Hands – their latest offering in the germ-protection space.
With extended lockdowns and social distancing, when conventional advertising seems difficult, Himalaya and 82.5 Communications together have created a film that introduces the product to the world. And, it does so, using #ThePurestGreeting – the ancient Indian tradition of Namaste as a form of greeting.
The film is an ode to Namaste, the traditional Indian greeting, which has both spiritual and scientific dimensions to it. A soulful narrative runs through this unique film that has been shot, directed, and edited remotely, spanning across several countries. Over 15 Indian and international DoPs collaborated on this film. With Namaste, the film introduces the exciting range of Pure Hands Hand Wash and PureHands Hand Sanitizer to the world, with a reminder for everyone to ’keep distance but stay social’.
Speaking about the film, The Himalaya Drug Company CEO Philipe Haydon said, “This film captures the beauty, essence, and great wisdom of our Indian greeting, Namaste. Today, as we practice social distancing, the phenomenal knowledge and wisdom of this greeting holds great value in our lives. At Himalaya, we have always been inspired by our rich heritage. We hope that this film spreads love and happiness as well as keeps you all safe. Stay safe, stay healthy. Namaste from our hearts at Himalaya to yours.”
The Himalaya Drug Company business director-consumer products division Rajesh Krishnamurthy added, “Himalaya is a well-known and trusted Wellness brand, and we have always been at the forefront of ensuring the well-being of our consumers. With our Himalaya Pure Hands portfolio of Hand Wash and Hand Sanitizer, we ensure total hand hygiene, the first step to prevent infections. At a time when it’s crucial to practice social distancing in addition to hand hygiene, Namaste is the warmest and best way to greet one another. With this brand film, we wish to highlight Namaste, the beautiful Indian custom of greeting, that has become more relevant today!”
82.5 Communications chairman and CCO Sumanto Chattopadhyay said, “The Namaste is such a beautiful yet practical gesture with so many layers of meaning. It is wonderful to make this film for Pure Hands as a vehicle to spread the message of the Namaste-a message that is all the more meaningful during the pandemic.”
82.5 Communications ECD Mayuer Varma said, “While we are all trying our best to prevent the virus from spreading, we should keep spreading love. And a simple namaste helps us do that.”
The director, Shashank Chaturvedi, was clear he didn’t want to make another montage of user-generated home videos. “This idea deserved a film which was not a ‘usual lockdown film’. Didn’t want it to get lost in the sea of sameness. It had to have some finesse. The challenge was, how to do it? We collaborated with many cinematographers and photographers across the world and asked them to take two shots in their environment with the people they were quarantined with. They were given a mood board so that the shots didn’t lose synergy with each other during the editing stage.”
MUMBAI: Wellness company, The Himalaya Drug Company launched its first brand campaign, – 'Khush Raho, Khushaal Raho' bringing to life its vision of 'Wellness in Every Home, Happiness in Every Heart’.
Having earned the equity and trust of millions of consumers for the last eight decades, Himalaya remains committed to solving consumer problems through its herbal products backed by science and research.
The Himalaya Drug Company CEO Philipe Haydon says, “Herbal brands today are gaining preference, and consumers are increasingly considering herbal solutions as their first choice. With our range of over 500 herbal products, Himalaya continues to win hearts and offer well-being to consumers across all walks of life. We're extremely proud to unveil the first-ever brand film bringing to life the Vision of Brand Himalaya.”
The Himalaya Drug Company business director of consumer products division Rajesh Krishnamurthy adds, “The genesis of the brand film is based on the key consumer insight that small problems seem big when we don't know how to solve them. The philosophy of our brand is to solve consumer problems through our wide range of herbal products and the campaign beautifully captures this. It's a moment of great pride for all of us as we seek to be an integral part of consumers' journey of Wellness and Happiness.”
The campaign has been conceptualised and executed by ad agency – Chapter Five. The agency’s founder Prateek Srivastava mentions, “As a team, we are extremely excited about this campaign that essentially establishes the problem-solution equity of Himalaya. The different incidences captured in the brand film communicate the message of happiness and showcase how different products bring joy to people's lives and hearts. The film celebrates happiness through a happy song, happy situations, happy people, and a happy message.”
In 1930, a young visionary by the name of M Manal foresaw the benefits of herbal remedies while riding through the forests of Burma. After diligently researching the science of the traditional field of Ayurveda, he decided to dedicate his life creating products that would improve millions of lives across the world.
Today, with a history spanning more than eight decades in herbal research, Himalaya has positioned itself as a brand that cares about not only enriching people's lives but also the environment. With their 'head-to-heel' range of products, Himalaya aims to provide a holistic solution to everyday ailments that affect our bodies.
MUMBAI: Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services, has announced that it has been awarded in the ‘Best in Show’ category by TM Forum Live! Asia”.
TM Forum is a leading global industry association for digital business. The award was given for the ‘Cognitive Digital Agent’ – a project championed by Globe Telecom, Philippines along with Infosys, Amdocs and Huawei.
The project demonstrated the feasibility of using cognitive computing technologies aligned to telecom business processes to enhance customer experience in a more intuitive and natural fashion. To address changing consumer needs and demands in today’s digital economy, Infosys, along with Huawei and Amdocs, established the Cognitive Digital Agent – a five month project, led by Globe Telecom. This was aimed at creating the next-generation of customer care services, leveraging artificial intelligence technologies.
The core solution is driven by Infosys’ expertise in natural language processing, machine learning and cognitive computing. The Cognitive Digital Agent has the capability to address complex queries and answer questions through omni-channel access including interactive voice responses (IVR), portals and wearables.
The Cognitive Digital Agent creates a difference in situations where, if a call-center is contacted, the responses are generated using natural language processing – making them more consumer friendly, or on social media platforms and in smart watches where the machine agent responds to queries 24×7. TM Forum recognized the project for some of these exceptional demonstrations of business outcomes across channels, and the inventive use of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Infosys president and global head of energy, utilities, telecommunications and services Rajesh Krishnamurthy said, “Our goal has been to explore the use of cognitive computing and artificial intelligence technologies such as natural language processing and machine learning to create the next generation of customer care services, which, in turn, enabled us to create this compelling project that can significantly improve customer satisfaction. This award is testimony to the company’s AI capabilities and demonstrates our thought leadership in the telecom industry.”
Globe Telecom chief information officer Pebbles Sy-Manalang said, “Globe is at the forefront of transforming the telecoms industry in the Philippines by being a Digital Service Provider, well-equipped to serve the needs of Filipinos in living out their digital lifestyle. Once again we are changing the game by adopting Artificial Intelligence concepts and technologies that would give more than 68 million customers of Globe improved service while being cost-efficient. When we decided to demonstrate the potential and applicability of Cognitive Digital Agent through TM Forum’s Catalyst program, we partnered with Infosys because of its leadership position in Telco industry and the richness of Infosys’ Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning platform. I am happy to see that our partner ecosystem with Infosys, Amdocs and Huawei were able to demonstrate this potential value to our industry and what it can do for our customers which has been appreciated by TMF”
TM Forum VP of services & catalysts Rebecca Sendel said, “This award-winning project captured the spirit of the Catalyst program by rapidly developing a solution through collaboration and teamwork, delivering a quantifiable business outcome in the form of significant cost reduction (between 10 and 40 percent). These results exemplify the R&D multiplication effect of the Catalyst program, which is a proven collaboration platform for designing, building and testing solutions much faster and with lower risk and cost than any individual company could hope to accomplish.”
MUMBAI: Infosys, a global leader in consulting, technology, outsourcing and next-generation services, has announced that it has been awarded in the ‘Best in Show’ category by TM Forum Live! Asia”.
TM Forum is a leading global industry association for digital business. The award was given for the ‘Cognitive Digital Agent’ – a project championed by Globe Telecom, Philippines along with Infosys, Amdocs and Huawei.
The project demonstrated the feasibility of using cognitive computing technologies aligned to telecom business processes to enhance customer experience in a more intuitive and natural fashion. To address changing consumer needs and demands in today’s digital economy, Infosys, along with Huawei and Amdocs, established the Cognitive Digital Agent – a five month project, led by Globe Telecom. This was aimed at creating the next-generation of customer care services, leveraging artificial intelligence technologies.
The core solution is driven by Infosys’ expertise in natural language processing, machine learning and cognitive computing. The Cognitive Digital Agent has the capability to address complex queries and answer questions through omni-channel access including interactive voice responses (IVR), portals and wearables.
The Cognitive Digital Agent creates a difference in situations where, if a call-center is contacted, the responses are generated using natural language processing – making them more consumer friendly, or on social media platforms and in smart watches where the machine agent responds to queries 24×7. TM Forum recognized the project for some of these exceptional demonstrations of business outcomes across channels, and the inventive use of machine learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Infosys president and global head of energy, utilities, telecommunications and services Rajesh Krishnamurthy said, “Our goal has been to explore the use of cognitive computing and artificial intelligence technologies such as natural language processing and machine learning to create the next generation of customer care services, which, in turn, enabled us to create this compelling project that can significantly improve customer satisfaction. This award is testimony to the company’s AI capabilities and demonstrates our thought leadership in the telecom industry.”
Globe Telecom chief information officer Pebbles Sy-Manalang said, “Globe is at the forefront of transforming the telecoms industry in the Philippines by being a Digital Service Provider, well-equipped to serve the needs of Filipinos in living out their digital lifestyle. Once again we are changing the game by adopting Artificial Intelligence concepts and technologies that would give more than 68 million customers of Globe improved service while being cost-efficient. When we decided to demonstrate the potential and applicability of Cognitive Digital Agent through TM Forum’s Catalyst program, we partnered with Infosys because of its leadership position in Telco industry and the richness of Infosys’ Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning platform. I am happy to see that our partner ecosystem with Infosys, Amdocs and Huawei were able to demonstrate this potential value to our industry and what it can do for our customers which has been appreciated by TMF”
TM Forum VP of services & catalysts Rebecca Sendel said, “This award-winning project captured the spirit of the Catalyst program by rapidly developing a solution through collaboration and teamwork, delivering a quantifiable business outcome in the form of significant cost reduction (between 10 and 40 percent). These results exemplify the R&D multiplication effect of the Catalyst program, which is a proven collaboration platform for designing, building and testing solutions much faster and with lower risk and cost than any individual company could hope to accomplish.”
The hair care category is considered to be one of the largest segments in the personal care industry in India. The estimated size of anti-hair fall segment is Rs 1400 crore and is growing at 9 per cent year on year. One of the leading brands of this category that has a range of herbal products is The Himalaya Drug Company.
It was early last week, when The Himalaya Drug Company rolled out a mass media campaign for its anti-hair fall shampoo. The brand recently is seen being promoted on various media platforms.
In conversation with indiantelevision.com The Himalaya Drug Company consumer products division business head Rajesh Krishnamurthy speaks at length about the brand’s marketing strategies, the worry about media segmentation, its sales targets and much more.
Marketers are worried about the media segmentation that is happening in India. What are your thoughts on this?
We believe that advertising is about storytelling and we should use different mediums strategically to communicate the story. Each media delivers on a significant objective. Depending on the brand’s requirement at that point in time, we would leverage media vehicles accordingly. With the anti-hair fall shampoo campaign, the media mix involves both traditional and digital, we launched with a television commercial and eventually for more targeted marketing we would invest in the digital medium.
How does this come as a challenge while rolling out a 360 degree marketing campaign?
The biggest challenge is allocation of resources, as each medium has its own merits and demerits; the media mix has to be strategically decided on the basis of the brand’s requirement, the effectiveness of the medium and the RoI generated. While television and outdoor help us in reaching out to the target audience, the digital medium helps us in engaging the consumers with our brands. Himalaya Shampoos enjoy a strong equity in south India with 4.5 per cent market share. This new communication has been developed to support our key variant and build share in the hair fall problem segment nationally.
Where does marketing fall in Himalaya’s personal care business?
Marketing is the backbone of our personal care business. A right marketing mix driven by relevant consumer insights strikes the chord with the consumer. At Himalaya, we believe in steady and consistent investment in brand building and driving initiatives through extensive marketing research, be it in product development, understanding consumers and their needs, positioning of our products and communicating effectively.
We had the first mover advantage with our face washes in 2006 and today our Purifying Neem face wash is the leading face wash brand in India. Our products’ USP lies in its ingredients, Neem has been successful in reducing pimples, and today it resonates well with our consumers because of the marketing campaigns devised to effectively communicate the product benefit of Purifying Neem face wash over the years.
With tight competition in the category what are the differentiating areas that you are focusing on?
Our strength lies in developing efficacious, natural and 100 per cent safe products which build connect with our consumers. Our products are enriched with well researched ingredients which help deliver the product benefit and this is what differentiates us from our competitors. Research has shown that despite major brands being present in the hair fall space, it still happens to be one of the biggest concerns amongst women today. Our TVC communicates how Bhringaraja and Butea Frondosa offer an effective solution to hair fall; it also brings out the message about how the brand would like to help its consumers make the right choice.
Can you define your TG for this segment?
We have noticed that today’s lifestyle has resulted in more women and men experiencing hair fall at a much younger age, hence our communication is directed towards youth between the age group of 18-25 years.
While many brands of this category are trying to incorporate specific media vehicle in their communication plans why did you decide to take the mass media marketing route now?
We have a strategic media plan starting with a mass marketing vehicle. The essence is to create visibility for the brand and connect with the TG with this commercial. While television delivers on these two aspects; digital media also offers room for interactivity as an added benefit. We have launched our communication on YouTube as well and soon we would launch a digital campaign for anti-hair fall category.
Where does digital stand in your media mix? Can you elaborate on the activities planned for your digital campaign?
Digital is an important medium of communication for us. The audience is young and tech savvy, hence we need to be active on this space to build on Himalaya as a trusted brand. We would launch campaigns involving SEO, SEM, display banners, interactive microsites and engaging social media presence starting with Facebook in the coming months with some exciting campaigns for our TG.
MUMBAI: Himalaya, a herbal health and personal care company, is set to release its latest campaign conceptualised by Soho Square to showcase its entire range of face care products.
On the campaign, Himalaya drug company business head – consumer products division Rajesh Krishnamurthy, “Brand ‘Himalaya’ has evolved over the years to become a preferred brand among young consumers in the face care category. The success story started with Purifying Neem Face Wash and today we have a vast portfolio of over 15 face care products including face washes, packs and scrubs providing unique solutions to different skin problems. We wanted to build awareness on the complete range and bring out the problem-solution USP of our products. We also wanted to communicate to our consumers that their trusted Face Wash brand is now in a new avatar.”
The TVC highlights the new packaging of the face care range. He added, “The brief to the agency was to come up with a simple, compelling creative that highlighted this news while building the brand values of trust and credibility. The TVC takes a different approach to storytelling and the music accompanying it is also catchy and appealing.”
Reiterating this, Soho Square head of office Shenaz Bapooji said, “We had great fun while creating this advertisement especially because it was another 1st for brand Himalaya!”
The commercial will debut on the popular GECs and will go live on Himalaya’s official Facebook page post the on-air release.
