Himalaya launches new TVC; targets Men’s Face Wash category

With an upward growth trajectory of  the personal care segment and in a bid to capture the male grooming category, The Himalaya Drug Company has recently launched a new commercial for men- Intense Oil Clear Lemon Face Wash. 

Being the market leader in the women’s face wash segment with a 19 percent share, the company has made inroads into the booming men’s grooming segment to increase its existing share in the market. The new tagline ‘Abhi toh bahut aage badhna hai’ is designed to help men fulfil their daily needs and build confidence in the working world.

Rajesh Krishnamurthy, Business Head- Consumer Products Division, The Himalaya Drug Company said, “Men’s face wash is our entry into an important segment of the men’s grooming category which is currently pegged at Rs 3,800 crore. The market is growing at 21 percent. The Men’s segment is also the fastest growing segment in the overall face wash category. It is a proof to the increased interest among men to look well- groomed and create the right impression in their professional life. The narrative of the TVC rests on this insight and shows the protagonist suffering from oily and dull skin.”

The company has re-launched the whole range of Himalaya Shampoos with an improved formula, and new packaging graphics. The TVC features a girl showing her disappointment after using various shampoo products and as soon as she gets Himalaya’s product, she promises to stop experimenting with her hair and says, ‘Ab apne baalo ke saath koi galti nahi’.

Krishnamurthy remarked, “This new communication has been developed to support our key variant and build share in the Hair Fall problem segment. 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 product’s USP lies in its key ingredients – Bhringaraja and Butea Fondosa that provide effective solution to their hair fall problem. The new communication helps showcase the effectiveness of our product rather clearly.”

The men’s TVC has been conceptualised by Prateek Srivastava, Head, Chapter Five Brand Solutions and produced by Lakotee Films, while the anti-hair fall TVC has been created by Shenaz Bapooji, Head of Office, Soho Square and produced by Native Works Production. GroupM is their media and digital agency.

Talking about the thought process, Prateek Srivastava, Head, Chapter Five Brand Solutions says, “It’s amazing how young Indian men have become conscious about grooming and how they are focused on their career. A great opportunity lies at the cusp of these two trends and Himalaya is at the right place and time to exploit it. Our communication magnifies the importance of grooming for men in a work situation. ”

Sunita Murthi, Head, Chapter Five Brand Solutions adds, “From a carefree college life to a responsible work life is an important point of transition and taking care of your appearance is an important responsibility.”

Shenaz Bapooji, Head of Office, Soho Square says, “Consumer research revealed that hair fall is one of the biggest problems for women, and no product today has a ready solution at hand, for it. The message of the film is simple and very true to the Himalaya way of telling consumers to Try Himalaya Anti Hair Fall Shampoo first, because you know it works”.

This being the first TVC for both the products Krishnamurthy said that launching this communication is a significant step for the brand. He added, “Hair care is one of the largest personal care category in India, growing at 9 per cent and the estimated size of anti-hair fall segment is Rs 1400 crores. Given that consumers have access to a great deal of information, there is confusion when it comes to choosing the right product. Himalaya has a strong equity in the problem-solution space, and our product provides an effective solution to hair fall. Through our communication we want to help customers make the right choice.”

Understanding that the core TG is spending more time on internet than TV, Himalaya has been quite active on the digital front apart from television. Outdoor and magazines have also been strategically used in core markets.

Expert take
Dennis Koshy, Vice President, FCB Ulka, Bangalore, said, “Considering Face Wash for men itself would have been a novelty just a while back, an Intense Oil Clear Lemon Face Wash for Men can only mean that the category is rapidly maturing with brands finding it necessary to launch increasingly differentiated and specialized variants to drive growth. Having said that, this TVC reminds me of some of the earlier face washes targeting women - switch genders and you have a commercial for a face wash for women. There is nothing uniquely ‘for him’ about this commercial.”

Talking about the anti-hair fall campaign Koshy said, “I am yet to come across a single woman (or man for that matter) who does not claim to suffer from hair loss. However this does not mean that communication for all shampoos, and especially anti hair fall shampoos, should look the same. The TVC ticks all the right boxes – problem definition, visual to back it up in case you didn’t get it, the expert who provides the solution, detailed product window, the works. The only thing different is that the appreciation happens in the beginning of the film itself and not post usage in the end. Will it work? It should. Will it work without making a lot of my friends in media very happy? Doubtful.”

Shuvadeep Nag, Vice President- South, Rediffusion Y&R said, “Grooming, as a part of overall personality/impact management is a fairly well accepted consumer reality. Face as the key index of your presentation/impression quotient is also well established. So in terms of consumer’s relatability the context of the advertising is correct, I am not sure if the Himalaya Men’s face wash communication per se creates persuasion; be it in terms of switching brands or converting non-users. Something, which is missing, is a clear articulation of men’s need in an environment where the entire competing set has made that a hygiene factor. The whole consumer piece of learning from mistakes before getting the right solution is far-fetched in my mind especially in a category dominated by long standing competition. For a new brand and fairly new entrant into a category, the anti hair fall shampoo advertising is just a claim.”

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