Want to bring innovative products to target young consumers: Ravindra Singh Negi, Havells

The personal grooming industry has a market size of Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,300 crore and there is a huge scope in this sector, says Ravindra Singh Negi, President, Havells India Ltd.

In a chat with exchange4media, Negi spoke about the company’s marketing strategy and launch of innovative products to grab eyeballs of young consumers. He also discussed Havells’ strategy behind launching a new range for personal grooming and appointing Vicky Kaushal as its brand ambassador.

As a new entrant in the personal grooming space, Havells is focusing on addressing the demands and expectations of young customers and the company has marked a double-digit market share in the industry.

“We further want to strengthen our position in this segment by providing innovative products that cater to the evolving tastes of young consumers,” said Negi.

“Male consumers in the age group of 18 to 25 are investing heavily on grooming and personal care products,” he said.

“At Havells, we have seen similar response across our target audiences with increasing purchases of cutting-edge, tech-driven, premium products in Tier I and Tier II cities,” he added.

Negi asserted that with the rising urban middle class population and improved brand distribution channels, men in Tier II and Tier III cities are expected to adapt to the ongoing trend by 2020.

He referred to a study by Mintel which says that the average Indian man spends 16 minutes grooming his body, 14 minutes on hair and 12 minutes on the face. “An urban male who is ready to adapt to the latest trends deal but lacks time will prefer time-saving products. While the urge to look good and confident is higher among those based in larger cities, the grooming trends in small towns is dramatically changing,” Negi added.

Recently, Havells roped in Vicky Kaushal as the brand ambassador for their grooming range. Kaushal is one of the rising young stars today who has quickly cemented his position as not only a noteworthy actor, but also with his suave and sporty flair, Negi said.

This association is a conscious decision to infuse self-control and confidence in the male grooming segment, he added.

The brand campaign #BeardKyuHoWeird featuring Vicky urges consumers to take charge of their looks and change the status quo. The association is going to use the actor’s influence on the current generation and build a strong affinity for the brand. “We strongly believe in our product potential and promise, and have carefully evaluated and partnered with celebrities to lend our product lines a unique persona and appeal.”

The marketing budget for Havells is recording a turnover of 2 to 3 per cent for all its categories, Negi revealed.

“We follow a healthy media mix and depending on the nature of the product and target customers, we customize them accordingly,” he added.

Talking about their advertising channels, Negi said, “We have concentrated strongly on digital and social media properties to target the young millennial generation.”

The target is to continue achieving double-digit growth while maintaining a healthy pace in the industry, said Negi, while talking about their aims for the next year.

With this, it feels that Havells sees a lot of potential in the young generation and is all set to make a shift in its brand identity and target audience.