Understanding cultural codes is critical for health & wellness marketeers: Shivam Puri

At the e4m Health and Wellness Marketing Conference, Shivam Puri, Managing Director and CEO, Cipla Health, shared his insights and expertise on consumer centric wellness particularly with respect to addressing the diverse needs in a global market.

"Inherently, it's the inbound duty of all marketers in healthcare to make fantastic products accessible, affordable, and acceptable to consumers," Puri addressed the attendees at the e4m Health and Wellness Marketing Conference.

He highlighted the unique nuances of marketing within the healthcare sector. Reflecting on his experiences in healthcare discussions, he observed, "Many conversations end with the notion that creating great products alone will attract consumers, but the marketing component is often missing. This gap is a significant reason why the OTC industry remains small in India."

"There is increasing diversity. For those selling products to the upper middle class, reconsider your pricing strategies. The top 10% now hold almost 80% of the country's disposable income, while the remaining 90% share only 20%. The bottom 50% even have a negative surplus for purchasing extra products. This highlights the diversity in consumer spending power."

Puri noted the distinct regional differences within India, describing the country as "28 countries put together".

He provided an example related to the World Health Organization ORS product: "Initially, ORS was seen as a negative product with only apple and orange flavors, used solely for diarrhea and dehydration. We revolutionized this by introducing 10 tasty flavors and promoting it as a healthy beverage alternative, low in calories and high in electrolytes. Our revenue has increased six-fold over the last three years."

He elaborated on the role of marketers in making such products acceptable to consumers by offering a variety of flavors tailored to different regions. "Our job as health marketers is to make great products acceptable to the consumer," he said. "This requires understanding regional preferences and communicating effectively about the benefits."

Puri also highlighted the varied perspectives of femininity across different states in India, noting how marketing messages must adapt to regional cultural nuances.

“If you were to split femininity into different states, you will actually see a very different

perspective of femininity. Depending on if you are a woman born in Maharashtra, to a woman born in UP, to a woman born in Kerala, you have a very different perspective of life. So, the tone of voice that you use when you talk to women cannot be consistent across the country.”

"For example, women in West Bengal are very strong and independent, while in UP, there are emerging trends of empowerment. Each region has its unique cultural context that must be respected."

He stressed the importance of understanding these cultural codes. "In Tamil Nadu, for instance, preserving the Tamil language and culture is crucial. In fact, when you speak with Tamil consumers, and again I am not generalizing, one of the very strong voices that you hear is that ‘we have been a part of India for 75 years but our culture is 5000 years old’. These codes become extremely critical before you begin to speak to the consumer.”

Puri concluded with advice for healthcare marketers: "Start with the consumer and be very precise about who you are speaking to. And if that is created, the archetype that you create will never go wrong in communicating with them. As healthcare marketers, it's your inbound duty to make sure that these fantastic products are taken to the consumers, which often involves category development—a very challenging task that requires a solid understanding of your audience."