We Have High Hopes for An Increase in Consumer Demand

Could you share your opinions on the most recent campaign? What objectives does the brand believe the campaign will achieve? What was the brief provided to the agency?

This year, Dabur Chyavanprash's entire campaign is built around excellent consumer insight. We learned that there is a rising trend toward overreliance on medications, even for minor illnesses. This is quite a fantastic discovery considering that consumers we speak to are overly dependent on these medications and aware of the possibility of adverse effects. We then understood that Dabur Chyawanprash has a lot to do with this.

We enlisted the help of McCann's top creative team to develop this ad, and the company did an excellent job. This time, the agency was given instructions on how to communicate this understanding in a campaign that is not only highly relatable but also effective. Additionally, the slogan, "Ghar Ghar Bann Gaya Dawai Ki Dukaan," is particularly fitting.

How did the pandemic affect the Dabur Chyawanprash brand? Do you think the level of consumer spending that was seen during the pandemic will continue, or will it return to its pre-pandemic levels?

Due to the increased requirement for immunity during the pandemic, Dabur Chyawanprash's demand significantly increased. During that period, we observed a significant influx of new customers into the category. In actuality, the category's penetration rose by almost 100%. After the pandemic, it is now returning to pre-pandemic levels. However, the group has been able to hold on to many of the advantages they gained throughout the pandemic. Maybe not all, but most of the benefits have been kept, especially in home penetration and distribution.

Can you provide more information about your go-to-market (GTM) approach to boost penetration?

Even after the pandemic, penetration among urban Indians is still in the single digits. There is a propensity to get sick at specific points throughout the year or during seasonal changes. When this happens, consumers may turn to self- or overmedication. We can now confidently assert that Dabur Chyawanprash protects your lungs from the harmful effects of PM (Particulate Matter) 2.5. So, to combat these health risks, our GTM aims to increase the importance of Dabur Chyawanprash. Our entire marketing strategy is based on maintaining the audience's understanding of the value of immunity and the relevance of Dabur Chyawanprash.

Can you provide the media mix for your most recent campaign, broken down by distribution percentage?

It will be challenging to communicate the media mix's % distribution. But I can tell you what the tendencies are. As the medium has become increasingly critical over time, digital makes up a sizeable portion of our media mix. However, TV continues to be the dominant media in chyawanprash. As a result, you will see this campaign launch across all platforms. In addition to print, outdoor, and internet media, it began on television.

For many years, Dabur Chyawanprash has been a household name. But when it comes to using conventional items, do you intend to build a relationship with younger people?

Dabur Chyawanprash has indeed been around for many years. But in the interim, we are also successfully engaging the younger audience. We are very active on digital and many other platforms because of this. We are enlisting numerous influencers from all throughout the nation to help us disseminate our message. As sales channels, e-commerce and e-pharmacy are also gaining significant traction. Because they deal with this issue and are well aware of the side effects of medications, the younger demographic responds favorably to the campaign we introduced this year.

Due to rising inflation and shifting consumer attitudes, the FMCG and packaged food sectors have seen notable highs and lows throughout the epidemic and the time that followed it. Do you anticipate an improvement in the FMCG market outlook shortly? How is Dabur coping with the rising input costs and skyrocketing inflation?

Since this is a very recent trend, it is impossible to remark on it at this time, but we have high hopes that the general consumer demand will increase in the future. There are indications that inflation is also slightly slowing down. After the festival, as we move into the winter season, we have high hopes for an increase in customer demand.

At Dabur, cost optimization has always been a continual process, and we continue to take numerous steps on the business's operating and marketing sides rather than cutting corners.

What is the leading brand's future marketing strategy?

Our strategy includes not only maintaining the core Dabur Chyawanprash but also developing a portfolio to give the brand a premium reputation and promoting value-added variations like Chyawan-prakash, a sugar-free chyawanprash marketed to people with diabetes, pre-diabetes, or who are sugar conscious, as well as "good chyawanprash," which contains jaggery. Additionally, we are releasing innovative formats like tablets, powders, and other items that should be more appealing to the younger demographic.

What was the purpose or thinking behind picking celebrities like Akshay Kumar to be the campaign's brand ambassador? Could you share your thoughts about that?

In addition to his enormous popularity, Akshay Kumar is recognized for his dedication to health and fitness. His lifestyle is surprisingly similar to that of the Dabur Chyawanprash brand because of his interest in Ayurveda, yoga, etc. Dabur Chyawanprash and Akshay Kumar have profited from this cooperation because there is a natural match between the two.