Himalaya has increased its marketing & ad expenditure this year: Ragini Hariharan

This time of the year marks one of the most crucial periods for businesses as consumer sentiment is at its highest, with spending patterns reflecting the festive spirit. From offers and discounts to large-scale campaigns and personalized engagement, brands are exploring every avenue to stand out in a highly competitive marketplace. The rise of digital marketing and the increasing role of e-commerce have also intensified the focus on omnichannel strategies, ensuring that consumers are met with consistent messaging across both online and offline platforms.

Adgully’s special annual column, FESTIVE MOOD, delves deep into the intricacies of these marketing activities, offering a holistic perspective on the trends that define this season. From ad spend projections to consumer behaviour analysis, the column covers all aspects of the festive landscape. It highlights how brands are planning to position themselves, what marketing strategies are being adopted, and how consumer sentiment is shaping the promotional and communication tactics being deployed.

In this interaction with Adgully, Ragini Hariharan, Marketing Director for Beauty and Personal Care at Himalaya Wellness Company, speaks about the company’s festive season strategy for 2024. With rising consumer interest in long-term wellness and natural products, Himalaya is focusing on personalized digital engagement, influencer collaborations, and a balanced omnichannel approach to resonate with evolving customer preferences. Hariharan shares insights into the company’s marketing plans, including increased budget allocations, campaigns with celebrities like Aditya Roy Kapur and Kalyani Priyadarshini, and strategies for navigating the fragmented media landscape.

What are your observations on the overall consumer and market sentiment during the festive season this year?

As we approach the peak festive season of 2024, we’re excited about the evolving opportunities in the beauty and personal care space, especially as consumers are increasingly seeking products that not only cater to immediate needs, but also offer long-term benefits and align with their wellness journey. Our marketing strategy for this period reflects a focused, strategic approach aimed at meeting these evolving consumer demands while strengthening our presence across both traditional and digital channels.

To ensure we resonate with our audience across touchpoints during this key period, we’ve increased our marketing and advertising expenditure as compared to last year. This investment is designed to expand our reach through a multi-channel approach, with a particular emphasis on e-commerce platforms and social media, which continue to shape consumer purchasing behaviour. We recognize that digital engagement and influencer partnerships are crucial to reaching today’s connected consumers. Influencer collaborations, in particular, are a powerful way to authentically communicate our brand values of wellness, sustainability, and the lasting benefits of natural products.

One of the most notable trends that we’ve observed this year is the shift toward more thoughtful, long-term purchasing decisions. Consumers are increasingly prioritizing quality and results-driven products over impulsive, short-term buys. In particular, we’re seeing a surge in demand for natural, Ayurvedic, and holistic beauty solutions – trends that align perfectly with Himalaya’s product philosophy. This festive season, consumers are not just looking for immediate gratification, but are seeking products that support their long-term wellness goals. Whether it is skin care routines that promote healthier skin or hair care solutions that offer overall hair vitality, the desire for sustained, meaningful results is central to their purchasing decisions.

We’ve seen that beauty and personal care consumers – especially those who value wellness – are more intentional about the products they choose. As a brand, we’re uniquely positioned to meet these needs by offering Ayurvedic products that are not only effective, but also aligned with the wellness philosophy that continues to resonate with today’s conscious shoppers. Whether it is skin care, hair care, or personal care, Himalaya products empower consumers to build a routine that drives holistic well-being, and we’re excited to communicate this through our campaigns this festive season.

What forms the core of your festive marketing strategy this year?

The core of our festive marketing strategy this year is built around three key pillars: Personalized digital engagement, Strategic influencer partnerships, and a Holistic, omnichannel approach that blends traditional and digital media to ensure a seamless, impactful consumer experience.

With the growing dominance of digital media, we’re making it a priority to create deeply personalized and engaging experiences for our consumers. By leveraging data-driven insights, we’re crafting campaigns that speak directly to the individual needs, preferences, and behaviors of our target audience. Personalized messaging, tailored offers, and interactive content will form the backbone of our digital-first initiatives, ensuring that each interaction feels relevant and meaningful. Platforms like Instagram and YouTube will continue to play a pivotal role in driving these personalized engagements, where we can connect with consumers in a more authentic, one-to-one manner.

Influencer marketing continues to be a cornerstone of our strategy, since we know that word-of-mouth and social proof are highly influential in today’s beauty and personal care landscape. This year, we’ve expanded our network of influencers, reaching beyond just the top-tier celebrities and focusing on micro and niche influencers who connect more authentically with their audiences. By bringing in creators from diverse backgrounds, we aim to amplify our reach in a culturally resonant way, ensuring that our messaging is inclusive and reflective of the varied lifestyles and preferences of our consumers.

We’re excited to collaborate with influencers who share our commitment to wellness, sustainability, and authenticity, thereby helping strengthen our brand’s position as a trusted ally in consumers’ self-care journeys. These influencers will not only showcase our products but also highlight how they fit seamlessly into a holistic, long-term wellness routine, which is becoming a key priority for today’s conscious shopper.

By combining the strengths of both digital engagement and traditional media, alongside influencer collaborations and community-building initiatives, we aim to ensure that Himalaya remains top-of-mind and at the heart of our consumers’ wellness and self-care routines this festive season and beyond.

Could you tell us about your campaign strategy for the festive season?

Our campaign strategy for this festive season is focused on creating authentic, relatable, and engaging experiences that deeply resonate with our audience. We’ve taken a multifaceted approach, combining celebrity collaborations, cultural relevance, and a strong digital presence to drive brand engagement.

One of the highlights of this year’s strategy is our collaboration with Aditya Roy Kapur for PartySmart. We’ve positioned him as the ‘Party Guru’, a fun and approachable figure who educates consumers about safe and responsible partying in an entertaining and relatable way. By tapping into his natural charm and popularity, especially among younger audiences, we are able to bring attention to PartySmart in a lighthearted yet impactful manner.

Our Onam campaign with Kalyani Priyadarshini embodied the perfect blend of cultural significance and modern beauty trends. We focused on Kajal, a product deeply rooted in tradition, and explored how it can be used to express emotions and self-expression during the festive season. By collaborating with Kalyani, we ensured the campaign felt authentic, honoring the cultural richness of Onam while bringing in a fresh, youthful perspective. This dual focus on tradition and modernity allowed us to celebrate heritage while resonating with the evolving beauty standards of contemporary consumers. Through this campaign, we aim to foster a sense of pride in cultural practices while also aligning with today’s beauty trends, ensuring we connect with a broad audience across age groups.

For both campaigns, the key has been staying true to our brand ethos while tapping into moments that are culturally and emotionally meaningful to our consumers. We’re also leveraging digital platforms heavily this festive season, ensuring that our campaigns reach the right audience through influencer collaborations, interactive content, and targeted promotions. Our goal is to not just drive product awareness but to create a deeper connection with our audience, elevating their festive celebrations through meaningful engagement with our brand.

What is your marketing/ advertising budget for the festive season in 2024? What percentage increase (or decrease) is it compared to the previous year?

This year, we have allocated an increased marketing and advertising budget for the festive season, reflecting our response to rising consumer demand and market trends compared to the previous year. Given the growing importance of marketing, we’ve designed our budget to maximize impact during this key festive period. Our increased investment allows us to not only launch engaging product campaigns but also ensure that we engage deeply with our target audience through various platforms to foster both brand awareness and consumer loyalty.

Given the increasing fragmentation of media consumption, how are you allocating festive ad budgets across different platforms?

With the increasing fragmentation of media consumption, we’ve taken a more dynamic and diversified approach to allocating our festive ad budgets across different platforms. Our strategy is built around understanding where our target audience is most active and engaged, allowing us to allocate resources effectively. This year, we’re focusing on a balanced mix of platforms to ensure that we’re not only reaching a broad audience, but also creating deeper, more personalized connections. By investing in a multi-channel approach, we aim to optimize both reach and engagement, driving meaningful interactions with our consumers throughout the festive season.