Nivea: Power of white

Nivea India, an affiliate of Beiersdorf AG, has come to the rescue of all those women who face the problem of darkening of underarms caused by waxing, shaving and use of hair removal creams. The company has launched a new deodorant, Whitening, which it claims is a global innovation in the category.

This new product is available in aerosol spray form, priced at Rs 179 for 150 ml, and a roll-on for Rs 165 for 50 ml. The deo market in India is pegged at Rs 800 crore with around 65 different brands in the organised sector jostling for shelf space. The average price point in the market is Rs 120-150 and the top players are Hindustan Unilever, Godrej Consumer Products, ITC, CavinKare and L’Oreal. Future Group has also rolled out its deodorant range for men under its private label, John Miller. Regional and smallscale manufacturers such as McNroe Chemicals (brand: Wild Stone) and Vanesa Inc (brand: Denver) have also thrown their hats in the ring.

“Nivea surveyed young urban women and found that most of them developed dull and dark underarm skin as a result of waxing,” says Soma Ghosh, marketing director, Nivea India. “Many of them accepted this as a way of life as there was no product available to address this need. Nivea spotted this opportunity and developed Whitening deodorant to fill to this gap.”

This deodorant contains plant extract, licorice, a traditional skin lightening agent which cuts melanin production. Another major constituent of this deodorant is witch hazel extracts from its leaves, barks and branches. It also has an astringent property that helps soothe the skin and repair any small wounds or itching. The effects of Whitening last 48 hour at one go and claims to repair underarm skin and make it fairer and even toned.

The product is being promoted by a television ad campaign that communicates the product benefits and is running across mainline channels focused on women in the age group of 15-34 years. Nivea has also teamed up with youth music channel, MTV, to undertake a series of below the line activities starting with ‘Shed Your Sleeves, the Biggest Freedom Movement for Women’.

This particular programme introduced the product to women across Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai, and encouraged them to take the pledge to shed their sleeves without fear of exposing their underarms. Bollywood actor Jacqueline Fernandez and Kannada film star Aindrita Ray launched this campaign in Delhi and Bangalore. Popular MTV faces Ayushman, Rhea and Gaelyn hosted the events.

The company has also used the digital media in an interesting manner. A Facebook competition urged women to submit their pictures in sleeveless dresses. The winner’s picture was promoted on MTV. The MTV page on Facebook has 2.3 million fans and it ensured the brand reached its target audience easily.