/ -- BBLUNT, a premium hair care and styling products range from the house of Godrej Consumer Products Limited (GCPL), is vying for significant growth with an aggressive e-commerce first strategy. Over time, the brand has built a strong online customer base, which is steadily multiplying in select categories like shampoo and hair colour thus witnessing a steady upward trend. Today, the brand records an approximate 22% of its sales from online channels and is confident to take this number to 30% by the end of the year.
GCPL is one of the biggest hair colour companies in India. As part of its strategy to expand from hair colour to hair care, the company entered the premium haircare segment in 2013 after acquiring a 30% stake in BBLUNT, a leading salon chain in the country. Six years hence, BBLUNT continues to reinvent itself, with an entire range of products specially developed for Indian hair, weather and water. With a consistent innovation track record, the brand has so far brought brilliantly packaged, premium quality, effective products to tackle specific hair care and styling needs of the Indian consumer. Variants in fragrances or product sizes have subsequently helped boost trials and induct new consumers into the brand. This explains BBLUNT's latest offering, a more affordable, accessible version of their already existing range of shampoos and conditioners, now available in compact and convenient tubes. Earlier last year the brand had launched the Repair Remedy trio to tackle damaged hair. The newest addition to their styling portfolio has been a heat protection hair mist for all hair types - Hot Shot, that made a festive debut for Diwali this year. All have been topically relevant products that work all year around for every hair type and texture.
Synonymous with trendsetting style and youthful energy, the brand is driven by an enthusiastic team of professionals who come with a deep understanding of millennials today. Its product range is developed keeping in mind the needs of the country's youth who are constantly on the go and in need of easy to use, quick fix, no-fuss product solutions with salon-quality efficacy to care and style their hair.
In terms of its marketing efforts, BBLUNT has, over the years built a niche for itself as a digital-first brand. The key consumer base (25-35 age group mainly female living in top 15 metros), also users of the product, rests largely on digital and these include bloggers and industry influencers as well. Recommendations are big, key drivers and consumers rely heavily on blogger reviews and content which is available on digital platforms. BBLUNT has always believed in the strength and reach of influencers which explains the brands well-defined network of influencers and content partners to bolster its overall online presence. This is supported by a rich e-commerce presence on platforms like Nykaa and Amazon online, a core focus of the brand's overall function. With a positive trajectory on e-commerce, the brand now promises to step up its digital game with their very own Direct to Consumer model. Coupled with offers and exciting promotions, this move will allow the BBLUNT consumer to shop across and indulge in the best of hair care and styling.
That having been said, all of BBLUNT's digital efforts are always supplemented with media collaborations, on-ground presence through workshops and consumer promotions to further drive visibility and trials.
Commenting on the BBLUNT products business, Anirban Banerjee, Head of Global Innovation & BBLUNT, Godrej Consumer Products Limited, adds, "As a pioneer in the hair colour category in India, GCPL continues to show tremendous growth within the segment. Our partnership with BBLUNT not only meant the broadening of our portfolio in the haircare segment as a whole, but also was an upgrade in our consumer base. We managed to package years of salon experience and expertise in Indian hair, weather and water, in a bottle, and deliver it to the masses. In a cluttered landscape, it is critical that we keep innovating and education obviously plays a pivotal role to create the differentiation we foresee. We have been making inroads in this space by ensuring that relevant content is seamlessly seeded in our communication across e-commerce platforms with influencer collaborations being a crucial, conscious and consistent part of our brand strategy, making it an experiential buy."
About Godrej Consumer Products Ltd: