More than skin deep: Bajaj Nomarks Ayurveda delivers a simple message

Bajaj Nomarks Ayurveda delivers a simple message - that a herbal product can remove skin stress marks as efficiently as any mainstream product

There is an increased emphasis on overall well-being among consumers today. Many are moving away from products that make them look good aesthetically to products that make them feel good as well. No wonder there is growing demand for natural/herbal/ayurvedic products that are safe to use, non-toxic and yet as effective. A survey by Chrome Data Analytics & Media, a data analytics company, preference for skincare products that are designated organic/herbal/ayurvedic has grown by leaps and bounds over the last 10 years. A 2017 report by the Indian Beauty & Hygiene Association and AT Kearney said the market for natural products is a third of the overall personal care market, and is growing at 2.5 times the rate of the non-natural market. 

It is this shift in demand that led to the redesigning of Bajaj’s anti-marks cream, Nomarks.

Sandeep Verma, president, sales & marketing, Bajaj Corp, feels the redesigning of the brand was important to accommodate the aspirations of a new emerging consumer class. “Our ayurvedic credentials needed to become the pivot of this change and that is what this new design mix aims to address,” he adds.

In effect, Nomarks has been repositioned in the ayurveda segment, and to spread the message it has unveiled a 360-degree campaign featuring Bollywood actor Taapsee Pannu as brand ambassador. The sharp rise of Pannu in the Indian film industry despite being an outsider made her the obvious choice as brand endorser, says the company. In the television film, Pannu plays a housewife and a working woman, with the latter complaining of skin stress. Addressing the problem, housewife Pannu says the strain of urban life manifests itself in the form of marks on the face and suggests Nomarks cream as 

a solution.

Amer Jaleel, chairman and chief creative officer with Mullen Lintas, the creative agency behind the campaign, says, “The challenge was to establish there are two different women in one frame and yet ensure that their conversation holds interest — all in 30 seconds.” While each thinks the other has 

it better, lifestyle-related stress leading to skin pigmentation is the common problem that binds the two women together.

“The campaign #ChehrePeSirfShaan is a reflection of the brand’s promise that every woman’s face would reflect her pride in what she does rather than stress marks,” he adds. 

Anti-marks creams is a Rs 3.5 billion market and one of the fastest growing sub-categories in the overall face-care category in India. The big competitors here are brands such as Fair and Lovely Anti Marks, Patanjali, No Scars, Kaylite and Mederma. Nomarks has a market share of 8 per cent in value in the anti-marks segment. “We hope to increase our market share by 50 per cent in the next one year and are taking steps towards becoming a clear number two player in the anti-marks segment, currently we are at number 3,” says Verma. “Going forward we would extend our proposition and benefit across other product formats also,” he adds. 

Without going into the budget for the campaign, Verma considers it as the most significant investment the brand has seen since its launch.