Tried and tested

Kaya Skin Clinic is using Pooja Bedi to plug the brand

Kaya Skin Clinic has signed up celebrity Pooja Bedi as its brand ambassador for two years. The Rs 20-crore company claims that Bedi was one of its clients for over a year before she signed on the dotted line.

Says Mrinmoy Mukherjee, head marketing, Kaya Skin Clinic, "We typically don't use celebrities. We prefer people who have tried our product." The company is currently featuring Bedi in three print advertisements for its age control solutions. The company plans to supplement its print campaign with radio spots and hoardings.

The print advertisements have a close up of Bedi, with lines like, "I love smooth skin, especially when its mine" and "Is your skin ageing faster than you?" The advertisements have been made by Alok Nanda Communications which has been associated with Kaya Skin Clinic since inception. Says Nanda, "People have certain inhibitions while using Botox and other age control services. When a celebrity like Pooja says 'I am a user, and it's made a difference to me', more people want to try it."

The bold Bedi, obviously, has no qualms: "I didn't come to Kaya to conceal my age or shy away from it. In fact, I opted for Kaya's age control solutions to maintain my natural look."

The company plans to target both men and women above the age of 25 with its advertisements. The company also feels that its newly launched service Skin Age Analysis has a huge growth potential and needs to be promoted. The company first launched the service in June 2005, and on receiving a positive response in Mumbai and Delhi, decided to take the service national.

Kaya Skin Clinic, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Marico Industries, saw some serious growth last year, from Rs 5 crore to Rs 20 crore in turnover. The company is hopeful that Nanda's efforts can take it close to Rs 30 crore by year-end.

Kaya seems to have taken the tried and tested route of celebrity endorsement. But Nanda being the brain behind Barista's in-cafe communication, can one expect a twist in the tale?