Emami
Emami aims to achieve revenues of over Rs 1,000 crores with the success of its new brand, Smart and Handsome
Emami, a popular Indian personal care company, has announced the rebranding of its men’s grooming brand, “Fair and Handsome”, to “Smart and Handsome”. The move is aimed at aligning the brand with changing consumer preferences and its expanded offerings in skincare, haircare, and body care. The rebranding shift marks a departure from the brand’s earlier focus on “fairness”, instead emphasizing comprehensive solutions for men’s grooming needs.
The new “Smart and Handsome” identity is designed to conform to the growing trend of men prioritizing natural skin health and overall self-care. The brand’s senior general manager, Sakshi Jha, explained that the decision was guided by extensive research, which revealed that today’s men are looking for products that address their grooming concerns, such as hydration, oil control, and overall skin health.
The rebranding is expected to enable Emami to expand into new categories, including hair care, deodorants, serums, and beard grooming, as well as introduce products like face wash, sunscreen, and lip care for men. The new brand identity features a slogan, “Har Roz Handsome Code”, representing confidence, wellness, and a holistic approach to grooming.
To promote the rebranding, Emami has launched a campaign featuring Bollywood actor Kartik Aryan as the new ambassador for the Smart and Handsome brand. The company has also allocated a budget of ₹15 crores for the rebranding exercise, which will cover brand messaging across TV, digital, and regional media, as well as marketing outreach programs in 48 colleges across 17 Indian cities.
The rebranding exercise coincides with legal scrutiny over misleading advertising claims made by Emami for “Fair and Handsome”, but the company denies any connection between the two. The rebranding may, however, serve as a way to modernize the brand’s image and mitigate the negative effects of the legal issues.
Interim Relief Granted to Emami in Fair & Handsome Trademark Infringement Case Against Hindustan Unilever
The Bombay High Court has granted interim relief to Emami, a well-known fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, in a trademark infringement case against Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL). The case revolves around the trademark infringement of Emami’s “Fair & Handsome” trademark, which HUL allegedly used for its product, “Fair & Lovely”.
Emami, which owns the trademark for “Fair & Handsome” since 2013, claimed that HUL’s use of the similar phrase was causing confusion among consumers. In May 2020, Emami filed a lawsuit against HUL, seeking an injunction to stop the use of the trademark and damages for the alleged infringement.
In its interim order, the Bombay High Court has restrained HUL from using the name “Fair & Lovely” for its product, effectively halting use of the trademark. The court has also directed HUL to desist from knowingly or intentionally using any mark or trade name that is de facto or de jure identical or similar to the trademark “Fair & Handsome”.
This interim relief is seen as a significant victory for Emami, as it continues to fight to protect its intellectual property rights. The court’s decision will prevent further damage to Emami’s brand reputation and ensure that consumers are not confused between the two companies’ products.
The case is being closely watched by the Indian business community, as it has significant implications for the use of IP rights in the country. The verdict highlights the importance of trademark protection and the need for companies to take steps to prevent unauthorized use of similar marks.
Emami’s fight against HUL is not the first instance of such a dispute in the Indian FMCG sector. In recent years, there have been several instances of trademark infringement, leading to a surge in IP-related disputes. The case serves as a reminder for companies to carefully evaluate the potential risks of using similar marks and take necessary steps to protect their intellectual property.
The decision is also seen as a test case for the Indian IP system, as it will set a precedent for future trademark disputes. The outcome of the case will have far-reaching implications for Indian businesses, IP lawyers, and the legal community at large. As the battle between Emami and HUL continues, the court’s interim order has given Emami a strategic upper hand, allowing it to protect its brand reputation and maintain its market position.
Emami is poised to relaunch Kesh King with a BCG (Business, Conglomerate, Growth) strategy, whereby the company will rebrand its Fair & Handsome skin care line to Smart & Handsome, marking a significant revamp of its brand portfolio.
Emami, an FMCG (Fast-Moving Consumer Goods) company, is expecting that it will take a few quarters to revive its struggling ayurvedic hair care brand, Kesh King, after consulting firm BCG provides a “robust strategy” to revamp the business. The brand has been underperforming, with sales declining by 10% in the third quarter and 12% in the first nine months of the current financial year due to competitive pressures and category challenges.
Mohan Goenka, Vice Chairman and Whole-time Director of Emami, believes that the company’s strategy will soon bear fruit and that the brand will revive, likely within one to two quarters. He noted that the decline in the Kesh King business is not unique to the brand, but also a category issue, with changes needed in the market. Goenka also highlighted that Emami is working on new product rollouts to address the challenges.
Meanwhile, Emami has already made significant changes to its other male grooming brand, “Fair and Handsome”, by rebranding it as “Smart And Handsome” to better align with consumer preferences and tap into the growing market. The rebranding is expected to drive growth, with the company aiming to take the brand from its current value of ₹250 crore to around ₹1,000 crore in the next three to four years.
Emami’s overall financial performance is strong, with a 7% year-on-year increase in consolidated net profit to ₹278.98 crore for the third quarter, and a 5.33% year-on-year rise in revenue to ₹1049.48 crore. The company is optimistic about its future prospects, with plans to revitalize its underperforming brands and drive growth through new product launches.