Grooming the male skin care market of India

Fair n Care, an Indian cosmetic company has been around for last 20 years . Predominantly into skin care
products, it has a substantial following in woman's market with its large number of brand loyals. However
,worldwide market constructs for cosmetic industry is changing with a new segment emerging the male skin
care. Despite conspicuous presence of foreign brands in the glittering malls, one wonders whether Indian men
are ready for a skin cares. The dilemma in the mind of Dr Harikrishnan, General manager, Fair n Care , takes
him to his friend Rajan that renders answers to many of his questions.

By
Dr Surabhi Goyal
Associate Professor,
IILM Institute For Higher Education

Dr Harikrishnan stood at one corner of the store watching excited shoppers rushing to the brightly lit floor of
Shopper's stop mall. All were busy grabbing skin cares ON SALE. For obvious reasons women outnumbered
men but to his surprise, only marginally. The more amazing fact was that these men were no more stand-at-the-
back buyers rather, they were happily jostling for a pick that would best suit their skins or enhance their looks. In
this mad crowd, he saw Atul, his handsome young Assistant Marketing manager inquiring and then buying a
whitening cream.

This short exploratory survey drew his mind to Year 2006, when he had proposed to launch skin care products
for men. But the idea was immediately shot down as premature for Indian market. He recalled his words,
'getting dressed up, splashing after- shave or applying moisturizer is acceptable but anything more than that
might just be taboo even for the trendiest of Indian men'. Today stepping in the shoes of his boss, Hari wanted to
do things differently but was still unsure whether skin care market is a 'no man's land or an unexplored land'. To
add to his predicament, the recent conference on Cosmetic trends of the millenium did not say anything about
this emerging market.
Next morning, Hari reached his office early and was planning to talk his mind to his team when Atul entered his
office to apprise him of the new launch of under-eye cream.Hari was not listening. He interrupted him and
asked, tul, do you use skin cares.He was too embarrassed and replied, o, Sir. I would never. Hari said to
himself, ow I got my answer, it is the mind set which is drawing a veil on this market .
For a week, Hari did a lot of secondary research on the male skin market and came across media reports that
found Indian men indulging in a daily beauty regime, which is attributed to either increasing disposable
incomes or greater exposure to the West .He was convinced that amale skin care is just what we need to complete
the portfolio however he wanted to wait for some more time before he speaks his mind to the marketing
vertical.
Next morning at 9.00 am, Dr Hari drove to Rajan's office who holds a very senior position at Insight, a well
known research organization. Dr Hari and Rajan had been close associates in their previous jobs and were
known to for their innovative ideas. They always respected each other's whacky ideas and at the same time, they
played a devil's advocate. Rajan said to Hari, Hi! Doctor , some great idea brings you here. So lets have coffee
while you download.
Dr Hari smiled back, ho knows me better than you. Yes, I am back with my old idea.

Rajan was aware of Hari's preoccupation with men skin care products but did not find reasons to get excited .
He asked Hari, o you think Indian men cares for skin cares.”

Dr Hari replied, imes have changed, today men looks after themselves much differently than we use to. They
are conscious about their looks as well as their complexion . In fact according to Nielsen survey report
conducted on 1,000 men of Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Hyderabad, it was found that every second Indian man
from Metros is visiting salons once a month. Three out of five bachelors try to look stylish all the time. Further
to your surprise in January 2007 the male grooming market stood at worth was Rs.695 crores recording a
growth rate of 11 percent .”

Rajan said, ultural exchange in the past had brought some role reversals like women earning a living and
men becoming a home maker . But I was not aware that such major change would take place where men have
decided into the female bastions- the beauty salons.

Dr Hari, ell these perceptions are now fast eroding, the Indian men too has started feeling comfortable with
grooming as his international counterpart.

Rajan, I still feel Indian men are very egoistic they will not like to compromise their masculinity. Keeping their
superiority alive, they would use skin cares to rejuvenate themselves and not because they want to look fair and
handsome.

Dr Hari: The market reports indicate an emerging market however when you speak to individuals they shy away
from admitting. Is there any way, we can find out what skin care means to different people.

Yes, of course! Rajan replied. Focus group discussions have been highly recommended in cases where
individuals do not respond candidly. During the discussions our researchers capitalize on arguments, opinions
and hidden views that members are encouraged to participate.

Hari added, ou're right there would be more genuineness and spontaneity. In fact, the gestures, anecdotes and
facial expressions would reveal lots more than other conventional methods of data collection. Well then, when
can we organize this?”

Rajan smiled, uys you are lucky as always. We have a group of young men visiting us today . Let me put them
through this. It is a group of a wide age band so you can have views from all ages.

Rajan briefed his researcher Srinivasan, the purpose of the focus group while Dr Hari and Rajan became the
observers.

Srinivasan , Before we start, let me tell you there are no right or wrong answers in this discussion. We are
interested in knowing your views , so please be free to share your thought, regardless of whether you agree or
disagree with the group. You probably prefer that your comments are not shared outside this boardroom so
please treat others in the group as you want to be treated by not telling anyone about it what you hear in this
discussion today. Let's start by going around the circle and having each person introduce herself.

Aditya: I am 24 years old and a MA student in Marketing Management

Nikhil: I am 30 years old and I study part time and work as a sales assistant in a department store .
Nakul : I am 22 years old and studying graphic designing
Owais: I am 35 years old and work as business adviser for Natwest Bank .
Manav : I am 45 years old and a financial and policy analyst office of Gas and electricity markets
Raman : I am 20 years old and a full time student in fashion Management
Srinivasan: Do you use skin cares ?
Nakul : If you mean soaps and after shaves yes I do, but not products like fairness creams , face cleaners ,
toners which belongs to the female domain and I have no intention of moving in their territory . I generally
shave my stubble in the morning, apply some after shave and that's about it.
Owais : I take a step further I apply a moisturizer or toning gel after my shaving routine and in winters I apply
Nivea cream to keep away from dryness. However, I feel I am quite ignorant about the latest trends.
Raman : I am from fashion industry and I have to keep my self well groomed 24 x 7 . However I take special
care of health of my skin by using skin cleansers, skin moisturizers and toners. Well I feel we men probably do
not realize that the integrity of the skin is compromised by shaving. Shaving removes the natural barrier function
of the skin and allows potentially harmful ingredients and micro-organisms to pass through the skin, while nicks
and cuts open the pathway into the blood. Take my example,
Nikhil: I use face creams and moisturizes quite regularly . I quite agree with Raman. Shaving everyday makes
skin vulnerable to allergies and infections,
Aditya: Earlier I use to pick up from my mother or sister's closet but now I have stated buying male skin cares
by Shahnaz. Today I think it is quite normal to use creams and moisturizers.
Manav: Yes I am sure but I have to do lot of catching up. Since I am the oldest in this group my knowledge
would be below the threshold . Despite being nagged by my wife to use it, I am a complete non user . However,
I am quite happy to be a part of this discussion, at least I will take back something.

Srinivasan Why do you think men use skin cares ?

Nikhil: Since men's activity spectrum is wide, they get exposed to the sun, wind and pollution to a greater
extent than their women counterparts. My needs would be protection from heat and dust . Also we want to look
good and appeal to the fairer sex. We may not admit but all men are buying looks and if possible a light
complexion.
Raman: Probably we do not realize that the integrity of the skin is compromised by shaving. Shaving removes
the natural barrier function of the skin and allows micro-organisms to pass through the nicks and cuts making the
skin vulnerable to infection and allergies. But essential oils in skin cares helps to close the cracks, nourishes
the skin and protects it well.
Manav : Also as you grow older, skin starts wrinkling with ageing. Other reasons for wrinkles are said to be
dryness and excessive exposure to the sun or other extreme weather conditions. I have heard that most anti
wrinkle creams contains concentrated moisturizing agents that counter this drying-out effect, thereby concealing
wrinkles.
Aditya : Some use skin cares to lighten complexion. Since melanin is responsible for the color of the skin, the
face whitening creams work by reducing the content of melanin in the skin.
Nakul : I thought women like tall dark handsome guys. Are they changing their preference to tall- fair- beautiful
guys.
Owais : Nakul, I think society is fast changing. Men are getting quite conscious about the way they look and are
wanting to look fair.
Nakul: May be you are right.

Srinivasan What skin care products do you use ?

Manav: I use to after shave gels regularly. Recently my wife got me some face masks and on her insistence I
used it. I found it quite refreshing but I am too lazy to use them on a regular basis.
Owais : I am the most loyal buyer of Nivea face cream . I find it best for my dry skin. Also I feel nostalgic
because my father and grandfather both used it.
Nikhil: I use natural cleanser that keeps my pores clear and then I apply moisturizing. This is my daily regime
which does not take much time. I also use sometimes a face scrub to remove the dead cells . These days I am
also using specialized astringent tonic with glycolic or alpha hydroxyl acids. These reduce the pore size and help
avoid ingrown hairs. Few months back I have started using body lotions after shower. The Vitamin E keeps the
body moisturized and clear.
Aditya: I use a moisturizer on face and neck after every shave . Recently, I have tried a fairness cream as well.
It works .
Raman : I use range of skin cares because my profession demands it. A facial cleanser, facial scrub, soothing
aloe gel, after shave skin soother and moisturizer with sun blocks. I keep trying new categories in the market.
The latest one I tried was udder cream which has moisturizing properties and found it to be very effective for
my dry and chapped skin.
Nakul: It sounds like a handsome masculine toiletry kit. Still I am quite worried that we might improve our
overall looks but we may lose our 'macho' image.

Srinivasan - Where do they buy skin cares?

Aditya: I would prefer an exclusive men outlet because I am not very comfortable buying cosmetics . I feel little
embarrased shopping for fairness creams
Nikhil: I buy from a good cosmetic store . Since I have been using for so long I do not have any hang ups
buying at any store . I am okay with medical store as long as it shelves my brand.
Owais: Since Nivea cr e is available in all small and big stores . I get it from anywhere.
Manav : My wife shops for me. I dont know from where
Raman: I would prefer malls where I get both variety of international and national brands and ambience
Nakul: Don't mind , I want to play a joke on you. You are walking like a man, buying like a woman

Srinivasan: Could you name some popular male skin care brands you have heard of?
Manav: Emami and Shahnaz
Raman : Jack Black line, Men Science and Shiseido,
Owais: Nivea & L'Oreal
Nakul : I am sorry my knowledge about the skin cares is absolutely nil but I read somewhere that P& G has
bought a US male skin care brand Zirh.
Nikhil: Hugo Boss , Lancaster Infinite, Godiva

Srinivasan : Manav would you try if you are given free samples?
Manav: I think freebies cannot make a non user a user. It is the mind set which needs to chnge and that can be
through influencers around us .
Nakul : I completely agree it is matter of personal choice which can only be influenced by a strong
advertisements with a trong reason to buy . If skin cares are not exclusively meant for us , freebies cannot make
me buy .

Srinivasan : Describe in few words the value proposition of skin cares ?

Owais: Revitalizer & Softener
Raman:Whitening & Skin Protector
Nikhil: Hygienic & Gentle
Aditya: Young & Refreshing
Manav : You all have said all adjectives I would say anti ageing or anti wrinkling
Nakul : I would call it indulgence and pampering

Srinivasan: Does advertising affect your purchase?

Nakul: Advertising would definitely be a good way of educating people like me of the why and wats of skin
cares . If the message of the ad convinces me of some functional value as my group people have done may be I
get tempted to try.
Manav Yeah, I agree with Nakul. There are products which we men are absolutely ignorant about and also need
to be educated on how to use it. Advertsiements surely can help.
Raman: A good advertisement also builds interest in a brand . In fact, I remember buying a vey expensive
moisturizr from Aramis Lab just because Andre Aggasi endorsed the product.
Aditya: Well I do not get carried away like Raman. I would rather go by my past experience or word of mouth.
However, I feel advertisements help a brand to reach out to a consumers approved list of products .

Srinivasan: Does sex appeal works in advertisement ?

Raman :To be honest, yes, sex appeal is important, especially as we are men. Most of the cosmetic ads I have
come across has a beautiful women who appreciates the men wearing a good perfume and approves him as the
most suitable guy around . Such ads do get noticed and makes me sit up.
Nakul: I am sorry to say but it sounds pretty naive to buy a product that is a sold as a sex symbol for the ladies.
Srinivasan: Do celebrity endorsed skincare products persuade you to purchase the product?
Nikhil: Yes I think so to a certain extent. It aspires you to think that you too could be as great as your idols. I feel
fans purchase celebrity endorsed products to be closer to the person they admire. In general, hardcore fans tend
to buy products that are celebrity endorsed so that they can be like their idols. .
Raman: Definitely, products gain a snob value if they are endorsed by celebrities like David Beckham, John
Abraham in Indian context . For guys he's the perfect idol, a very successful man, plays world-class football and
the ladies love him. I wouldn't mind being like him.
Nakul : I beg to differ, today celebrities are paid heavily to endorse a brand and I think every man on the road
knows it. While it makes an ad look good but it does not give a customer a good reason to buy .
Manv : Besides, there is a risk of brand failing if for some reason the actor loses its star value .

Srinivasan : That brings to the last point of discussion- are Indian Men ready for skin cares ?
Nikhil : In a country like ours, where the summer sun and pollution are so harsh, skin care is even more crucial.
Parallel to this necessity is the fact that men today are going in for new-age services to enhance their appearance,
making them look and feel better . At least the immediate buyers would be adolescents.
Owais : I read in one of the magazines that Himalayan Healthcare Managing director said 500 million Indian
men are yet to be tapped . If this figure is to be believed then I am sure the market is buoyant and ready for many
newcomers. However, they have to bring out a very clear value proposition for men which is more functional
than cosmetic.
Ma nav: I agree with Owais . Both old and young are becoming conscious about looks and in addition to this
there is lot of pressure from family members to look good. In fact my wife often justifies that Kaya clinic in a
survey found that 57% of women feel grooming is important for men for their personal relationships.
Aditya: That sound more like a threat than a value proposition . Recently I saw another trend in malls .
Marketing Gift packages which includes all grroming products from head to toe . Thank for small mercies. No
more do we get Old spice as a gift for Father's day.
Raman: Though I am yet to be convinced about male skin cares yet I would like to share as per the market trend
report more than 20% of Fair & Lovely skin whitening product was bought by men.
Nakul : Well I think that rings a bell

Srinivasan : On behalf of Insight research I Thankyou all for your inputs.I am sure it will generate very
valuable information for companies planning to enter into the male skin care market.
All: We also thank you for such an invigorating session. Surely there was lot of learning to take back.

After the group left , Rajan thanked Srinivasan and asked him to submit the report by Monday. He turned
towards Dr Hari and asked id you find it useful , Hari,asked Rajan

Dr Hari excited , hat was very informative and answer to many of my questions. From the above discussion
one thing is quite evident that men of all ages are becoming conscious of their looks . However there isa wide
spectrum of potential buyers and the peripheral buyers and the age continuum also seem to have stretched from
20-30 years to 15-50 years. This plurality is what would bring in lot of complexity in entering the market .
Rajan said, f consumer behaviour is changing, so should the marketing practice . The best way to enter a new
market would be to define the market segment, develop a product, position it to attract the segment. For any
marketer there are four usage segments namely , brand loyal , other brand loyal, brand switchers and non
category users. I would recommend the non user category because this seems to be most vulnerable segment . If
you see many MNCs like Reebok, Nokia and L'Oreal others have targeted the non users and made it big by
creating new consumer segments and educating them.
Dr Hari, you approach is right but the problem is the market is still evolving and you do not find a clear
distinction between users and non users as they are still moving across brand and categories. In fact the focus
group quite clearly indicated that there exist 4 homogenous groups based on lifestyles and product usage. One
was the Discerning buyers like Nikhils & Ramans who understand the value proposition and buys the skin cares
. Aspirant buyers like Adityas may not understand but want to be educated, Threshold buyers are like Owais
& Manavs who may not buy but are not entirely against the value proposition and lastly are the Indifferent
buyers are like Nakuls are those who are feel alienated to the category as well as the brand.
Rajan, If there is any prize for guessing, I think you would consciously ignore the last two for the time being
and wait for the other two groups to trigger social change to make a trickle affect on their buying behaviour.
Dr Hari , You are quite right because addressing an absolute non-user category like Nakuls would need deep
pockets which is generally the prerogative of very big brand .I have also decided on my age group. I am looking
at men between mid twenties to mid forties because this group is matured and can gauge functional value which
my product can address. In fact this group is somewhat homogenous. Their expectation from a skin care will be
to keep him young and to give a protective shield to dust and heat.
Rajan , ut while you address this segment do not forget that man has assumed a new role. In advertisements
of washing machines, refrigerators or microwaves, the man of the house is portrayed in a participatory role
helping his wife in all household chores
Dr Hari ,What has this got to do with my market . My product is a personal product to be used by the man alone.
Rajan , hat I am trying to convey is that your advertisements must reflect a social change While he is
expected to be handsome and well groomed, he is also expected to be a romantic partner and a doting father.
That is why whatever is your target audience, the role models should be credible and contemporary. Advertising
has to be responsible that reflect social changes; at the same time it must also influence social change .
Therefore audit your role models for credibility and modernity.”
Dr Hari, our advice brings to my mind the Raymond's complete man which very subtly shifted a man's macho
image to a softer man who gives away his prized possession, his jacket to the poor man shivering on the road.”
Rajan said, es that was a social change which gave man a license to be soft without compromising one's
masculinity and the women of the times instantly fell in love with his new role. Therefore, it would not be bad
idea to speak to the influencers or recommenders as well because today men and women are making small and
big decisions jointly.
Dr Hari, buy this because I can relate it well with my family where presence of two women - my wife and
my daughter has put me in tremendous pressure to groom myself . My wife wants me to look like the caring
husband Bagbaan- Amitabh Bachhan or some dashing-loving man in one of her serials while my daughter
wants me to look like her boss successful, well groomed and at the same time very generous.”(Both laugh )
Dr Hari, lthough, I strongly believe that the brand loyalty or fondness comes with prolonged usage of the
products and not by celebrities, however in Indian markets celebrity endorsements have worked quite well in
selling ideas, products and brands.
Rajan, In my opinion it is a risky expensive marketing move. The equity of a brand may be raised by putting up
a celebrity as a role model . But the star value of an actor is like a share value which is so volatile that as soon
as it falls, the brand also suffers. I am not very much for celebrity endorsements. One possible way to sensitize
men towards skin-care products is to persuade male consumers to increase their usage of post-shave products
before weaning them on to skin care offerings because men are primarily concerned with functionality over
aesthetics. Introduce after shave balms to alleviate the problems of shaving irritation and formulations for
sensitive skins. As personal appearance grows in importance, gradually men will graduate to skin cares and
further to specific usage products like under eye creams , anti ageing or body firming lotions at a moderate
price .
Dr Hari , To start, I have to create pull energy by creating brand awareness as well as educating our Indian men
to groom themselves to gain that X factor. I would probably advertise in life style magazines and personal care
talk shows on TV channels. Another place which is most frequently visited by men is Gyms and fitness centres
or hairdressers. I would hire some space to keep my products on display and give margins on every unit sold.
In line with this, the packaging for the new Fair n Care Men range would send out "visual codes" about the
functions of each product. However, at the outset I don't want to be the run-of-the-mill kinds in giving 'buy one
get one free offers' because my past experience with schemes has not been very encouraging.
 Rajan , Still my question remains that how would you differentiate yourself from the big foreign brands like L
r l, Vichy, Biotherm, Beiersdorf, Issey Mikaye, Shiseido, Clarins, L ccitane and The Body Shop on one
hand and domestic brands like Biotique, Forest Essentials and Shahnaz Hussain on the other . Himalaya
healthcare too has already announced its entry.
Dr Hari , At the moment Price is a non issue because if some visible changes are perceived which I am sure
would he doesn't mind paying more. Nonetheless your concern is quite valid. You are very right in pointing out
that there are multiple brand offerings in the basket and my customer mind is cluttered with brands. Also I am
aware that my products are not better than the foreign brands. In such a case it is imperative to have a
differentiator and I found my differentiator in my strong distribution network. We have been in this industry
for now 20 years and have developed good relationships with the retailers who can create the push energy I need
to give a kick start to my new product category. However I know retailers are quick brand switchers The moment
they get a higher commission the will not think twice ditching me . Therefore , I would discount my brand to the
retailer giving me high margins so that he buys my brand, sells my brand and makes more money and will keep
coming back for more.
Rajan : I would say that is a very smart strategy because retailers are king today . In a market like yours where
consumers mind is cluttered with brands he will seek some advice from the friendly neighborhood retailer and
believes his words more than the claims made by companies. A retailer if he wants can very easily nuetralize all
advertising and schemes by just saying ,' There are some complaints about its quality, ' You are finished right
there and then there would be a negative word of mouth which will further makes the job of the retailer and the
competitor easy . However do not over kill because after 12 months of high if you go back to the retailer and
say , 'let me cut down your margin because now I have brand loyals he will be the first one to replace your
product with the competitors and tell the customer , 'it is out of stock because there is some problem in their
production.' Then no matter how much promises you make, customer will not mind switching over to your
competitor and quite easily your brand is decimated.
Dr Hari , Of course I will try to keep a judicious mix of both pull and push in its marketing strategy.
Excited and contented Dr Hari got up from his chair, unch is on me. It is my treat and I am taking you to our
favorite haunt Delhi Durbaar at IHC. We need to raise a toast to our new idea, What say you?
Rajan, hanks for the offer , I am really famished. I deserve a consultancy fees.
While Dr Hari was thanking Rajan for all the help Rajan prayed for his friend , ' God give dreams wings so that
he can fly.'