The Hindu Business Line : How the consumer can be queen ...

THE consumer may yearn to be queen, especially in the beauty segment, but most marketers in the industry look at issues from their perspective, not from hers. What women want from a brand in this sector is "visible results, hope without hype, a good bargain, reassurance that money spent was well spent as also some pampering, a sense of romance, mystery and sensuality and reassurance about their femininity," said Ms Geeta Rao, CEO, Paradigm Shift and Creative Advisor, Saatchi & Saatchi.

At a presentation at Beauwell India 2005, the beauty and wellness conference organised by the Confederation of Indian Industry, Ms Rao said the Indian woman constantly faces the "beauty-life paradox." There is always a conflict between self-indulgence and the more serious things in life. Often, indulging oneself brings with it guilt, which tempers the amount of time and money spent on looking and feeling good, which is a challenge marketers face, Ms Rao said.

Though it has not quite been defined, there is a big premium on inner and natural beauty in the Indian context, she said.

Ms Rao, who has worked with many beauty products, said modern women fell into five categories of consumers. Tanya Telegenic is the confident woman who wants her 15 minutes of fame, is well up on the latest fashions and trends in glamour, make-up and is open to surgical enhancement. Nisha New-Age is the evolved, informed influencer who has moved up the ladder from salon to spa and looks for products that have "mind-body-soul connect."

Fitness Farah is the gym queen who represents the rise of confidence in one's body; she looks for a healthy glow, head-to-toe fitness and cellulite busters. Nayantara NGO is the one who will buy a brand only if she agrees with its philosophy, and Pool-to-School Sita is the multi-tasking CEO of home and hearth who looks for products that promise a quick pick-me-up.

Add the Cyber Grandmoms category to this and these are the profiles of the urban consumer, she said. She also noted that urban Indian women are rejecting ayurveda and looking to the West for solutions to their beauty needs.

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