The Hindu Business Line : HUL mulls taking Lakme brand to Sri Lanka

Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) is taking its Lakme brand across the Indian borders to neighbouring countries in the south eastern region. Having launched the brand in Bangladesh last year, Lakme is now poised to enter new markets in the SAARC region beginning with Sri Lanka.

Mr Anil Chopra, Vice-President, Home & Personal Care, HUL, said, “Indian media reaches out in the neighbouring countries where awareness levels of Lakme is high. We are evaluating whether we should take Lakme to Sri Lanka next”.

HUL has undertaken equity research studies for its Lakme brand in countries such as Malaysia, Singapore, the UAE and South Africa. “Our equity studies have shown that Lakme enjoys equity wherever there is population of Indian origin. Besides, there is huge reach of Indian media in these markets which has also made it easier to build equity for Indian brands,” observes Mr Chopra.

Salon route

Meanwhile, Lakme is planning to use its 105 salons across the country as an additional means of distribution and education for its brands. The salon route will also be used for vending non-Lakme brands in HUL’s kitty in the skin and haircare segment. For instance, Lakme does not have an anti-ageing cream for which the recently introduced Pond’s Age Miracle would get sold at the Lakme salons. “Wherever Lakme does not have a presence with its brand, there would be other brands from HUL which would be sold at the Lakme parlours,” says Mr Chopra.

Besides, in the case of Lakme’s haircare brand of HairNext where HUL is trying to build the hair styling segment, it will be extensively relying on the salons. Explains Mr Chopra, “We are running a parallel distribution route through the salons where advice and education in the form of ‘experiential’ for a nascent category such as hairstyling is being given,” states Mr Chopra.

In its skincare range, Lakme has recently introduced a new range under – Lakme Pure Defense, an anti-pollution system to address the damaging effects of pollution on skin.

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