Market research on male grooming products forResonance, radiance that resonates – by

Pristine

Managerial MarketingPGP 2015-17

Group 3Dinkar Mohta (1511093)Debrupa Nag (1511090)

Preksha Mangal (1511110)Monalisa Sethi (1511104)

Mithun (1511102)Sharvari Gogte (1511095)

Table of Contents

MALE GROOMING INDUSTRY – AN INTRODUCTION 2

INDIA AND OTHER EMERGING MARKETS 3

IDENTIFYING THE GLOBAL TREND THROUGH THE AXE EFFECT! 4

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 5

CONTEXT 5

CUSTOMER 6

COLLABORATORS 9

COMPETITION 10

SURVEY 11

STP 13

POSITIONING 14

Perceptual Map 14

Diffusion of Resonance - Shampoo in the market 15

PACKAGING 15

Market testing 15

Results 16

PRODUCT 16

PROMOTION 18

NEXT STEPS 18

APPENDIX A 19

APPENDIX B 19

APPENDIX C 20

Interviews 20

Survey Questions 28

REFERENCES 29

Male Grooming Industry – An Introduction

Post the 2009 global economic recession, the entire personal and health care industry slowed down – all except the Male Grooming market. In western countries, it flourished due to the idea of the ‘Metrosexual’ men. The term Metrosexual Man refers to the single young man with a high disposable income, living or working in the city. Indian men are traditionally not metrosexual. However, this trend

is changing. More men have started using men’s hair care and skin care products. This sector experienced additional growth as the male grooming products became available widely across all retail channels. During 2009-2014, men’s grooming sector registered a CAGR of 20% in current value terms. According to a Euromonitor study, the market, at 2014, is valued (Retail Value RSP) at INR 53.6bn and is expected to rise to INR 86.4bn by 2019.

Sales (INR bn), 2009 - 142009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Men's Grooming - Segment  21.3 25.2 31.2 37.9 46.5 53.6Beauty and Personal Care - Industry 903.3 1033.2 1232.4 1452.9 1705.3 1957.5

Sales (% Value Growth), 2009 - 142013 – 14 2009 – 14 CAGR 2009 – 14 Total

Men's Grooming - Segment  15.3 20.3 152.1Beauty and Personal Care - Industry 14.8 16.7 116.7

Forecast Sales (INR bn), 2014 - 192014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Men's Grooming - Segment  53.6 58.7 64.8 71.4 78.6 86.4Beauty and Personal Care - Industry 1957.5 2074.8 2200.4 2340.8 2487.9 2641.6

Forecast (% Value Growth), 2009 - 142014 – 15 2014 – 19 CAGR 2014 – 19 Total

Men's Grooming - Segment  9.8 10 61.1Beauty and Personal Care - Industry 6 6.2 34.9

The above forecasts indicate that the male grooming segment is growing at a faster rate than the over-all beauty and personal care industry.

This changing trend in Indian markets is explained by some of the top players in grooming sector as follows.

Sanjali Giri, Senior Manager, product merchandising, The Body Shop India: “Men’s grooming has gone mainstream. Male skin care is one of the beauty industry’s fastest-growing sectors, with more men adopting a grooming regimen, alongside exercise and eating right, as a component of healthy living.”

Nilanjan Mukherjee, Head of Marketing, personal care products business, ITC Limited:“The aspirations and requirements of today’s young Indian men are rapidly evolving. With a surge in disposable income, men are becoming more discerning and indulgent. In an evolving trend in India, men are beginning to look at innovative grooming and personal care products created specifically for them. The segment shows immense promise and is growing faster than the overall personal care market in India.”

Mohan Goenka, Director of Emami:“The machoisiation is well underway. In next 10-15 years, you won't be able to find men using women's products.”

India and other emerging markets

Male grooming was a taboo earlier in India. However, since the recent times it has entered into the mainstream industry. In 2013, it was reported to be Rs 3800 crore market. It is estimated that the market will have 21% growth rate. This change in the consumer behavior is due to the belief that ‘Social acceptance and career success is related to how a person presents himself’. The male skincare segment is expected to grow annually by 25%. Male grooming products are entering other

emerging markets. Their market share is increasing year over year. The personal care market was earlier primarily driven by family brands.

The graph below depicts the market share of the male grooming products in China, India, Russia, and Brazil. Russia being developed in male grooming products, there is not much growth in the sector. The product market in India and Brazil is growing at a steady rate. The market in Brazil is growing drastically.

Men also have started spending a significant amount of time on grooming. They are getting accustomed to the fact that grooming is more than personal hygiene. The graph below shows the amount of time men and women spend on grooming. We can see that men largely spend time ranging from 15 minutes to one hour. The emerging markets sector has a high potential of growth for the male grooming products.

Identifying the global trend through The Axe Effect!

Unilever’s foray into men’s market can be best described as an accident. The company’s South African subsidiary launched a deodorant body spray for woman, Impulse, as an extension to one of their soaps. This concept was adapted to the French market, and launched in 1983 under the name Axe. The product was then launched in UK and Australia as Lynx, as Axe was considered a little too heavy and aggressive for the English market. In 1999, Axe made its debut in India with a range of Men’s products – Shampoo, Deodorants and Shower Gels.

A legend says that Unilever segmented potential users of Axe into six categories: 1. The shady guys with prying eyes2. The smart, confident and athletic naturals3. The sort of guy who girls would introduce to their parents without second doubts4. The ones who are permanently friend zoned5. The hopeless – usually the nerds and geeks6. The hopefuls – the outgoing triers

Unilever went ahead with choosing the hopeless as their target market, as that’s the category that needed most help in getting girls. In the Axe world, it’s always the girls who make the first move. They drool over not the hulky and hunky men, but the normal everyday men.

While glocalization is the norm across the world, Axe is one brand that adopts the same kind of seductive advertisements, on the hopeless men, across 60 countries. The Axe Effect, as the result is dubbed, is a blockbuster trend in Social Media (The official Axe Facebook page has more 3.5 million

likes, and the brand has registered 1.2 million+ views in its official YouTube channel).

The Axe Effect helps understand the global male grooming market better. From the same themed advertisements Axe adopts across the world, it’s clear that the expectations and needs of the target market are not significantly different. It’s just that the men from the developing countries, specifically India and the other Asia-Pacific countries, are not economically well enough to spend on male grooming. However, with globalization, higher disposable income to men and better awareness, the trend is changing!

Research Methodology

We decided to perform quantitative analysis to understand the male grooming sector in India. In order to understand the consumer needs and behavior, we focused on personal interviews and not on group discussions. We wanted to understand the personal experiences of the interviewees to develop a more conclusive understanding of their behavior and people are more open about their needs and requirements while talking personally than in groups. We decided to choose a well representative sample from the population to interview people – covering various age groups/ profession/income level and conducted a total of eight in-depth interviews.

As far as interview questions are concerned, we started with three to four ice breaker questions to understand the lifestyle of the respondent followed by the ‘leading’ question focusing on the specific questions about any needs/demands and their understanding of grooming. Based on their replies, we then tried to find out their expectation from this segment and their willingness to adopt a new brand/product.

On the basis of our interviews, we finalized our potential market segment. Then, we also conducted a survey to understand the scope of male grooming sector. Based on this , we have come up with some recommendations for entering the market.

Context

Based on our market research and analysis, we have chosen the Premium Men’s Hair Care as the next market that Pristine should target. In 2013 – 14, the market has grown 21.2%, the highest registered growth within the Men’s grooming industry. The hair care market is already crowded with players such as Sunsilk, Clinic Plus, Pantene, Head & Shoulders and Garnier Fructis. Based on our interviews, it’s found that men use shampoos that they perceive to be for men, when it isn’t the actual case.

Male Grooming Products: Classification

Market 2013 (INR Million) 2014 (INR Million) 2013 - 14 (% Growth)

Men's Shaving 24,076.70 27,913.20 15.9

- Men's Pre-Shave 4,882.70 5,859.30 20.0

- Men's Razors and Blades

19,194.00 22,053.90 14.9

Men's Toiletries 22,398.20 25,684.20 14.7

- Men's Bath and Shower

428 510.2 19.2

- Men's Deodorants 14,162.60 15,735.60 11.1

- Men's Hair Care 3,839.20 4,653.20 21.2

- Men's Skin Care 3,968.40 4,785.30 20.6

Men's Grooming 46,475.00 53,597.40 15.3

Male Grooming Products: Sales

CustomerWe conducted the interviews in two stages. In the first stage, we first tried to capture different socio-economic groups to understand the meaning of grooming in different segments. The key findings were as follows :

Men's Grooming

Men's Shaving

Men's Post-Shave

Men's Pre-Shave

Men's Razors and Blades

Men's Toiletries

Men's Bath and Shower

Premium Men's Bath and Shower

Mass Men's Bath and Shower

Men's Deodorants

Premium Men's Deodorants

Mass Men's Deodorants

Men's Hair Care

Premium Men's Hair Care

Mass Men's Hair Care

Men's Skin Care

Premium Men's Skin Care

Mass Men's Skin Care

After these interviews, we concentrated our research in urban segment in 18-30 year age group. We conducted four more interviews to understand the needs and requirements of this segment better. Below are the key findings:

On the basis of these interviews, we concluded that with higher disposable income at hand, people are willing to spend more on grooming products. On closer introspection, we realized that there are

sufficient options available in the skin care segment for men. Emami and HUL have recently launched fairness creames but there are not many options available in hair care segment. Most of the respondents mentioned that there isn’t any ‘men only’ shampoo available and they have to use a female shampoo which doesn’t suit their hair texture. Men need something rough. Due to this, they are facing issues of hairfall, dandruff ultimately leading to baldness at a very early age.As there was a strong requirement of hair care products which also goes with our company’s competency, we focussed aur study in hair care segment.

Based on the inputs from these eight interviews, we did the following Attribute- Consequence and Values anaylsis for the hair care product:

Att

rib

ute

s

SPF contentProtein contentFragranceanti-hairfallavoids stickinessprevents dandruff ‘Men Only’ packaging

Con

seq

uence

s

Hair looks good and shinyMore confident while facilitating meetings and interviews A more sophisticated and fresh lookAttract opposite genderA stylish image among friends and colleagues Trying out different hair stylesLess worried about losing hair in future

Valu

es

ConfidenceSelf esteemRisk-aversionSocial belonging

Collaborators

The collaborators play a crucial in the grooming industry as the companies strive to match the supply and the demand at all times. They must ensure that the products are available at the right place at right time. It is important for the companies to combine the marketing and logistics function to be successful in achieving their mission cost effectively.

The major channels of distribution for men’s grooming products in India are hypermarkets, supermarkets, health and beauty specialist retailers, department Stores and internet retailing. The following pie chart shows the market share of each of these distributors in 2014. We will concentrate on 52.2% of the channels for our product distribution which includes the above mentioned channels. We will also concentrate on the internet retailing for distribution purpose as the growth of this channel has speedily increased. The user base of smart phones and internet has also been increasing recently.

9%7%

18%

17%1%

48%

Market share of distributors-2014

Hypermarkets

Supermarkets

Health and beauty specialists retailers

Department Stores

Internet Retailing

Others

2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 20140

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

Growth of Non-store Retailing

Direct Selling Internet Retailing

Competition

The market for shampoos is valued around INR 46 billion. Penetration level of shampoo among urban populace hovers around 60%.

The major competitors in the shampoo industry are as follows:

Hindu

stan

Uni

leve

r Ltd

Other

s

Proc

ter &

Gam

ble

Home

Prod

ucts

Ltd

L'Oré

al In

dia 

Pvt L

td

Dabur

 Indi

a Lt

d

CavinK

are

Pvt L

td0.00%

10.00%

20.00%

30.00%

40.00%

Market Share - Shampoo

Market Share 2011

Market Share 2012

Market Share 2013

Market Share 2014

In order to get a detailed breakdown of the various shampoos sold by different companies, please refer to table 1 in appendix A.

The graph below shows the expected growth in the shampoos segment. Please refer to Table 2 in appendix A to get a detailed breakdown of the entire hair care market growth.

2015 2016 2017 2018 20190.00

1,000.00

2,000.00

3,000.00

4,000.00

5,000.00

6,000.00

7,000.00Expected Growth of Shampoo Market

Shampoos 

INR

(cr

ore

)

Below is the forecasted sales of hair care segment. The shampoos segment is highlighted in yellow.

Survey

We conducted surveys on males in the age group of 18-35 to know about customer preferences. We got 144 responses and among them, around 98% men use male grooming products. Other findings are:

Hair Gel9%

Hair Wax3%

Hair Cream

6%Hair

Colour3%

Skin Mois-

turisers15%

Skin Cleansers

14%Anti-Aging Cream

3%

Men's Hair Shampoo

33%

Men's Hair Condi-tioner15%

Grooming Products for men

Product characteristics needed

Expected monthly expenditure on male grooming products

News-paper Ads27%

TV com-

mercials27%

Gift7%

Social Media15%

Friend's recom-

mendation24%

Channels of Marketing

STP

India has a very big market. The total target segment that we will be looking into is 20.27mm. Please look into Appendix B for more details of the calculation. Clearly, the segment cannot be ruled out as lacking in size.

The segment is growing rapidly because as seen in the below report by Mckinsey. The disposable income in India in the urban center is increasing.

Moreover, the urban population in India is also expected to increase as seen in the following graph. This will have a direct impact on our target market. With this increase, the number of people in the middle-income group will automatically rise. The graph below from Mckinsey shows the expected increase in population.

Positioning

Perceptual Map

The perceptual map gives us a representation of how we are positioned with respect to our competitors. TreSemme and Garnier are in the high price segment and technically advanced. Clinic Plus is offered at mostly all places. Fiama Di Wills has strong nourishing properties. Selsun Blue and Head & Shoulders have low prices. Head & Shoulders has good lathering properties. There is no brand which is specifically for men and in technically advanced segment. Resonance would be capturing this space in the market. It will be positioned as the premium product which goes with the image of its parent brand – Pristine.

Specially for men

Technologically Advanced

Neutral pH

High Price

Lathers

Convenience

Old-fashioned

Diffusion of Resonance - Shampoo in the market

Item Comment ScoreRelative Advantage

Resonance has a relative advantage of anti-dandruff, neutral pH value, good protein content

High

Compatibility The shampoo can be applied by everyone. It does meet the needs of the people as seen in the survey.

High

Complexity There is nothing complex in applying the shampoo LowTrialability Trialability is also very high. People can try the product and if

they don’t like it, then can avoid it.High

Observability This score is also very high. People can use the product and observe if the hair fall has decreased and if dandruff has decreased or not.

High

 The above table shows the various diffusion parameters and how Resonance fairs against them.

Packaging

Market testingAs packaging plays an important role in developing the brand perception, we conducted an experiment to finalize the packaging of our brand. We designed three different packages for the same shampoo and asked people to choose the one they would like to use.

Market Testing: Resonance

Results13 out of 15 men preferred package 3 and 2 preferred package 1.Conclusions:

1. Package should specifically mention ‘for men’ as people believe that men and women have different hair texture a ‘for men’ shampoo would better serve their requirements

2. Colour of the package also plays an important role. A combination of black-grey is perceived to be subtle and sophisticated suitable for men

Product

Based on our analysis, we decided to launch brand – Resonance with men’s hair shampoo.

Since dandruff, hair fall and dry scalp are the major issues faced by men, we would be introducing three variables of resonance in the market.

1. Resonance - Anti-Dandruff2. Resonance – Anti- Hair fall3. Resonance – With Moisturizer

Print Ad: 3 variants of Resonance

Print Ad: Resonance – Anti Hairfall Shampoo

Promotion

From the market research and surveys that we conducted, we concluded that we would be targeting men in the urban, and semi-urban regions, in the age group of 18-35, as they would be the potential buyers of our product.

We would be approaching our target segment with the intention that they would purchase our brand products. Hence, when we launch our product, we will provide promotional offers. We will offer first 50 customers a free hair spa. Before the launch of our product, we will be offering Sachets of our shampoo for trails in the Corporate Offices as majority of our customer base would be in that area.

Our focus would be more on what will be the experience after using our shampoo, hence using a transformational approach. We will use positive emotional appeals like confidence, self-esteem, social belonging, sophisticated look, etc. in order to convey our benefits to the target customers.

Since we have seen from our surveys that the awareness about the brand is mostly from TV advertisements, and word of mouth publicity. Hence, our focus would be on these channels. Advertisements will help us in expressing our brand promise to our customers. Consumers also have a perception that a heavily advertised brand offers a good value. Word of mouth publicity is personal, and helps influence the potential buyers. Since word of mouth publicity takes place when a customer needs the product, there is a high probability that the customer will purchase our product.

We will also target social media for marketing as online shopping is a recent trend these days due to scarcity of time. Social media marketing is quite interactive. We can use machine learning to customize the promotion of our product based on what kind of products the customer buys. This will help ensure that we are advertising our product to the customers who are buying premium hair care products.

We will be organizing an event to promote awareness about men’s hygiene, and importance of grooming. Since ours is a premium brand, this event will help us communicate to the customers what added benefits does our brand offer, and how would the total cost of our product would be less in the long run as opposed to buying other lower range brands. As the event would be highly engaging with the customers, and relevant to their needs, it will help in creating a value for our brand.

Next Steps

As far as product launch is concerned, we would be focusing on the following states as a starter as these are the high income states in India. We would focus more on the pricing/budgeting later on.

The higher income states include Goa, Delhi,Haryana, Punjab, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Kerala.

Appendix A

CompanyShampoo brand

Market Share 2011

Market Share 2012

Market Share 2013

Market Share 2014

Hindustan Unilever Ltd Clear  4.99% 4.92% 4.96% 4.80%

Clinic Plus  15.83% 14.32% 12.84% 11.66%

Dove  8.02% 9.17% 9.69% 10.06%

Sunsilk  8.89% 8.28% 8.11% 8.23%

Others Others 22.61% 23.70% 24.09% 24.81%Procter & Gamble Home Products Ltd

Head & Shoulders  9.11% 8.73% 9.01% 9.37%

Pantene  7.80% 7.83% 8.11% 8.46%

L'Oréal India Pvt LtdGarnier Color Naturals  1.95% 2.24% 2.48% 2.51%Garnier Fructis  2.60% 2.46% 2.25% 2.06%L'Oréal Excellence  3.69% 4.25% 4.51% 4.80%L'Oréal Professionnel  3.04% 3.36% 3.60% 3.66%

Dabur India Ltd Dabur Vatika  6.07% 5.82% 6.08% 5.71%

CavinKare Pvt Ltd Chik  5.42% 4.92% 4.28% 3.89%

Table 1 : Breakdown by company

INR million 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019

Colorants  29,733.60 33,088.00 36,547.10 40,148.50 43,936.30 47,925.40

Conditioners  63,940.70 66,815.80 69,790.70 72,998.00 76,025.20 78,618.90

Salon Hair Care  5,526.20 6,135.50 7,003.50 8,071.90 9,373.30 10,915.90

Shampoos  52,206.20 54,342.10 56,907.80 59,807.30 63,022.50 66,566.70

- Medicated Shampoos 

370.9 376.7 382 386.7 391 394.9

- Standard Shampoos 

51,835.3 53,965.30 56,525.80 59,420.60 62,631.40 66,171.80

Styling Agents  3,276.10 3,434.50 3,660.60 3,968.20 4,363.10 4,833.20

Total Hair Care  154,682.80 163,815.90 173,909.60 184,993.90 196,720.40 208,860.20

Table 2 : Expected Growth in Hair care Segment

Appendix B

Currently, there is a big market share in India. Below is how the numbers look:The total males in India are as below:

Males in India mm

15-24 118.69

25-54 258.2

Below is how we have divided them into age group 19-35

Assumption:

80% of people in age group 15-24 are above 19 years old.45% of people in age group 25-54 are less than 34 years old.

Age Group

Population (mm)

19-24 94.952

25-34 116.19

Assumption: Total urban population is 32%

Total Urban Males

Population (mm)

15-24 30.38

25-54 37.18

Total people in the middle upper income class is 30% of the total urban population

Total Urban Males

Population (mm)

15-24 9.12

25-34 11.1 5

Total 20.27

Appendix C

Interviews

Name- Nipun DhingraAge- 27Profile- PGP Student IIM Bangalore

1. What’s the first thing that strikes your mind when you hear ‘Grooming Products’? Nipun: Male grooming is misunderstood and lot of men think that grooming

products are only for women, they are too afraid to even try it or admit that they use it. A lot of men in India are shy about it even though it is changing a little bit now. As you can see, the guys in big cities and younger people are ready to experiment with grooming. It is absolutely necessary. We spend so much money on clothes and everything. This is equally important to groom your body or face or skin or hair.

2. Are grooming products a ladies-only thing?Nipun: No

3. What do you think of ‘Male’ grooming products? Do Indian Men / Boys need grooming products?

Nipun: Men also need to spend time on grooming. They have started taking care of what they wear and they have started going to gym. So grooming is equally important.4. Have you ever used any grooming product? Yes - then which products?

Nipun: Yes I do. I use Shampoo, face wash of Himalaya, conditioner, body lotion, basic foundation of Mac, compact powder of Mac and Shower gels. I also use basic Moisturizer of Body Shop and bath and body works. Most of these products are unisex though some have “for men” products also. I have not yet tried that range. I have tried Dove Men.

Another new thing, which is very convenient, is all in one product that can be used as Shampoo, face wash, and shower gel.5. Do you buy the products yourself? If yes then how much is your purchasing decision influenced by family/ friends? If no, then who buys?

Nipun: Yes, I buy the products myself. I am influenced by friends at times but not influenced by family.6. How did you start using these products - did you buy it or somebody gifted you?

Nipun: I bought the products myself.7. Do you consider brand names important when buying grooming products?

Nipun: Yes, brand name is very important as it gives certain guarantee for quality. I do not want to take the risk of using something on my face which is not of high quality.8. Since how long have you been using these products?

Nipun: Basic products I have been using all my life, but specific products I have been using since last 3 or 4 years.9. How frequently do you use grooming products?

Nipun: I use them daily.10. Do you visit salon? If yes, then how often?

Nipun: Yes, I visit salon for hair cut once a month. For face clean-up, I visit once in 4 months.11. Would you prefer a mobile hair dresser/beauty technician or would you prefer to visit a salon?

Nipun: It would be little inconvenient to call them to my house for hair cut as it will create a mess. I can call them for facial, clean-up and all.12. In your opinion, how important is man’s appearance in the workplace?

Nipun: These days there is definitely a pressure to look good for both men and women in corporate world. So people are willing to spend much more on grooming and visit professional salons for haircut.13. Who do you think should endorse these grooming products (preferably Indian celebrities)?

Nipun: The celebrities do have some effect. But I think it mostly depends on the culture. I don’t think a celebrity endorsing a product will change the perception of men much. It is more about the family background and social circle they come from. A lot of people believe that men should behave in certain way and do certain things and that effects their decisions. 14. Suggest us a few alternative areas to focus - like those that are different from the female grooming products segment? (Example. maybe majority of Indian men don’t need fairness)

Nipun: Not much is done for male cosmetics. The good brands like MAC don’t have specific “for men” products. That’s something they could look into.The clubbed offers in salon, for e.g. hair cut with hair spa will be quite effective. People will start opting for such services.

Name: Usha Age: 26Profile: IIMB PGP studentMarital status: Married

1. What’s the first thing that strikes your mind when you hear ‘Grooming Products’?

Usha: Parlor, Products that I use, pedicure set, face wash etc.2. Are grooming products a ladies-only thing?

Usha: No, definitely not.3. What do you think of ‘Male’ grooming products?

Usha: It is a developing market. Initially people never used to focus on grooming but now they are more conscious. They go to parlor, they get facials done, they get make up done even for marriages. So I think it’s a very developing market.4. Do Indian Men / Boys need grooming products?

Usha: Yes, it gives them self-confidence.5. Does your husband use any grooming product?

1. Yes - then which products? Usha: Yes, he uses trimmers, deodorants, face wash, sunscreen lotion. He goes

to parlor for haircut. He does not use hair gel.2. How important is the brand to him while purchasing these products?Usha: Very important. He uses dove shampoo, clean and clear face wash.

6. Do you buy the products? Or he buys himself?Usha: I bought for him for the first time. Then he started buying himself. But he

does depend on me for deciding on what to buy.7. In your opinion, how important is man’s appearance in the workplace?

Usha: It is very important. Being a fashion designer myself, I can say that your appearance is a statement that you make. A person who is shabbily dressed is looked down upon. A smartly dressed person is looked at in a superior way. So a man’s appearance does matter.8. Do grooming products make men less macho?

Usha: No. However there is a perception regarding some products. It is the way you categorize the products. For example, products like fair and handsome might be considered to make men less macho. Now men have started are using face wash and it is considered normal unlike before when people would say, “oh my god, he is using a men’s face wash, he is so conscious”. I am sure that in the days to come; men will be comfortable with using ‘only men’ cream as well. The stigma attached to these products will be gone9. If we wish to introduce a new product in the men’s grooming industry, which product should it be?

Usha: Shampoos are something a lot of people ask me for, when I sit at MARS. But there are no men’s shampoos readily available. 10. Do you think there is a scope for growth of this industry in tier 2 tier 3 cities

Usha: No, I don’t think so.

Name: Gowthaman IlangoAge: 30Profile: Animator, USA

1. What’s the first thing that strikes your mind when you hear ‘Grooming Products’? What are the names of the companies that you encounter most frequently?

Gowthaman: Hair gel, cologne, face cream. Company names: Armani, Axe, old spice2. Are grooming products a ladies-only thing?

Gowthaman: No3. What do you think of ‘Male’ grooming products?

Gowthaman: Basic amenity 4. Do Indian Men / Boys need grooming products?

Gowthaman: Yes1. If Yes, what are the products needed? Gowthaman: Deodorant, Cologne, body lotion

5. Have you ever used any grooming product? Gowthaman: YesYes - then which products?

Gowthaman: Armani, Axe, Nivea6. Do you buy the products yourself? If yes then how much is you purchasing decision influenced by family/ friends? If no, then who buys?

Gowthaman: I buy myself. But I usually ask friends and refer online what is the best product available7. How did you start using these products - did you buy it or somebody gifted you?

Gowthaman: I bought it8. Do you consider brand names important when buying grooming products?

Gowthaman: Yes9. Since how long have you been using these products?

Gowthaman: 10 years10. How frequently do you use grooming products?

Gowthaman: Every day11. Do you visit salon? If yes, then how often?

Gowthaman: Once a month12. In a combined hair and beauty salon, would you use both the hair and beauty services provided?

Gowthaman: Yes13. Would you prefer a mobile hair dresser/beauty technician or would you prefer to visit a salon?

Gowthaman: Mobile hairdresser would be cool and I can avoid waiting in line14. In your opinion, how important is man’s appearance in the workplace?

Gowthaman: Very much15. Do grooming products make men less macho?

Gowthaman: No16. If we have to launch grooming products for men, what are the products we should target?

Gowthaman: Hair gel, Cologne, After-shave lotion17. Who do you think should endorse these grooming products (preferably Indian celebrities)?

Gowthaman: Suriya18. What, according to you, is the scope for this product in rural India?

Gowthaman: Very less. 19. Suggest us a few alternative areas to focus - like those that are different from the female grooming products segment? (Example. maybe majority of Indian men don’t need fairness)

Gowthaman: Every man shaves at least once a month. You can start selling shaving products.

Name: Dilani RabindranAge: 25Profile: Fashion Designer, Canada

1. What’s the first thing that strikes your mind when you hear ‘Grooming Products’? Dilani: Haircare and skincare

2. What are the names of the companies that you encounter most frequently?Dilani: Haircare: L'Oreal Paris, Tresemme, Sunsilk, Vatika, Moroccan Oil

Skincare: Neutrogena, Dove, Jovees Ayurved, VLCC, Garnier3. Are grooming products a ladies-only thing?

Dilani: No4. What do you think of ‘Male’ grooming products?

Dilani: They are necessary components of hygiene care, regardless of personal style5. Do Indian Men / Boys need grooming products?

Dilani: YesIf Yes, what are the products needed?Dilani: Equipment: razors, hair clippers, tweezers; Products: hair gel, shaving

cream, face wash/cleanser, sunscreen, lip balm, face lotion, body lotion6. Have you ever used any grooming product?

Dilani: YesYes - then which products? Dilani: Facial cleanser (Neutrogena), facial scrub (Neutrogena), face mask

(Jovees), Sunscreen (Neutrogena); Hairspray (Tresemme), Curling mousse (Tresemme), Hair oil (Vatika), Hair straightening serum (Moroccan oil)7. Do you buy the products yourself? If yes then how much is you purchasing decision influenced by family/ friends? If no, then who buys?

Dilani: Yes, I buy them myself. A lot of my purchasing decision is influenced by friends and my hair stylist who recommend certain products they have used before. 8. How did you start using these products - did you buy it or somebody gifted you?

Dilani: Started after a hairstylist used them on me in the salon; after seeing the results I wanted to achieve that style at home on my own. And for skin care, I began diligently using these skincare products after I saw a dermatologist and they recommended a certain daily skin regime.9. Do you consider brand names important when buying grooming products?

Dilani: Yes.10. Since how long have you been using these products?

Dilani: 5 years11. How frequently do you use grooming products?

Dilani: Daily12. Do you visit salon? If yes, then how often?

Dilani: Yes. Once a month.13. In a combined hair and beauty salon, would you use both the hair and beauty services provided?

Dilani: Yes.14. Would you prefer a mobile hair dresser/beauty technician or would you prefer to visit a salon?

Dilani: Prefer to visit a salon.15. In your opinion, how important is man’s appearance in the workplace?

Dilani: Very important.16. Do grooming products make men less macho?

Dilani: No, it is very common nowadays and most people appreciate a well groomed man.17. If we have to launch grooming products for men, what are the products we should target?

Dilani: Beard/facial hair maintenance and facial skin care products18. Who do you think should endorse these grooming products (preferably Indian celebrities)?

Dilani: Athletes and younger film stars with prominent facial hair (ex. Virat Kohli, Rana Dagubatti)19. What, according to you, is the scope for this product in rural India?

Dilani: I am uncertain of its scope, but the reach of television and films is so wide that youth in rural India are still influenced by current trends in men's style based on male celebrities seen in sports, entertainment and advertising. So, I would say that there is still significant scope in rural India for male grooming products, but targeted to the younger demographic alone. 20. Suggest us a few alternative areas to focus - like those that are different from the female grooming products segment? (Example. maybe majority of Indian men don’t need fairness)

Dilani: Most of female grooming is focused on hair care & clear skin; alternative to that I think that a good area of focus for male grooming is on beard & moustache growth and care.But, clear skin is important to everyone, male or female - so products that focus on acne, blemish and scar removal are also very relevant to males.21. Why do you think this male grooming products are growing in importance these days?

Dilani: General style and fashion trends heavily influence grooming. What was once stylish for men was the 'extremely macho man' look, where rugged, unkempt hair and beards/moustaches complimented baggy clothes, with little shape and usually reduced color and patterns. The idea of 'looseness' applied to clothing as well as grooming; little time was spent on male grooming, or much time was spent but to achieve a look that seemed 'effortless and natural'. Such were the trends for fashionable males at the time. Now, we see an almost entirely opposite trend in fashion for males - where we appreciate slim-fit clothing, and men who can sport color, patterns and trendy jewelry and accessories. The stylish hipster / suave male look is in, and with that fashion must come neatly groomed, clean and well-cropped hair and beards to complete the full look.

Name- Sai PrashantProfile- PGP Student IIM BangaloreAge- 27

1. What’s the first thing that strikes your mind when you hear ‘Grooming Products’? What are the names of the companies that you encounter most frequently?

Sai: Shaving cream, trimmers, deodorants. Ponds face wash, clean and clear face wash, Phillips trimmer, Vaseline body lotion, Axe deodorant, HE deodorant.2. Are grooming products a ladies-only thing?

Sai: No, everyone needs grooming. It’s a basic necessity for everyone. But, in India the male grooming industry is nascent and is catching up.3. Have you ever used any grooming product?

1. Yes - then which products? 2. No – Why? Would you like to use in future?Sai: Yes, I do. Phillips trimmer, clean and clear face wash, Vaseline body lotion,

Park Avenue deodorant4. Do you buy the products yourself? If yes then how much is you purchasing decision influenced by family/ friends? If no, then who buys?

Sai: Yes, I do buy the products myself. Initially my purchasing decisions were influenced by peers. 5. Do you consider brand names important when buying grooming products?

Sai: I’m very particular about brand of the products I use. And, brand is very important of course because it indicated reliability. A product under a reliable brand name sells more. So a new product under a known brand name is likely to get sold faster than a new brand’s product.6. Since how long have you been using these products?

Sai: Deodorants- Since time immemorial. Trimmer- second year of college7. How frequently do you use grooming products?

Sai: Lotions, Deodorants, Face Wash- everyday; Trimmer- once a week8. Do you visit salon? If yes, then how often? In a combined hair and beauty salon, would you use both the hair and beauty services provided?

Sai: Yes, I visit salons. Both regular and professionals. I visit a regular salon (for haircut and shaving) once in 1.5-2 months. On special occasions I go for professional treatments.9. Would you prefer a mobile hair dresser/beauty technician or would you prefer to visit a salon?

Sai: No. I prefer going to the salon. It’s about the whole experience that you get in the process that is important. The salon is more comfortable than mobile hair dresser. 10. In your opinion, how important is man’s appearance in the workplace?

Sai: At workplace, especially in a corporate culture looking presentable has become very important. Men feel a little conscious because of well-groomed female co-workers. 11. Do grooming products make men less macho?

Sai: No, it doesn’t make men less macho. I don’t relate being macho to grooming products.

12. If we have to launch grooming products for men, what are the products we should target? Who do you think should endorse these grooming products (preferably Indian celebrities)?

Sai: As the usage of deodorants is very common these days, a new venture should start with the same market.

Although endorsements by celebrities don’t matter much, still the companies can go for an endorsement by one particular celebrity only. For example, Tresseme is recognized with Diana Penty whereas Kareena Kapoor is associated with many brands.13. What, according to you, is the scope for this product in rural India?

Sai: Rural or Tier-3 areas are the laggards of the innovation curve. The main focus should be on the innovators and early adopters that are Tier-1 and Tier-2 cities. These, in return, can become the inspirations for the lower tiers.14. Suggest us a few alternative areas to focus - like those that are different from the female grooming products segment? (Example. maybe majority of Indian men don’t need fairness)

Sai: In my opinion, fairness is not an attribute, which men look for in the grooming products. We generally look for freshness and something which would not make our face look oily15. Why do you think these male grooming products are growing in importance these days?

Sai: It has become very important these days to look presentable and attractive. Even in workplaces, we have to interact with the clients, customers, and stakeholders. The idea of being well groomed boosts your confidence.

Name: Nikhil Yadav Ag: 26Work: CISCO

1. What’s the first thing that strikes your mind when you hear ‘Grooming Products’? Nikhil: Grooming enhances your personality. It helps in maintaining yourself.

Some of the products that come to my mind are face wash cream shampoos.2. Are grooming products a ladies-only thing?

Nikhil: No. I don’t think so.3. What do you think of ‘Male’ grooming products? Do Indian Men / Boys need grooming products?

Nikhil: Yes, they do need. Indian climate is tropical and it demands more maintenance of your skin and hair.4. Do you think that the male grooming industry has scope of growth in India?

Nikhil: Yes, it does have. The overall perception about grooming has changed over time due to metropolitan lifestyle and more social interaction. They have more disposable income. Grooming products are no longer a luxury; they are becoming a part of lifestyle.

5. Have you ever used any grooming product? Yes - then which products? Nikhil: Yes, I frequently use products like hair oil, shampoo, face wash etc.

6. Do you consider brand names important when buying grooming products?Nikhil: Brands are definitely important. I use L’Oréal Shampoo, Fair & lovely

men’s active face cream, Gillette shaving cream etc.7. Suggest us a few alternative areas to focus - like those that are different from the female grooming products segment? (Example. maybe majority of Indian men don’t need fairness)

Nikhil: Mostly everything that I need is available.8. If we come up with an Only Men’s shampoo, what are the attributes that you think should be offered?

Nikhil: The shampoo should create an image of roughness and toughness. It definitely should not have a fruity smell. It should also deal with problems of hair fall and dandruff.

Name: Amanpreet SinghAge: 27Profile: IIMB PGP student, captain of the IIM Football team.

He prefers different brands for different products as all brands have their own specialty. Some of the different brands that he uses are: Aroma for fairness cream, L’Oréal for shampoo, Taft for hair gel. Garnier for face wash. He said that his upbringing has a strong role to play in him buying male grooming products. His whole family is very conscious in maintaining their personality. So, he has also developed such a quality. Once he started working, he joined modeling and since then he has become more and more picky about getting the right stuff.

He thinks that grooming is for self-satisfaction and not to impress someone around him. He is indifferent to the people’s opinion about him –be it the people whom he hangs out with or his office colleagues. If he feels good about his own grooming, then he is satisfied. He feels that a well-groomed male

He spends around Rs 3000/month on products and Rs 4000/month on haircut and spa.

When asked about men’s preference towards them buying a unisex product or men’s specific product, he said that exclusivity has a very important role to play if companies want to sell more. For e.g. – a product with unisex and with men only category, the men only category would be likely to sell more.

He doesn’t mind trying new brands once he gets to know about it from his friends/colleagues.

Word of mouth has a very important role to play in making people aware of the new products. When asked about any particular need, he realized that there should be specific set of sports grooming products. Moreover, he also mentioned that there is a need for men specific shampoos with the following attributes:1. Anti-hair fall, dandruff prevention and avoiding stickiness. 2. Sunscreen with high SPF3. Generally the skin gets a little harsh when one is playing out in the sun. Hence, we should have a soft fairness cream accordingly.4. A body wash, which is more hydrating and having a pleasant odor, is more important.5. There should be a product to take care of tanning as well.

Name: Pranav GargAge: 37Profile: Professor

He prefers buying complete range of products from 1 brand. He focuses more on consistency and standardization. For 10 years, he has been a Gillette user. For face wash, he uses Garnier Fructis and L’Oréal. He has related grooming with freshness and hygiene and doesn’t use it to focus much on enhancing looks. Compared to his stint in United States, he has been using these products more in India because of more dust and sweat factor here. The frequency of the usage of the data depends on the amount of social interaction that he does. When he is taking classes, he would increase the usage of those products. He would prefer using deodorant sticks compared to deodorants. Pranav does care about segmentation of the products and would be more inclined to buy those products that are male oriented.

He spends around Rs.1500/month on different products. Moreover, he wouldn’t spending more if the product is a premium product with some ceiling price limit.

According to Pranav, some of the main reasons of the recent growth of male grooming industry in India is more awareness in the sector. This awareness has been brought about by • More people travelling around the world leading to more interactions• More disposable income• nudging from women• Advertisements from celebrities• Health consciousness i.e. more people hitting the gyms, leading to more usage of face washes, deodorants, etc.

Some needs:1. Most important attribute in any product is odor. Packaging properly is also important.

Survey Questions

1. Do you use any male grooming products? E.g. (Hair Gel/Wax/Cream, skincare, hair color/gels, hair shampoo/conditioners or moisturizers)a. Yesb. No

2. Do male grooming products make men less macho?a. Yesb. No

3. Do you use any of the following Male Grooming Products regularly?a. Hair Gelb. Hair Waxc. Hair Creamd. Hair Colore. Skin Moisturizersf. Skin Cleansersg. Anti-Aging Creamh. Men's Hair Shampooi. Men's Hair Conditionerj. Others

4. How do you rate the importance of regular Male Grooming?a. Very Importantb. Fairly Importantc. Not Very Importantd. Of no importance

5. Please list below the Brand names of Male Grooming Products that you use

6. What is the main Quality you look for in selecting a Male Grooming Product?a. Product Reliabilityb. Value for moneyc. Recommended to youd. Brand Imagee. Celebrity Endorsements

7. How much are you ready to spend monthly on male grooming products?

a. 0-500b. 500-1000c. 1000-2000d. 2000-3000e. 3000-4000f. >4000

8. How do you know about a new product?a. Through newspapers ads, flyers etc.b. Through commercials shown at movie theatres or televisionc. Through a giftd. Through social media (Facebook, twitter etc.)e. Through a friend's recommendationf. Others

9. Are you satisfied with the current product line of male grooming section?a. Yesb. Noc. If no, please specify the reason

10. What is your age?a. 18-25b. 25-35

References

1. http://www.euromonitor.com/mens-grooming 2. http://www.axe.us/ 3. https://www.unilever.com/brands/our-brands/axe.html 4. http://www.hul.co.in/brands-in-action/detail/AXE/303676/ 5. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Axe_(brand )