Please give us an overview of the Decorative Paint Division of Nippon Paint, and how it has fared over the last couple of years. What have been the highlights, according to you?
The first phase of the pandemic obviously saw a slow-paced run, but over the last couple of years, there has been a strong come-back for the entire Decorative segment of Nippon Paint India.
Despite intermittent lockdowns, we have launched several new and innovative products in the last two years, and also entered new categories like sealants, adhesives and fillers. Currently, the construction solutions and water-proofing category is seeing exponential growth and we have launched a large range of products in this segment.
How far has technology come into developing the portfolio and distribution of Nippon Paint? Tell us about some recent innovations.
From a product perspective, one of our recent technological innovations was AirCare VG, an anti-formaldehyde emulsion. It makes use of Unique Absorption Technology (UAT) and Silver Ion Technology, which are path-breaking advances in interior-wall painting.
Our research study indicated that these enhancements helped in absorbing toxic formaldehyde gases, and eliminated 99.99% of germs, microbes, and even 229E COVID strain to keep indoor air clean. It is ideal for people who are allergic to formaldehyde or odour of paint. From the sales perspective, we have adopted a SAP Sales Cloud tool (C4C) to empower our sales force. It enables teams to make faster decisions, track and monitor performances on a real-time basis.
How have inflation and post-pandemic consumer behaviour affected Nippon Paint? What are the main challenges before you?
Post pandemic, consumers have become more aware and focused on health and wellness. Moreover, the hybrid work model has made consumers spend 70% of their quality time indoors. Hence, we had to launch suitable products that can provide a healthier indoor environment, and are easy to maintain as well.
Aligning our innovation to the market and consumer needs, we launched our flagship anti-microbial product Aircare VG, that I mentioned earlier. Shift in mindset of consumers in terms of optimizing spends proved a challenge for us. Keeping this in mind, we have strengthened our economy and mid-segment portfolio to offer value offerings in each of the segments.
How are you charting the brand’s advertising and marketing strategy? Going forward, what will be your main focus areas and growth targets?
Nippon Paint has certain focused geographies in South India, especially Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. In terms of above-the-line initiatives, we are focusing heavily on these two markets. In both markets, we have consistently maintained the highest share of voice. The focus will remain unchanged for the next couple of years. Across operational territories in the rest of the country, we are doing a lot of below-the-line activation and dealer initiatives.
As for our advertising and media strategy, we are looking at a lot of region-specific initiatives and investing in properties to bring us closer to our target audiences in the specific territory.
For example, we have sports partnerships with Chennai Super Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore. The teams’ strong fan-base has also strengthened Nippon’s visibility and awareness. In terms of media partnerships, we have invested in some high-impact properties like Big Boss (Tamil as well as Kannada), which has helped us garner more eyeballs for our brand and made us a household name in TN and Karnataka.
Currently, we are focusing on a broad mix of all media vehicles, not just television. We are also enhancing digital spends significantly, since consumer engagement has grown exponentially on digital platforms over the last couple of years.
How does the Asia Young Designer Award align with the brand’s philosophy?
The Asia Young Designer Awards (AYDA) was first launched in 2008 as part of Nippon Paint’s vision to nurture the next generation of design talent. The event serves as a platform to inspire architectural and interior design students to develop their skills through cross-learning opportunities and networking with key industry players as well as peers in the region.
We are trying to give them an opportunity, an international forum, to compete against colleagues from 16-17 other countries. It helps us to stay connected and be on top of mind of young budding architects and interior designers. It is in line with our philosophy of supporting and giving back to the community.
What is a life lesson you have learnt on the ground as a marketer across companies such as Sony, LG, Videocon, Coca-Cola, and now Nippon Paint?
The core fundamentals of marketing remain the same, irrespective of industry or category. We need to remain customer-centric in our approach and keep our consumers at the heart of any campaign to build brand love.
