Emami Wants Munni Magic for Navratna Extra Thanda

Emami Wants Munni Magic for Navratna Extra Thanda
Personal care company funding first full-length song in a regional movie
RATNA BHUSHAN NEW DELHI
Less than a year after ‘Munni Badnaam Hui’ song helped pushed Zandu Balm sales, Emami wants something similar for its Himani Navratna extra thanda hair oil, and it’s funding the entire cost of a Bhojpuri film song that will mention the brand.
In what is a first for the firm, and for the industry, the personal care firm is taking care of the entire production and recording cost of a full-fledged song in a soon-tobe-released Bhojpuri film.
“This is the first time a brand has funded a song. It seamlessly integrates the brand in a first-of-its-kind innovation,” says Pritie Jadhav, COO of P9 Integrated, the entertainment and marketing arm of Percept group that helped Emami strike the deal for the song.
“The idea is to cut through the clutter and reach out to core consumers directly,” she adds.
Emami Director Harsh Agarwal says the exercise will help it connect with its core consumers for the Navratna extra thanda brand—rural consumers in UP and Bihar.
“Media penetration is low in such markets and we believe Bhojpuri movies, which are very popular in these pockets, can be a good medium to reach out to our core potential consumers,” he says.The song that describes the cool aspect of the brand has been sung by the same singer who sang 'Munni Badnaam Hui', which had featured Malaika Arora and went on to become one of the most popular songs of last year.
The 'Munni Badnaam Hui' song ran into controversy when Emami sued Dabangg producer Arbaaz Khan for referring to Zandu Balm without its permission. The case was settled out of court. The controversy and the popularity of the song worked wonders for the brand with sales doubling in the July-September 2010 quarter.
If 'Munni Badnaam Hui' happened by chance, the Bhojpuri song is a well thought-out experiment.The song will feature popular Bhojpuri star Sambhavna Seth among others and the movie is scheduled for release next month.
While in-film integration and placement of brands in movies has been a regular exercise, this is the first time a company has funded an entire song revolving around its brand.
Agarwal says if this 'innovation' works, then Emami might experiment with similar marketing plans in mainstream Hindi movies as well. “There is enough scope. If we feel there's an appropriate opportunity, why
not,” he says. Navratna extra thanda oil, a variant of the popular Navratna oil, is endorsed nationally by superstars such as Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan.
Navratna is a . 300-crore brand and leads the cooling oil category estimated at close to . 550 crore, according to Emami.
Pritie Jadhav says P9 Integrated is working on several such innovations for other consumer product firms as well, but declined to give details, citing confidentiality.
Several brands are stepping up focus on regional markets as they chase higher returns and efficiency on their investments on marketing and advertising. Besides hiring regional actors to endorse their brands, marketers are also looking at innovative ways to reach to fragmented consumers.
Consumer products maker Dabur, for example, has identified 30 citizens from villages of Bihar and Uttar Pradesh to form a Chyawanprash and Ravi Kishan team of “immunity ambassadors”. These immunity ambassadors will be part of an initiative to spread awareness for immunity, the company said.Birju Maharaj to endorse Zandu
New Delhi: Kolkata-based FMCG firm Emami on Thursday said it has signed up noted Kathak dancer Pandit Birju Maharaj to endorse its Zandu healthcare range of products. Zandu Healthcare that was acquired by Emami in 2008 for . 700 crore has completed 100 years of existence.
“We have roped in Pandit Birju Maharaj to endorse the mother brand Zandu for a period of over one year,” Emami Director Harsh Agarwal said. The signing also coincides with the centenary celebrations for the brand and the company will launch a national television commercial campaign, featuring the 73 years old brand ambassador, he added.