Insights from challenger brands: novel tactics to disrupt competitive scene

India’s business landscape is crowded, competitive, and unforgiving. For challenger brands—those that dare to take on the big players—success demands more than innovation. It requires resilience, bold thinking, and a willingness to disrupt entrenched norms. At the recently concluded afaqs! Challenger Brands conference, a group of forward-thinking leaders came together to discuss what makes these challenger brands tick. The focus? Strategies that go beyond the obvious, approaches that defy tradition, and ideas that build not just brands, but relationships based on trust.

Meet the panel

Sreekant Khandekar, co-founder and CEO, afaqs!, moderated the discussion. He was joined by industry leaders with diverse experiences, each bringing a fresh perspective on how to navigate India’s competitive market. 

Isha Chakraborty, head of brand marketing at Clinikally, shared insights from the dermatological care industry. Prateek Malpani, senior director of brand marketing at Acko, represented the auto and health insurance sector. Sidhharrth S Kumar, founder and chief happiness officer at NumroVani, discussed the intersection of astrology and business strategy.

The foundation of resilience: Solving real problems

"Challenger brands aren’t about revolutionary service or flashy products," said Malpani of Acko. "It’s about identifying and solving the pain points that the big players have ignored for too long." And he’s right. For Acko, the enemy isn’t the other insurance companies—it’s the outdated processes that leave customers frustrated and underserved. “We made claims simpler, eliminated commissions, and focused on transparency,” Malpani explained.

This isn’t just insurance; this is disruption. Acko took an industry bogged down by red tape and bureaucracy, and injected it with simplicity. And simplicity, in a crowded market, is revolutionary.

Chakraborty from Clinikally knows this well. In the healthcare space, where costs can be prohibitive, Clinikally is making dermatology affordable. "We offer consultations at Rs 250, compared to Rs 1800 to Rs 2,500 at offline clinics. Why? Because accessibility shouldn’t be a luxury,” she stated. Clinikally is democratising skin care—no frills, just access. And that, for a country like India, is a game changer.

Trust: The ultimate differentiator

If there’s one thing every panelist agreed on, it’s this: without trust, you’re just another brand shouting into the void. Challenger brands, especially those operating in new or sensitive markets, need to build and maintain trust at all costs.

Kumar from NumroVani took the discussion in a different direction by highlighting how astrology and numerology can offer unique, personalized consumer experiences. "We create unique personas for individuals using astrology, aura, and numerology, which are then applied to areas like marketing strategies and wellness programs,” Kumar explained. 

“We don’t ask people to just believe in us. We show them the research, the patents, the data. That’s how you win trust," he said. In a space like astrology, where skepticism runs high, building trust isn’t just important—it’s everything.”

For Acko, building community comes through content marketing. “We define a villain—outdated practices in insurance—and then rally our consumers around a cause,” Malpani explained. It’s a classic storytelling technique, but it works. By focusing on what’s wrong with the system, Acko positions itself as the hero—the solution to a long-standing problem.

(L to R): Isha Chakraborty (Clinikally), Prateek Malpani (Acko), and Sidhharrth S Kumar (NumroVani)

Chakraborty also chimed in with Clinikally’s community-driven approach. "We’re building an omnichannel experience that includes both online and offline interactions. We’re rewarding trust with subscriptions, discounts, and even partnerships with clinics." Clinikally isn’t just selling skincare products—it is creating a customer journey that keeps people coming back, not because they have to, but because they want to.

Media spending: Flexibility over splurging

A key takeaway from the discussion was the need for flexibility in media strategies. Challenger brands often don’t have the luxury of unlimited budgets, so they need to spend smarter, not just more.

"We’ve shifted a lot of our spending to digital platforms, but the key is to stay flexible," Malpani from Acko remarked. For challenger brands, the digital space offers more bang for the buck—but it’s not the only option. The trick is knowing where your audience is and how to reach them without breaking the bank.

Chakraborty added that Clinikally’s omnichannel strategy integrates both digital and physical experiences. "We’re not just relying on digital for awareness. Our partner clinics allow consumers to experience the brand in person, which helps build trust," she said.

The final word: Be bold, be consistent, be unconventional

As the session drew to a close, The message from the panel was clear: Challenger brands, by definition, cannot play by the old rules. They don’t have the luxury of time or deep pockets. But what they do have is agility, creativity, and the ability to build meaningful connections with their customers. In a market as diverse and competitive as India, those qualities make all the difference.

Watch the entire video for the detailed conversation. 

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