CavinKare's Indica business goes to Curry-Nation

The brand enjoys a loyal consumer base in South India. The agency will work on a campaign that will help expand its popularity nationwide.

Indica, the herbal hair colorant from the stable of FMCG player CavinKare, has awarded its creative duties to the Mumbai-based Curry-Nation. The development is the result of a pitch process that was held in Mumbai recently.

Curry-Nation has worked on brands from CavinKare in the past. In mid-2011 the agency won the creative mandate for three brands (former Mudra accounts) from the house of CavinKare, namely, Fairever, the flagship product in its fairness creams category, and deodorants Spinz and Hi5.

Confirming the Indica win to afaqs!, a senior member on the brand team, says, "Curry-Nation has shown exceptional qualities in understanding the brief and has come up with good creative solutions."

The brand enjoys a loyal consumer base in South India, and has, in the past, attempted to change its low key presence in the North, including a brand re-launch exercise in the early 2000s. No surprise then, that a large part of the winning agency's mandate includes popularising the brand at a national level.

"Yes, it's going to go national now," shares Priti Nair, founder, Curry-Nation, "We will work on giving Indica a solid brand personality; something it can hold on to. This includes establishing a clearly defined 'brand world' for it to operate within in the days ahead."

The campaign is slated to break by June this year. The media mix will include TV, print, outdoor and radio. The agency informs that digital and retail level branding are very likely too.

Indica hair colour is currently positioned as one that 'spells youth'; the company website for the brand carries the catch phrase, 'Baalon ko de dil ki umar'. The TG (target group) for Indica has been consumers in their late twenties to mid-thirties. With an increased skew towards younger people, the upcoming communication will target young, fashion-conscious consumers, who are open to experimentation, afaqs! learns.

Some of the creative agencies CavinKare has worked with in the recent past include Leo Burnett (for its oral care and henna brands); Cartwheel Creative (for Nyle shampoo); and Saints & Warriors (for its snacking business), among others.

MEC is the media agency on the entire CavinKare account.

Indica hair colour is currently available in four colours - black, burgundy, brown and red. Besides Indica, other popular hair care brands from CavinKare include the shampoos Nyle, Chik and Meera.

Apart from hair care, the parent brand is present across product segments including skin care (lotions, deodorants), home care (floor cleaners), foods (pickles, candy), beverages (brand Maa), dairy products (milk, curd) and snacks (namkeens like farsans, bhels and dals).