"The objective of this campaign is to grow the category": Marico's Anuradha Aggarwal on new Livon TVC

Marico has revamped Livon's formulation, packaging and communication. A look at the effort.

Marico's hair care brand Livon Serum, just got a makeover. In its latest avatar, the brand is all set to add a 'swag' to its customers' lives.

To convey the new proposition, Marico has launched a campaign, 'Pretty girl swag'. Executed by DDB Mudra, it features Bollywood actress Kangana Ranaut as Livon's first ever brand ambassador. The ad showcases Ranaut enjoying her hair and life wholeheartedly, with no strings attached whatsoever. The television-led campaign that will be on-air for 12 weeks, from October to March, is also being supported digitally.

Anuradha Aggarwal, CMO - Marico, explains, "The objective of this campaign is to grow the category. Ranaut's appeal cuts across age and income groups and her attitude embodies the brand's proposition of 'free to be fabulous'."

What's new?

So, what's new about Livon? Enriched with vitamin E, the 'next-generation Livon Serum' is an ultra-lightweight formulation, and comes with a fragrance for the first time. In addition to the new brand look that curiously resembles the cover of a fashion magazine, there has been another significant change at the packaging level. Livon Serum will now be available in single use sachets as well.

While the product-level changes are based on consumer feedback, the introduction of the new SKU (Stock Keeping Unit), informs Aggarwal, is aimed at increasing product usage among existing consumers, while at the same time, encourage new trials.

"Girls want to look good without putting in much effort," says Aggarwal. "They want to feel free and uninhibited and the image that comes to their mind is that of a fashion/glamour magazine. To gather such insights," she adds, "we carry out in-depth research by engaging with our customers, understand their hair care habits and figure out how they interact with the category."

For instance, says Aggarwal, the biggest challenge for college-going girls is to keep their hair from getting tangled. This insight propelled the brand to position itself as a detangling serum. But, the revamped product has an additional functional benefit of damage protection.

Livon: On a rewind mode

Brand Livon was originally owned by the Ahmedabad-based Paras Pharmaceuticals. It was bought by the UK-based Reckitt Benckiser in December 2010. In the wake of this announcement and its subsequent execution in 2011, the creative duties of many of Paras' brands, including Livon, were reviewed. After the reshuffle, Cut the Crap retained the Livon account, which it took over from Mudra in 2010.

In early 2012, Marico acquired a part of the personal care business (which had earlier belonged to Paras Pharma) from Reckitt Benckiser. This included among other brands, Livon, the creative mandate for which was assigned to DDB Mudra in December 2012.

As the brand moved between parent companies and agencies, its advertising also evolved from DIY ads (the 'Damp, Dab, Dazzle' series of ads) to ones that conveyed the product's functional benefits such as shiny and beautiful or smooth and manageable hair. In 2009, Mudra had executed an ad for Livon which used 'The Livon Dolls', dolls with luscious hair, created specifically for the campaign.

It's 2015. Along with the product, the definition of beauty has also changed and to convey the message that the 'next-gen Livon Serum' is for the 'next-gen pretty girls', Livon has chosen the trendy and stylish Ranaut as its first brand ambassador. The 'Pretty girl swag' campaign talks about the emotional benefit of the product for girls who want a simple solution to good looking hair and are comfortable and confident in their skin.