How Garnier has found its groove in India's beauty and personal care market

Anshuman Wanchu, general manager, Garnier at L'Oreal India, speaks about the brand’s growth across two decades in India.

Garnier, the hair care, skincare, and hair colour brand that entered India in 1992 and was chosen as the flagship brand for L'Oreal in India, has carved a niche for itself. It was the first brand to launch an anti-ageing cream in 1994 and introduced Indians to hair conditioners in 1997.

In an interaction with afaqs! Anshuman Wanchu, general manager, Garnier at L'Oreal, says the brand’s legacy of innovation has always been linked to meeting specific consumer needs. According to Wanchu, one key factor behind Garnier’s success is its ability to adapt global beauty trends to Indian sensibilities, ensuring relevance in everything from pricing to product formulation.

“Indian consumers are value-conscious and demanding, so we’ve always aimed to find the right balance in our portfolio and price points,” he said.

Garnier’s latest innovation in India includes an SPF 50 sunscreen spray that addresses the consumers’ need to apply sunscreen for 4-6 hours, which might not be possible when already wearing makeup. Wanchu says Garnier has managed to grow its footprint in India by making innovation locally relevant.

Despite being present for two decades, Garnier faces stiff competition from legacy brands and newer entrants. In India, where some beauty brands have been present for over a century, Garnier’s 20-year history makes it a relatively young player. Building saliency and occupying mindshare in such a competitive landscape remains one of the brand’s biggest challenges.

India is one of the top 10 markets for Garnier, L’Oreal Adrien Koskas, Garnier’s global brand president had said in an 2022 interview to media. He had also stated that they are working towards making India one of the top five markets for Garnier.

“Unlike some of our competitors, we don’t have 100 years of heritage in the Indian market. Our main challenge is building that mind space where consumers think of Garnier first when it comes to skincare or hair colour,” Wanchu explained.

Democratising beauty for the masses

While L'Oréal, its parent company, houses various premium brands, Garnier focuses on making quality beauty products accessible to a wider audience. From urban centres to tier-2 and tier-3 cities, the brand aims to cater to the masses.

“Garnier’s job is to take evolved beauty products and make them available to everyone,” said Wanchu. This ethos has shaped the brand’s approach to product development and marketing, allowing it to broaden its consumer base across the country.

To further appeal to the masses, Garnier has partnered with various celebrities like Priyanka Chopra, John Abraham and Alia Bhatt over the years. The brand recently onboarded Vedang Raina, who will soon be seen in movies along with Alia Bhatt, as the ambassador for its’ new sunscreen range. Wanchu stresses that the effectiveness of celebrity endorsements depends on the longevity and authenticity of these associations.

“When you see Aishwarya Rai in a L'Oréal Paris ad, or John Abraham for Garnier, those long-term relationships strengthen the brand’s connection with consumers,” he noted. But in today’s digital age, influencers are becoming equally important, particularly when it comes to educating consumers about products, he adds.

Garnier has been steadily increasing its digital spend, says Wanchu. He adds the brand prioritises digital-first strategies, such as influencer marketing, to reach its consumers more effectively. However, it continues to maintain a mix of traditional media, like television, to ensure broad reach.

Growing segments and challenges ahead

Garnier offers products in haircare, skincare, hair colour and other various segments. “However, in recent years, skincare has emerged as a major focus,” says Wanchu. 

As consumers become more educated and conscious about their skincare needs, largely thanks to the influence of digital platforms and beauty influencers, Garnier is ramping up its efforts to lead in this segment.

As Garnier continues to expand its footprint in India, the brand’s strategy will focus on leveraging both digital and traditional channels to reach a wider audience. Speaking about the brand’s retail strategy, Wanchu adds that while quick-commerce within e-commerce is growing quickly for them, the local mom and pop stores continue to drive the most revenue for the brand. 

“While you source your growth from the newer channels, in India, you cannot survive without ensuring that you are winning it in the general trade,” he says.