Kapil Sharma advertises Dabur Pudin Hara powder

We spoke to Dabur's Ajay Singh Parihar about the consumption pattern of Pudin Hara on the sidelines of a recent campaign by the brand that highlights the product's fizz format.

Consumer goods company Dabur India recently launched an ad film featuring comedian Kapil Sharma for its Ayurvedic medicine for stomach pain, indigestion, gas and acidity – Pudin Hara. Conceptualised by McCann, the 30-second-long film highlights the fizz format of the product.

Pudin Hara was launched in the Indian market in the 1990s and is currently available in three different formats – Pudin Hara Liquid (bottle format), Pudin Hara Pearls (blister pills) and Pudin Hara Lemon Fizz (powder).

Ajay Singh Parihar, marketing head – OTC Healthcare, Dabur India, tells us that Liquid is the oldest format of the product. However, he adds, “Pearls is the most consumed format. The more recent powder format with Pudin Hara Fizz is mainly used for quick relief from acidity problems.” The consumption pattern of the product is same throughout geographies.

Parihar says that Dabur focuses equally on all three formats as they have different consumer usage reasons, and also (as) it helps the brand expand its consumer base.

In the ad film, Sharma is seen attending a family gathering, where he suffers from acidity because of excessive eating. His sister-in-law offers him a ‘regular powder’ and is immediately stopped by his reel wife, who says, “Wahi purana powder. Isse na ho payega”. She then offers him Pudin Hara Fizz for instant relief.

Speaking about the ad's ideation, Parihar says the campaign seeks to reach out to the youth and build relevance with them by showcasing the benefits of Pudin Hara in their daily lifestyle, which is heavily infested with junk and unhealthy food.

“Dabur Pudin Hara is an age-old remedy for issues related to stomach. It not only cures stomach-related issues, but also gives coolness to stomach. Given the evolving trends in lifestyles and work patterns, consumers today are continuously multi-tasking and, therefore, they require effective and natural solutions," says Parihar.

"Dabur offers the benefits of traditional Ayurveda in modern day formats to combat daily health issues, and Pudin Hara is one sure-shot solution for multiple gastric disorders. Considering the numerous diseases prevalent during the summer season, Dabur Pudin Hara helps in managing stomach problems,” he added.

Parihar revealed that the Pudin Hara team and the creative agency were brainstorming several popular Bollywood songs for the campaign. The challenge, he says, “Was to ensure that the song also has a connect with the acidity problem and relief in a very melodious and relevant manner. Finally, the song lyrics ‘Na bole tum, na maine kuch kaha…’ was selected and we reworked the song a bit to build relevance for the brand.”

About the product, Parihar says that Dabur Pudin Hara contains pudina (mint) satva as the main ingredient. It is packed with antioxidants and phytonutrients that can work wonders for the stomach, especially during the scorching summer months. Pudina is known to give effective relief and has excellent carminative impact on stomach problems. It is known for its calming and cooling effect on stomach cramps, and its ability to fight acidity and flatulence.

Other brands in the category include GSK’s ENO, Sun Pharmaceutical’s Pepfiz, Mankind Pharma’s Gas-O-Fast, and others.