Cricket and rural outreach solidified Dabur Red’s 2023 business, what's next?

The brand’s category head breaks down Dabur Red’s marketing strategy going into 2024.

Oral Care is a highly penetrated market in India, for all the right reasons. And the category itself is so fiercely competitive, that to etch out any semblance of brand visibility in the mix of tough players is a game of year-long ad spends, and consistent performance marketing. 

In the midst of this landscape, Dabur Red, the toothpaste brand from the house of Dabur has managed to navigate a year marked by notable highs. The cricketing fervour of IPL, Asia Cup, and the ICC Men’s World Cup, interspersed with festive celebrations, defined the narrative of 2023. And from the looks of it, Dabur Red had its eyes on the prize all the way. 

Marketing strategy

Binit Kumar, who is the category head of dental care at Dabur, reveals that the brand increased its TV ad spends by 15-20% in 2023 compared to 2022. And the brand had its eyes set on the World Cup, among other things. 

Kumar says, “We are looking at a double-digit increase in advertising this year on TV, versus last year. Apart from that, we have also invested a good amount of money in digital due to the World Cup.”

Beyond TV, the brand also upped its digital spends by 50-60% this year, as per Kumar. He says, “We have created our own assets with regards to the World Cup this year in a humorous way with our Chabaatey Raho campaign. As a result, we upped our investment in digital as well, with a spike of nearly 60% in ad spends.”

The investments went towards Hotstar that showcased the match-specific commercials featuring actor Manoj Pahwa. On top of the commercials, Dabur red also introduced contests, offering consumers a chance to win the World Cup tickets. 

Expansion strategy and the focus on Rural

For Dabur Red, the expansion strategy is tunnel visioned on amplifying the consumption for the entire category. And rural areas appear to be a key focus for the brand’s strategy. Kumar says, “Apart from the geographical footprint, it is more about reaching out to the rural household and with other players in the category, to build the consumption story.”

While the oral care category is highly penetrated, (99% nationwide as per Statista), 55% of rural households do not brush daily (perhaps using other forms of dental care such as neem sticks, or toothpowder). Furthermore, only 20% of urban households brush their teeth twice a day. This revelation unveils a vast market potential, indicating a behavioural shift required even in more developed areas.

Surprisingly, the findings suggest that toothpaste is still perceived as an aspirational product in certain rural households. Despite having access to the product, individuals in these households choose not to incorporate it into their daily routine. 

Kumar says, “There is a huge opportunity in terms of consumption, both at a rural and urban level for the category. And these opportunities are there for any brand in the category, whether it is Dabur Red, Colgate, Pepsodent or Patanjali.”

The brand also experimented with its packaging this year to add to its hyper-local efforts. For Chhath Puja, Dabur Red introduced its limited festive edition Dabur Red Chhath pack, which was promoted through a creative that featured on Bhojpuri channels. 

Kumar adds, “We have also created strong brand integration in the impact property of Sur Sangram. We did a lot of ground activation as well, including so we have branded royal ghats with the packaging with huge footfalls. We also engaged with wholesalers giving them a sample of the pack.”

Business blueprint

According to Kumar, Dabur Red is seeing a robust business in the southern part of the country, and the brand is focussing on exploring and solidifying its presence in the north and west. 

Kumar reveals, “We are relatively stronger in North and West India. So we are going to continuously focus our energies to build the north and west region and we are going to sustain the South part of the country. That is where our investments will go.”

Also Read: Red, Rural and Raging: What’s attracting Dabur, Marico to the cooling oil category

Forecasting the year 2024

For Dabur Red, the new year means a lot of homework. As per Kumar, the plan for 2024 is to commission researchers from global agencies to get the hang of consumer behaviours. Notably, the brand will collaborate with 1001 Stories, a research agency specialising in ethnographic and behaviour-led research, to gain unique insights. 

In addition, partnerships with boutique agencies, such as Smytten, an online shopping platform simulating buying behaviour, are also on the cards to enhance the brand's understanding of consumer preferences and purchase intent.

The brand, deeply rooted in rural India, is set to continue regional initiatives, engaging with smaller pockets of the country to maintain its widespread salience. Additionally, Dabur Red aims to delve into shopper research, focusing on e-commerce and modern trade, to decipher purchase values and decision-making patterns.

Kumar says, “We are continuing with our regional initiatives in 2024. As a rural brand with salience across the country, we keep on engaging with the small pockets of the country. We are also putting our bucks into shoppers research to understand the purchase and decision making of consumers.”

On the communication front, Kumar emphasised the significance of leveraging brand ambassadors to establish emotional connections with a larger audience. The brand intends to seamlessly integrate product placements with popular programs, utilising CGI and AI to enhance consumer engagement. Building on past successes in CGI-led activations, Dabur Red plans to further explore these technologies.