With Godrej Magic body wash, GCPL brings sustainability to the masses

Somasree Bose Awasthi, CMO, GCPL, says the product is targeted at every soap user, which is 100% penetration.

Godrej Consumer Products (GCPL) has unveiled India’s first ready-to-mix body wash. Positioned as a sustainable product, through its unique pricing, Godrej Magic body wash attempts to reach a mass audience and not be restricted to a niche environment-loving market. Priced at Rs 45, the innovation presents itself as a solution to environmental concerns as well as consumer challenges.

It requires just 16% of plastic in packaging and only 19% of energy to manufacture, as compared to a regular body wash, and just 10% of the total energy required to make a soap bar. Since the gel-based sachets are small and light, more sachets can be transported in every truck, leading to 44% lesser diesel consumption, resulting in 44% lower carbon emissions, as compared to transporting a regular body wash.

From consumers perspective, they prefer upgrading to a body wash from a soap, as it is perceived to be better for the skin, but steep prices pose as the biggest barrier. A single gel sachet is priced at Rs 45, while the combi-pack (bottle + gel sachet) costs Rs 65. This not only makes it much cheaper than other body washes, but also as affordable as a soap.

Godrej Cinthol’s Head to Toe wash (190 ml) is priced at Rs 150. Its competitors’ products are priced much higher. For example, a 250 ml of ITC’s Fiama shower gel is priced between Rs 150 and Rs 170. Similarly, Nivea’s 250 ml body wash is priced between Rs 150 and Rs 200. The same quantity of Dove body wash is also priced at Rs 125.

Somasree Bose Awasthi, CMO, GCPL, says, “It has been a beautiful marriage, where we are thinking about the consumers as well as the environment.”

Environment-friendly products are generally sold at a premium, making them accessible only to a niche audience. The price acts as a barrier to making them a mass product. This product is targeted at every soap-using household, that is 100% penetration.

In an official release, Sudhir Sitapati, managing director and CEO, GCPL, said, “I believe that Godrej Magic and other pioneering environmental innovations coming out of India, with a green discount and not a green premium, are the future.”

“Green discount is when you discount the amount of plastic, fuel and energy required, and the cost of making the product comes down. The benefit can be passed on to the consumer. We want to make it accessible to the larger segment so they can participate in the eco-friendly movement,” Awasthi adds.

Most companies launch a bodywash variant of their soap. For example, Dove has a bodywash similar to its soap or Pears has a bodywash just as it's soap. However, Godrej launched this bodywash under Magic and not its Godrej No.1 or Cinthol brand. Godrej Magic is a ready-to-mix brand. In 2018, under the ‘Magic’ portfolio, India’s first powder-to-liquid handwash - Godrej Magic Handwash was launched. Expanding the range, Godrej Magic Bodywash, is the second addition to the Magic range.

Awasthi says the company wanted the concept of turning a sachet into a large bottle- whether for handwash, bodywash or any other product in the future- to be under the same umbrella.

“The idea has been to sell the concept. Having them under different brands would have diluted the whole promise. It is so much easier for people to associate with a single brand across categories single-mindedly talking about less plastic and more magic,” he says.

Actor Shah Rukh Khan (SRK) has been roped in as the brand ambassador and will feature in a mass awareness campaign. The choice of the brand ambassador is also driven by the fact that the brand wants to position itself as 'massy'.

“SRK appeals across genres, age groups and genders. He is someone who can break the clutter. We are taking on the soaps category, which has 100% penetration. He is someone who has a large segment appeal. So, he is the best fit,” says Awasthi.

GCPL is pledging Rs 100 crore towards mass awareness initiatives to be spent over the next three years. It has planned a series of actions towards driving awareness and conducting research to create more such products.

“Consumers are becoming more conscious about the environment. But their actions depend on their access. That's the change we need to bring in. As big corporations like Godrej, we will be the change agents. We are making it accessible so that people make the shift out of conscience and sheer necessity,” adds Awasthi.