Q] Why was this the right time to reinvent Lacto Calamine and how do you modernise a heritage brand?
We are extremely excited about Lacto Calamine. The brand has been performing well, and we are equally excited about what lies ahead. Every consumer I’ve met knows Lacto Calamine. It has been used for generations and its role in skincare has remained consistent. What is evolving is the way we articulate that relevance today.
Consumers, especially Gen Z, are now making decisions based on transparency, ingredients and results. The formula remains the same because it already delivers on efficacy. There was no need to change that. The refreshed identity sharpens how the brand communicates, strengthens storytelling, simplifies design and brings clarity to benefits across touchpoints. This evolution is not about changing what people love, but about presenting it in a way that reflects how society understands and adopts skincare today.
There are four aspects we are particularly excited about. One is the strength of the iconic legacy of Lacto Calamine, a brand that has been part of Indian households for over six decades. Second is sharper positioning - Lacto Calamine is positioned as the oily-skin expert. There is no other brand in India or globally that focuses entirely on this space. Third is delivering the same trusted formula in more practical, contemporary formats. Fourth is building portfolio depth aligned with real-world skincare behaviour, supported by multi-channel scale and digital influence. These together form the foundation of our growth journey.
Q] How important is ingredient transparency for Gen Z and how is Piramal working on this?
Transparency is extremely important and that is central to the entire identity refresh. This is not a cosmetic update or just another relaunch. It is a strategic evolution. The refreshed identity is built on clear, adequate storytelling and visual simplicity that matches the expectations of today’s informed and curious consumers.
At its core, the refresh strengthens the relationship with existing users who have trusted the brand for decades while also bridging the gap with younger, digital-first consumers who discover products through online platforms and community recommendations. This makes it a milestone moment for an iconic brand like Lacto Calamine.
In a country like India, climate-driven skincare issues are common, and that presents a strong opportunity for a brand like ours to provide credible solutions. Even though the category is fragmented with many new entrants, equity and trust remain in high demand. The refreshed positioning allows the brand to lead with expertise across product formats, benefit claims and formulations. Ultimately, it is about confidence, control and care, ensuring that consumers discover the product easily and have a great skincare experience.
Q] With several new science-backed skincare brands emerging in India, how does Lacto Calamine stay ahead competitively?
At the core, we stay rooted in our oily-skin expert positioning. While the trusted formula remains unchanged, the communication has become much more rational and purposeful. The identity refresh focuses on clarity of ingredients and their role.
With the redesign, we introduced skin-friendly ingredients such as Kaolin Clay and Zinc Oxide in the products, with their benefits clearly highlighted across packaging, shelves, online platforms, and digital touchpoints - enabling quicker decision-making in an increasingly crowded category.
We have also expanded the portfolio to reflect real-world skincare behaviour. Today, consumers build routines rather than relying on a single product. By expanding into cleansers, moisturisers, sunscreens, serums and other formats, the brand now participates across multiple use cases. The strategy is rooted in ingredient-based decision-making, multi-step personalisation and rising expectations of efficacy. The transition to refreshed formats will be completed in the next few months, with new packaging and products already available in-market.
Q] How do you balance pharma-led trust with trend-led marketing, especially when engaging Gen Z audiences?
Healthcare marketing works best when education and brand-building go hand in hand. If you build a brand without educating consumers, trust doesn’t follow. At the same time, education without brand-building benefits the category more than the brand.
Our approach is simple: learn, relate and choose. Learning focuses on addressing real consumer questions, debunking myths and using accessible language. Relating is about educational storytelling that makes science easier to understand. Choosing is about delivering the right value and accountability so consumers experience the product benefits first-hand.
We focus on consistent engagement across touchpoints including social platforms, retail, community outreach and digital channels. Science-backed innovation and consumer-first thinking are our two biggest priorities. Staying accessible across channels, regions and price points has helped us win both online and offline, across multiple regions and categories.
Q] Could you speak about your marketing mix? Are you digital-first or more traditional?
Over the past few quarters, we have moved away from a broad, mass-media approach to a more sharply targeted, digital-first strategy. As consumers shift from television to mobile, social media and e-commerce, optimisation has become essential.
Today, our mix is more balanced between TV and Digital, with a strong focus on platforms where consumers actively discover and evaluate skincare. Discovery happens not only through search but increasingly by discovery through social media, e-commerce and web commerce. Platforms like Instagram, YouTube and Snapchat are where consumers discover, evaluate and often complete the purchase journey in minutes.
Our campaigns are designed specifically for these platforms, prioritising direct paths to purchase through marketplaces rather than traditional basket-building behaviour. Influencers and creator-led content play a key role in reaching niche, highly engaged communities through authentic recommendations.
Q] Is this transformation about immediate relevance or long-term growth?
This is a long-term strategy. Our sharp positioning as the oily-skin expert is not a short-term decision. It guides everything we do. We are deeply consumer-centric and understand the growing importance of ingredients, purpose and efficacy. Our portfolio is aligned with real skincare routines, allowing us to participate across multiple daily use cases, supported by a strong omnichannel presence and digital influence that is essential for building a brand over time.
Q] As the year ends, what is one trend you saw dominating the industry in 2025?
One trend that worked exceptionally well for us was focused brand investment. Our power brands contribute over half of our sales, allowing us to address real consumer needs with sharper relevance. Another key trend has been innovation velocity. We launched nearly fifty innovations in a year, and this was not just about speed but about building meaningful revenue streams.
The third major trend is the integration of technology across decision-making. We are no longer just selling products; we are responding to signals. Real-time analytics, AI tools and predictive insights enable faster decisions across marketing and business functions. This agility has been critical in capturing evolving consumer preferences and strengthens our confidence in the roadmap leading up to FY30.
