Q] Odonil has created seven independent edits for different markets instead of dubbing a single ad across languages. How important is regional storytelling in driving category penetration and making the brand more relevant to consumers?
Odonil is already the market leader in India’s air fresheners category. However, with penetration at around the mid-teens, there is a significant opportunity to bring more consumers into the category. Our objective has been to make bathroom fresheners more relevant and culturally resonant across some of the country’s biggest markets.
With consumption concentrated in the top cities and specific hotspots, hyper-local communication becomes important. We also realised that consumers experience culture through more than just language. Local nuances, humour, behaviour and everyday conversations make communication more relatable. Unless the messaging is compelling, it is unlikely to drive category participation. That’s why we moved away from a one-size-fits-all approach and created seven independent edits instead of dubbing a single ad across languages. We didn’t just localise the language; we localised the insight.
Q] What early indicators are you tracking to measure the campaign’s success, and how has the response been so far?
We evaluate campaigns through multiple metrics, including awareness, engagement and consideration. However, our ‘North Star’ metric for this campaign is penetration. We track new trials, search behaviour, initial digital engagement and retail offtakes to assess our performance. It is still too early to comment on the overall response, but the initial signs are encouraging. The engagement levels and conversations around the campaign are moving in the right direction, giving us confidence in the initial trajectory.
Q] With Odonil’s entry into the car fragrance category, what consumer needs and market opportunities are you looking to address, and how do you see the category evolving?
The car fragrance category is an interesting space for air fresheners. Car penetration in India has grown over the past decade, particularly in urban markets. Consumers are spending a disproportionate amount of time commuting, making the car an extension of their personal space. They increasingly want to replicate the experience they have at home in their cars, and sometimes even create a better one. This makes car fragrance an exciting and growing category. For Odonil, entering this space is a natural extension of our expertise and strong credentials in home fragrances, where we are the dominant leader. We believe this expertise allows us to offer interesting solutions to consumers. While it is still early days, we are seeing encouraging initial signs in this space.
Q] How do you plan to build awareness for Odonil’s car fragrance range? Any campaigns in mind?
We intend to build on this, but our approach is to look at the brand holistically. We have just started, and the idea is to move beyond the master brand level and develop communication for each segment. If a celebrity can make that storytelling more impactful, we are always open to it.
Q] How do you approach the media mix for the home and personal care category in today’s evolving marketing landscape, and what roles do traditional media, digital, content creators and quick commerce play?
Our media mix depends on our consumers, their content consumption behaviour and the geographies we are targeting. Since the category is concentrated in the country’s top cities, digital has to be at the heart of our campaigns. Large screens are better suited to long-format content, while smaller screens allow more personalised conversations. Content creators help bring out local cultural nuances, build a stronger bond with consumers and communicate our message.
I believe quick commerce is not just a fulfilment platform but also a demand-generation platform. The consumer journey from awareness to purchase has shrunk to minutes, making quick commerce the fourth pillar of our media mix.
Q] How much of Dabur’s home and personal care business comes from established brands versus newer launches, and what plans do you have to grow the portfolio further?
A disproportionate chunk of our business continues to come from the core part of our portfolio, as it gives us scale in terms of our consumer franchise and distribution footprint. However, over the last couple of years, newer formats, value-added extensions and entry into new segments have contributed increasingly to both revenue and growth. We are also exploring newer segments such as automatic diffusers.
Q] With competition intensifying in the home and personal care category, how are you differentiating your brands?
This is a category that is buzzing, with several players entering the market. I look at this differently because more players entering an underpenetrated category only helps grow it, which is good news for everyone. The three pillars we focus on are the relevance of our innovation, the differentiation and distinctiveness of our communication, and how sharp our brand positioning is.
Q] How can Odonil leverage the festive season to grow the category and drive adoption of newer formats?
For a category like ours, festivals are a great opportunity to showcase our brands. The category takes on greater importance during festivities because guests are coming home, which is central to Odonil’s positioning. Festivities also bring a greater willingness among consumers to experiment and explore premium experiences and newer formats. Introducing innovations and launching campaigns ahead of the festive season are efforts in that direction.
Q] As a category leader and a legacy brand, what challenges do you foresee in the near future, and where do you see the biggest opportunities for growth?
We are a brand in a category that has been growing, and it will continue to grow. While penetration is low, there are multiple tailwinds helping us: growing urbanisation, premiumisation, increasing consciousness around hygiene, consumer aspirations, and the rapid development of modern trade and quick commerce. The only challenge I see is non-consumption or consumption levels being too low. We have to be at the forefront of creating, driving and growing the category. I see it more as an opportunity than a challenge.
PROFILE
Vaibhav Rathi is the Head of Marketing – Home Care at Dabur India Ltd., bringing over two decades of leadership experience across top FMCG majors, including Marico and Tata Consumer Products. A seasoned brand strategist, he specialises in portfolio transformation, category development, and scaling consumer-centric innovations. Throughout his career, Rathi has successfully fortified market-leading brands by steering large-scale P&Ls and pairing rigorous commercial acumen with creative vision. Recognised for driving sustainable business growth in highly competitive landscapes, he remains passionate about building enduring consumer connections and shaping future-ready portfolios.
ABOUT THE BRAND
Odonil is one of India’s leading air freshener brands from Dabur India Ltd., offering a wide range of home fragrance solutions, including room freshener blocks, sprays, gels, electric air fresheners and car air fresheners. Designed to keep spaces fresh and inviting, Odonil combines innovative fragrance technology with consumer insights to enhance everyday living. The brand continues to bring long-lasting freshness and delightful fragrances to homes, offices, and cars across India.
FACTS
Media Agency: Starcom
PR Agency: Virtual Communications
Digital Agency: Moksha
Creative Agency: Pepper Content
