Philips is taking a more expansive approach to engaging with India’s Gen Z. The brand’s moving beyond conventional celebrity-led advertising to build deeper connections with its customers through culture, content, technology and digital communities. Its partnership with actor Yash, which began after consumers spotted him using the Philips OneBlade, has evolved into a larger entertainment-led association around the action-heavy film, Toxic: A Fairy Tale for Grown-Ups, spanning digital platforms, quick commerce, Amazon, Uber and theatres. At the heart of the strategy, is also a renewed focus on technology. The brand says its shift towards technology-led communication has helped improve conversions and drive premiumisation, while its Gen Z brand love has grown by 10 percentage points over the last three quarters.
With competition intensifying and consumer attention becoming harder to hold, Philips is now focused not only on winning Gen Z, but retaining its relevance with them. In this interview, Smit Shukla, Country Head, Philips Personal Health, India Subcontinent, discusses the Yash partnership, tech-led differentiation, digital media strategy, regional growth and the brand’s plans for the future.
Q] The association with Yash began organically when fans spotted him using a Philips OneBlade. How did that moment shape the decision to build a larger campaign around him, and what made you see it as more than a conventional celebrity endorsement?
Seven or eight months ago, it was simply a chance encounter. Yash was using one of our products, OneBlade, and it was unexpected! Consumers, who had spotted that, started flooding us with messages asking why we weren’t partnering with Yash.
That was our first signal. Yash is a superstar, but we also saw a strong strategic fit in him. We began engaging with Yash on social media, where some banter eventually led to conversations. Within about a month, the partnership came together organically, driven by a clear consumer signal.
Q] Speaking of Toxic, what does an entertainment-led marketing association offer that a traditional media campaign may not?
We have partnered with Yash and are going deep with Toxic. You will see Philips integrated across different activations, both on-ground and digital. That includes the Amazon storefront, the app, quick commerce platforms and in Shorts. There is also more to appear on platforms such as Uber.
We have gone beyond digital too. We have partnered with 300 theatre screens where the film will be played; and have planned activations outside theatres. The idea is to touch every aspect of a media environment around Toxic and Yash that consumers interact with.
Q] Has it become essential for brands to go beyond traditional advertising to stand out in an increasingly cluttered environment?
Absolutely. Consumers are navigating an endless stream of content every day, with short-form formats moving faster than ever. As a result, getting registered in a consumer’s mind is becoming difficult by the minute. Brands need a ‘purple cow’ strategy—creating an impactful presence and doing something distinctive enough to stand out in a crowded market. Traditional campaigns, where you create a copy and simply run it on YouTube or Instagram, are not enough anymore.
Q] BeardSense technology is central to the campaign. In a crowded men’s grooming market, has technology-led differentiation become more important?
BeardSense is not something we have started talking about now. We have been communicating about this technology for around 18 months. When we changed our marketing and communication strategy to focus more on technology, something that is at the heart of Philips, we started seeing strong results in terms of conversions. Amazon was one of the first places where we tested this messaging, and we saw conversions improve. Consumers were noticing, understanding and appreciating that there was something beyond commoditisation in the trimmer category.
The market can easily become a game of attachments, but we moved away from that a year and a half ago. Our technologies are patented, and consumers see value in them because the products work harder, faster and more efficiently, while delivering precision. That differentiation is critical.
Q] Apart from technology, what consumer trends are creating the biggest growth opportunities for Philips?
There are two key areas. The first is premiumisation. We started focusing on this two years ago, and our average selling prices have improved significantly, by around 20-25 per cent. India remains a value-conscious market, so consumers will only pay more when they see genuine value and differentiation. Brands that are able to offer meaningful technology and then premiumise, are the ones that win.
The second area is content. With the expansion of short-form content and the sheer volume of creatives, it has become difficult for brands to stand out. We have tried to bring together culture, content and Gen Z. Our Gen Z brand love, which we track quarter on quarter, has improved by 10 percentage points over the last three quarters. That is significant for us. We believe it is working because we are speaking to Gen Z in their language and meaningfully connecting with them. We are also present wherever they are, be it social media, digital, traditional, out-of-home or other content environments.
Q] Philips has built a strong connect with Gen Z. Is there any area where the brand still faces pressure or needs to improve to stay ahead?
With a landscape that changes every three months, you can never be comfortable. Even though we have gained 10 percentage points in brand love among Gen Z, it won’t last forever. Competition is constantly evolving and consumers can quickly move from one brand to another. This is not a battle that has been won. It is a battle that will be fought every month over many years.
The challenge is retaining the number one position. Reaching there is one thing, but retaining consumers is much harder. Now that we have built significant brand love with Gen Z, we must continue to nurture it over the next three to five years.
Q] Gen Z is predominantly online and digital-first. Has this changed Philips’ media mix?
We moved away from traditional TV some two years ago. Since then, everything has been digital, but we have also gone beyond conventional digital advertising. Even within digital, there is a traditional way of using YouTube or Instagram. We have gone deeper into platforms such as Reddit and Discord. We are also looking at pop groups and communities, as well as different ecosystems and chambers on YouTube. The objective is to understand media consumption at every level rather than simply running reach and frequency campaigns.
Q] How much has this strategy contributed to Philips’ growth?
We are currently growing two to three times faster than the market. I would say that itself demonstrates how well the strategy is working.
Q] You mentioned a strong focus on men. What can consumers expect from Philips in the women’s category?
There is a massive women-focused portfolio coming from Philips over the next two years. We have a lot of innovation in the pipeline that will address several consumer needs that many brands are not currently solving. We take pride in designing products specifically for Indian hair. With 97 years in India and extensive experience selling dryers and straighteners, Philips understands the diversity of Indian consumers and their hair needs. We have found that our products work across a wide range of hair types, while competing products may be designed for narrower hair profiles. We have taken that insight forward.
