Fairness Wars

THE WARS CONTINUE UNABATED contd...

Even though there was no scientific backing for the manufacturer's claims that their products enhanced fairness, prevented darkening of skin, or removed blemishes, sales of fairness products continued to gallop. Dr R.K. Pandhi, Head of the Department of Dermatology, AIIMS, Delhi, said, “I have never come across a medical study that substantiated such claims.

No externally applied cream can change your skin colour. Indeed, the amount of melanin in an individual's skin cannot be reduced by applying fairness creams, bathing with sun-blocking soaps or using fairness talc.” In 2001, the organised market of branded fairness cream products was worth about Rs 6 billion. The unbranded and fakes market was estimated to be Rs 1.5 billion.

The market was big and the potential was even bigger. In India, beauty seemed to be associated with fairness more than with anything else. With such an attitude firmly entrenched in the minds of millions of people, the fairness products market would see fair days ahead.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:

1. Though CavinKare's Fairever was an instant success, its market share stagnated after two years of its launch. How can CavinKare increase Fairever's market share?

2. “In the early 1970s, fairness products were offered in the form of creams. By 2000-01, the fairness concept was no longer restricted to creams, but had expanded to soaps and talcs also.” Discuss.

3. HLL's Fair & Lovely was the pioneer in the fairness products segment, and ruled the market until 1998. After 1998 it started losing its share to new entrants and direct selling companies. Explain the steps taken by HLL to regain its position in the fairness products market.

	Continued....


2001, ICMR (IBS Center for Management Research).All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, used in a spreadsheet, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic or mechanical, without permission. To order copies, call +91- 8417- 236667 or write to ICMR, Survey No. 156/157, Dontanapalli Village, Shankerpalli Mandal, Ranga Reddy District, Hyderabad-501504. Andhra Pradesh, INDIA. Mob: +91- 9640901313, Ph: +91- 8417- 236667, Fax: +91- 8417- 236668 E-mail: info@icmrindia.org Website: www.icmrindia.org