I recently purchased a Liebherr Single-door refrigerator, so this review is based on my experience.
As a consumer, I understand the frustration of searching through countless blogs and youtube channels, only to find that many of them are nothing but fluff when it comes to providing genuine insights and reviews on refrigerators, particularly single-door models. It was this very experience that motivated me to share my own detailed review on the Liebherr DFPSIC 1921 Silver Steel (191) Single Door Refrigerator, which I recently purchased.
I wanted to ensure that I can share all my relevant information in one place – a comprehensive guide that would help others like myself make an informed decision.
Proof Validation
As this was our first time purchasing the refrigerator:-
Reasons why I purchased this?
Preserving Food Freshness
Food Safety
Chilled Water
Larger storage spaces for food and beverages
Last but on list to improve hygiene in the kitchen
As someone looking to buy a Single Door Refrigerator – a crucial aspect I would suggest is to look for the Compressor warranty.
This 20-Year Warranty on the compressor is a game-changer in this price segment. It offers peace of mind, ensuring that the heart of this refrigerator remains reliable and efficient for more than a decade. This aspect alone speaks volumes and give me a confidence in the product’s durability and longevity.
I was also looking for something (innovative features) that easy to open the door – this refrigerator as a Hands-Free Opening is a true revelation. With a gentle press of a foot, I can open the refrigerator door without using my hands – a feature that is not only convenient but also highly practical, especially when my hands are occupied with grocery bags or other items.
Hands-Free Opening in Refrigerator
Now if I talk about Design part –
The sleek pocket handle design enhances the refrigerator’s aesthetics, seamlessly integrating into modern kitchen styles. The LED lighting, on the other hand, ensures even and optimal illumination, allowing you to easily locate your items while also being energy-efficient.
The best part about Liebherr Refrigerator that caught my mommy eye is the Vegetable Sorting System. Keep your leafy greens and fruits separate with this drawer. Adjustable shelves and door racks offer convenience, allowing you to customize storage to suit your needs.
If I talk about few other things, the Adjustable Shelves allow me to store bottles and daily essentials seprately. The Ice Cube Tray, Chiller Tray and Temperature Control further enhance the functionality and versatility of this refrigerator. Additionally, the ability to run on a Home Inverter ensures uninterrupted cooling during power outages, a feature that cannot be overlooked in today’s world.
Technical Specifications
With its impressive technical specifications, including a 3-star rating from the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE), a low noise level of 42 dB, and a spacious 191-liter capacity, the DFPsiC 1921 ticks all the boxes for a modern and efficient refrigerator.
In conclusion, if you’re in the market for a single-door refrigerator that combines durability, innovation, and style, the Liebherr DFSpiC 1921 Plus is an excellent choice. With its hands-free opening technology, sleek design, and efficient performance, it’s more than just a refrigerator – it’s a lifestyle upgrade.
International Institute of Sports Management (IISM), India’s first professional institute offering sports management education, celebrated a grand, in-person convocation ceremony for the students of its Bachelors of Sports Management (BSM), Masters of Sports Management (MSM), and Post Graduate Programme in Sports Management (PGPSM) courses on Sunday, June 4th, 2023.
A total of 140 students from 2019-2022, 2020-2022, and 2021-2022 batches graduated and were conferred with their respective degrees at the event. The convocation ceremony was held at Hotel Novotel Juhu, Mumbai, from 10 AM to 1 PM.
The Head of the National Cricket Academy and a Former Indian Cricketer, Shri. VVS Laxman; the Treasurer of the BCCI and the President of the Mumbai unit of BJP, Shri. Ashish Shelar.
The Vice President of the Mumbai Cricket Association, Mr. Sanjay Naik were the guests of honor for the event. The dignitaries were joined by the Director of Garware Institute Career Education & Development (GICED), Dr. Keyurkumar Nayak; the Co-Founder Director of IISM, Ms. Rasika Kulkarni; the Chief Operating Officer at IISM, Mr. Amit Gupte; and the Associate Dean of IISM, Mr. Amitava Pal.
The convocation ceremony was presided over by the Founder Director of IISM, Mr. Nilesh Kulkarni, who is also a former Indian Cricketer, Sports Entrepreneur, and TEDx Speaker. He initiated the convocation address by welcoming the chief guests, alumni, faculty members, and staff, and congratulating the graduating students. He then added, “I am thrilled to be here to celebrate the success of our graduates who have completed their BSM, MSM, and PGPSM with flying colors. Each one of you has shown your sincerity, commitment, and passion toward your course and this burgeoning field of Sports Management. It is your enthusiasm and dedication that will help you achieve great strides in your professional journey. I wish everyone the best of luck for future endeavors and hope that the skills acquired from IISM will contribute to your fields of work.”
Shri. VVS Laxman then addressed the gathering. He started his speech by congratulating the students and sharing some takeaways from different intersections of his career in the sports industry. “I am delighted to meet the graduating students who want to make a name for themselves in the field of Sports Management. As someone who has both on and off-the-field experience, I learned and strongly affirm that put your 100 percent to whatever work you are doing. Along the way, have the courage to take risks, the strength to be empathetic, and the wisdom to be humble. These qualities might make you vulnerable but it is still possible to achieve your goals if you set your set eyes on it. Hereon, using your academic learnings, strive for becoming the torchbearers of Indian sports. Wishing you well for your future,” he added.
Shri. Ashish Shelar also delivered his address with his heart-touching words, conveying to the graduating students how their two-to-three-year journey must have started with nervousness and the fear of the unknown only to end with absolute clarity, unmatched skills, and grit to achieve goals. “Now that you are on the brink to step out of this campus – your comfort zone, brace yourselves to learn from the new experiences and gain inspiration from those around you. Heartiest congratulations for completing this important milestone; know that you have worked hard to earn this accreditation,” he said in conclusion.
Soon after the speeches, the graduating students came dressed in robes and were felicitated with certificates/medals and a scroll, followed by photographs with the chief guests. At the end of the ceremony, Mr. Nilesh Kulkarni shared he will not bid goodbye to the students on their farewell, because their connection with the institute will remain the way it has always been!
The event came to a conclusion with the recital of the national anthem.
About IISM
• Pioneered Sports Management education in India 13 years ago
• India’s first professional Sports Management institute to offer UG & PG programs in collaboration with the University of Mumbai.
• Recipient of the Rastriya Khel Protsahan Puruskar 2020, in the category “Sports for Development” by the hands of Former President of India, Shri Ram Nath Kovind Ji.
• Trained 2500+ competent Sports Management professionals in the industry.
• Launched Sports Academia Research Journal- India’s first ever Sports Research Journal, in collaboration with the Inside Journal, an International Online Journal.
• Launched Bachelor’s & Master’s degree programs in Sports Science in Collaboration with the University of Mumbai in the year 2022.
India’s leading sports management college, International Institute of Sports Management (IISM) launched India’s first-ever book on Sports Marketing in the country as part of a series that will aim to enrich students with industry knowledge.
The first book titled ‘Business of Sports: The Winning Formula for Success’, authored by Vinit Karnik, Head – Sports, Esports & Entertainment at GroupM South Asia, was launched on Monday by His Excellency Shri Bhagat Singh koshyari, the Governor of Maharashtra. The book has been published under the banner of Popular Prakashan.
IISM, founded by former India international cricketer Nilesh Kulkarni, has been a pioneer in Sports Management Studies for about 12 years.
At a glittering function, the book was released by the Honourable governor in the presence of Mr Nilesh Kulkarni – the Founder of IISM and Mr Harsha Bhatkal, Publisher of Popular Prakashan.
“The business of sports in India is booming. There is high demand for skilled managers and professionals who are passionate about sports, along with a keen sense of business to make these endeavours financially successful. This is our first humble attempt in a series of materials that we plan to launch in the coming months for the student community and the industry at large in all aspects of sports,” said Mr Kulkarni. “The book focusses on the business side of sports and the various verticals of the industry. This is a book about India, by an Indian for an Indian sports market. This has therefore got the potential to be a reference material for all sporting professionals in the country.”
The book is available for purchase from your nearest book stores. Also, those interested can order the book online from: https://amzn.to/3MkAC3h and .
On his part the author Mr Karnik was thrilled to be able to share his knowledge with the wider community. “Leading competitions in the country have become great avenues for sponsorships, media engagements and other brand-building opportunities. As business processes get more structured in the industry with each year, I see the emergence of sports marketing as a subject with lot of real-world application in an Indian context,” said Mr Karnik. “I have tried to apply the basics of marketing and have explained in the best possible way how to use them in the business of sports with a specific focus on India. This book will especially help Indian students relate to it so that these principles can be seamlessly applied.”
Publisher Harsha Bhatkal was also keen that the learnings from the book can be put to use in an Indian context. “We have published sports books in the past. But this is the first of its kind, unique concept where the book is both a fantastic read and also a reference material for knowledge. I am sure everyone connected to sports will lap up the book with both hands.”
In the coming months, IISM will be making landmark announcements about future books covering various aspects of sports from an Indian perspective. Stay tuned for further announcements.
On the history date 11th January 1964, it was declared by the United States Government that cigarettes cause cancer. And within a day $8 billion dollar industry and the income of 7,50,000 families were at stake.
While most companies saw their sales coming down. That one company which miraculously went from 1% market share to becoming one of the fourth largest cigarette brands in the world in less than 1 year.
And cigarette advertisements were completely banned from televisions. This brand became even more popular. Which went on to become the largest cigarette manufacturers in the world.
This brand I am introducing goes by the name “Marlboro“. And to this day the Marlboro brand is so huge that it has got more consumers as compared to its top 10 competitors combined.
The question is what did they do?
After the cancer report and ban on advertisements which is supposed to be a big no for its business. Ended up becoming a stepping stone for Marlboro becoming a $26.8 billion dollar brand. (Brand Value)
The answer to the question lies with its most iconic marketing strategies ever witnessed by mankind. Which is called lifestyle marketing.
Marlboro Brand – Lifestyle Marketing
If you are a 90’s kid and you watched Sachin Tendulkar play. I bet you at some point in your life or someone from your friend circle must have bought an MRF Bat. And chances are that when you visited the store, you knew nothing about English willow, Kashmir willow, etc. You didn’t care which wood the bat is made up of. You didn’t care about whether it was original or duplicate. At the end of the day, you simply wanted ‘A CRICKET BAT’.
And had two choice bat with those stickers and bats with MRF stickers. And most of us chose the latter one. And most probably some of you may know that MRF is primarily a rubber tyre manufacturing company. And MRF full form is Madras Rubber Factory. Which happened to be the sponsor of Sachin Tendulkar.
Sachin Tendulkar MRF Bat Story
Now isn’t this a coincidence that millions of children all across the country were mindless to buy a bat with a sticker of a rubber tyre company?
If not then how the hell did this happen?
Well here’s how the magic of lifestyle marketing happens.
We all idolized Sachin Tendulkar and wanted to be like the God of Cricket. So subconsciously the MRF bats made us feel as if we were holding the same bat as master blaster Sachin Tendulkar himself.
So what we essentially brought into when we bought MRF is not the bat itself. But the connection it had with our idol. I.e Sachin Tendulkar.
Now in the US the same thing happened to Nike’s Air Jordans shoes lined up. When Nike signed up Michael Jordan. The fascination for Air Jordan shoes went so crazy that even today after 18years of Miachel Jordan retirement he earns $100 Million each year just in royalty.
Michael-Jordan-Nike
This is what we call as ‘Lifestyle Marketing’
Wherein consumers buy more into the lifestyle of the icon who is associated with the product than the product itself. And this is what the marketers of Marlboro did to their brand.
After the 1964 report which was released by the General of the United States. Brands started doing anything in their capacity to keep their reputation. Some brands tried to justify cigarettes While some brands completely disapproved of the very research itself. Back then Marlboro was a very small company producing cigarettes only to women.
Back Marlboro was a very small company producing cigarettes only to women
Marlboro Cigarette Print Advertisement
But as soon as the news broke out the parent company Philip Morris decided to shift their method of marketing. And became an epitome of business propaganda in the 20th century.
Marlboro Cigarette Print Advertisement
Marlboro Cigarette Print Advertisement
Marlboro Cigarette Print Advertisement
What the marketers of Marlboro did was instead of justifying smoking and using statistics which was difficult to understand. They came out with the campaign called ‘The Marlboro Man‘ wherein they created a brand image and introduced a character who was supposedly everything a man wanted to be like. And they came with the character The Marlboro Man.
The Marlboro Man – Come-to-Marlboro-country
Leo Burnett’s campaign for Marlboro projects an image which has made it the biggest-selling cigarette in the world. It has been running, almost without change, for 25 years.
Marlboro
Next time an apostle of hard-sell questions the importance of brand images, ask him how Marlboro climbed from obscurity to become the biggest-selling cigarette in the world.
Leo Burnett’s cowboy campaign, started 25 years ago and continues to this day, has given the brand an image which appeals to smokers all over the world.
The Commercial presented Marlboro man as a perfect archetype of manhood. He was tough, affectionate and stylish. And stood as an icon of freedom and manliness. Men of the 1960’s were so fascinated by Marlboro men that they started buying Marlboro cigarettes.
The campaign became a game-changer for the company. And within one year Marlboro went from 1% market share to becoming the 4th largest cigarette manufacturer in the world.
Fun fact is in all its commercials cigarettes was not the primary subject of focus. Infact cigarettes as a product got less than 10% of footage time in all of its commercials. And because of this even when cigarette commercials were permanently banned from TV. And brands couldn’t show cigarettes in their commercials.
Marlboro easily navigated through that situation because it anyways their focus was not into cigarettes but in Marlboro man himself.
That’s how they were able to build an iconic brand image and communicate the message very effectively and subtly even through print and magazine ads.
The sale skyrocketed because the rest of the brand were struggling to market their brands without showing their product.
Now more than a marketing lesson there’s a very important life lesson to learn from this iconic case study.
People just liked Marlboro in the 1960s even today what we fail to realise is that we are constantly being bombarded by lifestyle cigarette commercials that do not appear as ads but in the form of pop culture icons, movies, and entertainment.
Like in Peaky Blinders, James Bond wears a tuxedo smoking cigarette which tries to portray a gentleman kind of personality. Or Kabir Singh(Indian Movie) who is portrayed as an epitome of manliness.
Now regardless of how lucrative they look. What is important for us to understand is that they are basically tapping into your insecurities to convince you to do something which will give you an elevated feeling of yourself.
Life Style ads campaign
But the truth is because of your lack of self-awareness. You don’t realise your insecurities are putting money into their pocket.
Eventually making those companies into billion dollar valuation. But to turn you into a sick and miserable addict of either cigarettes or social validation depending on what you are buying into.
So keep your eyes open and do not fall into these traps.
And last but not the least my advice to you is. Always buying dumshit will never make you a happier or better version of yourself.
The only thing that will make you feel better is your acceptance of your insecurities and imperfections.
And at the end of the day if you don’t embrace your insecurities some billion dollar brand is waiting to dig into your misery and make a fortune out of it.
So if you think this blog makes sense and has really made you aware.
Please share it to the near and the farthest ones you know.
“The life journey of a little boy who went to work at a lunch home in Chennai as a cleaner, who later founded Adayar Ananda Bhavan in the 1970s which today boasts a turnover of about ₹800 crores and has multiple branches that dot the length and breadth of Chennai as well as its neighboring cities and franchise outlets in Singapore, Malaysia, in Dallas and New Jersey in the US.”
‘The baton of this sweet legacy was passed on by K.S Thirupathi Raja to his son, Mr K.T Venkatesan and Mr. K.T Srinivasa who now acts as The driving force behind A2B.’
It was in the early 1960s that KS Thirupathi Raja opened a small sweet shop, Guru Sweets, in Rajapalayam town near Madurai, Tamil Nadu. Hailing from a family of farmers, Thirupathi Raja, then chose to take the path less trodden. With the help of Raja’s wife Muthu Lakshmi, Guru Sweets dished out items like wheat halwa, laddu, Jahangir (a thicker version of jalebi), badusha, and the famous Mysore Pak. The store also sold a few savoury items, most notably Karasev, made of gram flour. The adventure, however, was short-lived as K.S. Thirupathi Raja, who passed away in 2001, shut down Guru Sweets within the decade and returned to farming.
Justifiably so, for this humble sweetmaker had clawed his way up in life, often coming precariously close to being broken by the various obstacles of fortune, before he could establish a business that began to yield returns and assure him a settled life. Adyar Ananda Bhavan, now a familiar presence in cities and towns across Tamil Nadu and Karnataka and occupying prime locations on arterial highways, also achieved another milestone by opening its first overseas unit in Frisco, Texas, United States in 2017.
The chain owes its success to the perseverance and never-say-die attitude of the founder K. S. Thirupati Raja. At a very young age, he seemed to know that he wanted to go somewhere, achieve something big, even if he wasn’t entirely certain where or what that was when he set out.
Let’s get back to the root from where it all started and what inspired
K.S. Thirupathi Raja started his own sweet shop.
Everyone has a starting point and fate. It is up to them how they want to take their life’s journey forward.
But in the end, the message is all about to
“Do What You Love and Love What You Do.” Such is the story of K.S. Thirupathi Raja.
Life before starting Adayar Ananda Bhavan
In 1938, at the age of ten, he ran away from his home in Rajapalayam to escape the fate of being a farmer. In an era when child labour was not frowned upon, the little boy went to work at a lunch home in Chennai as a cleaner, literally working himself to the bone.
There, he formed a bond with the ‘master’, Achuthan Nair, a man he would remember through his life. It was from Nair that the young Raja learnt the basics and the nuances of cooking. The experience also impressed on him the important role the ‘master’ played in a food business. For Adyar Ananda Bhavan he would pick the ‘masters’ with care and train them personally.
The cleaning job took a toll on his health. After a brief spell recuperating at home in Rajapalayam, Raja went to Bombay, seeking his fortune there. He was employed as a mill hand, but a shut-down put paid to that career and he came upon the first of the many hurdles he would face.
Raja’s life was increasingly beginning to resemble the black and white Tamil tragedy films of the time. Interestingly, when he was frequenting the area around Filmistan in Bombay, he befriended a man working in the film industry who tried to convince him to join the movies. Raja was not tempted, though – his mind was set on being a businessman.
Growing With An Entrepreneurial Spirit
Unwilling to return to the farming life back in Rajapalayam, he became a dealer in books and vessels, targeting the Tamil community in Bombay. Marriage and the demands of starting a family required him to return home. Armed with the sweet-making skills he had learnt from a friend in Bombay, he opened his first shop in Ambala Puli Bazaar in 1965. It did reasonable business, but the profits weren’t big enough to keep Raja out of debt.
Can’t Hurt Me Spirit and Firm Determination
He then took a sugarcane farm on a lease, even experimenting with a sweet made from cane sugar and coconut oil. However, a cyclone in 1973 destroyed his farm and, therefore, his business. His sons say that was one of the lowest points in Raja’s life. A friend then suggested he open a sweet shop in Bangalore and Raja found a place in Srirampuram.
One by one, his two sons, Venkatesa Raja and Srinivasa Raja, discontinued their studies and joined their father, helping him source supplies and produce the sweets and savories Srinivasa Sweets came to be known for.
In Quest of that one particular location
In 1979, Raja moved to Chennai, finding a space in Old Washermenpet and called it Sri Ananda Bhavan. At last, his business seemed to be bringing him returns and he was able to settle debts and replace the family jewellery he had pawned and lost in the bad times. A deeply religious man, Raja made weekly trips to the Mangadu Kamakshi Amman temple outside Madras.
One day, he decided to go instead to the Ashtalakshmi temple in Adyar. Near the bus stand, he happened to see a shop that was available for lease. He spent days observing the place, counting the number of vehicles and people who passed that way. Then, Raja decided, would be a good place to open his next store. But fate was unkind, yet again – the property was embroiled in a sublease complication. It took him a year and a half to finally acquire the place and in 1988 it was inaugurated by KirubAnanda Variyar, the spiritual teacher Raja was devoted to, and Adyar Ananda Bhavan opened its doors to its first customers. Four years later, Raja opened an outlet in Purasawalkam, and the extra space allowed Raja to offer chaat, an arrangement he had observed in Bombay’s sweet shops. The Kolkata-style chaat won over Chennaiites.
Adayar Ananda Bhavan Bringing in the First Self-Service Restaurant
Later, the Raja family opened a store in Pondicherry, and encouraged by customer requests for hot food, decided to branch out from sweet stalls and opened Adyar Ananda Bhavan’s first self-service restaurant, marking their foray into the business. ‘There was a demand from customers, who enjoyed our sweets and savouries, for breakfast, lunch, and dinner,’ Srinivasa Raja says.
The success of their first restaurant and the simultaneous surge in the sale of sweets because of the additional footfalls for the restaurant, convinced the Adayar Ananda Bhavan team that the ‘All-in’ model – large units with a sweet stall and a morning-to-night restaurant – was the way to go. The smart thing Adayar Ananda Bhavan did was to ensure that the sweets’ display was clearly visible from the seating area.
Even I have noticed and experienced myself that customers who keep seeing the sweets while they have their meals invariably make a confirm purchase. It makes them crave to try something sweet and snacky items.
(Which they made consistent since their inception.)
Traditionally, all Adayar Ananda Bhavan are quick-service restaurants, known for their speed, affordability, and convenience. The self-service areas are arranged so that customers see the food first and then buy, same as the set-up at the sweet counters. ‘This prompts customers to order items they would normally not buy off a printed menu, as they see the food and get excited,’ says Raja.
Also, the display counter model demands that the area is kept clean and hygienic. It’s easy for staff to simply pick up the food and serve customers without depending on the kitchen.
Keep on Innovating and bring something new- That what Adayar Ananda Bhavan brings on the table.
Later additions such as live counters for specials such as poli, kuzhi paniyaram and the highly-rated coffee have enhanced the customer experience. Besides, customers waiting by the live counters are unlikely to complain about delays in being served as they see the crowd ahead of them and the staff working at speed.
The Introduction of Air Conditioned Service
In the 2000s, an air-conditioned service section was added to the eateries, in addition to the self-service area. Realizing that customers, especially those who came in groups, found it difficult to go back and forth from the self-service counter and were willing to pay for service.
Well-Organized Service Offering:
Adayar Ananda Bhavan introduced an air-conditioned dining hall with table service at its outlets. These were well-integrated into the main unit and served by the same kitchen. At the dining hall, waiters do what customers do in the self-service section. After a customer places an order from the menu, the waiter generates the order token, picks up the food from the self-service counters and serves it at the table. More recently, Adayar Ananda Bhavan has implemented technology solutions and separated order-taking staff from the servers to speed up the process
We don’t follow any specific strategy: We follow our heart and intuition:
The expansion has happened apace and KT Srinivasa Raja says there is no specific strategy that they adopt. ‘People approach us, rather than the other way around,’ he says.
KT Srinivasa Raja says that customer keeps on writing to us about what they want. Expect that Adayar Ananda Bhavan will soon attract big investors to take the brand to the next level; at the current revenues of over Rs 600 crore, they will command a valuation upwards of Rs 1200 crore.
While there may be no formalized strategy document for their fast growth, we believe Adayar Ananda Bhavan has gone about expansion the instinctive way. The owners and management have evaluated and picked up high-footfall locations, executed rapidly, invested in multiple back-end food processing units to support the retail units and focused on expanding aggressively in states such as Tamil Nadu and Karnataka that can be serviced by the existing food processing units. It’s a nifty adaptation of the hub-and-spoke model. They have begun testing the waters in Delhi and the US and will use the same approach when they enter these markets.
The highway is the way of Adayar Ananda Bhavan
Adayar Ananda Bhavan is among the pioneers in the restaurants-on-highways segment. The first one came up in 2004 near Krishnagiri on the Chennai–Bengaluru highway;today nearly 25 percent of the chain’s outlets are located on highways. V. Vishnu Shankar, one of the directors, said in an interview.
‘We have tied up with Bharat Petroleum to set up outlets wherever it starts new pumps.’ On the southern highways, Adayar Ananda Bhavan has established itself as the best provider of quality and service. In the highway units, the dining areas are larger than in other locations and there are more restrooms that are reasonably clean. These are also preferred stops for various private bus operators.
The scaling up from a handful of sweet stalls to nearly a hundred eateries has necessitated ERP systems to be put in place and Srinivasa Raja says they are invaluable while managing a business as large as his.
Adayar Ananda Bhavan, which began as a family-run sweet store where father and sons produced most of the items they sold, has now invested in mechanization for many of the food-manufacturing processes.
At the Ambattur plant, machines imported from Belgium mix flour, press and fry it into the mixture, murukku and other savouries in massive temperature-controlled fryers. Rasagullas are rolled out by other contraptions and perfectly-cut burfis emerge from an assembly line. Sambar making and dosa batter production also happen at these mechanized units and are transported to restaurants in milk cans – another innovative solution. The branches upload their requirements on custom-built software every evening and in the morning, Adayar Ananda Bhavan vans speed toward them carrying their loads of sweets, savouries and base products.
But the current owners, trained by their diligent and hardworking father, believe that no SOP or machinery can quite make up for personal involvement and a hands-on approach, whether it’s conducting food audits, hiring or reviewing customer feedback;
Thirupati Raja was known to be gentle with his staff, carrying them with him and treating them like family. But these are different times and they call for different tactics. The Raja sons have been quick to adapt to the demands of business today.
This is how Adayar Ananda Bhavan started it’s humble journey from nothing to everything. And established itself as a well known brand. K.S. Thirupathi Raja’s never settle for less attitude and relentless hard work is the epitome of Adayar Ananda Bhavan success which still continues to grow.
If you dream of doing something great and want to create a dent in the universe, keep your spirit high and don’t compromise on your aspirations.
At nearly 4-5 times the price of the Dove, Lux and Pears can Sebamed balance pH with pricing?
HUL vs SEBAMED pH 5.5 Detailed Case Study
The brands which have got lesser PR budget must look after at the example of Sebamed. (Just Kidding).
It’s quite strange and hard-hitting campaign rolled out by Sebamed.
In just a few days, Sebamed, thanks to its ads, got written about by countless news outlets.
German skincare company Sebamed has seen more press coverage, social media coverage in the last four days than most brands tend to see in a few months, or even a quarter.
Sebamed is trying to put the giants in the soap category – Hindustan Unilever’s Lux, Dove and Pears – on a slippery slope with its marketing blitzkrieg. However, not many knew about Sebamed, which entered India in 2007, until last week.
According to Google Trends for India, on a scale of one to 100 (the latter being the highest), Sebamed was trending at five on January 1, 2021. But by January 10, it had scaled up to 100. The bullets fired by Sebamed have had more hits and fewer misses.
First, Sebamed compared Lux with Rin and said that both have the same pH value. Then came an attack on Dove, which HUL markets as a mild soap – healthy for the skin.
Sebamed also attacked Pears, a soap which is traditionally sold more during the ongoing winter season.
Skincare brand Sebamed names Dove, Lux, Pears, Santoor, and Rin in digital ads
In a series of posters, and TVCs Sebamed takes the comparative advertising route to show why it’s milder than rivals.
Sebamed, a German personal care brand has teamed up with agency The Womb to create an ad campaign that pulls up its competitors by name. The ad sees women lounging around in a bathing area setting in luxurious clothes (often seen in beauty soap ads).
They explain that beauty soaps such as Lux, Pears, and Santoor have the same pH levels as dishwashing soap bar Rin. They place a strip of litmus paper on all the soaps in question to illustrate their point.
The campaign is titled Filmstars kee Nahi, Science Kee Suno – a clear reference to Lux soap which has always been known as the ‘filmstars soap’ in the past.
Filmstars kee Nahi, Science Kee Suno
Sebamed Ads
Creative partner, The Womb said, “The Personal care industry has always been conditioned to follow standard beauty practices in order to make it appealing to the consumers“.
What I got to understand about Sebamed ad campaign- It communicates the product truth through this campaign, without any silver coating. Striking the right balance between the bandwagon fallacy and authenticity, the brand is building a connection with its consumers through demonstration-based advertising with an honest approach.
Bombay High court orders Sebamed to take down the campaign.
HUL vs Sebamed: Bombay HC to give main order on 19 January
Sebamed had earlier blamed rival Hindustan Unilever Limited for taking the matter to court without giving a prior notice
Sebamed’s comparative advertising both on mainstream and social media raised a Twitter storm and upset HUL, which had promised suitable action.
The court recorded the submissions by both the companies around the aggressive advertising campaign launched by Sebamed on 8 January, comparing HUL’s Lux and Dove to detergent brand Rin, and claiming that the beauty soaps did not maintain the optimal 5.5 pH level meant for sensitive skin.
This is what happens when your skin’s natural pH balance is disturbed.
pH value above 5.5 can cause skin irritation and dryness: And even if it is below the standard pH value of the acidic state and hence cause skin irritation and dryness problems.
Sebamed ads claimed that its cleansing bar has the perfect pH level of 5.5 for sensitive skin.
There are millions of consumers who ought to know (the pH values of soaps they use and what a healthy level is).
Comparative advertising:
The Sebamed campaign taking on Dove, Lux, Pears, on pH value is a classic example of ‘Comparative Advertising’ by a challenger brand. (underdog).
In my view, the best comparative ad campaign was done by Doyle Dane & Bernbach for AVIS (vs) HERTZ back in 1962.
What’s your view on the Sebamed campaign? And the AVIS one?
Avis vs. Hertz
“Sebamed is marketed in India by USV, a pharma company with a deep knowledge of the Indian healthcare system. It (USV) has been promoting Sebamed through the medical field force as an Rx brand. It must have decided (thought) that with the heightened awareness around health and immunity, skin health may also get a boost.
So, the idea was to take Sebamed from Rx to what is called OTx, to promote it directly both to the doctors and the consumers.”
However, the price of a 100-gram Sebamed soap bar is Rs 199, while that of other brands is less than Rs 50.
The soap segment in India is estimated to be around Rs 22,000 crore. Based on application, the market is segmented into
Beauty Soap,
Kitchen Soap,
Medicated Soap,
Laundry Soap,
Perfumed Soap,
Novelty Soap,
Personal Soap and others.
Beauty soap is the largest category and medicated soap is the fastest growing one, especially after the outbreak of the COVID pandemic.
“I admire its (Sebamed’s) courage. Taking on HUL is not easy and I wish it all the best in its battle,”
Reports suggest that HUL (Lux, Lifebuoy, Dove) has over 42 per cent of the market share and is the largest player in the category.
ITC (Vivel, Fiama Di Wills, Superia), Godrej Consumer Products (Cinthol, Godrej No.1), Reckitt Benckiser (Dettol), etc., are the other large players in the market.
Sebamed’s most affordable soap, a 100-gram bar, costs Rs 199. However, if an order is placed on the e-commerce platform Amazon, it costs Rs 99 (50 percent discount).
Nykaa also sells Sebamed bars at the same rate. There is, however, no such discount on the likes of Tata Cliq and Flipkart.
The obvious question, therefore, is, why is Sebamed selling soaps at Rs 199 and taking on soaps that are 4-5 times cheaper?
“Sebamed soap is mostly bought from a chemist shop through a dermatologist’s prescription and most of their customer live in metros and mini-metros,” says Konark Gaur, CMO, Sebamed India.
I don’t feel like however through marketing and communication disruption may not dent HUL’s pie, HUL straddles the segment across price points with multiple brands. It has the most extensive physical retail distribution, with prime dominance extending on e-commerce sites and modern trade as well.
And there is a meagre chance for the new players to make much headway in the FMCG and soap category to be particular. Most of the customers are loyalists and 9 out of 10 uses HUL products all over India catering to rural and urban areas as well.
Out of the 4P’s in this case the major factor which comes in to play is Price, Price, Price and only Price.
“The pricing of Dove soap is one-fifth of Sebamed. In India, the value proposition is paramount, most of the consumers over here are price sensitive.
Due to the virus, there is an increase in demand for protective personal care products like soap, sanitisers etc. This is an opportunity for beauty brands too, as 57% say that they are open to buying protective personal care products from beauty brands while 75% say that they are more likely to purchase a product with strong
Beauty products the Indian consumer will invest in
Hair Care: i.e 26%
Skin Care: i.e 59%
Body Care: i.e 15%
Natural products/ Clinical products:
Natural Brands: 81%
Clinical Brands: 19%
According to the report suggested by Schbang X.
81% of Indian consumers say that they will prefer tutorials from an – Influencer rather than a brand.
This is some of the insights shared by Schbang X in their research report.
Key actionable for the beauty/skincare brand is:
Natural products will trump over artificial products.
Word of mouth remains the best form of marketing and boosts confidence amongst the products.
Speak about health and safety in your communication.
Influencers remain a good bet for the brand as they trust them more than branded content.
Invest in 3D renders as customers would like to get that touch and feel experience digitally.
Sebamed has even properly integrated influencer marketing:
With a skincare expert to share some gyaan about skincare.
And most Indians will find a Sebamed soap very expensive. This issue may lead to better awareness of Sebamed among a section of consumers and retailers. But the question is, will a large consumer base shift just base on a few ads and pH proposition? We don’t think so.
Sebamed wants to penetrate deeper into the country while retaining its premiumness. This marketing blitzkrieg is to start a conversation around pH.
I think Sebamed have done an incomplete work over here. I think this was just a teaser, but they haven’t explained why the pH of soap is so important for sensitive skin. If it had given a few more nuggets, it would have built its case better.
All you need to know about skin pH 5.5:
First of all, let’s understand what is skin pH?
You know that the normal body temperature is 37 degrees, the normal blood pressure is 120/80 similarly the skin has a pH value of 5.5.
The pH is measured on the pH bar 0 indicating acidic and 14 indicating alkaline. The pH of water is 7 which is neutral. Normal, healthy skin has a pH of 5.5 which is slightly acidic.
pH 5.5 leads to soft and smooth skin, aids in skin removal and imparts a healthy glow to the skin and guards skin from infections.
What pH of soap is best for your skin?
Between 5 and 6.
Find the Best Products to Balance Skin pH Levels
To keep your skin healthy, stick to a pH-balanced soap like Puracy Natural Body Wash, with a pH of between 5 and 6.
It should be partially alkaline. pH 7 is neutral – Plain water. A pH value of 8 is good enough. If it’s too high, i.e. above 12 your skin will become dry, and cause skin irritation and other skin-related infections.
So no one uses soap with a pH value of 14.
But unfortunately, pH is not mentioned in the labels of many products.
What does pH value 5.5 mean?
The skin’s acid protection mantle protects against harmful environmental influences and pathogens. A neutral pH value harms this protective barrier function and can in the worst case even destroy the skin’s surface, i.e lead to dehydration, irritation and allergies. pH neutral- pH value 7- is not the right value to keep skin healthy.
Skin exposed to pH neutral products needs several hours in order to regenerate again.
With modern care substances, humidity can be regained and a protective barrier function restored. Nevertheless, with pH neutral products these effects are diminished and neutralized.
Optimal protection and compatibility with the skin are only achieved with a pH value of 5.5. Many consumers assume that pH neutral products are skin-compatible, i.e skin-friendly.
As a matter of fact, such products represent a wide variety of pH values, among them also very acidy or leachy ones that can severely damage sensitive skin.
Sometimes pH value can also change during storage time. All Sebamed products guarantee strict sustainability of the pH value 5.5.
The pH of the skin really matters:
Healthy skin pH is around 5.5, which is slightly acidic.
“When the skin’s pH is too high, your body produces excess sebum to fight back and restore its natural pH levels. However, the soap residue ensures the disruptive pH is maintained,” says independent beauty chemist David Pollack. “The end result is that skin can become too oily. If that isn’t bad enough, soap residue emulsifies or binds to the skin’s lipid matrix.”
How long it takes to damage our skin’s acid mantleTrusted Source?
There are a protective layer of oils, fatty acids, and amino acids) can vary, but signs of damage include increased dryness, itching, irritation, and inflammation. All this can also worsen skin conditions trusted Sources such as acne, eczema, dermatitis, and rosacea.
Tips for resilient skin: younger-looking skin for longer
Here I have got covered an interesting case study of Fiama Di Wills: Challenger To Game Changer.
Through this, you can get to know if you want something new, you have to stop doing something old. And you can get more clarity on how does one shake-up the market in something as ritualistic as a daily bath? What could be imparted to the tedious toilet soap tablet to transform the everyday bathing routine into an exotic sensorial experience that leaves the consumer humming all day?
A soap is a soap. Even thinking about product innovation as a strategic game-changer in this highly functional is considered sacrilegious.
But as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained.
The Quest For Innovation Begins:
In the premium bath-space, the growth opportunity lay not in the market penetration or inter-brand movements but in garnering a sizeable share of the consumer upgrade pie, from both mid and popular segments.
In the early 2000s, the only attempts at innovation in the soap industry were the transparent glycerine bath soaps or the cream bathing bars introduced much later.
In the pursuit of differentiation, the first cue for ITC came from the Westen world, where consumers had mostly switched to liquid soaps for both convenience and hygiene reasons. ITC had developed shower gels in 2004 but they soon realized the product was ahead of its times and was limited to a very niche segment. However, the product formulation containing suspended encapsulated beads filled with moisturizing oils was a potential winner in the stable.
Most among those who had used shower gels at some point felt it did nice things to their skin and left a lingering sense of freshness long after they had stepped out of the shower and dried themselves. So the problem with shower gels lay more in attitudes, habits and water constraints and not with the experience.
The took the challenge in their hand and harness the positive perception of shower gels and present the product to the customer.
The insight that changed the game.
A curious thought popped in their mind:
If only all the natural goodness and sensorial appeal of the shower gel could be taken and transported to the convenient and familiar mould of a bathing bar.
So, while the objective makes shower gels was to become the brand of choice when consumers evolved to using shower gels and wanted to disrupt the innovative product which could deliver all the benefits of a shower gel in the ease of usage of a bathing bar format.
This is how they created a bigger opportunity for crafting a unique shower gel soap and thus began the success story of the Fiama Di Wills gel bathing bars.
A young scientist, from the R&D centre, simply froze shower gel in an ice tray to throw up a near-Eureka moment. However, this was just the beginning of the journey. It took a five-year-long journey to craft and perfect the gel bathing bar that would go on to transform the age old-category.
Challenge No. 1: The first challenge was to achieve stability of form:
The gel liquid upon freezing would change to solid state; but when exposed to normal ambient temperatures, would change back to liquid form.
After a plethora of experiments with solvents and processing technology were undertaken, before the R&D team hit upon a ‘liquid crystal freezing technology,’ which changed the crystalline structure of the product, making it stable in a solid-state even at room temperature.
Challenge No. 2: Aesthetic Appeal:
In this stage they faced the challenge in finding a right cooling process to retain product transparency.
Challenge No 3: Wear Rate
Wear rate was perhaps the biggest challenge as Indian consumers are culturally more inclined towards value-for-money products and which lasts long. Fiama Di Wills struck the right note by finding the right balance of texture. An overdose of ingredients to make it last longer would make the gel bar harsh, while it would wear too fast if made too wild. Reaching this optimal level was an iterative process demanding significant research.
ITC state-of-the-art facility in Haridwar, where an entire floor was dedicated to developing gel bars. The years of diligent effort and sheer detailing that went into the creation of this unique bathing accessory are mind-boggling. This is how you craft a product that would cut through the clutter and create a unique proposition.
Challenge No. 4: Differentiation:
The main key differentiator of the product is its shape of the gel bathing bar. For ages. soap bars had been either oval or square in shape. ITC decided to break the boundaries and introduced the Fiama Di Wills gel bar in a unique dewdrop shape.
A design was curated in a novel shape that fits snugly into the palm and enhanced grip in the water. The dewdrop shape has since been one of the strongest brand attributes of the Fiama Di Wills gel bar.
Challenge No. 5 Cue ‘premium’
To create the entire bathing experience more premium, luxurious, and pampering. Fiama Di Wills for the first time had come up with the concept of exotic ingredients and skin conditioners in soap was introduced. From patchouli, Brazilian orange, ginseng, seaweed, peach, and avocado to bearberry extracts, blackcurrant, lemongrass, macadamia nut, oats, and nutgrass.
Fiama Di Willi gel bars introduced exotic skincare ingredients from around the world in each of their variants.
Challenge No. 6: Building the aroma advantage
The most significant and next challenging task was to create a strong olfactory recall at every stage.
Fact: I have noticed some of my family members are always in the lookout for best fragrance soaps available which keeps skin clean & healthy. And also long-lasting.
From the first whiff on opening the product packaging to the actual in-use bathing experience and finally, the lingering fragrance long after one steps out of the shower, there had to be an olfactory wow at every bath. Some of the world’s finest fragrance houses were approached to develop winning fragrances for the innovative gel bars.
So, customization of the fragrances was needed to arrive at the right balance between subtle and strong- a formulation that would wow Indian users with distinctive notes.
Leading fragrance houses were brought on board to create a wide array of scents used in the gel bars- Fruity (peach and avocado), Citrus Fresh (Brazilian orange), Green Fresh (seaweed and lemongrass), Floral Beauty (patchouli), Gourmand (bearberry). This blend significantly enhanced the premium appeal and a winning product was ready.
Challenge No. 7: Manufacturing technology: Borrowing from unconventional sources
Getting the product right at the lab-scale is one thing, but commercial production to feed the market is a different ball game altogether. There wasn’t any existing soap manufacturing unit with the appropriate equipment available to handle its production. The conventional bar soap is usually manufactured together in the mold. That process wouldn’t hold the gel bar.
In search of an ideal solution, the company was forced to look at other domains. The study of manufacturing set-ups, mostly in the food segment like confectionery and candies, served as important learning, which again would require a lot of optimization to adjust to changing parameters, including the weather, besides ensuring all the special ingredients in the product retained their core qualities.
In the end, the technology solutions for gel bars production came from the manufacturing of hard-boiled candies where the liquid is converted into candies. Liquid shower gels were developed in large mixers and then poured into moulds and channelled through large freezing chambers to solidify the gel into a bathing bar format- a first of its kind in India and perhaps the world.
2009: A Star is born
The journey of Fiama Di Wills bar is one of relentless pursuit to innovate in an industry that, over many decades, had not experienced much novelty.
To go with the unique story of shower gels frozen into gel bathing bars, the heady mix of exotic ingredients in a refreshing new range of bright colours and the assortment of intoxicating fragrances combined made it as consumers favourite product.
A unique packaging solution added novelty to the product offering. Superior packaging, employing food-grade oil wrap, was used to keep the freshness alive in the gel bars over an extended period.
Telling the story
So how was the communication to do justice to the task of telling the story of this dramatic product to the consumer?
The launch of communication in 2009-10 centred around the theme of ‘Nature and Science’ an amalgamation of exotic ingredients depicting ‘nature’ and the advanced, patented liquid crystal freezing technology cueing ‘science’. But the campaign impacted only a small set of consumers, with most not able to relate to the message.
Next, Fiama Di Wills team tried the ‘skin benefits’ and the ‘sensorial experience’ route, which gave the brand a temporary boost before hitting a plateau again.
If it is unique and different, why not let it make headlines
‘Shower Gel in a Bathing Bar’ is what clicked with the consumers and the ‘Fima Di Wills gel bar saw a meteoric rise in demand, mindshare and consumer franchise. The communication helped in creating exclusivity and an intriguing value for consumers to try the bathing bar.
The experiential marketing initiatives emphasized gel skin conditioners as a special enhancing ingredient. Consumers were engaged through the application of gel skin conditioner, with a moisture test meter giving an instant reading to highlight the increased moisture levels.
A film showcased the innovative ‘liquid’ to ‘bar’ journey accompanied the consumer engagement activities in modern retail, multiplexes and other target rendezvous where premium consumers could be accessed.
Jewel in the crown
The many firsts Fiami Di Wills gel bar notched up- from its unique dewdrop shape to the first Indian patent in liquid crystal freezing technology to exotic ingredients and skin conditioners and even pure gold in it- earned it the ‘Product of the Year’ in 2010, within six months of its launch.
Fiama Di Wills extended its franchise to a premium range of personal care and also introduced a portfolio of products for men. The gel bathing bar, with its liquid shower in a bathing bar format, became the jewel in the line’s crown, catapulting Fiama Di Wills into the orbit of an exclusive club, hitherto represented by only large imported brands.
2012: Introduced high fashion in this commoditized category
Fiama Di Wills introduced the concept of designer series soaps in India, another first, collaborating with ace Indian fashion designer Wendell Rodricks, to create the first signature series of the couture range of gel bathing bars with pure gold. Launched with much fanfare in 2012, the signature series was a roaring success and served to accentuate the intrinsic ties with the fashion world Fiama Di Wills had from the outset.
To further cement the connection between beauty and fashion, Fima Di Wills associated with the high octane Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week, a normal synergy with Wills Apparels- the lifestyle house brand of ITC.
Looking ahead
The focused on taking forward the gel story and offer a range of gel products across the multiple categories in the wash and care segment. The gel is the future and the Fiama Di Wills gel bar has simply delineated the path to the future.
It was a massive leap of faith that enabled a challenger brand to carve out a niche among well-entrenched toilet soap titians hoggin market shares. The project was fuelled by the desire to create a unique brand proposition through smart product innovation. I was a fresh bold approach with no cobwebs of the beaten path attached. And the end product not only stood out in a crowd, but it also provided a new dimension to the bath soap segment.
What I’ve observed during my research is that the number of discerning consumers, when it comes to skincare, is growing. It’s mostly the younger people – millennials and Gen Z. They’re at the age when the involvement with beauty, health, and lifestyle are at a high level.
For instance, there’s a trend that when the younger generation has a skincare problem, they go and see a dermatologist for cosmetics and skincare products.
Sebamed has been astute in pitching to these discerning customers, who are younger and, therefore, see Lux and Dove as brands for the older generation. And Sebamed is smart because it says, “Filmstars ki nahi, science ki suno.” Knowledge is a powerful currency today, especially with the younger people and those with access.
So, knowing something better about skincare could be exciting as a proposition, and draws them.
Also, another cultural trend Sebamed picks up on is authenticity. We’ve all heard from the consumers that they are tired of stars pretending to use something. It’s a very smart understanding of the culture and consumers. It’s a smart way to position itself by repositioning the leaders.
What I have noticed in the Sebamed’s latest print ad is that,
Sebamed offers free pH testing kit with its soap now. A front-page ad in major newspapers including Times of India offers users a free at-home pH testing kit on purchase of the soap from the website. They are intriguing the audience to test their soap’s pH level immediately and trust more on science, not on the influence of filmstars, and they have priced the soap at the price range of MRP Rs 99/- Only- (*Made in Germany).
Sebamed needs to think about disruption and bring in product innovation if they are taking on the market leader as it is always the way to go when you are a small player. They will face a legal challenge if they have not done their homework. If, however, it has a good legal case, it will be able to storm the citadel of HUL.
“If you want something new, you have to stop doing something old.” –Peter Drucker, management consultant and author.
