P&G gets aggressive to fight dandruff

Our Bureau

NEW DELHI, Dec. 12

DANDRUFF-CLEARING appears to be big business.

With HLL getting increasingly proactive with its Clinic All Clear brand of anti-dandruff shampoo, and Dabur India deciding to extend its Vatika brand to anti-dandruff shampoo on a national level, Procter & Gamble, too, has upped the ante.

The company's Home Products division on Tuesday announced the launch of the international range of Head & Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoo in the domestic market.

The brand has also undergone change on the packaging and design front. Head & Shoulders now comes in three variants -- clean and balanced, smooth & silky, and refreshing menthol.

Said Mr Shankar Vishwanathan, Associate Director, P&G India, ``Research in India showed that there existed a need for a long-term solution against dandruff, coupled with beautifying properties. Hence the introduction of Head & Shoulders in three variants -- to provide anti-dandruff shampoo exclusive to the customer's needs and hair type.''

Company officials made it clear that P&G intended to consolidate its presence in the haircare category. Apart from Head & Shoulders, the other prominent haircare brand in the P&G stable is Pantene.

Meanwhile, a PTI report said Procter and Gamble would diversify its products portfolio in India, even as 100 of the company's marketing professionals will be moving to Singapore this year as part of global restructuring.

``We are studying the possibility of launching products, which do not fall into the feminine care, healthcare, haircare and detergents segments that P&G currently has in India,'' the Senior Manager (Public Affairs), Mr Anthony Rose, said.

While admitting that 100 marketing personnel from the Indian operations would be relocated to the new Asian headquarters at Singapore this year, Mr Rose denied reports that the multinational company was pruning its Indian operations. ``We will make more investments in the existing as well as new product categories soon and consolidate our presence in India,'' the Associate Director, customer business development, Mr V. Shankar, said.

Mr Shankar cited the launch of Pringles potato chips and Tempo tissue towels in India early this year as examples of new product categories the company would explore for the country and said other such launches were on the anvil.

Pic.: Former Miss India Manpreet Brar at the launch of the new range of Head & Shoulders anti-dandruff shampoos in the Capital on Tuesday.

Picture by Ramesh Sharma