Mankind Pharma’s consumer division was launched in 2007 and Joy Chatterjee, the current Vice President of Sales and Marketing of the Consumer Business Unit, was a part the team that made the transition. Over his 19-year tenure at the company, he has helped it grow from strength to strength, as their brands gained popularity in categories of pregnancy care, sexual wellness, multivitamins, antacids and pain management. In an interview, he tells us about how one of India’s largest pharma companies gained significance in the consumer segment.
New Frontiers
“Of the many flagship brands we have in the division, four or five of them are number one in their respective segments.” In the condom category, they have Manforce, with over a 30% market share. Prega News, their pregnancy detection card, has around 85% market share. Additionally, they have Unwanted-72, an emergency contraceptive tablet; AcneStar, an anti-acne gel; HealthOK multivitamins; Nimulid gels and sprays for pain relief; and Gas-O-Fast, an antacid.
“Manforce and Prega News are our two flagship brands and we’re continuously looking at extending the product line.” These product expansions come in the form of lubricants, PregaHope multivitamins and a fertility-friendly lubricating gel. Their newly launched Ova News is an ovulation tracker. And for postpartum care, they have PregaHappy, a cream for the treatment of stretch marks. There are plans to add premature ejaculation wipes and a massager, however, they are not yet confirmed, Chatterjee tells us.
Prescribing Targets
Their range of products targets different consumer segments. And through robust mainline marketing initiatives and a strong hold in general trade (GT), they enjoy a massive market capitalisation.
For instance, condoms are a mass product marketed to men in the 18-40 year age group for which public figures like Sunny Leone, Radhika Apte, Ranveer Singh and Kartik Aaryan are onboarded as brand ambassadors. Campaigns are then rolled out on above-the-line (ATL) channels like TV, outdoors and on digital platforms.
Prega News is aimed at married women in the 25-40-year age group through general entertainment channels, magazines and digital content creators that amass viewership from women.
They are also tailoring their marketing to create feminist social messaging. “Usually the decision for the purchase of a condom is taken by the man. But since it is used for a female partner, in our campaign, Radhika Apte talks about how women, too, should take initiative in making the decision.”
For products that don’t have the same kind of mass appeal, the marketing activities are more focused. For the Prega News range extension that focuses on a more premium segment, influencer activities were done in Mumbai with Sonam Kapoor and in Bangalore with Kajal Agarwal. “We called around 100 mom influencers who came together to discuss these products.”
The Dispensary
Most brands today swear by q-com and e-com but Chatterjee tells us that Mankind is a latecomer in the segment, having established its presence on the platforms only about three years ago. “We have a very strong hold in general trade (GT). Our products are very well distributed across all Indian states.”
Today, modern trade and e-commerce contribute to about eight percent of the total sales of the consumer division. It is, however, growing in double digits. And their hold in GT makes them a stronger contender in tier-2 and tier-3 cities than they are in metros.
“Through our premium range of Prega News Advance, Manforce Epic ThinX and HealthOK, we are now looking to increase our customer base in metros.”
Cracking The Market
Mankind Pharma’s grasp and understanding of the Indian market helps them churn out pioneering products to the masses at scale. For instance, their HealthOK multivitamin was initially part of the pharma division. But post-Covid, there was a huge jump in the demand for multivitamin tablets.
They saw a gap in the market where a majority of the multivitamins available in the market were non-vegetarian. And in a country like India, where 30% of its population is vegetarian, a 100% vegetarian multivitamin tablet is what the space needed. “As per studies, vegetarians also see a higher risk of vitamin and mineral deficiency, so this was an important group to service.”
Mankind Pharma’s consumer division has been built on the back of quality assurance, affordability, availability and reach. “Additionally, it is our corporate campaigns with stars like Amitabh Bachchan, Mohanlal Viswanathan, Sourav Ganguly and Vijay Sethupathi that help build awareness and trust among consumers.”
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