Godrej eyes village salons to promote brands

Godrej Consumer Products Ltd will tap salons and barber shops across 50,000 villages across the country as it increases its focus on small towns and the rural market.

The FMCG major, which already has a marketing base in 17,000 villages that account for 38 per cent of the company's personal care products, is working on a strategy of raising its to 50 per cent within a year.

Godrej will rope in 50,000 salons and barber shops in semi-urban and rural areas to promote its hair care brands like 'Nupoor' mehandi and 'Expert' hair colour as also other personal care and cosmetics products, creating more employment opportunities in the process.

"This is a focused activity we are doing across about 40,000-50,000 barbers over the next six months. These are basically in small towns and in rural market," Godrej Consumer Products managing director Dalip Sehgal said in a conference call.

Godrej will showcase its cosmetics and personal care products in these saloons and barber shops and seek their recommendations, he said.

The company's personal care and cosmetics brands include an entire range of soaps, toiletries as also hair care, household care and fabric care products.