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: of our product and brand development, we have created a contemporary and aspirational lifestyle brand by repositioning the master brand around the promise of Brighter Living,” explains Dubash.

But why is the Group looking to the West? The answer is simple. The market for personal grooming categories is far bigger. For instance, the size of the hair colour market in India is just around Rs 550-600 crore. In the UK, it is al least five times that size. Of course, Keyline’s hair colour brands are not that big. But what it offers is a readymade distribution channel.

In a bid to forge a link between brand investments and business results, the group has created dedicated teams to generate ideas for growth. For starters, the group has set up a strategic marketing group to manage the Godrej brand as one entity. “We have also formed a FMCG Portfolio Group to leverage cross-business synergies to achieve our goal, Vision 2012, a tripling of revenues. Also, we are looking at propriety consumer insight to develop brand positioning and growth model,” informs Dubash.

The Group hopes to create a strong brand franchise through new plans for product and brand development, retail channel strategy, communication and talent management. In the first phase, the group is planning to build the Godrej master brand in tandem with the four businesses of personal grooming, furniture, property and aerospace. “Our core focus will be on our four businesses, Hero Businesses. We are investing in driving performance of businesses that leverage the Godrej expertise, experience and equity,” explains Dubash.

This aggressiveness was long overdue. Among the largest family-owned businesses in the country, the Group’s legacy of innovation dates right back to early days when it started its journey from a garage-like shed adjacent to Bombay Gas Company Works manufacturing locks. Godrej quickly became a household name, and went on to become a national symbol of innovation offering an array of products that ranged from security equipment to soaps produced, for the first time, from vegetable oil.

According to an industry analyst based in Mumbai, increasingly, Indian conglomerates with global footprints are opting for monolithic brand identities that synergise group companies and create international appeal. Jagdeep Kapoor, chairman and managing director, Samsika Marketing Consultants, thinks the Godrej Group’s effort is well-timed. “The group has chosen the right time to release its new image riding on the excitement generated by the IPL matches.”