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Present at the
press conference held in Mumbai to announce the launch, were P&G
India chairman Bharat Patel, P&G country manager-marketing Rahul
Malhorta, ear-and-throat (ENT) head of Hinduja Hospital, Mumbai, Dr
Amitav Shukla and singer-cum-VJ Raageshwari.
Raageshwari
sang the new jingle for Vicks Formula 44 - the lyrics of which are
composed by her father Trilok Lumba- for all those present at the
conference. Asked whether she would be starring in the TVCs of the
product, she said, "It is too early for the company to decide
what they want, whether they want an ad film or a print campaign
with me. But I am definitely the face of the product and I will
be travelling extensively to endorse Vicks Formula 44."
Talking about
her connection with the product, Raageshwari said, "I
am a singer and I have to sing and perform in front of a large audience
to keep up the tempo. This requires a lot of shouting and cheering.
At the end of the day, I am coughing and my throat is sore. So for
me, something like Vicks Formula 44 which provides eight hours of
relief is a saviour. Other cough syrups only provide about four
hours of relief."
Patel said, "Our objective is to be a market leader. There
is a market of 550 crore in India and we are targetting a significant
share in it, although it is not possible for us to give out estimates
and spends in a public related company due to the fierce competition
in the market." Speaking about the price of the product, he
said, "Our product is priced lower than any other cough syrup
in the country."
Vicks Formula 44 has been approved by WHO and US FDA as they have
found no evidence to warrant the international control of DEX (Dextromethorphan
Hydrobromide) which is used in the syrup.
Speaking to indiantelevision.com, Malhotra said, "As
of now we are only focussing on TVCs for Vicks Formula 44. Our aim
is to reach as many people as we can."
The TVC stars model turned actor and former Mr Grasim Diwakar Pundir
and focuses on a father-daughter relationship. The ads are targetted
mainly at housewives who are the key decision makers in matters
of family health and care.
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