MAM
GUEST COLUMN: Brand Positioning in FMCG sector is more than just good packaging, logos
Mumbai: The FMCG sector happens to be one of the toughest and volatile categories to succeed, often regarded as modern branding’s birthplace. The FMCG market in India was valued at $110 billion in 2020. The overall market size of FMCG had nearly tripled as compared to 2012. Furthermore, by 2025, the market is expected to grow to 220 billion dollars.
There are numerous brands in India catering their products to millions of people across the country and generating immense capital. However, to become recognised as a household brand, it takes a lot more than just good packaging and ‘nice’ logos. Brand positioning needs synchronised efforts of different moving parts to create a perception in the marketplace that drives the business forward.
What is Brand Positioning?
Brand positioning in simple words can be defined as the place a brand wants to own in the target audience’s mind. It’s about identifying, exploring and refining the distinctiveness of a brand through an effective positioning strategy. The most important aspect of positioning the brand is that it allows a company to be distinct from its competitors which helps communicate value, increase brand awareness and justify the pricing. All these factors impact the bottom line in a significant way.
Strategies that Act as Allies to Brand Positioning Efforts
Successful brands incorporate different strategies to create authentic customer experiences around their products. These brands provide their target audiences with a compelling reason to buy through effective communication and reaching out to them. While deciding to position the brand in the marketplace, there are certain strategies that can be adopted to stay ahead in the race and drive towards increasing consumer engagement.
Creating Brand Loyalty
At the heart of every successful FMCG company lies returning customers. This is especially true for the FMCG segment where products are usually consumed frequently and quickly. For long-term success, brand loyalty is critical that helps ensure consumers become tunnel-visioned concerning a brand. To drive brand loyalty, many companies make the mistake of competing alone on price. It is important to understand that consumers aren’t just looking for the cheapest products. Typically, they look for the right blend of value and quality. Value is not only about price but involves a complex mix of the brand promise, brand culture, brand values, corporate social responsibility, customer experience, etc. that all add up to enhance the perceived brand value.
Aligning with the Needs of the Target Audience
While this may sound odd but to become a household brand, it is desirable to be appealing to the right target audience instead of a broader audience. Apart from knowing the market, competitors, the sector’s environment intimately and understanding what the ideal customer wants, it is also essential to know how the offering can enhance their lives. It’s only when there is a proper understanding of the consumer needs, loves, hates and aspirations that companies can craft a focused and concise brand message that cuts through the noise. In the present age, customers are bombarded with messages from multiple channels throughout the day. The challenge is to put forward the right message, on target to grab their attention, at the right time and then, most importantly, to hold that attention. Companies can develop a customer avatar that they can use to underpin their brand’s proposition and profile. The brand should indicate why and how it’ll meet the consumer needs and that it understands what really matters for the audience.
Evolving with Time
The FMCG market is undergoing constant evolvement and brands need to be flexible to be at par with the changing times. Successful brands quickly recognize trends and act on them with shifts in strategy that helps them to stay relevant and meet market requirements over the years. With increasing digital media consumption, the evolution of business models and proliferation in internet connectivity, FMCG companies have vast opportunities to create value by leveraging digital media across the value chain to drive the effectiveness of operations and efficiency. However, there is a thin line between incorporating new trends and staying relevant versus losing sight of what the brand stands for. Instead of ‘muddying the waters’ with an excessive range of confusing brand messages, brands must always remain true to the core of what they stand for.
(Dawinder Pal is head of marketing at Bikano. The views expressed in this column are personal and Indiantelevision.com may not subscribe to them.)
Brands
Lovetc appoints Tamannaah Bhatia as brand face
Ananya Birla’s premium colour cosmetics line gears up for strong second year with 30 per cent monthly growth and fresh face category launch.
MUMBAI: Lovetc is tinting its success story with a starry new shade Tamannaah Bhatia has just been named the face of Ananya Birla’s premium beauty brand. As the colour cosmetics label under Birla Cosmetics completes a vibrant first year in April 2026, it is entering its second chapter with impressive momentum. The brand has delivered 30 per cent month-on-month growth, expanded thoughtfully into offline and quick-commerce channels, and built a loyal following through a digital-first approach mixed with genuine consumer connections.
Priced between Rs 650 and Rs 1,850, Lovetc focused its debut portfolio on lips and eyes categories. Hero products such as Tint, Talk, Etc Radiant Glow Hydrating Tint (SPF 30 PA++), Pout, Perfect, Etc Matte Bullet Lipstick, and Melt, Miracle, Etc Treatment Oil-Infused Lip Balm quickly won hearts. Early shoppers showed strong purchase intent, with average order values ranging from Rs 1,200 to Rs 2,800 and an average of two items per transaction, signalling healthy basket-building and repeat purchases.
The brand made its mark in key metros including Mumbai, NCR, Chennai, Bengaluru, Chandigarh, Patiala, Ludhiana, and Cochin, while Tier-2 cities surprised with robust demand and loyalty. On the distribution side, Lovetc entered 90 offline retail doors in year one and is on track to cross 150 doors by Q2 2026, choosing each outlet carefully to match its premium positioning.
To mark the milestone, Lovetc is stepping into the face category with the launch of Ace, Face, Etc 4K Blur Matte Foundation in eight shades tailored for diverse Indian skin tones. Additional innovations like the multi-purpose The Etc stick and longwear lip tint Love Bites are also in the pipeline.
Tamannaah Bhatia, known for her pan-India appeal across films and her authentic love for beauty, brings cultural relevance and credibility to the brand. Ananya Birla, founder of Birla Cosmetics, said, “Year Two is going to be big. The brief for every new launch remains the same: Does it perform? Is it playful? Is it kind to the person wearing it? Performance, playfulness, and kindness that is the promise we intend to keep. Bringing Tamannaah on board feels especially pertinent because she brings together an authentic love for beauty with a connection that cuts across audiences and geographies.”
Tamannaah Bhatia added, “I have always loved beauty as a form of self-expression, and what drew me to Lovetc is that it feels playful, thoughtful, and modern at the same time. I am excited to be the face of a brand that is creating products with both performance and personality.”
With deliberate growth, quality-focused retail expansion, and a celebrity partner who genuinely connects with beauty lovers nationwide, Lovetc is blending performance with personality in a market hungry for thoughtful premium options. As it steps into year two, the brand is proving that in beauty, the right tint can make everything glow a little brighter. Delhi, Mumbai, or a Tier-2 favourite Lovetc is colouring India’s beauty shelves with confidence and charm.
