MAM
IndiaFirst urges you to insure against the certainties
MUMBAI: IndiaFirst Life Insurance, a joint venture between Bank of Baroda, Andhra Bank and Legal and General, UK has launched a one-of-its-kind advertising campaign titled – Because life is full of certainties.
The campaign is a proposition that seeks to appeal to customers’ own reasoning by advocating prudence in planning for events or life goals that have a greater likelihood of happening such as getting married, having children, fulfilling responsibilities towards them, and retiring. This is a step away from the generally promoted outlook to insurance that hinges on a person’s fear of the unknown.
To spread awareness on the unique premise of providing adequately for certainties, IndiaFirst Life has rolled out the “Because Life is Full of Certainties” campaign pan-India, across mediums including billboards, hoardings, OOH, digital, radio, and internet marketing.
IndiaFirst Life Insurance director of sales and marketing Rushabh Gandhi says, “It was imperative for us to get our brand positioning aligned to our Customers First philosophy. From here stemmed the idea of our campaign, a proposition born out of the understanding that life isn’t full of accidents waiting to happen. In fact, it is full of certainties. So instead of worrying about things that most likely won’t happen, why not prepare for those that certainly will.”
Ogilvy & Mather executive vice president Prakash Nair adds, “One of the biggest barriers to insurance in India is the superman syndrome – the ‘I don’t need it’ attitude. Nothing will happen to me attitude. And the best way to convince these folks is straight talk – no jargon and no emotional overdose! The best way to get them to sit up and take a second look at us would be to tell them what will happen versus what could, maybe, happen.”
Brands
Kwality Wall’s reports standalone losses following strategic HUL demerger
Ice cream major faces Rs 64 crore Ebitda loss amid commodity inflation and muted Q3 sales
MUMBAI: Kwality Wall’s (India) Limited (KWIL) has released its first set of financial results as a standalone entity, revealing a challenging start to its independent journey. Following its successful demerger from Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) on 1st December 2025 and its subsequent listing on 16th February 2026, the company is navigating a transition period marked by structural changes and high input costs.
For the quarter ended 31st December 2025, the company reported revenue of Rs 222 crores. Despite the revenue base, the bottom line was impacted by several factors, resulting in an Ebitda loss of Rs 64.2 crores. When calculated on a Pre-IND AS 116 basis, the Ebitda loss stood at Rs 83.8 crores.
Organic Sales Growth (OSG) declined by 6.5 per cent year-on-year during the quarter. Volume growth, however, saw a marginal increase of 1.2 per cent. The company reported a gross margin of 41.5 per cent. Additionally, exceptional expenses amounting to Rs 94 crores were recorded, primarily linked to non-recurring costs during the transition phase.
Performance across portfolios and channels was mixed. Within the impulse portfolio, brands such as Magnum and Cornetto recorded mid-single digit volume growth, indicating steady demand in on-the-go consumption. However, the in-home portfolio, which includes take-home packs, experienced muted consumption. The company is planning a relaunch of this category with improved offerings ahead of the 2026 season.
Quick commerce (Q-Com) continued to emerge as a strong growth driver, delivering robust double-digit growth during the quarter. Meanwhile, the company also expanded its physical distribution network by increasing the number of company-owned cabinets across markets.
Margin pressure during the quarter was driven by a combination of one-off factors and broader cost inflation. Gross margins were impacted by around 600 basis points due to trade investments made for stock liquidation. Additionally, cocoa price inflation contributed to another 400 basis points of pressure on margins.
Deputy managing director Chitrank Goel attributed the muted performance partly to prolonged monsoons and transitional challenges linked to the GST framework. Operating expenses also increased as the company invested in establishing its standalone supply chain, operational systems and corporate infrastructure following the demerger.
Looking ahead, the management remains focused on a volume-driven growth strategy. To restore profitability, the company has initiated a cost productivity programme aimed at reducing non-consumer-facing costs. It is also working on building regional manufacturing networks to optimise logistics expenses and improve operational efficiency.
The commodity outlook for the near term remains mixed. Dairy prices are expected to remain firm due to tight supply conditions and rising fodder costs. Sugar prices may also move higher following increases in the Minimum Selling Price (MSP). While cocoa prices have moderated recently, currency depreciation has offset some of the potential cost relief for the company.
