Brands
Brands lag as women drive up to 85 per cent of buying decisions
HerKey–Havas report reveals gap between women’s influence and marketing action
MUMBAI: Women may be steering the shopping cart, but brands are still learning how to keep up. A new report by HerKey in partnership with Havas Creative India finds that while women influence 70–85 per cent of purchase decisions in India, most marketers are yet to translate that clout into meaningful strategy.
Titled The Paradox of Influence: Women’s Structural Power vs Marketing Reality, the study paints a familiar picture with a twist. Marketers recognise women’s growing economic and cultural sway, yet action remains tentative. Nearly 79 per cent of respondents say women’s influence has risen in the past two years, but only 14 per cent consider themselves leaders in women-centric marketing.
The disconnect is most visible in execution. Even in categories traditionally associated with women, such as fashion, personal care and retail, only about half to two-thirds of brands run consistent women-focused campaigns. In sectors like auto, BFSI and real estate, efforts are still sporadic, more test drive than full throttle.
Interestingly, the problem is not a lack of budget but a lack of understanding. The report flags insight gaps, legacy assumptions and limited qualitative research as the biggest barriers. In other words, brands are talking to women without fully listening.
Old habits, too, die hard. Nearly a third of brands continue to portray women primarily as caregivers. While many acknowledge the need for change, concerns around measurement and balancing empowerment with realism often pull them back to familiar tropes.
There are signs of a shift. Marketers are moving away from broad, one-size-fits-all messaging towards deeper engagement. Community-led ecosystems, ai-driven personalisation and regional storytelling are emerging as preferred routes to connect more meaningfully.
The report also calls out the ‘occasion trap’, where brands show up loudly on Women’s Day or Mother’s Day but go quiet the rest of the year. For a consumer group that quietly shapes most buying decisions, that stop-start attention may no longer cut it.
“Women already influence the majority of purchase decisions, yet brand engagement hasn’t evolved at the same pace,” said HerKey founder & CEO Neha Bagaria. She added that deeper insight into women’s motivations could unlock not just better marketing but sustained growth.
Echoing the sentiment, Havas Creative India MD & chief creative officer Anupama Ramaswamy noted that women are no longer just an audience segment but a force shaping entire categories. “Recognition isn’t enough. Brands need stronger cultural connection and real understanding,” she said.
Based on surveys and interviews with senior marketing leaders across industries, the report suggests that the opportunity is clear. Women are not a niche. They are the market. The real question is whether brands are ready to treat them that way.
Brands
Maharashtra panel orders Lodha to refund Rs 5 crore to homebuyers
Consumer court flags unfair practices in long-running property dispute case
MUMBAI: In a sharp rebuke to one of India’s biggest real estate players, the Maharashtra State Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission has directed Macrotech Developers to refund nearly Rs 5 crore to a senior citizen couple, Uttam and Anindita Chatterjee. The ruling, delivered on March 13, 2026, calls out the developer for “deficiency in service” and “unfair trade practices”, bringing closure to a dispute that has stretched over a decade.
The case traces back to 2015, when the couple booked a 3-BHK flat at World Towers in Lower Parel for Rs 12.22 crore, with possession promised within a year. What followed was a series of changes that complicated matters. After deciding to exit the project, they were persuaded to shift to a 4-BHK in another development priced at Rs 8 crore, with delivery scheduled for 2018. However, within months, the price was allegedly increased to Rs 10 crore. After demonetisation reshaped the market, similar flats were reportedly being offered at lower prices, but the couple were not given the benefit.
Despite paying over Rs 2.83 crore, the couple neither received possession nor clarity. Instead, in 2018, the developer unilaterally cancelled the booking, retained part of the amount as earnest money, and argued that the buyers were investors rather than consumers. The commission rejected this claim, observing that casual references to “investment” do not take away consumer rights when the purchase intent is residential.
The bench also held that the developer could not penalise buyers for payment delays while failing to meet its own delivery commitments. It noted the lack of formal documentation for revised terms and termed the prolonged retention of funds without delivering a home as exploitative.
As part of its order, the commission directed the developer to refund Rs 2.83 crore paid by the couple, along with interest at 10 per cent per annum, amounting to around Rs 2.12 crore. In addition, Rs 1 lakh has been awarded for mental agony and Rs 50,000 towards litigation costs, taking the total payout to over Rs 5 crore. The developer has been asked to comply within two months.
For now, the ruling serves as a reminder that in real estate, shifting terms and delayed promises can carry a significant cost.
