MAM
Colgate- Palmolive cuts ad spend in Q3
MUMBAI: For television broadcasters hit by a slowdown, this is a piece of bad news. FMCG major Colgate-Palmolive India has reduced its ad spend by 10.86 per cent for the three-month period ended December, taking a reversal from their earlier two quarters in which promotional budgets had gone up compared to the year-ago period.
The company spent Rs 1.07 billion on advertising and sales promotion in the quarter under review, compared with Rs 1.2 billion a year ago.
Colgate Palmolive launched products like Colgate 360° Sonic Power (a battery operated toothbrush), Colgate ZigZag anti-Germ, Colgate Barbie and Colgate Spiderman in the toothbrush category.
In the tooth paste category, the company launched Colgate Barbie and Colgate Spiderman in the kids range. The company also rolled out the annual Oral Health Month during the end of the third quarter.
Meanwhile, the cut in ad spend coupled with a price increase, has positively impacted the bottom line, as the company posted a 74 per cent jump in the net profit.
Colgate-Palmolive net profit stood at Rs 1.16 billion, from Rs 662.4 million in the earlier year.
Sales during the quarter rose 20 per cent to Rs 6.7 billion, up from Rs 5.58 billion a year ago.
Analysts say the company will have to increase its ad spends soon, as Procter & Gamble (P&G) prepares to foray into the branded oral care sector in India, which is pegged at around Rs 45 billion.
Recently, Colgate roped in tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi and film star Rahul Bose as brand ambassadors for Colgate Total.
For the nine months ending 31 December, the company has spent Rs 3.21 billion over marketing and promotions compared to Rs 2.61 billion a year ago. Net sales stood at Rs 19.38 billion, up from Rs 16.39 billion.
Brands
Hiili names Sanjay Hemady as country manager India
Media veteran to drive digital decarbonisation push
MUMBAI: Climate tech firm Hiili has announced its entry into India, appointing industry veteran Sanjay Hemady as India country manager to steer its growth in one of the world’s fastest-expanding digital markets.
Hemady, a familiar name across India’s media and consulting circles, will lead Hiili’s India operations from Mumbai. His mandate is clear: help Indian companies measure, manage and reduce the carbon emissions generated by their digital services.
Hiili offers a scientifically validated platform, certified by the UC3M-Santander Big Data Institute, that enables businesses to improve the efficiency of their digital infrastructure while cutting emissions. As organisations race to meet ESG targets, the company positions itself as a practical bridge between climate pledges and measurable action.
“I’m happy to share that I’m starting a new position as country manager, India at Hiili,” Hemady said in a LinkedIn post, adding that the company aims to move beyond broad sustainability promises towards precise, science-based decarbonisation.
Hemady brings more than three decades of experience spanning print, television, radio and digital media. He has previously served as chief executive officer at HIT 95 FM, assistant general manager at CNBC TV18, and held leadership roles at MTV India and The Indian Express, among others. Most recently, he worked as an independent business consultant advising firms across media and technology.
With India’s digital economy expanding at pace, the environmental cost of data, streaming and online services is climbing quietly in the background. Hiili’s bet is that carbon efficiency will soon sit alongside cost efficiency in boardroom conversations.
For Hemady, the move marks a shift from selling airtime and ad inventory to championing climate accountability. If successful, Hiili’s India play could make digital growth not just faster, but cleaner too.
