Brands
Colgate ups ad spend by 22 per cent during Q3-2014
BENGALURU: Consumer products major and one of the largest advertisers in its segment in the country, Colgate-Palmolive (India) spent 21.64 per cent more towards advertising expense during Q3-2014 at Rs 121.46 crore as compared to the Rs 99.85 crore during the corresponding quarter of last year. Also, its Q3-2014 ad spend was 1.67 per cent higher than the Rs 119.47 crore during the immediate trailing quarter.
During the nine month period ended December 31, 2013, Colgate spent Rs 343.32 crore towards advertising. This ad spend was 25.99 per cent higher than the Rs 272.49 crore the company spent during the corresponding nine month period of last fiscal. During FY 2013, the company spent Rs 354.59 crore towards advertising.
Colgate’s revenue for Q3-2014 at Rs 891.11 crore was 13.7 per cent higher than the Rs 783.77 crore during Q3-2013, but 1.07 per cent lower than the Rs 900.73 crore during the immediate preceding quarter. Revenue during the nine month period ended December 31, 2013 at Rs 2651.53 crore was 13.69 per cent more than the Rs 232.28 crore during the corresponding period of last year. Colgate’s revenue for FY 2013 was Rs 3163.81 crore.
Ad spends as percentage of total revenue during the various periods were: 13.63 per cent in Q3-2014; 12.74 per cent in Q3-2013; 13.26 per cent in Q2-2014; 12.95 per cent for the nine month period ended December 31, 2013; 11.68 per cent for the nine month period ended December 31, 2012 and 11.21 per cent of the total revenue during FY 2013.
Colgate’s PAT for Q3-2014 at Rs 112.83 crore was 1.6 per cent higher than the Rs 111.05 crore during Q3-2013 and 3.02 per cent higher than the Rs 109.52 crore during Q2-2014. Colgate had paid a First Interim Dividend of Rs 122.39 crore (Rs 9 per share having face value of Re 1) in November 2013 and Second Interim Dividend of Rs 122.39 crore (Rs 9 per share having face value of Re 1) in December 2013.
Some of Colgate’s major brands include its oral care brand Colgate; personal care brand Palmolive and household care brand Axion.
Brands
Pre-seed funding fuels nailinit, India’s new-age nail care brand
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund backs Gen Z-focused beauty startup
MUMBAI: nailinit, a community-first nail care startup targeting Gen Z and millennials, has raised Rs 2.5 to Rs 3 crore in a pre-seed round led by Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund and Marsshot VC, alongside a clutch of consumer, technology and operator angels.
Backed by entrepreneur and investor Nikhil Kamath, Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund is betting on nailinit’s attempt to give India’s nail care aisle a long overdue makeover. The fresh capital will be used to deepen distribution across quick commerce and D2C channels, build its community engine, and accelerate product innovation in a category that is high frequency but still light on strong brands.
Founded by Tanishq Ambegaokar and Shubham Singhal, nailinit is positioning itself at the crossroads of beauty, self-expression and culture. The brand wants nails to be more than a finishing touch. It sees them as a canvas for identity, content and commerce.
“At nailinit, we are building for a generation that sees beauty as self-expression, not just routine,” said Ambegaokar. “The nail category in India has largely been underserved by strong brands. This capital allows us to invest in product depth, community and distribution in a thoughtful and long-term way.”
Singhal added that while the brand’s tone may be playful, its operating focus is sharp. “This round strengthens our supply chain, expands our digital footprint and enables disciplined execution as we scale.”
The funding round drew notable angels including Shashank Kumar of Razorpay, Arjit Johri of Marsshot VC, Yash Jain, formerly of NimbusPost, Karan Jindal of Meta, Jivraj Singh Sachar of ISV Capital, Nishank Jain of Accel, Yashvardhan Kanoi, Ashwarya Garg of HYPD, Venus Dhuria of Phot.AI and Amishi Parasrampuria of The Whole Truth.
Gruhas Collective Consumer Fund fund manager Gauri Kuchhal, believes the opportunity lies in shifting habits. “Nail care remains underpenetrated in India, with consumers relying on time-intensive salon visits. As convenience and self-expression gain ground, press-on nails can unlock more frequent and experimental usage. Nailinit is well-placed to expand beyond press-ons into adjacent categories.”
The brand is currently the only nail care player in India blending product-led retail with a dedicated kiosk at Jio World Drive in Bandra, where customers can walk in for services while discovering the range. It has also built early traction across quick commerce platforms such as Zepto and Blinkit, with a launch on Instamart in the pipeline, and is available on Amazon, strengthening its omnichannel presence.
In a space long dominated by salon chairs and scattered labels, nailinit is attempting to file, shape and polish the category into something sharper. With fresh funding in hand, the startup is setting out to prove that in beauty, small details can make a bold statement.
