MAM
FMCG brands tap into speed and creativity to win the race for attention
Mumbai: FMCG brands are in a competitive race for media visibility, aiming to capture consumer attention amidst a flood of advertisements. Coca-Cola set a precedent with its innovative content and wide-reaching campaigns, followed by Colgate’s effective use of multi-platform advertising to engage audiences.
It has sparked a lively debate on ambush or guerilla marketing as these brands are not only vying for advertising space but also driving engaging content, seizing cultural moments with wit and creativity within 24-48 hours, to stay relevant. Their strategies highlight the need for engaging and innovative content across platforms in a short time.
Take, for instance, the recent showdown surrounding Biryani Day between Dawaat Rice and India Gate Rice, where each brand claimed supremacy in the hearts of biryani enthusiasts across the country. When Dawaat Rice went ahead and declared ‘Biryani Day’, competitors like Fortune Biryani Special Basmati Rice were swift in their responses to counter the claim with wit. These brands didn’t just participate in the banter; they invested in ad space to amplify their messages and engage consumers across digital platforms.
This playful yet strategic approach is reshaping how FMCG brands interact with their audience. They not only build emotional connections with consumers but are also demonstrating agility and relevance through quick-turn content and engaging narratives.
Moreover, these campaigns highlight the power of data-driven insights and creative storytelling in shaping compelling narratives in the world of marketing and the digital age. Brands leverage consumer behaviour analytics to tailor messages that resonate deeply with their target audiences, enhancing their impact and reach. These campaigns emphasise maintaining transparency and building trust through genuine storytelling and authentic brand values, which are essential in nurturing long-term loyalty.
Brands
Estée Lauder to shed 10,000 jobs as new boss bets on digital shift
The cosmetics giant raises its profit outlook but stays silent on a possible merger with Spain’s Puig, as job cuts deepen and a three-year sales slump weighs on the turnaround
NEW YORK: Stéphane de La Faverie is not done cutting. Estée Lauder announced on Friday that it plans to eliminate as many as 3,000 additional jobs, taking its total redundancy programme to as many as 10,000 roles, up from a previous target of 7,000 announced a year ago. The company, which owns La Mer, The Ordinary, Tom Ford, and Aveda, employs roughly 57,000 people worldwide. The mathematics of what is now being contemplated is stark.
The fresh round of cuts is expected to generate a further $200 million in savings, bringing the total annual savings from the programme to as much as $1.2 billion before taxes. That money, De La Faverie has made clear, will be ploughed back into the turnaround.
A CEO in a hurry
De La Faverie, who took the helm in January 2025, inherited a company that had endured three consecutive years of annual sales declines. His response has been to move fast and cut deep. A significant portion of the latest redundancies reflects his push to reduce headcount at US department stores, long a cornerstone of Estée Lauder’s distribution model but now a channel in structural decline. In their place, he is accelerating the shift toward faster-growing online platforms, including Amazon.com and TikTok Shop, a pivot that is reshaping not just where Estée Lauder sells but how it thinks about its customers.
The numbers are moving in the right direction
Despite the pain, there are signs the medicine is working. Estée Lauder raised its profit outlook for the remainder of the fiscal year, guiding for adjusted earnings per share in the range of $2.35 to $2.45, above analyst estimates and a notable step up from the $2.05 to $2.25 range it had guided for in February. Organic net sales growth is expected to come in at 3 per cent, the company said, at the high end of the range it set out in February.
The share price tells a mixed story. After De La Faverie took charge, the stock surged nearly 60 per cent, buoyed by investor optimism that a longtime company insider could finally arrest the decline. But 2026 has been rougher: the shares have fallen 27 per cent this year, weighed down by disappointing February results and the overhang of unresolved merger talks with Spanish beauty giant Puig Brands SA. The company gave no additional details about those discussions on Friday, leaving the market to guess.
Silence on Puig
The proposed tie-up with Puig remains the most consequential unknown hanging over Estée Lauder. A deal with the Barcelona-based group, which owns brands including Carolina Herrera and Rabanne, would reshape the global luxury beauty landscape. But with nothing new to say and a turnaround still very much in progress, De La Faverie is asking investors to trust the process.
Three years of sales declines, 10,000 job cuts, and a merger that may or may not happen. At Estée Lauder, the overhaul has barely started.
