MAM
Hair today, yakeen tomorrow as Traya shifts the narrative on hair loss
MUMBAI: Losing hair is tough, but losing faith in solutions is tougher. Traya, India’s first health-tech brand dedicated to tackling hair loss from within, has launched its latest campaign, Umeed Nahi Yakeen Karo! (Don’t Just Hope, Believe!). With the unmistakable voice of legendary lyricist Javed Akhtar, the film urges people to move beyond fleeting hope and embrace science-backed trust in hair regrowth.
The campaign follows the familiar frustration of men battling hair loss, dabbling in home remedies, falling for flashy marketing gimmicks, and watching their hopes fade with their hairlines. But Traya offers something different: not just hope, but clinical proof. Their latest breakthrough study shows that Traya’s personalised regimen is three times more effective than 5 per cent Minoxidil alone, globally considered the gold standard for hair growth.
“Hair loss affects more than just appearance, it impacts one’s sense of identity and self-worth. With our Umeed Nahi Yakeen Karo! campaign, we want to shift the conversation from doubt to faith, encouraging people to believe in genuine solutions,” says Traya co-founder Saloni Anand. “We chose Javed Akhtar’s iconic voice for the deep emotional connection he brings. His words create a sense of authenticity that reflects our commitment to making hair regrowth journeys relatable. This campaign is about breaking free from false promises and inspiring consumers to embrace a solution backed by science. “While helping people regrow their hair, at Traya, we’re also helping them reclaim their self-belief.”
With a staggering 93 per cent efficacy rate and over 800,000 customers nationwide, Traya is leading a new wave in hair loss treatment. Unlike conventional approaches, the brand combines Ayurveda, dermatology, and nutrition to address the root causes of hair loss rather than just masking the symptoms. The campaign film has been rolled out across digital platforms, including Youtube, Facebook, and Instagram, and is further amplified through Whatsapp marketing and email campaigns.
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.
