Brands
Kimberly-Clark relaunches its iconic diaper brand Huggies
Mumbai: Kimberly Clark brings a fresh new identity for its iconic brand Huggies with the relaunch of Huggies Complete Comfort in India. Based on extensive consumer research, the relaunch focuses on the core proposition of 5-in-1 comfort which includes key attributes like softness and absorption. The brand is going to embrace an all-new visual language via its packaging design across the range that spotlights the brand’s key attributes and consumer benefits.
To mark the relaunch, Huggies has rolled out its new campaign, ‘We got you, baby’ that promises to make the world a more comfortable place for babies. Conceptualized by Ogilvy India, the endearing launch film uses the baby’s voice as a creative device to highlight their discomforts with diapers. Huggies comes to their rescue by providing five comforts in one diaper that includes bubble bed softness, 12-hour absorption, triple leak guard, breathable material, and a comfy fit waistband.
Kimberly Clark India marketing director Saakshi Verma Menon said, “Huggies as a brand has always strived to go the extra mile to make the world a more comfortable place for babies. Through extensive consumer research, we realized that babies need complete comfort with multiple benefits in one product. We are proud to introduce the new ‘Huggies Complete Comfort’ to our Indian consumers to help babies and their parents navigate the unknowns of babyhood. Our research showed that nine out of 10 moms feel that Huggies is more comfortable than their regular diaper which reinforces the trust that consumers have in this iconic brand.”
On the campaign, she added, “We are launching a digital-first campaign across platforms where mums today are spending most of their time. The content is hyper-personalised and contextualised to specific consumer cohorts for heightened relevance and engagement.
Also, as a challenger brand in India, it is imperative for us to break the clutter and stand out as a preferred brand. Our creative partners at Ogilvy have cracked an enjoyable and distinctive way of landing the key message which is sure to cement our position in the hearts of our consumers.”
Commenting on the film, Ogilvy India chief creative officer Sukesh Kumar Nayak said, “To get the attention of parents, in our new campaign for Huggies, babies go on a protest to boycott incomplete diapers that do not have full comfort. Voicing their displeasure in a disruptive narrative, babies seek a diaper that provides more than the usual fare of dryness, for one which actually gives complete comfort.
As the baby’s wingman, Huggies helps babies word their unspoken needs with a message that is playfully irreverent and memorable to ensure their problems are heard loud and clear. And solved with the new Huggies Complete Comfort diapers which will never allow babies to settle for incomplete comfort.”
The Huggies Complete Comfort range is now available in offline stores and on e-commerce platforms.
Brands
Microsoft faces worst quarter since 2008 financial crisis
Cloud giant battles soaring AI costs and fierce competition from nimble startups.
MUMBAI: When the tech titan starts looking a little wobbly, even the Magnificent Seven can feel the tremors because Microsoft is currently starring in its own sequel, “Clouds and Doubts.” Microsoft is on track for its worst quarterly performance since the 2008 global financial crisis, according to Bloomberg, as investors grow increasingly uneasy about rising capital expenditure and intensifying competition from nimble AI firms. The company has been pouring money into AI infrastructure, yet markets are questioning when these hefty investments will finally deliver stronger revenue growth.
At the same time, investors are shifting away from traditional software stocks amid fears that AI startups such as Anthropic and OpenAI are developing autonomous agents capable of replacing established products, including those from Microsoft. Jonathan Cofsky, portfolio manager at Janus Henderson Investors, noted growing concern that customers may bypass Microsoft and deal directly with AI vendors, potentially disrupting its core business and putting pressure on pricing and margins.
Microsoft’s stock has tumbled 25 per cent in the first quarter, putting it on course for its largest drop since a 27 per cent fall in the fourth quarter of 2008. It has also emerged as the weakest performer among the so-called Magnificent Seven technology stocks, while a broader index tracking the group has fallen 14 per cent over the same period. The shares slipped a further 1.7 per cent after markets opened on Friday, marking a potential fourth consecutive session of declines.
Cofsky pointed out that Microsoft has become more capital intensive and that improved investor confidence will hinge on assurances that software growth will not slow materially. Despite the sell-off, the stock is now trading at less than 20 times projected earnings over the next 12 months, its lowest valuation level since June 2016. Its valuation remains slightly above that of the S&P 500 Index, although it has recently traded at a discount to the broader benchmark for the first time since 2015.
Bloomberg data shows Microsoft’s capital expenditure, including leases, is expected to surge to $146 billion in fiscal 2026, up around 66 per cent from $88 billion in fiscal 2025. Spending is projected to climb further to $170 billion in fiscal 2027 and $191 billion in fiscal 2028, based on average estimates. Investors are growing cautious about such levels of spending without clearer signs of stronger growth.
Microsoft’s Azure cloud division has reported a slight slowdown in growth compared with the previous quarter, while its Copilot AI product has seen limited user traction, prompting internal changes aimed at improving performance. Ben Reitzes, an analyst at Melius Research, warned in a March note that Microsoft’s upside in Azure could be constrained as the company works to address challenges related to its AI models and Copilot offering, adding that these issues are unlikely to be resolved in the short term.
Of the 67 analysts covering Microsoft, 63 maintain buy ratings, three hold ratings and one a sell rating. The average 12-month price target of $592 implies a potential upside of more than 64 per cent, the highest on record based on data going back to 2009. The stock is also trading below its 200-day moving average by the widest margin since 2009.
Reitzes suggested the dominance of buy ratings may indicate complacency among analysts, while highlighting risks in Microsoft’s productivity and business processes segment as well as its More Personal Computing division. In contrast, Tal Liani of Bank of America reinstated coverage with a buy rating, citing durable multi-year growth prospects across cloud and AI. Jake Seltz, portfolio manager at Allspring Global Investments, maintained that Microsoft retains strong long-term value and that its AI strategy is likely to be validated over time, viewing near-term concerns as a potential opportunity for longer-term investors.
The report highlights a growing divergence in market sentiment, with optimism around long-term AI potential weighed against immediate execution risks and investor uncertainty. In the world of big tech, even the mightiest clouds can have silver linings but right now, Microsoft’s investors are scanning the horizon for clearer skies.
