Brands
TV best way to advertise in India: Sandeep Seksaria, Macho Hint
MUMBAI: Innerwear is no longer a product of necessity but even a lifestyle marker. While the industry only has five major players – Lux, Amul, VIP, Chromozome and Jockey, — in the organised sector, there is still potential for them to tap the untapped consumer who is fickle and changes products as and when there is a new disruptor in the market.
Amul Macho has launched its sub-brand Macho Hint along with a TVC with brand ambassador Tiger Shroff with the tagline ‘Fashion Bade Aram Se’. The company wants to capture 40 per cent market share in fashion innerwear segment by 2020.
The innerwear industry in India is said to be over Rs 30,000 crore. The growth potential is vast as people shift from pyjamas to t-shirts, track pants and boxers.
Macho was launched in 2005 and has become one of the highest selling and fastest growing innerwear brands in the country. Macho operates in the mid-segment innerwear market. Macho Hint director Sandeep Seksaria says, “As part of our business strategy the brand is repositioning itself as a fashion led brand thus we are launching Macho Hint. We are confident that the new range of products in different colours and designs will help us in reaching the masses, especially the customers who are looking for comfort and fashion.”
The brand wants to create a perfect mix of style and comfort and is aimed at the youthful and fashionable consumer. One of the main features of the new range is that none of the prints will be repeated in the next range of products. Made from 100 per cent premium combed cotton, the lowers and uppers guarantee to maintain shape and appearance, wash after wash.
On the marketing front, the products will be advertised heavily on television followed by a bite size of outdoor and digital. On television, the ad starring Shroff will be aired across all major GECs, news channels, movie channels and music channels. Macho Hint has become the associate sponsor for many reality and GEC shows in Hindi and other regional languages that are aired on Sony, Colors and Zee.
Speaking about the heavy investment on television, Seksaria says, “We have always been big on television as that enables us to reach a mass audience. There is no better way to advertise in India other than television.”
It is interesting to note that the brand does not believe in shelling out money for digital on a larger scale. Defending his case, he says, “We talk about OTT being the next big thing for advertisers but how much of the population is actually watching content on OTT platforms? I think only 2-3 per cent! And the audience that is watching content on OTT platforms is not our customer.”
The three key channels to distribute are general trade, modern retail outlet and online. Innerwear as a category relies heavily on general trade which occupies 90 per cent of the market followed by modern trade at 8 per cent and online channels at a mere 2 per cent. Seksaria, however, is optimistic that in the next 10 years, modern trade will contribute to 30-35 per cent of its sale and a major chunk will be from modern trade (60 per cent) which is already growing 100 per cent y-o-y.
The products range of Macho Hint will be available in all modern trade stores India through its strong network of dealers. Priced between Rs 150-250, the products are targeted at males in the age group of 14-45.
Going forward, the company will also launch its casual wear range in February which will include boxers and track pants. That is another untapped market by Indian players which has huge potential. The lounge/casual wear category in India is dominated by international players including Jockey, Jack & Jones, Hanes, Flying Machine along with premium brands like Tommy Hilfiger, U.S Polo and Fcuk.
Brands
Bajaj Consumer Care FY26 profit rises to Rs 193.7 crore
Revenue climbs to Rs 1,092 crore as profit grows 49 per cent YoY
MUMBAI: Hair today, growth tomorrow Bajaj Consumer Care Limited seems to have found its shine again, posting a sharp jump in profitability even as it doubled down on brand spends and expansion. The company reported a net profit of Rs 193.7 crore for FY26, marking a strong 49 per cent rise from Rs 130.1 crore in FY25. Revenue from operations also grew to Rs 1,092.2 crore, up from Rs 942.8 crore a year earlier, signalling steady demand momentum across its portfolio.
For the March quarter, profit stood at Rs 64.1 crore, compared to Rs 31.5 crore in the corresponding period last year, while revenue rose to Rs 308.3 crore from Rs 243.5 crore.
The performance came despite a notable increase in spending. Advertising and sales promotion expenses climbed to Rs 168.3 crore in FY26, up from Rs 137.8 crore in FY25, reflecting continued investment in brand building. Other expenses also rose to Rs 151.3 crore from Rs 134.2 crore, indicating a broader push towards growth.
Operating efficiency, however, held firm. Profit before tax increased to Rs 234.8 crore in FY26 from Rs 157.7 crore a year earlier, supported by disciplined cost management across materials and inventory.
On the balance sheet, the company’s total assets expanded to Rs 959.1 crore as of March 31, 2026, compared to Rs 931.9 crore a year earlier. Other equity rose to Rs 780.3 crore, reinforcing a stronger financial base.
Cash flow from operations saw a significant uptick, reaching Rs 196.9 crore in FY26, nearly three times the Rs 67.9 crore recorded in FY25, highlighting improved working capital management.
However, the year also saw aggressive capital allocation. The company spent Rs 190.2 crore on share buybacks, contributing to a net cash outflow of Rs 196.5 crore from financing activities. Cash and cash equivalents stood at Rs 6.8 crore at the end of the year, down from Rs 25.6 crore.
Even as investments in subsidiaries and assets continued, the numbers suggest a company balancing growth ambitions with shareholder returns keeping one eye on expansion and the other on efficiency.
With margins improving and revenue steadily climbing, Bajaj Consumer Care appears to be combing through the competition with renewed confidence.
