Brands
“We leverage local and global cultural moments to fuel our storytelling”: 82°E’s Keerthana Ramakrishnan
Mumbai: Self-care is the buzzword for the GenZs, and in today’s fast-paced world, finding effective and personalised self-care solutions has become essential. This trend has given rise to innovative brands like 82°E, co-founded by Deepika Padukone, which is redefining the direct-to-consumer (D2C) space with its unique approach to product launches.
What sets 82°E apart is not only its focus on monthly drops but also its ability to tell compelling stories with each launch, avoiding repetition and truly connecting with consumers. Moreover, when a celebrity like Deepika Padukone launches their own brand, it adds an extra layer of authenticity and allure, driving further interest and engagement.
Indiantelevision.com caught up with 82°E CMO Keerthana Ramakrishnan to gain insights on their monthly drop strategy, their storytelling approach for each monthly product launch, affordability of their products and much more…
Edited Excerpts:
On the concept of a monthly drop strategy and it being a standout approach for 82°E in the competitive D2C space
Our co-founders conceptualised the monthly drop strategy to ensure that consumers have the opportunity to experience our product offerings one at a time, while also reaping the benefits of each product. This approach was formulated from an observation during the pandemic years when the market was flooded with products and content that ultimately left the consumer overwhelmed.
We believe skincare is very personal and this unique approach is helping us to sustain ourselves in this cluttered market. Since our inception, through the product drop strategy, we have launched 12 skincare products that have helped create a dedicated and engaged community of skincare enthusiasts worldwide.
On 82°E leveraging customer insights to shape both short-term and long-term marketing strategies, and can you provide an example of a standout campaign that notably boosted brand recognition and customer engagement
An important part of our brand mission is to make self-care accessible to a broader audience and an integral part of people’s everyday lives. We recently forayed into skincare for men and launched a new category – 82°E Man. This was prompted by insights from a survey where 91 per cent male consumers surveyed said they are seeking an exclusive collection tailored to their unique skincare needs.
On 82°E tailoring its storytelling approach for each monthly product launch to keep it engaging and non-repetitive
We have a deep understanding of our consumers and their journeys which help us craft powerful narratives that intertwine with these moments, hence making it relevant and relatable. Our constant consumer engagement led us to gain insights on product offerings e.g. The launch of Minis and 82°E Man came from the insights and inputs given by our community.
We leverage local and global cultural moments to fuel our storytelling too. For example, we launched our sunscreen – Turmeric Shield during the Oscars in 2023 and our toner serum – Gotu Kola Dew during our Cofounder’s movie launch i.e. at the Pathaan promotions.
We also effectively leverage media opportunities and creator platforms to powerfully convey our narratives.
On the factors and insights that influenced the strategic decision to introduce 82°E Man
Our consumer-centric approach drives our product evolution, deeply integrating with our community. Prompted by 91 per cent of surveyed male consumers seeking tailored skincare, our men’s range fills a significant need gap. Recent Mintel research highlights a 30 per cent interest among men in expanding facial skincare, surpassing women at 26 per cent. Our 82°E Man line simplifies skincare with a two-step routine, eliciting enthusiastic community response.
On 82°E ensuring the authenticity and genuine connection of the beauty influencers it collaborates with in an era where many individuals claim to be influencers
We keenly study the influencer universe and shortlist potential creators who align with 82°E’s brand values and also on the basis of how they build and engage with their communities. Our robust process ensures that our association with the KOLs feels genuine and authentic to our consumers. Additionally, we also invest in long-term relationships with influencers, building deeper connections over time.
Both- the brand and the influencers are committed to bringing value to the community rather than just transactional and transient communications.
On the strategies that have contributed to this impressive growth from 12 per cent to 65 per cent in customer retention
Yes, and our customer satisfaction scores for product ratings across hundreds of consumers are on average 4.3 or 4.4 on a scale of five and we currently have an NPS of 80. This has validated our value proposition of simplifying skincare for the consumers and marrying time-tested Indian ingredients with the best of scientific innovation.
In our attempt to simplify skincare for our consumers, our three-step skincare routine has been widely accepted, driving remarkable repeat purchase for our products. Our premium, high-quality ingredients ensure efficacy and high performance. Through an authentic and transparent approach in marketing and communication, we focus on educating and raising awareness about our products.
On 82°E considering plans to introduce more affordable products to cater to a diverse consumer base, while still maintaining a balance between quality and innovation in its offerings
We are a premium self-care brand with high-performing, high-quality products that help simplify skincare for our consumers across the globe. Our ingredients are rigorously sourced, carefully crafted and clinically tested so you can build simple, joyful, and effective everyday rituals to care for the health of your skin.
Through our recently introduced product Minis we have enabled trialing and greater access to our products.
Brands
IICT partners with Gativedhi to bring studio production tools to students
New MoU lets students explore AI-driven production pipelines for AVGC-XR
MUMBAI: The Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) has teamed up with Gativedhi Technologies to give students a front-row seat to modern studio production. The collaboration will integrate Gativedhi’s AI-powered production intelligence platform, Shotrack, into academic programmes, letting students experience the workflow systems used by animation, VFX and gaming studios.
Under the MoU, faculty, students and researchers will get hands-on access to Shotrack through beta programmes, pilot deployments and academic evaluations. This will allow them to explore simulated production pipelines, understand asset management, track tasks and monitor schedules, essentially seeing how complex projects come together behind the scenes.
Shotrack is designed to tackle a key industry challenge: when multiple studios work on the same project, differing internal systems often create bottlenecks, slow approvals and complicate version control. The platform provides a unified production environment, enabling smoother collaboration across distributed teams while generating operational insights and predictive analytics to optimise crew allocation, forecast schedule risks and manage costs.
The collaboration also opens doors to Gativedhi’s wider ecosystem. Upcoming tools include StudioTrack, for studio operations management covering budgeting, recruitment and IT infrastructure, and WorkTrack, which measures workflow efficiency and team productivity across industries.
IICT plans to embed these tools into programmes covering animation pipelines, VFX workflows, gaming production and media project management. Students will also benefit from guest lectures, masterclasses, workshops, internships and research projects that connect academic learning with real-world studio practices.
IICT CEO Vishwas Deoskar, said the partnership provides “An environment where production pipeline tools can be explored, tested and refined while students gain insight into how large-scale productions are organised.”
Gativedhi Technologies founder & CEO Senthil Kumar added, “This collaboration introduces students to real-world studio management tools and helps us improve our platform with academic feedback.”
With Shotrack in classrooms, India’s future animators, VFX artists and gaming producers will get a taste of studio life long before they step into one.
