Brand Ambassador

Group 13
Jagriti Kashyap
M025-15
Shilpa Tandon
M049-15
Shubhangi Dhokane
M052-15

Introduction
Patanjali Ayurved is an Indian FMCG company which focuses on making
Ayurvedic and herbal products. Though, recently it has grown into a general
FMCG company making shampoos, soaps, detergents, noodles etc. It is
headquartered in Bijwasan, Delhi and has a 150 acre manufacturing plant in
Haridwar. It also has a smaller plant in Nepal. It sources its requirements of
majority of herbs from Himalayas of Nepal.
The company was established in 2006 by Yoga guru Baba Ramdev and his
disciple Acharya Balakrishna with an objective of establishing science
of Ayurveda in accordance and coordinating with the latest technology and
ancient wisdom. The latter owns 94% of Patanjali Ayurveda. Patanjali is the
fastest growing FMCG Company in India. Patanjali started its operations with
Patanjali Yogpeeth in Haridwar, Uttarakhand. Patanjali Yogpeeth is one of the
largest yoga institutes in the country. Patanjali Yogpeeth offers treatment and
scientific research and has brought a revolution when it comes healthcare in
the country with the combined approach of Yoga and Ayurveda.
The founders have openly declared a war on multinational FMCG companies
in India in their widely popular yoga shows and have been asking their
followers to ditch these companies in favor of goods made by local
companies (Swadeshi). They have been very vocal about the multinational
companies taking away the profits made from the customers inside the
country to their parent companies abroad.
Patanjali Ayurved primarily produces products in the categories of personal
care and food. The company manufactures around 500 products including 45
types of cosmetic products and 30 types of food products. According to
Patanjali, all the products manufactured by Patanjali are made from Ayurveda
and natural components. Patanjali Ayurved manufacturing division has over
300 medicines for treating a range of ailments and body conditions, from
common cold to chronic paralysis.
Patanjali sells its products through over 15000 Patanjali exclusive shops. Its
products are available in over 1.5 lakhs shops across the country as well as
abroad. They also have a sister company by name Divya Pharmacy which
essentially is a retailer of Patanjalis Ayurvedic medicines with revenues of
around 400 crores.

In 2015, Patanjalis sales grew by 150 percent to Rs. 5000 crore making it the
fastest growing FMCG Company in the country. It is also the fastest growing
consumer brand in the FMCG space. Now the company is targeting for Rs.
10,000 crore revenue in 2016-17. They have 4000 distributors and 100
mega-marts. They have also tied up with retail chains like Future Group and
Reliance Retail. The company is in talks to raise around Rs. 1000 crore in
project loans so as to set up four new manufacturing plants.

The Brand Ambassador

Baba Ramdev is a yoga teacher known for his work in Ayurveda,
business, politics and agriculture. He is best known for popularizing yoga
among Indians through his mass yoga camps. The epithet He came, He saw,
He conquered is supposed to be rightly described as the arrival of Baba and
his infectious popularization among the masses. Suddenly everyone was
seen rubbing his/her nails walking by the road side, waiting for a train at the
platform, while travelling, while working in an office or for that matter
whenever people found themselves free, he was there everywhere in the life
of people.
Yoga, which used to be considered generic was well known by Baba Ramdev
Brand of Yoga. His journey didnt stop with his Brand of Yoga, when big
business houses were struggling to launch and operate Branded Medical
Stores, he was once again there bang on launching his own Brand of
Ayurvedic Medicine Stores (Patanjali) all over India, Franchising model also
included. His name has become synonymous with Yoga and Ayurveda.

Proposition Promoted by the Brand Ambassador

According to Baba Ramdev Patanjali products are differentiated from other
consumer products in the market because:

They are based on Vedic wisdom and consumers know the efficacy of
ingredients used

There is an increasing awareness of benefits of using natural

ingredients

Has an image of being a non-profit, unlike MNCs

Demonstrated knowledge of Ayurvedic and Vedic preparations, so has

credibility

Consumers tired of relaunches, want to try new products

with desi fragrances, -mograsoap

Very good quality

Deep down Indians always knew about the effectiveness of our natural
plants. But there was no genuine delivery platform till now. Himalaya Herbal
did it, but became expensive and caters to the high-end market.

Personality of the Ambassador

Baba Ramdev demeanor and physical appearance with orange clothes and
wooden sandals add to the value and proposition the brand supports.
He is considered a veteran of Yoga. He has been associated with health and
fitness for long. Thus Patanjali has been able to create a brand perception of
health and wellness.
Baba Ramdev is also influential on digital & broadcast media. He has 541k
followers on twitter, 5.7 million fans on Facebook.

What He Does Differently

Baba Ramdev does not proclaim that his brand is the best. Instead he talks
about why MNCs are evil and the virtues of products made in India,
corruption of corporates, exploitation of farmers, cancerous of fertilizers and
chemicals. He gave the choice to consumers to explore the alternative which
are his products. Fear of disease or being patriotic forced lot of people to give
up MNC products. Their quality of the products was also good and the
distribution is also excellent.
He seems genuine as he does not push his own products explicitly. He insists
that he is not doing the business to amass personal wealth. He has said
Neither I own a single share of Patanjali Ayurved nor do I take a single
penny to promote it." Consumers thus assume that the products are
genuinely herbal and the company does not want to push its products.
Instead the popular perception is that the brand wants to do social work.

Millions worldwide have benefitted from Baba Ramdev's yoga. Thus, his
credibility is high. Usually brands are first introduced and then trust is built.
In this case it is the opposite. First Baba Ramdev built trust, then the brand
followed.
Baba Ramdev is very different from Brand ambassadors for other brands.
The brand was started by him and Acharya Balkrishna in the year 2006. So
he owns the brand and makes sure that no stone is left unturned in
promoting the brands on various platforms. And also he works for free
distinguishing him from the usual brand ambassadors.

Promotion Platforms

Baba Ramdev has direct interaction with consumers through his Yoga
camps. The potential captive market Ramdev can address is around 20
crore. So, almost a sixth of the Indian population has attended a class
of the Ramdev School of yoga

He goes on international tours and promotes the brand there also in his
yoga camps and the west is particularly fascinated by the idea of
herbal and Ayurveda. In these camps as he demonstrates the yoga
poses, he subtly introduces the brands by highlighting their numerous
features & the resultant benefits they offer. And request his followers
to try & experience the benefit themselves

Other brand ambassadors use mediums like television, print media or

display advertising to make an influence. But Ramdev has a live
audience which believes in him and follows what he preaches

He promoted the brand in a reality show-Indias best Dramebaaz.

Patanjali sponsored the show also. He also was a guest in the show
Nach Baliye

He promotes the brand on Aastha and Sanskar channels. In his yoga

sessions he is sometimes joined by Balkrishna who talks about
Patanjali products. Both of them converse about the products being
watched by a crowd gathered there for the yoga camp and also
millions on television

A 90 minute movie called yog yatra described as An inspiring journey

of Yoga Guru Ramdev and Acharya Balkrishna was telecasted on
national television

Baba Ramdevs Patanjali Ayurved tied up with four major radio

networks for an aggressive ad campaign that ran for 15 days to keep
its MNC competitors at bay. With the punchline Patanjali apnaiye,
desh ko arthic aazadi dilaiye (switch to Patanjali, give the country
financial freedom) he has repeatedly stressed on Indian-ness of the
products

He ensures that he is integrating Brand & not merely indulging into

product placement. He intelligently integrates his various products in
Yoga camp, TV shows and avoids the perception of forceful product
placement

Political Influence
Baba Ramdev has good connection with politicians and political parties. He is
perceived to be close to Indias ruling coalition, and has appeared with Prime
Minister Narendra Modi on several public platforms.
He approached Lalu Prasad yadav and gave his face a massage from
Patanjali cream and all of media covered it. He leverages his connection to
get publicity for the brand free of cost.

Public Behavior

Ramdev has been very cooperative with media and has maintained
good relationship with them

He takes advantage of opportunities. When Maggi noodles were

banned he issued statements saying that he will introduce safe
noodles made in India under the umbrella of the brand

He has issued statements like Hamne ye kaam vyapaar ke liye nahin,

upkaar ke liye kiya hai [We haven't done this for business but for
welfare]. It's not a business

Ramdev insists that they have changed the rules of manufacturing,

packaging, and marketing. They dont consider them to be consumers.
They take them as part of their families. Consumerism is not our
culture he says

Baba Ramdev knows when to be in limelight and when to remain

dormant. Baba Ramdev (and hence the future of Patanjali) faced plenty
of ups and downs, from political to product challenges. He lied low on
some occasions and propelled himself to limelight in others. Efficient
maneuvering of such situations has helped him maintain his image
among followers

References
1.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Patanjali_Ayurved

2. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/industry/cons-products/fmcg/how-baba-ramdev-has-built-a-rs2000-crore-ayurvedic-fmcg-empire-plans-to-take-on-multinational-giants/articleshow/47657636.cms

3.

http://modifyed.in/baba-ramdev-one-greatest-content-marketers-india/

4.

http://www.livemint.com/Companies/hLEBBx17cFY5rPjTjmIP9O/The-Patanjali-story.html

5. http://www.livemint.com/Consumer/iPrCc09EgmwIYSA4qEAlLN/Baba-Ramdevs-Patanjali-Ayurvedsplurges-on-radio-ad-with-sw.html