Introduction:

 Named after the French opera Lakme, which itself the French form of Lakshmi – the Hindu
goddess, renowned for her beauty.
 It was started in 1952 famously, because Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru was concerned
that Indian women were spending precious foreign exchange on beauty products and
personally requested JRD Tata to manufacture them in India.
 Simone Tata joined the company as director and went on to become the chairperson.
 In 1996, Tata sold off their stakes in Lakmé Lever to HUL, for Rs 200 Crore (45 million US$).
 The products are exported to more than 70 countries worldwide under the entity Lakme
Exports Pvt. Ltd.

Timeline:

1952: started as a 100% subsidiary of Tata Oil Mills (TomCo).

1996: Tata sold off their stakes in Lakmé Lever to HUL, for Rs 200 Crore (45 million US$).

2012 – Ranked 104 among India’s most trusted brand

2013 - Ranked 71 among India’s most trusted brand

2014 - Ranked 46 among India’s most trusted brand

2019 – Present: Ranked as No.1 Makeup Brand in India

Strategy of Lakme:

 Positioned as skin care cosmetics brand

Product mix:

Face- It includes items like illuminators, blush, compact, concealer, bronzer, contour, sunscreen,
serums, moisturisers, scrubs, face wash, foundation and face primer. Some of them are

 Lakme Radiance Complexion Compact

 Lakme Absolute Blur Perfect Makeup Primer
 Lakme Absolute White Intense Concealer Stick

Eyes- Includes eyeliner, mascara, kajal, eye shadow, eye primer and eyebrow enhancers. Some of
them are

 Lakme Absolute Illuminating Eye Shadow

 Lakme Absolute Kohl Ultimate Kajal Black
 Lakme Eyeconic curling Mascara- black

Lips- It includes items like lipstick, lip gloss, lip liner and lip balm. Some of them are

 Lakme Absolute Illuminating Lip Liner

 Lakme 9 to 5 Crease-less Crème Lipstick
  Lakme Absolute |Gloss Stylist Lip Gloss

Nails- It includes Nail paints in several colour shades and remover for its removal. Some of the
products are

 Lakme absolute Gel stylist Nail Polish

 Lakme True Wear Nail Color
 Lakme 9 to 5 Frosties Nail Enamel
 Lakme Nail Color Remover with Vitamin E

Tools and Brushes- Includes lip brush, blush brush, eye brush sets and face brush

Make-up kit- Includes eye palettes, face palettes, customised palettes and combo sets

Marketing mix - Promotion:

 Lakme has adopted an aggressive marketing plan to promote its products to every nook and
corner. Its ad campaigns are advertised through television, radio, newspapers, fashion
magazines, billboards and social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Blogs and YouTube.
 It believes in star power and its impact on common masses and has roped in several
admirable personalities’ time and again as its brand ambassadors.
 It is the title sponsor of bi-annually held fashion week titled Lakme Fashion Week.
 The company has set up Lakme Beauty Training Academy in Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai to
assist interested people.
 Globallu, the company conducts events such as cosmoprof worldwide, cosmoprof asia,
beauty world middle east and intercharm as global beauty events.

Notable Brand Ambassadors of Lakme:

 Katrina kaif
 Isabelle kaif
 Lisa haydon
 Kareena Kapoor
 Shraddha Kapoor
 Mrunal Thakur
 Ananya pandey

Marketing mix – Pricing:

 The company was quite sure of its approach towards pricing strategy. It wanted to garner as
many customers as possible by penetrating both urban and rural market. Therefore it has
adopted a reasonable pricing policy because it wants its products to reach masses.
 It realises that affordable and pocket-friendly rates will result in large volumes and
eventually will lead to better profits.

Marketing mix – Place:

 Footprints have extended towards every nook and corner of the nation.
  It has a vast distribution channel that includes services of nearly twelve hundred sales
outlets with beauty advisors. It has also set up one hundred and ten beauty salons in India.
 Its products are easily available to customers through services of distributors, stockiest and
retailers.
 Besides its outlet’s products are available at hypermarkets, supermarkets, convenience
stores, discount stores, and beauty shops.
 Company’s products can also be obtained in 70 countries globally.

Sales promotions:

 50% discount for students

 Happy hours – 20% discount
 Flash sales – 35-60% discount

Lakme ads compiled video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0zPj3QfA4Ms&ab_channel=DesiKaliah

IMC techniques of Lakme

 Social Media
 Lakme Events
 Corporate Image (CSR)
 Personal Selling
 Advertisement
 Direct Marketing
 Sales Promotion

1. Social Media

Facebook
With more than 30 lakhs people on the Facebook page and lakhs of people interact
on daily basis. The page shows a good mix of videos, event pictures, customer
reviews etc and shows their active presence.

Lakme Fashion Week which is the biggest fashion event in India holds a separate
Facebook page showcasing the event highlights.

Twitter
 Lakme has an official twitter account(76000 followers) focusing on the product and
event updates to entertain its twitter audience.

2. Events

Lakme Fashion Week

Biggest fashion show in India- occurs biannually- winter and summer festive
This gives the Lakme both brand visibility and recognition
 Lakme Academy Events

Lakme Academy powered by Aptech trains, motivates, grooms, and guides aspiring
beauticians to walk towards a successful and glamorous career. Regular mentoring
by experts make students passionate and committed towards their goals. Students
are given opportunities to enhance their skills, showcase their talents, present
themselves as professionals, and explore the world of glamour.

3. CSR

Key initiatives are-

Project Sanjeevani
The company runs a free mobile medical service camp ‘Sanjeevani’ for the local
community near Doom Dooma factory in Assam.

Project Prabath
Contributes to the development of local communities around Company’s
manufacturing locations. The key areas of ‘Prabhat’ programme are - Enhancing
Livelihoods, Water Conservation and Health and Hygiene.

Project shakti
Financially empowering and providing livelihood opportunities to women in rural
India. They are acquainted with the products of the Company as well as the basic
tenets of distribution management. This programme has helped Shakti
Entrepreneurs, also known as Shakti Ammas in gaining soft skills in areas like
negotiating and effective communication.

4. Personal Selling
 Lakme has used customer groups such as individual customers and the professionals
through its network salon and the varied need of the customers in the areas of
Beauty, Haircare, Make-up, and skin care as a basis of segmentation.
 They believe in demonstration and focus on customer trust.
5. Advertisement
 Television, YouTube, Newspaper, Hoardings and magazines are the kinds of
media Loreal use for advertisements.

6. Direct Marketing

 Lakme connects with customers through feedbacks and reviews

 Personalised calls and messages and keep customers updated about their
products.
 For the launch of ‘Lakme pure defense’ series they have opted direct marketing
over mass media and campaigns. Company deployed around 1200 Lakme retail
outlets across the country and create awareness for the product.

7. Sales Promotion
They do it occasionally in order to capture the market.
50% discount for students
Happy hours – 20% discount
Flash sales – 35-60% discount