Janhvi Kapoor, Paree Vocalise & Normalise Period Conversation

Paree Sanitary Pads has recently onboarded Janhvi Kapoor as the new face of the brand. She will drive conversations around the importance of menstrual hygiene and lead the brand's upcoming campaigns. With Kapoor as the ambassador, Paree aims to establish the brand’s identity as a young Indian brand disrupting the feminine hygiene market. There’s a right synergy that the brand feels in its personality and that of Janhvi’s which resonates with young women that the brand wants to reach out to. Paree's partnership with Janhvi Kapoor will not only give the brand a strong face but also someone who personifies the brand philosophy of strength and empathy.

Given her association with the brand, we spoke with Janhvi Kapoor, Bollywood actress, along with Sahil Dharia, Founder and CEO, Soothe Healthcare, in an exclusive interview.

Excerpts:

Janhvi Kapoor

Q1. You belong to a generation that speaks its mind and isn't hesitant to discuss covert topics, such as menstruation or female hygiene. How important is it for men and women, older or younger, to drive a healthy conversation around this topic?

I believe that no woman should feel apologetic about her body and, should not shy away from talking about menstruation. I feel that there should be a lot more conversation around it and I’m really happy that Paree Sanitary Pads is a brand that’s embracing it. It is a very natural and healthy process that a woman goes through, and we need to treat it similarly.

We live in an era, where creating awareness and elevating the way we talk about women hygiene and periods is very important. It’s high time that both men & women, talk openly and freely about feminine hygiene care. Women these days are more aware and familiar with menstrual hygiene and numerous products are available to suit their requirements. Through vocalising and normalising period conversation, we are creating a platform for women to confidently prioritise their needs and their health.

While women need to learn to be comfortable in their bodies, it is equally important for men to be sensitised about menstruation. We need men to step forward and actively participate in the conversation. To pedestal the importance of menstrual hygiene it requires men and women, old or young to thoroughly understand the importance of women’s hygiene requirements.

Q2. How do you associate yourself with the brand? What according to you will be your major responsibilities as a Brand Ambassador?

Paree Sanitary Pads is not just a brand that operates in the space of women hygiene products, it is, in fact, a brand that aims to create awareness and elevate the way society as a whole, converses on women hygiene and period issues. I love the progressive take that the brand has in encouraging women to make menstrual health and hygiene a priority. 

I am happy that I have associated with the brand Paree Sanitary Pads and be part of brands conversation in normalising menstrual talks and raise awareness of the importance of feminine menstrual hygiene. Being a young woman, I have always supported Indian brands and it gives me the pride to be a part of their journey. 

Q3. Do you feel onboarding a celebrity endorser brings in greater influence for such important issues?

Definitely. As celebrities, we are fortunate that we have a platform and an audience that follows us and takes great interest in what we do and endorse. And that comes with a sense of responsibility to use our voice to create a positive impact. Society recognises the work we do with greater recall, at times I feel proud and happy if I am able to influence anyone in a good way or create awareness on a relevant topic.

When I discussed my association with Paree Sanitary Pads, I was commented on my decision as being bold since we haven't seen many celebrities endorsing sanitary products. And I honestly did not understand the reaction since it is such a natural thing and it’s a product that every woman needs. I believe it should be advertised and spoken about more than any other product because it needs to reach a wider range of people so that they have wide access to it.

Q4. How has social media given a fillip to such topics? How is it helpful in driving impactful conversations?

Today, everything has gone digital and almost everyone has access to social media that has the power to raise public awareness and get people more involved. Openly sharing information about feminine hygiene care via social media, can drive impactful conversation and motivate people to make a change. Sharing information on digital media is a good way to educate others and increase awareness around menstruation. Social media increases the chances of motivating young people to become more active around such topics.

Sahil Dharia

Q1. As a young brand, how is Paree striking a conversation with its audience in terms of women hygiene?

Paree has always been creating progressive campaigns and open dialogue to address the real needs related to menstrual hygiene. We are bold in our communication and lookout for newer and more creative ways to reach our consumers with meaningful storytelling and engagement. Over the last 2 years, we channelled creative content that prioritises her needs, menstrual hygiene and brings focus on how women’s personal care is essential. We initiated conversations around menstruation topics such as Heavy Flow and PMS while also showcasing our solution-driven products.

We often see society laying out boundaries for a woman, mocking her to show what her boundary should be by saying – “Tujhe bade par lag gaye hain”. Paree, with its new communication & brand ambassador- Janhvi Kapoor, wants to spin this notion (in a light-hearted way) by asking women to not hold back during periods. Echoing these sentiments, the TVC showcases Janhvi and girls enjoying their most loved dance moves even during periods. This campaign is big, strong and vast from anything we have done so far. We are at a juncture that needs mass awareness and affinity for brand Paree.

Previously, we have also associated with the popular content creator, Kusha Kapila and other influencers to go beyond just talking about periods and add some creativity and humour to period blues with quirky and fun content. Whereas, earlier this year, on Valentine’s Day, we partnered with celebrity influencers Prince Narula and Yuvika Chaudhary to launch a video #PyaarKaPeriod. The video aimed at changing the love narrative by illustrating the role of a man in the relationship in understanding his partner's needs and being there for her when she experiences her period. 

The lockdown has presented brands with a host of new ways to position their products through initiatives that strike and ignite conversations. We believe this is a fitting time for all marketers to relook at their strategy and get more engaging and experiment with content. Paree Sanitary Pads has been actively associating with partners who speak to the youth who are the drivers of society and boldly follow their hearts. It allows us to connect with consumers far more authentically as it taps into each person's behaviour and habits and align with them accordingly.

Q2. What are some of the insights that you have gathered on women hygiene in India?

Interestingly, the Indian Feminine hygiene market was at $650 million in 2018 and is expected to grow to $3.5Bil by 2030 (Source: Euromonitor). Whereas 23 % of girls in India drop out of school at Puberty (UNICEF). National Family Health Survey 2015-2016 estimates that of the 336 million menstruating women in India about 121 million (roughly 36 per cent) women are using sanitary napkins, locally or commercially produced. Major reasons being cited lack of awareness and availability of products at a reasonable price.

The year 2020 has been a pivotal point that brought a lot of awareness and focuses on one's personal hygiene and the same has translated into a surge of purchase of personal care products. Over the pandemic, the shopping patterns for everybody has changed drastically. 52% of new shoppers bought household and grocery items online, while 27% of new shoppers bought personal care products online. The fear for one’s hygiene has prompted many to look at their own hygiene habits closely and evaluate.

Q3. Are there any post-pandemic trends that you witness in this sector?

Post pandemic, the awareness around hygiene especially personal hygiene has increased manifolds. It is for the better that we, as a society are more conscious now towards the upkeep of personal hygiene. This stands true for menstrual hygiene as well and that’s why this sector has seen growth.

We have seen innovative new ways of launching products, brand integration and sampling the product that was not evaluated before the pandemic. We have seen an unprecedented surge in ecommerce sales, which is doubling every month.

Q4. There are plenty of brands that have entered this space in the past 5 years. How is Paree disrupting the women hygiene market through its innovative products and marketing strategies?

Paree Sanitary Pads as a brand has always prioritised its consumer’s needs. And, with the help of continuous R&D, Paree Sanitary Pads owns the space to address the problem of heavy flow. Indian women experience heavy flow periods quite often, and with long working hours and humid weather, this can lead to a lot of physical and mental discomfort. Observing the inadequacy of solutions for heavy flow in the market and in its endeavour to rightly take care of women’s needs, the brand offers Indian women with the Heavy Flow Champion Sanitary Pads (registered trademark) in 2018. The brand also launched revolutionary products Paree Super Ultra (ultra-thin pad), PRIMA- the premium range and now Paree Super Ultra with Double Feathers, a unique product with extra protection.

On the other hand, our marketing strategy has always been very creative which ignites conversation and supports the business objective i.e. to build awareness and affinity for the brand. While we compete with established global giants in the category, our focus is to always remain an innovative, loved & trusted brand in our consumer's world. Our core values remain, empathic yet disruptive. And hence every choice in marketing stems from this value. We have massive plans for the coming year, where we will be seeing the brands taking on new challenges.