: Brand Saga: Ghadi Detergent, emergence of a ‘mass brand’ from the bylanes of UP #IndiaNEWS #Brand Saga Facing giants like Surf, Wheel and Nirma, the ‘clock’ stayed far from ceding. We write

Brand Saga: Ghadi Detergent, emergence of a ‘mass brand’ from the bylanes of UP #IndiaNEWS #Brand Saga
Facing giants like Surf, Wheel and Nirma, the ‘clock’ stayed far from ceding. We write about the Ghadi Detergent advertising journey this week, which is as vigorous as the brand’s willpower to rise up to the challenges.

Lore has it that the founders of Ghadi detergent were inspired by the tremendous success of Nirma who within a short span became a market leader taking over giants like HUL’s Surf. Amidst no hullabaloo was born Ghadi Detergent with a vision to not compete but build an identity of its own in the already chaotic market. We take a look at the Ghadi detergent advertising journey to relive the brand’s passion.

‘Ghadi’ emerges from the bylanes of Kanpur

Although globally the development of detergents took place in 1930 during World War II, in India the industry was established only in 1957. It was when the Bombay-based Swastik Oil Mills started manufacturing synthetic detergents. In 1959, subsidiary Hindustan Unilever launched Surf Excel on the desi land and a decade later the industry witnessed the rollout of Nirma.

The competition was cut-throat but eventually, Nirma succeeded in dethroning Surf to become the top player in the category. Seeing the zeal of a detergent brand making it to the top, Muralidhar and Bimal Kumar Gyanchandani decided to launched Ghadi detergent in Uttar Pradesh’s Kanpur in 1987. A year later they incorporated Shri Mahadeo Soap Industries Pvt. Ltd. under which they started manufacturing the product. During the time, Nirma was at its peak with a share value of around 30%.

Shri Mahadeo Soap Industries Pvt. changed its name to Rohit Surfactants Private Limited (RSPL) in June 2005.

HU introduced yet another player, Wheel, to overtake Nirma’s popularity while Ghadi was still busy setting its base to become a mass brand and expand its portfolio. The efforst were paid off when the brand rose up to the top position in the detergent market in 2012.

Ghadi Detergent Advertising Journey

Ghadi (or Ghari meaning ‘clock’) born in the bylanes of Kanpur wasn’t well equipped with finances for national campaigns and full-fledged marketing activities. Hence adopting a regional approach, Ghadi initially started capturing eyeballs in the cities of Uttar Pradesh targeting the lower to middle class population and calibrating the demand chain majorly in the small towns.

Holding the very nerve of the Indian market with affordable pricing, penetrating the desi household in the nukkads and naakas, the helmers of Ghadi detergent slowly pushed the visibility limits in adjoining markets of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Punjab.