Colgate India appoints Bombay Shaving Company to handle Palmolive’s D2C business

Synopsis

Colgate-Palmolive India is joining forces with Bombay Shaving Company to enhance its personal care division. This partnership will tap into Bombay Shaving Company's robust digital capabilities, focusing on direct-to-consumer strategies and e-commerce expansion. Since purchasing a minority share in 2018, Colgate-Palmolive India has entrusted Bombay Shaving Company with online advertising and consumer relations, while maintaining control over traditional retail brand management.

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Mumbai: Colgate-Palmolive India has entered into a partnership with Bombay Shaving Company to drive the direct-to-consumer (D2C) and ecommerce business of its Palmolive personal care brand, as the consumer goods maker looks to tap the digital-first company's expertise to revive the business.

"Our learning has actually been that the flywheel of a D2C brand is slightly different from the flywheel of the kind of brand that we are used to doing. We did try it on our own, and honestly, I don't think we were best in class," Prabha Narasimhan, MD and CEO of Colgate-Palmolive India, said at the company's investor day.

In 2018, Colgate-Palmolive Asia Pacific bought a 14% minority stake in Bombay Shaving Company for ₹18 crore. Under the new arrangement, Bombay Shaving Company will handle all consumer-facing advertising and customer relationships for Palmolive on D2C and ecommerce, while Colgate will continue to manage the brand across modern trade and general trade. The product innovation, product quality and supply chain decisions will remain with Colgate.