After unleashing his fifth consecutive six of the over, Rahul Tewatia walked down the middle of the crease and fist-pumped his teammate. As the uncannily composed Rajasthan Royals batsman chatted with the nonstriker, the cameras closed in on him. His shiny pink and blue jersey didn’t just have the number seven printed on the back, but also the word “Niine”.
That an obscurely known Kanpurbased sanitary napkin brand should be “principal sponsor” of the Rajasthan Royals franchise in what is cricket’s most glitzy tournament—the Indian Premier League (IPL)—became a talking point. Not just because the two-year-old Niine occupied prominent space on the jersey, more so than biggies like Reliance Jio and cable company KEI—also principal sponsors of the team—but because a female hygiene product was being endorsed by male players. “We wanted to break the shame and stereotypes around periods by showcasing our brand on a man’s platform,” says Sharat Khemka, founder and CEO of Niine.
Early results on the bet have been encouraging. Distributors across India and Rajasthan, in particular, are eager to stock Niine’s products. Says Krishna Sharma, a sales manager, “Earlier I would have to work hard to convince distributors to buy stock worth ₹3 lakh and they would refuse, saying nobody will buy a local brand. Now those same distributors have approached me and are willing to invest up to ₹40 lakh to get our products.” Adds Khemka, “We would never get this kind of traction on any other platform. The IPL is one of its kind.” And this edition, in particular, is more so. Despite shifting to the United Arab Emirates this year because of India’s growing Covid-19 caseload and empty stadiums, the tournament has been off to a blistering start.
Denne historien er fra October 23, 2020-utgaven av Forbes India.
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Denne historien er fra October 23, 2020-utgaven av Forbes India.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
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Home-Cooked Meal Is Now Greatly Valued
The pandemic has also brought with it an improved focus on hygiene, use of technology in dining, rise of cloud kitchens and resurgence in popularity of Indian ingredients
Paytm 3.0 - Reaching Near Breakeven In Two Years
As of 2020, Vijay Shekhar Sharma’s super app for financial services had run up losses in thousands of crores. Now, as digital payments gets yet another boost courtesy Covid-19, he’s hopeful of reaching near breakeven in two years
THE PANDEMIC HAS CAUSED WOMEN GREATER LABOUR PAIN
Covid-19 has shown that women are more likely to face the brunt of job losses than men, and find fewer opportunities when they want to resume. That apart, several have to deal with increased hours of unpaid work at home and even domestic abuse
LEADERSHIP WILL BE ABOUT SEEING THE BIGGER PICTURE
Leaders must not only guard their teams first during a crisis, but also deal with stakeholders with respect and dignity. And apart from pursuing business goals, they should remain committed to our planet and the environment
PHILANTHROPY SHOULD BE HUMBLE, BUT NOT MODEST
Apart from building a flexible and resilient framework for the future, philanthropists, civil society and the government must work in tandem so that every rupee is absorbed on the ground
INTEGRATED HEALTH CARE, TECH WILL DISRUPT SECTOR
While clinical research will get a boost, having a skilled workforce and public spending on health care will be challenges in the near term
DIGITALISATION WILL HELP IN VALUE CREATION
As the pandemic brings technology and innovation to the core of business and daily life, the next decade will see about 150 million digital-first families in India
Industry 4.0: Climate Revolution?
Augmenting sustainability alongside digital capabilities is an economic, competitive and global opportunity for India’s businesses, but regulations need to reflect intent
EV Dream Still Miles Away
Electric vehicles have remained a buzzword in India for years. But not much has moved on ground due to high upfront costs, range anxiety and charging infrastructure
Living Waters
A virus has caused us to scramble for oxygen but our chokehold on the environment is slowly strangling the very waters that breathe life into us. The virus is a timely reminder: We are merely consumers, not producers of life’s breath on this planet
