Exclusive | India is a very important market for us: Akzo Nobel's Rajgopal

Present in India for over 100 years and a significant player in the paints industry, AkzoNobel India has it witnessed sustained expansion, growth and transformation over the years. Dulux which is from AkzoNobel India’s bouquet, is been one of the popular brands of its decorative coatings business while the performance coatings business provides solutions to many industries and sectors including automotive, consumer electronics, power, aviation, shipping and leisure craft, construction, oil and gas, water and waste water, food and beverages, etc.

Adgully caught up with Rajiv Rajgopal, Director, Decorative Paints, Akzo Nobel India to know more about the Dulux’s performance in the past and present, the consumer trends in paints industry and a lot more.

Speaking about Dulux's performance so far, he said, "Wherever you travel, Dulux has almost certainly been there before you. Our products vary from country to country but our ambition remains the same: to add colour to people's lives. For over 100 years Dulux has had a unique relationship with its consumers. The brand’s international lineage along with its presence in the Indian market has helped us to establish ourselves as the leading colour authority."

Dulux has been recognised as a ‘Superbrand’ in the year 2013. Their product Dulux Superclean has also been awarded as the ‘Product of the year 2014’ in the paints category. The product is equipped with a beading technology that offers key performance benefits of ‘stain repellence’, thereby minimizing the damage caused to the surface. The special formulation in the paint ensures that any daily usage stain causing foreign materials such as ink and tea/coffee stains do not stick on the wall, but are converted into tiny beads which roll off the surface - keeping the walls clean. Similarly, stains caused by sketch pen marks, crayons and cosmetics can be wiped off easily from a Dulux Superclean wall, unlike existing emulsion in the market.

Over the past three decades, Dulux Velvet Touch has emerged as India's leading premium emulsion brand and has created a distinct positioning for itself as a trendy, fashionable emplusion that spruces up home décor. Dulux WeatherShield, powered by its crack- proof technology which keeps exteriors of one’s homes in great shape for years by protecting them from the adverse effects of summer heat,.

"Being an international brand, we bring the best of the world to India, including innovations, and the unmatched quality of our products", he said.

In terms of key markets, he said, "In India considering its growing infrastructure and an increase in consumer spending is an important market for us. In India we have two very powerful brands – Dulux Velvet Touch and Dulux WeatherShield to meet any consumer’s needs. We are committed at Dulux to provide the best in class in technology via our products to consumers."

Shedding light on the marketing campaigns and their significance and impact on their target audience, he stated that homes are now seen as an extension of one’s personality and this very fact that has led consumers taking a keen interest in the way their homes are perceived. “The marketing campaigns serve as a significant communication tool to reach out to the consumers by making them aware of the products offered and also engaging them with the brand”, he said. The brand has recently launched Dulux Velvet Touch – ‘Fashion trends for walls’ via a brand campaign that celebrates the stylized expression of elegance; it is an offering of high-end emulsions, inspired by fashion and was launched with an integrated marketing campaign. The 360 degree integrated campaign employed an array of communication channels including print, electronic and social media. “The campaign ‘Fashion trends for walls' is more than just a brand positioning – it embodies a mindset that is true to today's dynamic consumers who look at homes as stylized expressions of elegance and living, enabling them to express their individualistic, creative instincts”, he said. For Dulux Velvet Touch , Farhan Akhtar is the brand ambassador and Manish Malhotra is the creative partner. Rajgopal mentions that ‘The Manish Malhotra’ signature collection exclusively for Dulux is a range of designer room sets personally created by Manish, the inspiration of which is his fashion and cinema work.

Looking at the growth and penetration in every sector when asked about the kind of consumer trends he foresee in paints industry, he said, "Consumer trends have indicated that the modern consumer is keen to incorporate wall finishes in their home decoration journey. They prefer finishes that are inspired by nature and its many varied forms."

According to him, consumers in India like finishes inspired by mud, sand, or even marble - ideas borrowed from the nature. Dulux Velvet Touch’s new range – Fashion Trends for Walls has many finishes and patterns in different combinations that have the ability to bring out ones creative expression."

Since Dulux has a lot brands under its umbrella so on asking on that what is the kind of process that goes into bringing a new product on board and what degree of importance does innovation and creativity hold in this process, Rajgopal said, "At Dulux innovation starts with understanding what our customers need. Our commitment is to do that better and quicker than others. That means understanding and anticipating how our world and our customers’ lives and expectations are changing."

Adding further he said, "Our science is protecting the world’s most iconic buildings and landmarks. It is helping to prevent the spread of harmful bacteria in hospitals, keeping buildings cool to conserve energy. Of course sustainability is integral to everything. Nowhere is that more obvious than in our innovations. The world needs sustainable solutions. That is why most of our innovation work is driven by sustainability and the ultimate goal is to deliver more value, with fewer resources."