Ayurveda and smart positioning – Medimix has got the formula right

The birth of Medimix dates back to the time when the Cholayil family used Viprathi oil as a cure for skin ailments. The year 1969 proved pivotal to the family legacy as Dr VP Sidhan, who was a doctor with the Indian Railways, combined a timeless tradition with his sharp business acumen to develop a green bar of soap that could both nourish and protect the skin. Strongly rooted in Ayurveda, this amalgamation of 18 herbs continues to protect and nourish skin effectively to this day in the most natural way possible. Over time, Medimix has grown synonymous with ‘skin care, the natural way’. 

Having completed 50 years in the market, the brand is now shifting focus to the youth. With its new positioning – “Get SkinFit with Fast Acting Ayurveda” – Medimix is contemporising the brand and connect with the busy life of the new age consumer. Cholayil has brought on board Bollywood actress Parineeti Chopra as the new face of Medimix. 

Speaking about the objective behind contemporising the company’s Ayurvedic offering, Ashish Ohlyan, Head of Marketing and New Product Development, Cholayil Pvt. Ltd., said, “Indian consumers have realised the goodness of natural products and are shifting towards products with less or no chemicals. However, they feel that natural products take a lot of time in providing results, and there is a serious dearth of time and patience in their fast-paced life.” 

He further said, “Medimix is the largest sold Ayurvedic soap in the world and has been repositioned to bust this myth. Compared to other products, which have 2-3 key ingredients and provide a single skin benefit, Medimix Ayurvedic soap has 18 herbs and natural oils which give a healthy, fit and glowing skin fast. That’s why we have repositioned the brand with ‘Get SkinFit with Fast Acting Ayurveda’. Medimix soap range is paraben free, vegan and cruelty-free (not tested on animals).” 

Read More: Leo Burnett India awarded the creative mandate for Cholayil’s flagship brands

With the relaunch, Medimix is trying to achieve the underlying long-term goal of emerging as a leader in the space of Ayurveda. Known for being the pioneer in the Ayurvedic skincare space and having delivered quality and effectiveness over the last 50 years, Medimix has an overarching mission to be the product of choice for all – from millennials to the older generation. 

Giving further insights into how Medimix plans to woo the millennials, Ohlyan said, “Millennials today are hooked on to one solid peg – authenticity. For personal care products, they have now actually moved their attention to the ‘back of the pack’ and want to know what goes into the products that they use. They will pick what suits their needs the best, irrespective of the brand name. Our focus has been to bring efficacy to the fore, which is something that Medimix has stood for in the last 50 years and is also a trait that millennials are increasingly looking for in their brands. Further, the typical millennial today makes a daily trade-off between wanting to choose natural products and wanting quick results from their products. With Fast Acting Ayurveda, we are helping them identify the role of this efficacy in their lives.” 

Ohlyan further added that the major focus of this re-positioning exercise is to ensure that they retain the heart and soul of Medimix. The credibility and trust that they have gained in these 50 years, along with the expertise in Ayurveda, is a huge asset and also a differentiator for them. “With SkinFit, we have expanded from a purely curative focus on skin problems to keeping your skin healthy and fit through everyday care.”  

“The two main pillars of our campaign are ‘Fast Acting Ayurveda’ and ‘SkinFit’, and both are clutter-breaking individually as well as in conjunction. We are attempting to bust the myth around Ayurvedic products being slow in providing results and educating the young consumer about the goodness of Ayurveda in keeping their skin fit (healthy, glowing, and problem-free). In the process, we also aim to help the new generation identify with Ayurveda as something that is relevant in their time and age. The new positioning offers something for each consumer, whether they are looking for beauty, health or hygiene benefits,” Ohlyan added. 

Expert Speak: Medimix is a short name, with a long future 

The new positioning and targeting of Medimix has got a thumbs up from industry experts. They feel that over the decades Medimix has been able to capture a special mind share of the consumers with its positioning.

Ambi Parameswaran, Brand Strategist and Founder, Brand-Building.com:
“The success of Medimix can be traced to a very powerful television ad they ran in the 1990s. In that ad, a shopkeeper recommends Medimix soap to a customer who wants an anti-dandruff shampoo, a prickly heat talcum powder and a deodorant soap. The brand Medimix was presented as an ‘all-in-one solution’. So, while all soap brands were chasing emotional benefits and softer benefits like soft skin, beautiful skin, Medimix went all the way as a ‘medicated problem solution soap’. This has worked for them very well. The brand has managed to add softer benefits over the last decade to their hardcore problem solution imagery.” 

Jagdeep Kapoor, Chairman & Managing Director of, Samsika Marketing Consultancy:
“Medimix is a great brand, having a strong legacy of almost three generations of consumers.The brand journey of Medimix continues growing from strength to strength, growing from market to market.First of all, the brand name – Medimix – brings out medicinal properties with itself and the benefits that it provides to the consumers. Secondly, one of the greatest strengths of Medimix brand is its credibility and trust. Despite, being non-glamorous, it is highly effective. Thirdly, it is positioned on the platform of natural health, and today’s consumer loves that. Fourthly, 50 years is a long time in the journey of a human being, but a short time in the journey of a brand. The brand has the potential to continue its journey over many more decades because of good word of mouth and efficacy. Lastly, my brand mantra is – ‘To build a strong brand, have a short brand name’. Medimix is a short name, with a long future.”