Spirit W | Nyassa experience is one 'From Heaven and Earth': Ishween Anand

Do you know what the word ‘Nyassa’ that has a Sanskrit origin mean? It means healing through touch by chanting tantras and mantras. The result- a divine body. Taking this concept forward to its practical application is Nyassa, the bath and body products brand that has recently launched 28 new fragrances especially to beat the summer heat.

Nyassa was founded by Ishween Anand, a Chartered Accountant and a MBA from Stern School of Business, New York. She left her cushy finance job in New York to pursue her passion for fragrances and started the company in April 2007. Her vision was to create a beautiful product that was mild on the skin and one that left a wonderful lingering fragrance. Anand has been trained in the art of manufacturing bath and body products by experts around the world. Her passion has led to Nyassa having a distinctive fragrance and is the reason why its products are easily distinguishable from others in the field. 

Speaking to Adgully Anand says, “with this philosophy we embarked upon creating aesthetic products in rich textures and sensuous aromas. But for skin to maintain its youthful vitality, the product also has to work harmoniously with it. That is  why we only use the finest ingredients, keeping them wholesome, pure and natural to the extent possible.”

The soaps and body products are made only from the most natural materials, colours and fragrances. They are one of the few manufacturers whose products are truly 100% vegetarian. The company has been manufacturing and retailing close to 150 products across seven categories. They are sold through its retail outlets in Mumbai and franchises in Pune, Hyderabad and Nasik, very soon Nyassa will open its outlet in Delhi. The company also works with online retailers IndiaYogi and Fashion and You. 

Although Nyassa’s products are for all seasons, it has launched new fragrance based products for the summer season. Explaining how the brand will help consumers beat the heat this summer Anand says, “the 28 new handmade and natural soaps that we have launched in a medley of fragrances are very unique. We have special summer fragrances such as Asian Lemongrass, Peppy Mint, Green Apple, and Tropical Vetiver and  these refreshing soaps are sure to keep the heat down this summer.”

A sneak peek into the new collection is Tropical Vetiver, Cafe noir, Vanilla and Dried Fruits, Southern Spice and Good Earth. All the ingredients of the soaps contain natural ingredients like Aloevera extract, Grape seed extract, honey, and cold pressed sweet almond oil, and cold pressed wheat germ oil, Glycerine, vitamin E acetate. Each of the new soaps have got 2-3 special ingredients other than the base 9 ingredients which make them unique.  Nyassa soaps are not only used in summers but throughout the year.

The company’s products have a competitive edge over similar substitutes. Nyassa soaps are made using natural ingredients and are completely vegetable based which gives the company an edge over other bath and body products available in the market today. Elaborating further on this Anand said, “There are many players in the bath and body products market which are mainly Ayurvedic category or herbal category. By definition they have restricted use of ingredients.  Nyassa is a fragrance story that uses its products as carriers for the same. Additionally each of the products has beneficial ingredients that work magic on the skin.”

The Nyassa experience is one “From Heaven and Earth”. To give you an example one of the most likely winners is the Cafe Noir Soap which has ingredients like Aloevera extract, Grape seed extract, honey, cold pressed sweet almond oil, cold pressed wheat germ oil, Glycerine, vitamin E acetate in the base and grounded coffee powder as exfoliants with activated charcoal to get rid of excess oil in summer. A lot of deliberation has gone into each product to appeal to all senses.

She further adds, “today people are as cautious about food for their skin as much as they are concerned about the food they eat. Keeping products simple with good clean ingredients, minimizing chemicals, eradicating use of animal products are all trends for a discerning customer especially the  Nyassa customer.”

Anand explained in detail Nyassa’s production, packaging and distribution strategies. Where production strategy is concerned Nyassa products are made in small batches with the use of natural ingredients to ensure that the consumer can use fresh products each time they use the product. All Nyassa products ingredients are lab tested through vendors before they are purchased. Additionally the products also go through a vigorous round of testing after a batch is made. Additionally Nyassa does not get its products manufactured from other vendor so as to ensure full control over the process from start to finish.

As for packaging strategy, their motto is simple and  minimal, “What you see is what you get”. In the coming months, with the launch of new product line, the company is planning to change its packaging to provide more information to the consumer on the ingredients of the product. On the distribution front, the products are retailed through six company owned retail stores and seven shop-in-shop formats like Shoppers Stop, Westside, Suriti and The club- Ivy Store and many more. They also have a strong online presence with online portals like Jabong, Flipkart, Purpple, Pepperfry and many more. In addition to the retail business they also supply to leading five star hotels, boutique hotels and spas.

She further informed that their distribution model is very lean. She said, “We are in the process of launching a new range with a new packaging. Once that process is over we will look to increase distribution pan India and overseas.”

When asked about the target segment they are focusing on presently Anand said, “Our targeted end user has primarily been women between the age of 24 and 65. This consumer has an active lifestyle and mind and body wellness are important to them. Additionally our customers love fragrances.  Nyassa customer is knowledgeable and a discerning consumer of bath & body care and uses the products as rituals.”

As for future plans, Nyassa plans to open more retail outlets. By end of 2013 they would like to expand to additional 40 shop-in-shop outlets all over India.  Besides the Indian market they are also gearing up to tap the overseas market.

Does Nyassa have a creative agency or media to meet its marketing and promotional needs? To this she replied, “Nyassa does not use a media agency and we do not advertise. We promote our brand through promotions, tie ups and use of effective PR service for our products to reach the target audience.” It participates in various exhibitions & trade shows. In the past one year the company has done various marketing activities through various mediums to bring about brand awareness. Activities include tie ups with expat clubs and restaurants, mall activations, sampling activity, public relation, online activations, social media, corporate events, exhibition & SMS campaign. 

Aggressive marketing promotion is needed to increase the awareness level among consumers. Today being active on social media, which is a popular tool for marketing purposes used by many companies and with the popularity of social networking sites, it has become easier to target the right customer. “Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, foursquare, blogs and YouTube are all making it easy for us to make our customers more aware about the brand & the products. Digital engagement & innovation has helped take our business to a different level. With the help of social media we interact with our customers on Facebook & Twitter for various things like new product launch, beauty tips, contest, and benefits of ingredients,” shares Anand.

Adding further she said, “We are currently present on few online portals. And for our new Nyassa website we are making it very consumer friendly and interactive for the customers. I am sure it’s going to be an experience for the customers to purchase the products on the Nyassa website.”

Viewing her  journey till date Anand has no regrets and certainly considers her decision to be worth the while. “Entrepreneurship for me has been an exhilarating experience. My background has always been in financial services industry and starting Nyassa was starting from ground zero as I have had no formal manufacturing or science background or any business experience. So the entire business was started on a gut feel and a lot of passion. I started this business in December 2006. I had just returned from the US with a bunch of formulations in my hand. So right from hiring the first chemist, finding space, sourcing several ingredients, identifying vendors,  and everything that it takes to run a manufacturing and retail format was a challenge.”

Looking back she is extremely proud to have created a range of products that are loved by consumers, to have created employment for families in manufacturing, to have built a team that is passionate about innovation and entrepreneurship. “I consider myself lucky to have found my calling and even luckier that I feel confident that with all available resources we are on a mission to create an International Bath and Body brand,” concluded Anand.

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