Former CEO of Gillette Tells Shantanu How To Beat Them

30 snips

Jan 31, 2025

Shantanu Khosla, former MD of Procter & Gamble in India, shares priceless insights from his extensive brand-building experience. He explores the latest consumer trends and the transformative potential of technology in marketing. With a live audience, Shantanu dives into the emerging grooming market and the shift in young males' preferences. He discusses effective marketing strategies and how to build a hit product that resonates with consumers. Plus, listeners get insider tips on how to outsmart industry giants like Gillette!

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INSIGHT

Brand Value in India

Brand value is crucial in India due to a fragmented market and low per capita consumption.
Building strong brands becomes essential for attracting a large user base.

ADVICE

Brand Building Essentials

Focus on a superior proposition, technology, cost structure, communication, and distribution to build a brand.
Consumer needs should be prioritized above all else.

ANECDOTE

Nirma vs. Gadi

Nirma, a laundry brand, disrupted Lever's dominance with a superior product and cost structure.
Gadi later surpassed Nirma by offering an even better product at the same price.

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In this episode, Shantanu is clearly thrilled to welcome back Shantanu Khosla, the former MD of Procter & Gamble, back to the Barbershop. This one is a masterclass for all consumer brands in India!

There’s so much wisdom in Shantanu Khosla’s words, that of course comes with his fair share of experience in brand building across the globe. He talks candidly about new channels and technologies that are emerging, and how all it takes for a brand to be a hit in front of the masses is an idea that sticks.

This time, the conversation is even more exciting, as they’re joined by a curious live audience, ready with their hard questions.

From this episode you will learn about the latest consumer trends, the magic behind viral marketing strategies and most importantly how to build and distribute a product of your own in the consumer space.

And here’s the twist—sir Khosla has some great advice for Shantanu on how he could beat Gillette and that is something you don’t want to miss!

We hope you love this conversation and learn something that will be super actionable for your entrepreneurial journey.

Drop your takeaways in the comments if any of this advice worked for you! And if you’d like to be a part of the live audience for the next shoot, drop and comment and fill this form - https://bit.ly/3WEZpHf

Navigate your journey through this conversation:

00:00 Coming up

01:20 Podcast summary

02:08 Economic Insights on India

08:12 The Impact of Technological Change

13:10 Key Conditions for Brand Success

23:38 Challenges in Brand Expansion

26:50 The Future of Brands in a Changing Market

34:30 Evolving Consumer Expectations

38:02 Importance of Authentic Communication

43:30 Timeless Marketing Ideas

44:59 Marketing and Advertising

47:50 Atlanta Braves Baseball Case Study

50:00 What Customers Want

52:11 Gillette's advice to Bombay Shaving Company

59:16 Need-Based Segmentation in Marketing

01:06:58 Adapting to Market Changes

01:12:38 How to Build a Successful Career

01:33:05 What matters more: Quality or Pricing

01:38:18 Word of Mouth Marketing

01:46:10 Strategies for Entering Tier 2 and Tier 3 Markets

01:51:58 Alternate career for Shantanu Khosla

01:54:22 Importance of Execution in Marketing

01:58:15 Challenges in Launching New Products in Established Markets

02:07:11 Career Paths: Corporate vs. Startups