Safed’s long-standing bond with Durga Puja

For many who grew up in Bengal, the memory of tearing open a Safed detergent pack to find a surprise coupon is a familiar one, a simple plastic mug, a sturdy bucket, or, for the truly fortunate, a gleaming new bicycle. Beyond the thrill of these small windfalls, the brand itself was a constant fixture, its distinct blue and white packaging, now totally blue with several graphics, a silent participant in household life. Today, as the crisp pre-festive air signals the imminent arrival of Durga Puja, that presence becomes even more pronounced.

As the festive fervour of Durga Puja builds across the state, Safed becomes an even more common sight. This connection is something the brand has nurtured for years, making the festival a cornerstone of its marketing calendar. As Ritum Jain, Director at Shantinath Detergents (SDPL), puts it, “For a brand with deep roots in Bengal, Durga Puja is more than just a festive occasion; it is a homecoming. It's the time of year when our connection with the consumer is at its most vibrant.”

The brand's festive activities in its core market offer a clear indicator of its broader strategic priorities. The shift from a regionally dominant entity to a national challenger presents a significant business case in market expansion. It necessitates a dual focus: leveraging the deep-seated brand equity built over decades while simultaneously deploying the agile, market-specific tactics required to gain traction in new geographies.

A foundation built on guerilla tactics and core value

Jain took us back to the brand's origin, a story rooted in the kind of tactical ingenuity required to survive as a self-funded startup in a market of giants. He shared that the initial challenge for the 40-year-old family business was to build traction with limited resources, leading to a now-famous strategy that became a hallmark of the brand for a generation of consumers.

"Like many consumers remember, we started by placing coupons inside each pack. A bicycle in a truckload would generate immense word-of-mouth publicity in a town, creating buzz that traditional advertising couldn't buy. This grassroots approach helped us grow organically, retailer by retailer, town by town,” he elaborates. 

This strategy was perfectly suited for the mass-market segment, which constitutes the largest share of the detergent market by volume. Here, the price point is critical, but it's a lever that must be balanced with uncompromising performance.

"We are very clear about the segment we operate in," he states. "Our unwavering promise is to deliver the best possible product quality within that price segment. This commitment extends across our entire portfolio. For a company of our size, where advertising spends are measured, the ultimate hook is the consumer's trust in our quality, which ensures their loyalty and drives them to ask for our product by name."

The pivot to an emotional narrative

While the brand’s foundation is functional, its recent marketing efforts signal a conscious pivot towards building a deeper, emotional rapport with its audience. This brand humanisation is most evident in its occasion-based campaigns, which deliberately shift the focus from cleaning clothes to celebrating cultural and emotional values.

Ritum Jain decodes this strategic shift, "The emotional connect is what we are striving for now. When we create a campaign for Mother's Day or Independence Day, we are tapping into the core values that Safed as a brand represents: purity, strength, and righteousness. Our tagline, 'Na koi daag, na koi bhed, ek maa hai, jiske aage sab safed,' directly links the product’s core promise of purity to the unconditional and non-discriminatory love of a mother. It's about integrating our brand into a larger, more meaningful conversation that transcends the product."

This philosophy is being extended to their festive marketing, particularly for Durga Puja, a major festival in Safed's stronghold markets.

"Our upcoming Durga Puja campaign is built on a similar emotional framework," he reveals. "The core idea is to integrate the concept of motherhood with the divine energy of Maa Durga, highlighting that the spirit of the Goddess, her various facets of giving and non-discrimination, exists in every woman. In today's media landscape, especially on social media, you only have a few moments to strike a chord with the consumer, and we believe these emotionally resonant stories are the most effective way to do that."

Navigating India's diverse terrain

Safed’s strategic focus for expansion is the vast Gangetic belt, stretching from Rajasthan through UP and Bihar to the North East. This approach allows for economies of scale in communication and distribution. However, Jain emphasises the immense diversity within this belt, which necessitates a highly adaptive, hyperlocal strategy.

"Adaptability is the key to survival and growth in India," he notes, sharing a vivid example. "In a single day of market visits, we can cover three states and witness the dialect change dramatically. This immense diversity means you cannot have a single, rigid approach. You need a team that understands the local nuances. This extends to our channel strategy as well. The old gift-based promotions, for instance, are losing relevance in urban areas. Retailers don't have the space to store buckets, and the urban consumer's needs have evolved. We have to adapt to these realities."

This adaptability is also reflected in their approach to modern retail versus traditional trade.

"You have to be present where the consumer is. While our core strength remains in the rural heartland with smaller SKUs like the ₹10 pack, we cannot ignore the 40 crore people shopping online. That is where the future is heading, and we are present on all major e-commerce and modern trade platforms. The key is to adapt. E-commerce may favor larger packs, but the aspiration for better products is growing everywhere, and we have to cater to that," he says.

The vision: A test match, not a T20

As the conversation concludes, the focus shifts to the future. The spokesperson is candid about the brand’s ambitions, which are defined less by market share rankings and more by earning a permanent place in the consumer's mind. He underscores that marketing fundamentals, consistency and value, are timeless.

"The consumer has to feel that 'this is my brand'," he explains passionately. "That sense of ownership only comes from consistent quality. I often use the analogy of a famous food stall in Calcutta; you go back because the taste is exactly the same, every single time. That is what keeps the consumer coming back. You have to deliver that consistent, value-for-money experience."

This philosophy shapes Safed’s vision. While they are experimenting with a premium brand, Champion, the core focus remains on steady, sustainable growth.

"Our long-term goal is to establish a strong presence across the entire country and expand our footprint in the broader home care space," he concludes. "But the ultimate aspiration is for the consumer to feel that Safed is their brand and their company. We are not playing a T20; manufacturing is a test match. You have to stay on the pitch, build your innings patiently, and earn the consumer's respect. That is the only way to build an enduring legacy."