Vasmol, the hair colour brand from Hygienic Research Institute, rolled out a festival-led digital initiative in Tamil Nadu during Pongal, placing the mother–daughter relationship at the centre of its communication. The campaign was designed to underline how the same brand continues to serve different generations within a family through distinct product propositions, without straying from its long-standing positioning around trust and safety.
The initiative leaned on digital storytelling rather than mass media, collaborating with Tamil digital creators including Pranika, Sai Rithu, Preetha Suresh, Divya Gowri, Caroline Joel and Reshma Reshu. Each creator produced relatable, home-based content that mirrored everyday Pongal preparations, allowing the brand to integrate organically into familiar family moments rather than staged festive tropes.
At the narrative level, the films drew a clear generational contrast in product choice. Mothers were shown opting for Super Vasmol 33 Coconut Oil Kesh Kala, positioned as a coconut oil-based hair colour enriched with amla, hibiscus and almond. The product narrative focused on nourishment alongside colouring, reinforcing its relevance to consumers seeking natural-looking black hair and a sense of reassurance built over decades of use.
Daughters, by contrast, were depicted choosing Vasmol Heena Shampoo Hair Colour, a relatively recent launch. The communication highlighted its convenience-led proposition, including a shampoo-like application process and a five-minute wash-off time. The inclusion of ingredients such as heena, amla, hibiscus and aloe vera framed the product as aligned with younger consumers’ expectations of speed, softness and shine, without abandoning the brand’s broader safety cues.
Together, the content positioned Vasmol as a single brand meeting evolving needs within the same household, a familiar marketing strategy in Indian FMCG but one executed here through a tightly defined cultural and regional lens. The Pongal context allowed the brand to anchor the narrative in tradition, while the creator-led execution kept it contemporary and shareable.
Commenting on the initiative, Priyancka Puri, senior vice president–marketing at Hygienic Research Institute, said, “As a legacy brand, Vasmol has always been part of how Indian families prepare for and celebrate important moments. Pongal gave us a natural opportunity to connect with families, especially mothers and daughters, by showing how different generations choose products that suit their needs while placing their trust in the same brand. This initiative reflects how we continue to stay relevant by integrating meaningfully into cultural moments that matter.”
The campaign reflects a broader shift among heritage FMCG brands towards digital-first, regionally nuanced storytelling, particularly in categories where trust has historically been built through television. By focusing on creators and everyday rituals, Vasmol avoided overt product demonstrations and instead reinforced mental availability during a key consumption moment.
The initiative ultimately reinforces the brand’s long-running promise, ‘Surakshit kaale mere baal, Vasmol ne kiya kamaal’, while adapting its expression for a new generation of consumers and platforms.