Pakistani marketing solutions adopted globally: Gillette CEO

The development highlights the potential for excellence among local corporations.

KARACHI: Marketing solutions developed in Pakistan have been adopted globally, highlighting the potential for excellence among local corporations, according to Gillette Pakistan Chief Executive Officer Saad Khan.

Talking exclusively to The Express Tribune, Khan explained that hanging displays or ‘hot spots’ deployed in retail outlets had helped improve sales revenue multi-fold for the company. He added that this marketing effort was so well received in the country that the same technique has been adopted by brand operators globally.

“Gillette has always had a strong association with sports,” said Khan, adding that the company is currently looking to capitalise on the hype and excitement surrounding the ICC Cricket World Cup through the launch of its online fantasy league. “Within hours of the launch, the league had more than 10,000 registered users,” he asserted.

Regarding the prospects of establishing manufacturing facilities in Pakistan, Khan said, “it will happen when the business gets to a level where we can justify that production here is more cost-effective than importing from Poland.”

While admitting that Gillette Pakistan was unable to innovate products because of manufacturing taking place abroad, he contended that the company has been “very innovative in marketing efforts”, by incorporating sports into advertisements and revamping in-store interceptors for greater visibility.

Responding to a query regarding prices of the company’s products, Khan said, “we want to give consumers the best price, subsequently, we brought down the Mach 3 razor price by 50 per cent.”

He said that the company realised that low-income markets require special attention on affordability. “If you compare Mach 3 with competitors, it is cheaper because it lasts much longer,” he asserted. He also highlighted that the jingle for Gillette blades has become widely recognised and synonymous with shaving in the country.

Other products

Gillette Pakistan also sells Duracell alkaline batteries as well as Braun and Oral B products. The chief executive admitted that so far marketing efforts for the latter brands had been minimal. Since P&G took charge of the brands in Pakistan, efforts have been concentrated on the company’s razors and men’s care products. “We made the choice to first focus on Gillette, but from March this year, we have a distributor for Braun for the first time in Pakistan,” said Khan.

The company has also launched its first advertising campaign for Braun. “We will push the oral care products harder too, once we have a complete portfolio available and the time is economically suitable,” he added.

Pay your taxes

Commenting on tax reforms, Khan called on citizens to assume responsibility for paying their dues. “There are people who are making mega bucks and still not paying taxes,” he said, adding that “the implementation of taxes should be done with a top-down approach.”

Khan called on the government to prepare separate long-term policies for each industrial sector in order to promote stability. “We need to have an economic roadmap for each industry for the next five years because investors need to conduct feasibility studies before they invest. When they see consistency in policies, taxes and duties, they will invest in the country,” he explained.

Khan also contended that smuggling and under-invoicing of imports present unfair competition to legitimate businesses and deprive the government of revenue. The company is in consultation with the government and tax authorities to curb these menaces.

He also urged the government to prepare a comprehensive plan which allows at least six months for the implementation of reformed general sales tax (RGST). Highlighting the poor tax-to-gross domestic product (GDP) ratio, he stressed the need for economic reforms.

The company

Khan took over as CEO of Gillette Pakistan in 2007. He had previously served successive terms as deputy general manager and finance manager at P&G since 1994.

Gillette has been operating in Pakistan since 1989. Initially established by Gillette, the company’s global operations were purchased by P&G in 2005.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 3^rd, 2011.