How HUL is reshaping marketing for the digital age

New Delhi: Hindustan Unilever (HUL), a leading FMCG giant, is pioneering a paradigm shift in its marketing strategy, transitioning to a social-first demand generation model. 

This move signifies a departure from traditional “one-to-many” marketing, embracing the “many-to-many” approach to foster personalised and one-on-one consumer engagement.

Central to this transformation is the integration of artificial intelligence (AI). Tejas Apte, Head of Media and Digital Marketing at Hindustan Unilever, emphasised AI’s crucial role in scaling personalisation efficiently at the recently held Ad:Tech in Delhi. 

One of the big steps that HUL has taken in this social-first demand generation model is doubling down on influencer marketing.  

A key component of HUL’s strategy is its extensive collaboration with micro-influencers. Tejas Apte, Head of Media and Digital Marketing at HUL, revealed that the company has been actively engaging influencers with over 8,000 followers for the past two to three years.

“In the age of our influencer marketing, in every category that we play, we will be having the most number of creators and possibly having the most number of users,” Apte stated.

Complementing its influencer strategy, HUL has also witnessed a substantial increase in its digital media contribution through the implementation of automated media planning. “Through automated media planning, the company’s digital media contribution has gone up by 2.5X in the last two years,” Apte emphasised. 

 This significant growth underscores the effectiveness of AI-driven tools in optimising media spend and maximising digital impact.

At the heart of this transformation lies HUL’s ‘Sangam’ platform, an AI-driven tool that streamlines various company functions, including finance, operations, and crucially, media planning and buying. 

Apte explained the platform’s significance in navigating India’s diverse market. “India being such a diverse market, it isn’t easy for a company like HUL with over 50 brands to do media planning for such a diverse market. But a platform like ‘Sangam’ has made this journey easy and helped reduce the turnaround time from 25 days to 5 days.”

Apte illustrated Sangam’s impact with a concrete example of its automated media buying for HUL’s premium brands. A slide presented on stage revealed a significant shift in ad spend allocation for premium brands: TV ad spends decreased from 60% to 39%, while digital video increased from 20% to 29%, social from 12% to 15%, and OTT from 8% to 17%. 

He also revealed that HUL now allocates 45% of its total advertising expenditure (adex) to digital channels.

Apte highlighted that ‘Sangam’ works on the fully integrated model in marketing, covering both creative and media. 

He cited the example of HUL’s haircare brand TRESemmé and its AI-powered hair styling assistant, TY. 

TY combines artificial intelligence, real-time 3D rendering, and TRESemmé’s professional styling expertise to offer consumers hyper-personalised recommendations and immersive styling experiences on demand. It utilises conversational AI and advanced 3D game engine graphics to engage with users about their hair care needs. Powered by AI, TY can conduct dynamic conversations and provide an interactive virtual salon experience, offering tailored styling guidance in real time.

While HUL relies heavily on AI for media planning and buying and also content creation, Apte emphasised that the role of creative agencies will always be integral. 

He said, “The creative agency’s job of defining the communication cannot be taken up by anyone.”

Apte then went on to highlight how HUL strategises the marketing of brands that it acquires. 

Giving the example of the haircare brand Indulekha, he said, “When we acquired a brand like Indulekha, which is deeply rooted in Ayurveda, we ensured that the core elements that made it successful remained intact. Instead of changing its essence, we focused on enhancing accessibility—whether by driving top-of-mind awareness, introducing innovative products, or expanding its availability across e-commerce and physical retail shelves. Each brand acquisition serves a unique purpose, and our approach is always tailored to amplify its strengths while making it more accessible to consumers.”

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) has been strengthening its digital and distribution ecosystem through platforms like HUL Kirana and the Shikhar app, aimed at modernising retail and enhancing its reach across India.  

Apte spoke about HUL Kirana, which helps small kirana store owners improve operations through digital solutions. By integrating inventory management, digital payments, and efficient supply chain mechanisms, HUL Kirana enables local retailers to optimise their business processes and enhance customer experience.  

He further talked about the Shikhar app, HUL’s B2B e-commerce platform, allowing retailers to seamlessly place orders directly with the company. It provides a user-friendly interface where shop owners can browse HUL’s product portfolio, receive customised recommendations, track orders, and access exclusive trade offers. The app ensures faster restocking, better price visibility, and real-time support, making it a game-changer for traditional retail networks.  

Originally Appeared Here