Hashmi Kajal

Media Management

Submitted to:

Mr.Mustafa Hussain

Submitted by:

Ambreen Pirani

Huda Malik

Yumna Ziaullah

Zufah Ansari

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History of Hashmi

Hashmi Surma/Kajal has perhaps one of the richest histories in terms of locally

manufactured products in Pakistan. About 2 centuries ago, Hakim Mohammad Hashim

developed the product Hashmi Surma which, as he had discovered, had amazing

curative and therapeutic properties to heal and protect eyes. The company, Mohammad

Hashim Tajir Surma, was established in 1794 in Bareilly, India and was shifted to

Karachi after the inception of Pakistan.

Amongst the various qualities of Hashmi as a brand is the consistent quality it has

continued to provide over the two centuries, due to which it still enjoys the position of a

household brand in Pakistan and India both. So much so, that the idea of a beautiful

eastern woman remains incomplete without the touch of Hashmi Kajal. Over the years,

Mohammad Hashim Tajir Surma has adapted to the changing environment, transforming

its production processes using state of the art technology.

On May 3rd, 2006 Hashmi Kajal came under public scrutiny when The Department of

Health in New York warned the public to avoid using Hashmi Kajal as it contained

dangerous levels of lead in it. However, it was later found out that the harmful products

were actually fake copies of the product since the original Hashmi Kajal/Surma is made

from pure and herbal products that do no harm to the eyes. Despite the clarification,

many people still continue to believe that Hashmi Kajal/Surma is dangerous to use.

Problems identified with Hashmi Kajal

One of the main problems with Hashmi Kajal is that people from the upper and upper

middle class refuse to accept the brand. Consumers from the niche and middle class

perceive hashmi as a product made for the lower class, reasons being the low price of

all the kajals and lack of awareness of hashmi kajal’s herbal ingredients used and the

brand’s international recognition.

Secondly, there is a lack of brand ownership, that is, people from the upper and upper

middle class who use hashmi kajal, refuse to accept that and hence do not own up for

the brand. Another problem with Hashmi kajal is counterfeit products sold under the

name of hashmi but deprived of the consistent quality offered by hashmi kajal. Many

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people also have an uncertainty about the origin of the product and still believe that it is

an Indian product.

Situation Analysis

In the market today, Hashmi's Kajal is known for its consistent quality and worth for

money, making it a good substitute for the expensive eye cosmetics which are now

available. With 216 years of experience, Hashmi is trusted for their loyalty to natural

ingredients and has established a relationship with their customers through the excellent

quality of their products.

This is the image that Hashmi has formed and maintained. Hashmi’s Kajal is also

considered to be therapy for the eyes due to its many benefits of being an all herbal

product, giving it a competitive edge and making it one of the most consumed eye

cosmetic products locally.

Although Hashmi may not be a leading brand internationally, it is still well recognized for

their variety of kajals and the unique effect it creates after application, which is

generating positive word of mouth for people of all ethnicities and nationalities. This has

enabled Hashmi to break out of the cliché of kajals only being limited to Pakistani or

Indian women, hence, opening a new market for them.

Hashmi's Kajal is mainly catering to women of the lower middle class of Pakistan as its

products are at an affordable price, allowing women of all socio-economic sectors to

purchase it. However, women of higher socio-economic sectors are now moving towards

kohl and prefer to be associated with international brands. Due to this, the current

market share of Hashmi is shrinking as there is a social stigma attached with using local

brands or products which are being used by the lower social class.

This being the reason, Hashmi is repositioning themselves to cater to the upper and

upper middle class of all ages by attempting to communicate with them and inform them

of the benefits using Hashmi's Kajal and clearing out any misconceptions about the

product. In order to communicate its originality and authenticity, it has provided herbal

reports and proven benefits on its company website.

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SWOT Analysis

Strengths Weakness

Herbal ingredients

Trust in brand because of experience in eye

care and therapy

International recognition

Affordable prices

Easy availability

Lack of acceptance

Outdated packaging

Misconceptions about origin

Opportunities Threats

Change in eye makeup trends (dramatic eye

makeup)

Change in lifestyle (health focused)

Competition from international brands

Controversy about kajal containing lead

Target Audience

By revamping the image of Hashmi Kajal in the minds of consumers, the new target

audience that hashmi kajal now aims for is the upper and upper middle class. Although

many consumers are from the upper and middle class, they refuse to accept the brand

since they perceive Hashmi as a product for the lower class. Through PR activities,

Hashmi Kajal is paving the way for brand acceptance and ownership.

Target Influencers

Important target influencers identified for Hashmi Kajal are famous ophthalmologists who

are able to guide people by explaining the benefits of herbal ingredients for the eyes,

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famous beauticians, celebrities and models; beauty tips writers of famous magazines.

The active and passive influencers are shown in the following impact map:

Household/local Beauticians Famous beauticians

Friends and family Beauty tips segments hosts

Cosmetic shop retailers Fashion and beauty magazines

Low profile beauticians Celebrities and models

General Public Beauty and health related journals

PR Considerations and Assumptions

Our planned PR strategy would be based on the following considerations and

assumptions:

Mohammad Hashim Tajir Surma (the company) has the adequate budget and is

willing to invest in the plan

The security situation of the country is stable and conducive to the plan we have

made

The product Hashmi Kajal is something that the upper middle class would be

willing to buy instead of internationally acclaimed branded kohl pencils

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High impact on end target customers

Low impact on end target customer

Influencer is passive

Influencer is active

The brand Hashmi Kajal has a well-established customer base even amongst the

middle and upper middle class which refuses to ‘own’ the brand

The possible endorsers that we have identified would be willing to endorse

Hashmi Kajal

Owing the well thought of and clearly timed plan, Hashmi will get a clear position

of a premium local brand in the minds of the Pakistani women

PR Objectives

Brand positioning : The aim of brand positioning is to alter the perceptions of

consumers from believing that Hashmi Kajal is a brand for the lower class, to a

broader outlook of acceptance by the upper and upper middle class. The tools used

for achieving this are:

Event: Fashion show to revamp the image of Hashmi Kajal, inviting

celebrities, models and media.

Encouraging Interaction : The main objective of the PR activities is to bridge the gap

between Hashmi Kajal and its consumers. For building strong relationships with

consumers, the following tools were used:

Social Media: With the help of Face book and Hashmi Kajal’s own blog,

there is a direct link with the consumers for feedback and queries.

Competitions: Two competitions held, to offer an opportunity to creativity and

originality.

Event: To be held in various universities, thereby encouraging the

participation of students.

Creating awareness : Some PR activities are focusing on attracting consumer’s

attention and making them aware of the benefits of Hashmi Kajal as well as how

Hashmi contributes to the society as well. The tools used for this are:

Articles: Highlighting benefits of herbal products for the eyes.

PR Advertorials: To communicate activities of Hashmi Kajal on Women’s Day

and Independence Day.

Generating goodwill : In order to maintain the trust and loyalty of consumers by

making them believe that Hashmi Kajal cares about the wellbeing of people,

activities that generate goodwill are:

CSR Activity: Hashmi Kajal’s support to the Depilex Smile Again Foundation

founded by Mussarat Misbah.

Workshop: Intended to support the under privileged classes of the society.

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PR Activities Time Line

YEAR

2010/11 Activities

July

First 3 weeks: Hashmi Kajal displays on selected pedestrian bridges all

over Karachi.

Last week: Fashion show by Hashmi, followed by a press release of the

event.

August Pr Advertorial: Independence Day & Hashmi’s association.

Mid Aug till the end of Aug: competition

September First week : Activation of Face book group

3rd week : Hashmi Advice Blog

Last Week : Articles regarding the popularity and usage of Herbal

cosmetics

October 2nd week : Appointment of brand Ambassadors/spokes model for

Hashmi followed by a press conference +Press release

November 01-20th Nov: Collaborating with TV channels on morning shows

December CSR activity: LRBT concert/carnival

Dec15th onwards: Photography Exhibition in the beauties of Pakistan.

(era wise) (two day event)

January Mid Jan Hashmi Fashion police (4 week activity) at universities and

Colleges

February Article on cosmetics and international brands.

CSR Activity: Make up workshops and certificate courses for

underprivileged career oriented women

March

8th March PR advertorial on Women’s Day

22nd March onwards: Competition-for Brand Ambassador through a

competition

23rd march: PR advertorial

April CSR activity : PR through Brochures-Mussarat Misbah-Women suffering

from domestic violence awareness campaign

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May Talent hunt –Intern with a makeup artist

June Last GRAND DINNER –COME EXPERINCE THE NEW BLACK

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