Yoga guru Baba Ramdev took a shot at multinational companies selling fairness creams, saying they fool the customers with claims of making ‘dark skin fairer’ and girls appearing in their advertisements are naturally beautiful. Every common man of this country understands the commercials are nothing but marketing gimmicks. Earlier, Baba Ramdev commented on Maggi and when the controversy broke out, he launched his own noodles brand. Nowadays, Baba has become a business man. Now, people clearly understand that he wants to launch some fairness product from Patanjali. Moreover, Patanjali has launched similar fairness brands and marketed it worldwide.
This is one of the many steps taken by Ramdev before launching any product, criticizing other’s products while one’s product is ready to be launched. However, I am sorry to convey the message that we are not going to be fooled by any Ayurvedic product or whatsoever products launches by you and for your kind information, there are various examples that people develop fairer skins after using fairness products. Ramdev said that the wealth of the nation and money should remain in the country only, and Patanjali is working for fulfilling the same motto. By saying this, he expressed his hidden agenda of grabbing the business for his own brand. Anyway, Baba has become more of a businessman sorts than a yoga teacher.
India is considered as one of the biggest markets for beauty products especially for fairness solution. Among Indian society, there is an absurd statement and phenomenon of beauty. Ramdev’s Patanjali group has also diversified into a range of ayurvedic products. Even, commercials are shot for his products with heavy make-ups. There are high-end cameras used to shoot dark skinned girls. Later by editing the scene the same girl is posed as beautiful girls. Actually, they are using girls who are beautiful by birth. Interestingly, Patanjali group also sells a beauty cream product. And his ads which are hosted by Hema Malini, an old heroine, look young with all the above mentioned techniques.
Ramdev also said that all the profit earned through Patanjali brand products would go for charity and in the service of the nation. It would prevent country’s wealth draining to the overseas and utilise all its profit earned into the charity works and service to the nation.
In spite of existing multimillion dollar market of fairness products in the country, the question remains how impactful these products are to create an impression in consumer’s mind. Our skin colour is determined by our race and genetic lineage which in turn decides the amount and structure of melanin. Fairness creams can only work to a certain extent. As per dermatology studies, achieving fairness up to 20 per cent is possible, but not more than that. The fairness creams only block sun rays and prevent secretion of melanin, thus help in reducing tan and restoring natural skin. Extreme use of fairness creams can rather lead to severe skin damage. Fairness creams contain harmful bleaching agent such as hydroquinone, mercury, lead, nickel, chromium and high levels of steroids that cause various problems.
Baba Ramdev is arguably India’s most famous yoga guru, well known for his TV exercise shows. However, now he’s using his brand to sell everything from shampoo to cereal, and detergent to instant noodles.
Patanjali, the company he founded, claims to have had sales of more than $300m (£200m) in the past year, and is one of India’s fastest-growing consumer goods firms. Dressed in saffron robes, long hair tied up in a loose knot, flowing beard, wooden slippers and a cloth bag slung over his shoulder, Baba Ramdev looks every bit like a traditional yoga guru. For more than a decade he has demonstrated exercises in front of massive crowds, instructing them on how to breathe inhale and then exhale, impressing them with his knowledge of ancient yogic asanas. He’s surrounded by a large group of armed guards and plain-clothes policemen who make up his security cover.
Baba Ramdev and his aide Acharya Balkrishna set up Patanjali about 10 years ago. Balkrishana was in controversy for his age, nationality and qualifications. The yoga guru has millions of ardent followers, and many of them might be easily convinced to buy his products. He is politically well connected so it is convenient for him to promote his brands everywhere. Ninety per cent of Indian news channels air his product advertisements, he has almost encroached all the commercial slots of TV channels to promote his creams, shampoo to noodles. However, Ramdev still says his company’s advertising budgets are far lower than other consumer goods companies. Recently, Patanjali’s instant noodles launch turned out to be controversial. India’s food safety authority said the company did not have the licence to make it. Baba Ramdev says, it does have one and has sent a reply to the authority. Unfazed, his company is already gearing up for the next launches – skin creams, baby care products and a drink mix for children. The sales target for the next year is $750m. Baba is fading in yoga but making his bench mark in Indian market and corporate world.
