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In a recent boardroom meeting, Godrej Consumer Products Ltd. (GCPL) laid out an ambitious recalibration of its media and marketing strategy, with Global Media Lead Harsh Deep Chhabra, offering candid insights into what’s driving the change.

Over the past few years, GCPL has climbed into the top five advertisers in India by dramatically increasing its advertising and marketing investments. The mandate is clear: maximise reach at minimal cost, a philosophy deeply inspired by Byron Sharp’s ‘How Brands Grow’. “Every buyer matters,” Chhabria reiterated, underscoring the company’s focus on penetration over niche targeting or loyalty programs.

One of the most visible shifts has been the move of GCPL’s media account from Madison to EssenceMediacom, chosen after a rigorous pitch for its global perspective and advanced capabilities. But even as GCPL strengthens agency partnerships, it is simultaneously building a robust in-house ecosystem.

The MASH Effect

At the heart of this transformation is the MASH system — Media Allocation and Spends Harmonisation — a proprietary planning tool that has tripled the number of campaigns GCPL runs annually while slashing planning cycles. Coupled with a centralised programmatic desk in India that manages campaigns across 20 countries, GCPL is achieving sharper price benchmarking and lower “non-working” media costs.

A particularly bold initiative is the AI-led “content factory” in South Africa, with plans for an India rollout. This automated production hub creates brand-safe, high-quality video content at a fraction of traditional costs and timelines. “With AI making execution easier, we’re going to see a lot more ideas being tested,” Chhabria predicted.

Balancing Partnerships & Independence

While in-housing is a major thrust, GCPL values external collaboration for trading leverage, troubleshooting intelligence, specialist talent, and technology tools. EssenceMediacom in India and WPP Media in Indonesia remain key partners in this hybrid model.

The Digital-CTV Push

With internet penetration soaring, GCPL is channeling significant budgets into digital and connected TV. While hyper-personalisation remains expensive due to the high cost of first-party data collection, the brand is adopting its GAGA framework (Geography, Affluence, Gender, Age) to tailor messaging where feasible. For now, mass broadcasting still dominates.

Chhabria sees potential for a ‘TikTok-like’ platform to emerge in India, filling the gap left by the app’s ban. In the meantime, the company’s “3+1” strategy focuses on three mass-reach platforms plus an emerging player — potentially even Doordarshan, whose revival could offer unique reach.

Good, Cheap, Fast — Still The Goal

Whether in traditional or digital media, Chhabria said, “We always look for platforms that are good, cheap, and fast.” He noted that while traditional media has consolidated with no new entrants in print or TV, digital’s agility and AI’s low-cost execution potential are opening the door to experimentation at an unprecedented pace.

For GCPL, this is less about chasing shiny innovations and more about sustainable, attributable growth. The company is moving away from vanity metrics towards business outcomes, keeping a sharp focus on brand building over short-term promotions.