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<ul><li>For decades, hair removal brands have been portraying women achieving success and happiness in their ads once they get rid of their body hair.</li><li>It is because of these advertisements that a lot of women feel uncomfortable in their skin and have no option but to abide by the beauty standards set by society and unreal ads.</li><li>Now, Pee Safe has launched a razor brand FURR that aims to empower women and to encourage them to never apologise for shaving or not shaving their body hair.</li><li>We caught up with Pee Safe’s <keyword id="4970814" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikas-Bagaria">Vikas Bagaria</keyword> to find out all about their new product and marketing plan. </li></ul>Globally, celebrities like Rihanna, Madonna, Katy Perry, to name a few, are reclaiming the fact that body hair is absolutely normal and are trying to erase the stigma around it. Just three weeks back, we had done a <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/advertising/brands/article/leg-hair-dont-care-why-showing-womens-body-hair-in-indian-ads-is-long-overdue/articleshow/82165689.cms">story on how showing women's body hair</a> is long overdue in Indian advertisements. And now, there’s finally a brand that is challenging these decades-old advertising customs with its tagline and brand philosophy. Pee Safe has launched a razor brand FURR that aims to remind women that shaving bodies should be a choice. It is the first brand in India that is aiming to normalise body hair through its tagline ‘Let your Furr go or grow.’ <div type="Youtube" id="EDiIL4LmBI0" title="This Summer, take your skin for a vacation! Introducing the perfect accessory to keep the furr away!" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/EDiIL4LmBI0/mqdefault.jpg"></div> Unlike its competitors, FURR’s packaging is clutter-breaking as it doesn’t include a petite, flawless or a fair-skinned woman’s hairless legs covered in pink flowers. <div type="image" title="Veet vs furr (1)" msid="82550793" hostid="261"></div> The brand name and tagline was born in-house after Pee Safe conducted an internal research, which is a practice they follow for all their launches. The product name FURR was finalised because the brand wanted to call spade, a spade and put a fun spin to it, so they added an extra R. During their product research phase, they couldn’t help but notice the overwhelming amount of hairless skin in razor advertisements. Sharing the research methodology, Vikas Bagaria, Founder, Pee Safe said, “The best way to conduct a small, preliminary research is to talk to people around us. We are a women-dominated startup and we have all age groups working with us. It made the perfect audience to understand and get feedback from. Every one of them readily tried out our razors and shared feedback. It’s something we regard highly at Pee Safe. Their responses were 85% positive so we worked on the product a bit more including packaging to appeal to all age groups. Not all jobs/research has to be complicated.” It was during this internal study that Bagaria made up his mind that they were going to break stigma around personal care and hygiene yet again. He decided that FURR was going to be a brand that advocates body acceptance. “Big companies have been showing hairless women for hair removal products for ages now. It’s something no one ever paid attention to until we started researching. We found out that no brand ever talks about how body hair is normal. It’s something we’re born with and the notion of women being hairless exists mostly in India more than in foreign countries. We knew then we wanted to be the opposite of all these brands. That is where the tagline originated. Let your furr go or grow, the choice will always be yours. But if you do choose to let it go, then you’ve got us,” said Bagaria. This isn’t the first time that Pee Safe has challenged industry norms. Last year on Daughter’s day, it had launched a sanitary napkin advertisement featuring a man, reminding us how it is important for fathers to build a comfortable environment for their daughters as they grow up and normalise talking about periods. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="78369807" title="Story behind India’s first advertisement that features a man participating in a conversation around menstruation" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> And FURR is only getting started. It will slowly start showing body hair in its advertisements as well and really focus on the word ‘choice.’ “We currently show body hair in our ads and we will continue to do so. Our message will always remain simple – Body hair is a personal choice. No brand, man or even another woman can tell you what to do with your body. You wish to grow it, or not, should always be your decision. Don’t feel ashamed because of what society expects you to do. Be true to what you believe in,” said Bagaria. Over the years, advertisements have portrayed that all women have hairless bodies, which is a version of body shaming and upholding the stereotype as something taboo, dirty or unclean. We asked Bagaria the reason behind this custom and why brands hesitate from showing body hair in ads. He said, “Since the beginning of time, women have always been told to do things a certain way. The word “beautiful” had a rigid definition that fit extremely few girls/women. That is what Indian ads banked on. They banked on the insecurities that we have subconsciously grown up with. But that is changing now. These definitions are expanding and the younger generation is talking about these issues every day to raise awareness.” While some people feel empowered by shaving or waxing their bodies, it is their choice to shave or not shave. However, it is often considered that body hair is ‘unhygienic,’ when it is in fact a natural gift and meant to protect us from bacteria. And this is exactly what FURR wants to advocate in its marketing campaigns. Bagaria said, “We never want to make anyone feel less or insecure about their bodies or hair or skin. We want them to embrace themselves every day. Our aim is to increase positivity across and change our society’s mindset.” According to Pee Safe, the global hair removal products market is projected to reach $4.94 billion by 2027. In the Asia-Pacific region, Bagaria said that the growth in demand can be attributed to an increase in the population of youth. Apart from meeting this rising demand, Pee Safe wants to ensure that the choice for body hair removal among its women consumers is proactive. Sharing his overall vision for Pee Safe, Bagaria said, “Our aim is to be a body-positive brand that stands for issues embedded in the society for much longer than us. Everyone deserves to love themselves. We’re just trying to reach as many as possible to teach them the same with our products.” If a razor brand promoting body-hair love seems contradictory, that's sort of the point. The brand refused to be a part of the culture that makes women feel uncomfortable in their own skin.

There's finally a brand that is reminding women that shaving body hair is their choice

<ul><li>Ad &amp; Media Insider in partnership with <keyword id="1959531" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="Wattpad">Wattpad</keyword>, hosted a 2-part webinar where we brought industry experts to discuss what makes this generation different from others before them, how marketers need to approach them differently, if they want to become a part of their lives.</li><li>The panel was moderated by <keyword id="2998892" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Pooja-Jauhari">Pooja Jauhari</keyword>, CEO, <keyword id="2951846" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="The-Glitch">The Glitch</keyword> and had <keyword id="138476" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Mohit-Joshi">Mohit Joshi</keyword>, CEO, Havas Media Group, <keyword id="10210068" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="archana-tiwari-nayudu">Archana Tiwari-Nayudu</keyword>, Director - Content &amp; Communications, upGrad, <keyword id="4970814" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikas-Bagaria">Vikas Bagaria</keyword>, Founder, Pee Safe and <keyword id="3747310" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="devashish-sharma">Devashish Sharma</keyword>, Country Manager, Wattpad India as panelists.</li></ul>GenZ, the tech-savvy, digital native generation that is often blamed for having an attention span which is even lesser than that of a goldfish, is also a difficult target group to decode, from a marketing perspective. GenZs are visibly different from previous generations of consumers. True they have shorter attention spans but if they feel a particular kind of content resonates with them, they will stick around, even if it is long-form content. They are also on the lookout for brands that go above and beyond just selling their products. They instantly connect with brands that they feel are socially and environmentally conscious. To find out more about this often difficult-to-please consumer set, Ad &amp; Media Insider in partnership with Wattpad, hosted a 2-part webinar where we brought industry experts to discuss what makes this generation different from others before them, how marketers need to approach them differently, if they want to become a part of their lives. The panel also discussed the role good storytelling plays in ensuring that GenZers like a particular brand. The panel was moderated by Pooja Jauhari, CEO, The Glitch and had Mohit Joshi, CEO, Havas Media Group, Archana Tiwari-Nayudu, Director - Content &amp; Communications, upGrad, Vikas Bagaria, Founder, Pee Safe and Devashish Sharma, Country Manager, Wattpad India as panelists. Millennials vs GenZ – The key differentiators The conversation started with charting out the major differences between GenZ and the preceding generation, Millennials. The textbook definitions of these two generations are anyone born between 1981 and 1996 (ages 23 to 39 in 2020) are millennials whereas people born between 1996 and 2012 are categorized as GenZ. Explaining what he thinks defines GenZ and differentiates them from millennials and other generations before them, Sharma said, “What differentiates GenZ from previous generations is that they are digital and mobile native, they are great at creating content and they are also people who genuinely want to connect on social causes.” Adding to Sharma’s opinion, Joshi said, “GenZ is socially conscious but also very ruthless. When it comes to choosing a brand, they go beyond the functional benefits and look for the social benefits. And you have to be really fast when talking to them because their attention span is abysmal.” “This is a generation that believes in being real and bold,” added Tiwari-Nayudu. On how stories are an important part of engaging with this audience, Sharma said, “Memes to movies, stories can link brands to culture. While in the past, brand jingles used to help consumers connect with brands and build a recall, today things are different. Today memes do the same job. What has changed is, jingles used to be a one-way communication whereas memes are much more participative and that’s what GenZ is looking for,” added Sharma. The importance of consistency in customer experience For this generation, the kind of experience they get while talking to a brand is very important. Therefore, customer and brand experience becomes an important factor when it comes to this set of audience rooting for a brand. Sharing his thought, Bagaria said, “This is a generation that is looking for a solution and not just a product. This is also a generation that is vocal. They will talk to you and they will tell you what they want and the more you talk to them and give them solutions and information, the more they will stick to you.” Relevance and meaningfulness is important for GenZ added Joshi. “If you want to build a brand for this younger generation, it has to be built in alignment with their values and beliefs,” he added. Joshi also gave the example of recent campaigns Havas Media Group had done for Durex including ‘Mutual Climax’ and ‘Durex Jeans’. “These campaigns happened because we listened to the brand’s consumers and created a narrative around that. Today it is all about creating a product which this generation wants. For them, engaging with a product doesn’t make sense unless it’s been made for them. Therefore, successful marketers have to build a product bottoms up,” elaborated Joshi. “Listening to consumers on every touchpoint is extremely important,” added Jauhari. Throwing some light on how a marketer’s approach towards crafting communication is also changing today, Tiwari-Nayudu added, “I am very happy to see that today, everybody is thinking of a pull model rather than a push model. In the pull model, storytelling is at the core of everything you do. You have to connect with the audience in a way that it is immersive and engaging because you want the audience to be a part of your storytelling." Authenticity in storytelling upGrad recently came up with a campaign that showed people in an office kissing a donkey. The campaign took the phase, kissing ass literally and created a campaign around it. And the ad went viral, owing to both the novelty of the story and the way it was told and also because a lot of people related to it. “When we were working on the idea, we had several rounds of discussion to understand how to go about it. We wanted to be real and authentic. What we came up with resonated with the audience. SOo it is very important that you use a language that your audience understands and tell it in a way that they relate to it because they want real stuff,” shared Tiwari-Nayudu. The conversation also steered towards ‘Causevertising’, which is a term used for brands who create communications around a cause. When asked if GenZ believes in cause-vertising, Joshi said, “For GenZ, cause-vertising is a bad word. They are aware of everything so you can’t really fool them. They will see right through you. At Havas, we have come up with a notion of meaningfulness and there are 3 parts to it. When consumers look at a brand, they look at its functional benefits, that is, what are the basic functions of the product. They look at the personal benefits, which means they see how it is helping them personally. Then thirdly, and this is the most important one for GenZ, they look at the collective benefits.” Giving a recent example, Joshi spoke about Baba ka Dhaba and how that initiative was all about meaningfulness. “Once the conversation started, Swiggy and Zomato got into it and added Baba ka Dhaba to their platforms. That’s something that GenZ considers meaningful. It wasn’t cause-vertising but it was meaningful advertising. They are asking what are you as a brand doing for the industry and the community? They also want to see what you’re doing and if you are able to convince them about your authenticity, they will buy your product. In fact, they are ready to pay more for products that have higher collective benefits,” explained Joshi. Bagaria also shone the light on the importance of creating products by listening to your consumers. “Ours is a brand that is by GenZ and for GenZ. We have come up with so many products just by listening to this young generation. Therefore, it is very important to take a bottoms up approach. Listen to your consumers and then create your products. If you do that much, you won’t need to advertise. Your products will sell automatically,” he said. On what a marketer should focus on in the future to be able to connect with this set of audience, Sharma said, “User-generated content is something that works well for GenZ and that is something marketers should look at. Today, its not just about targeting a direct audience but also about giving a push to these creators through whose content you can unlock newer audiences.” Watch the full conversation here: <div type="javascript" title="Facebook" contenttype="Video"><cdata><![CDATA[]]></cdata></div>

Why good storytelling is the perfect tool to connect and communicate with GenZ

<ul><li>Pee Safe’s sister brand Raho Safe, a feminine-hygiene company started by a man, is trying to include men in the conversation around menstruation through its latest campaign. </li><li>The campaign aims to normalise men buying pads just like other things for their women counterparts and breaking the stigma around menstruation.</li></ul>Have you also wondered why pharmacists or shopkeepers awkwardly and hurriedly respond when you ask for a sanitary napkin? They rush to find a black bag or a paper bag to wrap it in -- as if we have asked for something illegal. It is mostly hidden inside the shop -- rarely can you spot them on the counter -- unlike condoms. A lot of women whisper when they buy a pad and we continue talking about menstruation and buying pads in whispers, as if we are ashamed of it. To address this taboo, we all need to come forward and start talking about it. Pee Safe’s Raho Safe is the first brand in India to include men in conversation about menstruation. It aims to encourage men to buy pads for women in their lives and remind them that menstruation is a natural process through its campaign #menbuypads. It tells them that a true gentleman is the one who buys pads. The brand has also on-boarded well-known influencers such as Rannvijay Singha (3.6 M Followers), Angad Bedi (490K Followers), Karan Wahi (2.7 M Followers) and Mohit Malhotra (200 K Followers) to address the taboo. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> It is also using humour and memes to talk about an ‘uncomfortable’ topic and target GenZ through its social media. <div type="javascript" title="Instagram" contenttype="Image"><cdata><![CDATA[ ]]></cdata></div> The idea behind the campaign is to take forward the brand’s motto of removing the mental block around hiding sanitary pads inside a newspaper or black bag, especially when men buy them and enable the transition from ‘Men Can Buy Pads’ to #menbuypads. On Daughter’s Day, which is celebrated on September 27, Raho Safe launched a revolutionary digital advertisement that shows a man partaking in a conversation about menstruation. The video has already garnered 500k views. <div type="Youtube" id="x7LSJcx6zyA" title="When They Grow up too fast" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/x7LSJcx6zyA/mqdefault.jpg"></div> The father decides to take his daughter to a mart to buy her a birthday present. He suggests a doll and a synthesizer. The daughter responds with a very innocent smile and reminds her father that she is 13 now and doesn't play with dolls anymore. He picks up a teddy bear because who doesn’t love a soft toy and finds his daughter in the hygiene section. She picks up Raho Safe’s Sanitary pad and her father looks at her proudly and nods. The voice over goes, “You don’t realise when the kids grow up. You should also act like an adult and embrace them. Help them maintain safe hygiene and stay healthy with Raho Safe.” (translated from Hindi) The song in the background balances the mood quite well and acts like a cherry on the top. It asks, “Why doesn’t the world understand that my world has changed now? Your daughter who used to play with dolls has now grown up.” Explaining the overall idea behind including men in the conversation, <keyword id="4970814" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="Vikas-Bagaria">Vikas Bagaria</keyword>, Founder, Raho Safe said, “It is a normal practice for me to buy sanitary pads for my wife. Neither am I ashamed to procure them nor do I hesitate to ask for them in a store. Young girls and women are the future and it is as much the responsibility of fathers as it is of mothers to ensure they have a hygienic and safe environment to realize their goals. Raho Safe sanitary pads are not only high quality but also affordable. I care about the women around me and it is time that other men do too in more ways than one.” Elaborating on the brand’s motto behind the campaign, Bagaria added, “Today, menstrual hygiene is no longer a women’s issue alone and has a major impact on various other factors related to the overall household. Hence, it has to be considered as an important area which gets attention from all. We have created the campaign in a quirky manner to connect with the Gen Z. Our aim is to eliminate all taboos, misinformation and hesitations related to menstrual hygiene. The idea is to convey the message that there is no taboo or shame in being a man and buying sanitary pads,” According to the reports by the National Family Health Survey, nearly 336 million women are menstruating in India and only about 121 million (roughly 42%) are using sanitary napkins, locally or commercially produced. Even though India has made great strides in addressing the taboo around menstruation and ensuring access to sanitary pads to those who cannot afford them; a lot still needs to be done. Pharmacists can play a key role in normalising buying sanitary pads. They also feel uncomfortable when a woman goes to buy a sanitary pad. <keyword id="4640229" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="PeeSafe">PeeSafe</keyword> and RahoSafe have made conscious efforts to sensitise them as well. “Pharmacists are key stakeholders in the whole process of ensuring optimal menstrual hygiene for women. They are responsible for making sanitary pads and all other menstrual hygiene products available to women all over India. Hence, they need to not only understand the importance of <keyword id="2067117" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="feminine-hygiene">feminine hygiene</keyword>, but also play a part in spreading awareness about the subject. We have consistently run campaigns that integrate various stakeholders into the process, and will do more in the future bringing in pharmacists as well,” shared Bagaria.

Story behind India’s first advertisement that features a man participating in a conversation around menstruation

<ul><li>When Vikas Bagaria conceived Pee Safe, his closest friends and family members failed to understand why a ‘man’ would want to launch products for women’s hygiene</li><li>There came a point in Bagaria’s journey when he almost sold the company and wanted to go back to his older projects, which did not make people frown and were doing rather well</li><li>Today, Pee Safe owns more than 90% of the market in the toilet seat sanitizer category and aims to become a ₹1000 crore brand on the back of influencer marketing and disruptive products</li></ul>It was on a road trip from Gurgaon to Gujarat when Founder and Managing Director, Pee Safe -- Vikas Bagaria’s wife — Srijana fell sick and had to be admitted to a hospital. She was diagnosed with acute Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) after using a public restroom. And that’s when Srijana and Bagaria conceived the idea of making a product that could be sprayed on a toilet seat to kill germs and reduce the chances of UTI for women. Pee Safe commercially launched under SafetyKart in 2013 and soon after the launch, it had already sold about 1,00,000 units. The brand has now diversified into other women’s hygiene products including biodegradable sanitary pads, organic cotton tampons, menstrual cups and panty liners. Intimate wash products for both men and women, wipes and sweat pads, and a maternity care line including breast pads. Its latest venture is ‘Pollution Safe Anti-Pollution Dust Mask’, which comes into the market right before Diwali. The brand has now spread its net across 3,000 stores in India and aims to be an international brand soon. The Nadir of Bagaria’s Journey While the idea was clutter-breaking, it was not an easy ride for Bagaria. There was a time when he almost sold Pee Safe to a friend. “There came a point in my journey when I wanted to go back to my older projects, which were doing well and were professionally managed. I think it was my personal experience that made me go on, despite second thoughts. The fact that my wife Srijana suffered the infection and the thought that many other women would also be facing similar difficulties, made me stay put. There were, of course, apprehensions from many friends and my family on ‘why a man would focus on women’s hygiene products.’ However, my only answer was why can’t men make a product for women! Today, our focus is on overall hygiene and wellness and we have products across the spectrum,” shares Bagaria. On His Way to the Crest on the Back of Digital Mediums “Our aim is to make Pee Safe a household name through an impactful micro-influence and effective cause-leadership,” shares Bagaria. Bagaria believes in the power of digital mediums and wants to continue leveraging the power of influencers. Wider internet penetration and awareness worked out for his benefit. He says women in Tier II and Tier III markets are also ‘waking up to alternative menstrual hygiene products and there are more women becoming environmentally-friendly’. Pee Safe recently on-boarded a TV actor who has a ‘massy appeal’ - Anita Hassanandani, because it aims to resonate with women of all classes. “We have 6,000 influencers who have talked about our products on our Instagram page for the last three years, out of which 80% are organic influencers. They are product users. Our TG is in the age group of 15-35 for which we spend extensively on digital marketing, which is also our preferred medium. We have also recently signed on TV actress Anita Hassanandani as our brand ambassador. She is a household name and personally identifies with our vision as well." However, Bagaria feels that after a brand is wide-known, the marketing spends should subsequently decrease. “For Pee Safe, influencer marketing is the key consumer-driving medium and thus, our focus is on spending heavily on digital marketing. While we spent 50% of our total expenses on marketing in 2018, we have brought it down to 45% in FY 19. Of this 45%, online and offline have equal focus. Through the years, we have seen multiplied growth towards brand awareness and customer preference to Pee Safe. I feel that as a brand grows year after year, the spend on marketing decreases. It’s a reverse trend. When a brand is new, it spends more on marketing. When it acquires a place in the market, the marketing budget goes down,” he says. Fearless Marketing Strategies It was not just a disruptive product idea and timing that worked in Bagaria’s favour, Pee Safe played out a very smart marketing tactic - it dared to speak about the issues that others didn’t. It is one of the first few brands in India to show ‘red blood’ in its campaign, which naturally sparked a conversation on social media. He wants to continue challenging taboos and raising awareness. 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="Youtube" id="gI61qJxeVrs" title="#OwnTheRed - Menstrual Hygiene Day" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/gI61qJxeVrs/mqdefault.jpg"></div>













 “We recently launched a one-of-its-kind campaign showing red blood instead of blue liquid with the aim of making period talks normal and natural. I think the shyness is drifting away gradually and more and more women as well as men are opening up to the idea. I feel that the onus lies on brands like Pee Safe to use their positioning in the market and create awareness, which is also what we aimed to achieve through this campaign. Our campaigns #OwnTheRed &amp; #DoItTheNaturalWay aim to challenge the taboo and remove the stigma associated with periods and menstrual health in the country. The idea is also to educate and empower women and young girls on menstrual hygiene. We intend to escalate the conversations around the immediate need for a Green Switch in menstrual hygiene practices.” He adds, “Some of the popular campaigns we have spearheaded include the Pee Room Conversations, which reached out to more than 2.5 million women across India and digital promos such as #HerPwr and #TakeCareMaa.” Latest Endeavours and Goals Ahead By foraying into the organic and biodegradable sanitary products segment, Pee Safe targets to capture the next promising sanitary products market which is expected to reach a value of $992.8 million by 2024. On the other side, its flagship product – Toilet Seat Sanitizer Spray continues to the ‘hero'. “Pee Safe currently owns more than 90% of the market in the Toilet Seat Sanitizer Category and we are launching new products across the hygiene and wellness space almost every few weeks. We have witnessed an unprecedented growth of 200% in FY18 and raised $2 million from a group of investors. Going forward, our aim is to become a Rs 1,000 crore brand.” Pee Safe is also moving towards eco-friendly and ayurvedic products, which is a niche market and a relatively challenging market to crack. Bagaria says, “It can be a challenge from time to time to convince consumers to let go of the big companies that still haven’t made their move towards more eco-friendly options.” Currently a 101-member team that is present in 15 cities of India and some parts of the Middle East and Africa, Pee Safe aims to be a global brand that dominates the conversation around sanitation and hygiene one day.

How Pee Safe is aiming to become a ₹1,000 crore brand on the back of influencer marketing

<ul><li>The investors include <keyword id="131825" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="natco-pharma" source="Orion">Natco Pharma</keyword> &amp; Rainmatter Health and are supported by Zerodha founders and existing investor, Alkemi Growth Capital.</li><li>The funds will be utilised to expand retail presence in India and overseas with an omni-channel approach.</li><li>Currently, the brand is available in over 15,000 physical retail stores across 70+ cities in India. </li></ul><keyword id="2806972" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="pee-safe" source="Orion">Pee Safe</keyword>, a hygiene and wellness brand owned by Redcliffe Hygiene, has secured $3 million (approximately ₹25 crore) in funding for its Series B round. The total target for this funding round is $6 million (₹50 crore). The present funding comes from Natco Pharma and Rainmatter Health. It is supported by Zerodha founders, Nithin Kamath and Nikhil Kamath. Alkemi Growth Capital, an existing investor, also participated. Pee Safe had raised Series A funding of ₹30 crore from Alkemi Growth Capital in October 2019. Pee Safe, founded in 2013, initially offered a <keyword id="100487" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="toilet-seat" source="Orion">toilet seat</keyword> sanitiser. Over the years, it has expanded its product range to cover personal hygiene needs from puberty to menopause, including products like reusable pads, tampons, menstrual cups, and more. Pee Safe is known for its focus on intimate wellness and personal hygiene. Says Vikas Bagaria, Founder and CEO of Pee Safe, "This funding will accelerate our expansion efforts and establish us as the leading brand in the rapidly growing intimate wellness sector, which boasts a remarkable CAGR of 16%. Over the past five years, Pee Safe has achieved a remarkable growth rate of 100% CAGR, surpassing market expectations." Earlier this year, the company promoted Rithish Kumar, one of its early founding members, to the position of Co-founder. Kumar said that the newly acquired funds will be utilised to expand our retail presence in India, expand overseas with an omni-channel approach and allocate additional resources to marketing and awareness initiatives. “Currently, we are available in over 15,000 physical retail stores across 70+ cities in India and maintain a strong online presence on major e-commerce platforms, in addition to our own online platforms. We also export to 20 countries in 5 continents,” says Kumar. Pee Safe was established to address a critical concern for women's health – the risk of urinary tract infections (UTI) resulting from unsanitary toilet seats and the limited access to clean public restrooms. The company introduced its first product, a toilet seat sanitiser spray, in 2013, which marked the beginning of their journey. Since then, Pee Safe has expanded its product portfolio, now offering a diverse range of over 25 products. These products primarily focus on hygiene, menstrual care, and grooming, aligning with the company's commitment to enhancing personal well-being. Pee Safe says it has served over six million customers, including more than 700,000 registered customers on their website. The company has also made a significant difference in the lives of over 200,000 menstruators from underprivileged backgrounds through their awareness campaigns and generous donations of over a million menstrual care products.

Pee Safe raises $3 million from partial Series B round for expansion push

<ul><li>Non-organic <keyword id="9265976" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="period-care" source="Orion">period care</keyword> products rack up a huge bill, both to the pocket and the environment.</li><li>GenZ and millennials are turning to <keyword id="2986064" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="menstrual-cups" source="Orion">menstrual cups</keyword>, period discs, reusable pads and <keyword id="7379021" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="period-panties" source="Orion">period panties</keyword> to save plastic pollution caused by sanitary napkins.</li><li>Business Insider India speaks to new-age hygiene brands about the future of <keyword id="49089" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="sustainability" source="Orion">sustainability</keyword> in the period care industry.</li></ul>Every year, around 12.3 billion used sanitary pads are dumped in landfills in India, said a <a href="https://toxicslink.org/Media/press-release/menstrual-waste-creating-plastic-mounts-">report </a>by the environmental group Toxics Link. Each of these non-organic sanitary pads is equivalent to four plastic bags, and it takes <a href="http://toxicslink.org/docs/Press%20release%20on%20sanitary%20waste.pdf">250-800 years</a> to decompose. And, some may never decompose at all. To reduce their carbon footprint on Earth, young millennials and GenZs are switching to greener options like menstrual cups, reusable pads, period discs, tampons, period panties, etc. Not only are these alternatives greener but some of them are also cheaper. <div type="image" title="pro (7)" msid="93758578" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Lemme Be&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> “There are more than 35 crore menstruating women in India. If all of them use 20 pads in a month, just imagine the mammoth amount of plastic waste we can generate. Fast forward to 50 years, all countries will be drowned in pads if they remain in our system for 500-800 years,” says Devidutta Dash, founder of new-age menstrual care startup Lemme Be. This pushed Dash to launch Lemme Be, a sustainable period care brand two years ago. “Today, we are growing at 30-40% month-on-month and we expect to make about ₹30 crore of revenue this financial year,” Dash told Business Insider India. <div type="image" title="oana-cristina-mZel4xJrMUM-unsplash" msid="93758659" hostid="261" caption="&amp;lt;p&amp;gt;Unsplash&amp;lt;/p&amp;gt;"></div> Period care brand Sirona Hygiene says it’s bringing in 20,000-30,000 new consumers for its menstrual cups, every month. “About a million women have moved to our cups and this is without any advertising. Indian women are being far more open to trying products which are helping her get through her period better than what the pad does,” said Deep Bajaj, founder and CEO of Sirona Hygiene. Pee Safe too says that cups have picked up in the last 18 months. “Unlike the US, where people started moving from pads to tampons, in India we see that they are moving from pads directly to cups,” said Vikas Bagaria, founder and CEO of Pee Safe. Bagaria said that the overall menstrual hygiene market is pegged around ₹6,000-7,000 crore, which he says is a duopoly between the giants Whispers and Stayfree occupying 90% of the market. Within that, the sustainable category is picking up pace and is growing at the rate of 100% year-on-year, said Bajaj. While there is no specific data available on this nascent market, he said, it could be worth around ₹100 crore overall already. As per Toxics Link’s report, 80% of women and girls in urban India use inorganic disposable sanitary pads. A study by them says that 88% of respondents were willing to switch to environment-friendly alternatives. Hygiene brands have also started manufacturing locally, which has slashed prices. “Previously, we were selling it for ₹499 when we were importing from China and now the price is ₹349, almost ₹100 reduction,” Bagaria told Business Insider India. Tier II, III city consumers make the green shift too Kerala and Goa saw many early adopters of these options. Sirona, Lemme Be and Pee Safe say they have many users from Tier II and III cities too. For the sustainable category, Bajaj says, psychographics are more important than demographics. “I have users who are let's say earning ₹20,000 a month and users who make ₹5,00,000 a month. I have users who are earning lakhs and lakhs and don't move to a new product and I have users who are not really earning that well and are still using it. So we talk to a mindset,” said Bajaj. Pee Safe conducted a study among its consumers in the late 40s to find out what stops them from using a cup or a tampon. “They said because their parents didn't allow us to insert anything inside the vagina. Their children, millennials and Gen Zs, are giving them confidence to try it out,” Bagaria said. As consumer brands spend more on marketing dollars to raise awareness and address the taboos around menstruation, sustainable menstrual hygiene is expected to grow at a faster pace. “It's definitely ₹1,000 crore category in-the-making, where women will make greener choices for themselves not only for their period product, but other female hygiene needs,” Bajaj told Business Insider India.

Sanitary pads take 250-800 years to decompose, which is pushing young Indians to opt for greener alternatives

Capital market regulator <keyword id="35210" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="sebi">Sebi</keyword> is planning to come out with framework on special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), which will enable listing of startups on domestic stock exchanges, sources said on Thursday. The regulator is expected to put in place guidelines in this regard next week, they added. SPACs or blank cheque companies are formed to raise capital in an initial public offering (IPO) with the purpose of using the proceeds to identify and merge with a target company. SPACs are usually formed by private equity funds or financial institutions, with expertise in a particular industry or business sector, with investment for initial working capital and issue related expenses. Such companies have recently become popular in the US. There has been increasing demand that SPACs should be allowed in <keyword id="3658" type="LOCATION" weightage="20" keywordseo="India">India</keyword> as well. Under the framework, Sebi may put in place a separate set of regulations on SPAC, whereby detailed listing rules would be provided for such firms. This would include a minimum threshold size for an IPO, sources said. The regulator is expected to provide qualifying criteria for sponsor to ensure only seasoned and sophisticated individuals, with senior management level business and public company experience are allowed as a sponsor for an IPO through a SPAC vehicle. The founder or sponsor might be required to invest a minimum amount of seed capital and remain invested even post de-SPAC for a specific period of time under the new framework. Vikas Bagaria, Partner for Audit and Assurance at <keyword id="6356108" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="deloitte-india">Deloitte India</keyword> said that a founder or sponsor should remain invested for a period ranging from 12 months to 18 months post reverse merger of the target company with the SPAC. Further, they must hold equity position in the merged entity between 10 per cent and 20 per cent post de-SPAC, he added. According to him, SPAC vehicle should be be given 24 months to 36 to complete the acquisition. He, further, said that an opportunity should be given to the dissenting shareholders to redeem the investment in case the individual investors do not approve the merger proposed by the SPAC sponsor. The SPAC listing rules may define the requirement of due-diligence, audits, controls framework on financial reporting to be included in the draft papers related to the target operating companies for pre-clearance with the Sebi before the merger is taken-up for approval from the SPAC shareholders. The framework is likely to impose a condition not to proceed with the proposed qualifying acquisition if more than a pre-determined percentage of public holders of securities vote against the proposed acquisition. Public holders of securities who vote against a qualifying acquisition that is completed might be allowed to redeem their securities for their pro-rata portion of the escrow funds. Bagaria said that various changes in the current regulatory framework are required to allow reverse merger of the private operating company with a SPAC. This included amendments in the Companies Act, 2013, for defining SPAC vehicles as a separate entity, and amendments to delisting rules to permit delisting of SPAC not able to complete the acquisition within a define period of 24 months to 36 months, he added. At present, Sebi (Issue of Capital and Disclosure Requirements) Regulations do not provide listing options for blank cheque companies. Also, it has defined thresholds resulting in only operating companies being eligible for an Indian IPO. According to market experts, while SPACs have several advantages, they also raise various regulatory concerns. For public shareholders, SPACs give the advantage of investing along with the sponsors in the SPAC like private equity type transactions. The advantage for the sponsor is that it allows rapid deployment of capital to take advantage of opportunities. It also helps the target company acquired by the SPAC going public during periods of market instability or volatility in traditional IPO markets. According to Bagaria, Indian unicorn privately owned companies valued in excess of USD 1 billion is booming in sectors like <keyword id="2461546" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="FinTech">fintech</keyword>, ed-tech, healthcare, consumer, food delivery and mobility, e-commerce. He, further, said that these new age companies are attracting capital and are now at the forefront of India's startup ecosystem. However, current listing options available to these unicorn firms in India is limited. "The SPAC framework will provide significant opportunities allowing public and retail investors to participate in acquisition of private operating companies by an Indian SPAC investment vehicle," Bagaria said. In addition, it will offer liquidity and visibility to the founders and private company investors and will provide access to seasoned management and financiers for a private company, he added. In March, Sebi had formed a group of experts to examine the feasibility of introducing SPACs like structures in India, sources had said. The group, formed under Sebi's Primary Market Advisory Committee (PMAC), was asked to submit its report at the earliest. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/heres-how-chinas-2021-crypto-crackdown-in-2021-differs-from-the-2017-ban/articleshow/83802778.cms">Here’s how China’s 2021 crypto crackdown in 2021 differs from the 2017 ban</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/startups/news/zomato-is-seeking-a-8-billion-valuation-in-its-ipo-does-it-make-sense/articleshow/83801848.cms">There are a few reasons why Zomato wants $8 billion valuation from its IPO -- here's a look at if it makes sense</a>

Sebi plans to come out with framework for SPACs to enable listing of startups on domestic stock exchanges, say sources

New Delhi, July 15 (IANSlife) Jacqueline Fernandez who is a youth icon and inspiration to modern-day women is excited about resuming work in the weeks to come stating, "work is set to resume now and I am quite excited about the same. TV shoots have already started and the film industry will also get going shortly. We have all learnt to inculcate good personal hygiene practices into our daily lives during the pandemic and have understood the safety protocols. Only those who are absolutely needed will be allowed on the sets going forward and safety and hygiene will be top priority." Fernandez has to finish working on her upcoming films 'Attack' with John Abraham and 'Kick 2' with Salman Khan. However, in light of the pandemic most conversations turn to the topics of hygiene, wellness and home sheltering; Fernandez leverages her popularity to voice the importance of maintaining high sanitization and hygiene standards, amongst her fan following which includes more than 42 million followers on social media platforms alone. The 'Race 3' heroine recently signed up as brand ambassador for the Raho Safe range by Pee Safe, one of India's leading youth hygiene brands to talk about movies, lockdown and hygiene. Read Excerpts: Q: In India where both men and especially women in a majority of rural areas do not have access to toilets; how can hygiene standards be implemented in these areas especially in the wake of a pandemic like Covid-19? Fernandez: While the Covid-19 pandemic has catapulted the importance of personal hygiene in our country, the discussion around the topic is not new. Campaigns such as Swachh Bharat by the Government of India have raised mass awareness on this over the past few years and also made toilets more accessible even in the remotest areas. The issue really revolves around inculcating good hygiene practices into our daily lives. The highly contagious nature of the ongoing pandemic has made people realize that precautions need to be taken at all times and any lapse in the same can cause health complications. One should always wash hands with soap and water especially after using the washroom, having meals or going to public places. If unable to do so, it is important to use an alcohol-based hand-sanitizer, which can kill viruses and bacteria. Face masks must be used whenever outdoors. It is also important to sanitize your surroundings by using off the shelf or homemade disinfectants etc. Prevention is the best cure against any infection or pandemic. For me good personal hygiene goes beyond the pandemic and it is not just a habit but also a way of life! Q: Why is it important to ensure safety standards, especially in urban cities where social distancing is not an option in densely populated areas where more than 5 or 6 people share a room and communal bathrooms? Fernandez: Mumbai's recent experience is a testament to the fact that even the most congested areas can control the spread of the virus through awareness, timely detection and prevention. Whether one lives alone or with many others, each person should wash their hands frequency and ensure proper hygiene and sanitation. By taking such steps consistently on individual as well as community level, it is possible to contain and defeat the pandemic even if social distancing is always not possible. Having said that, social distancing protocols should be followed as much as possible and face masks should be worn. Q: With all the hand sanitizing and disinfecting, how do you prevent your skin from adverse impact of sanitizers and masks? Fernandez: I have been particular about personal hygiene and using hand-sanitizers even before the pandemic broke out. However, I ensure that my skin doesn't suffer any adverse impact by choosing only good quality hand sanitizers and also controlling their usage. I opt for soap and water hand wash whenever I am at home and use sanitizers only when I am travelling or not in a position to actually wash my hands. I also constantly moisturize my hands. While using disinfectants, I pay attention to avoid spraying them on to my own skin. When out, I use fashionable fabric masks, which are breathable and washable. Such masks not only reduce the environmental impact, but are also extremely comfortable even when worn for hours. These are pandemic times so the top priority is to stay safe. Whether it is an actor or anyone else, everyone must use masks for their own safety. For me, it is about choosing a mask that makes me feel safer and confident because that automatically translates into a style statement. Q: Hollywood has resumed work. Do you think Indian film industry will be quick to follow? Fernandez: Yes, the work is set to resume now and I am quite excited about the same. TV shoots have already started and the film industry will also get going shortly. We have all learnt to inculcate good personal hygiene practices into our daily lives during the pandemic and have understood the safety protocols. Only those who are absolutely needed will be allowed on the sets going forward and safety and hygiene will be top priority. There is a need to dispel misconceptions and the fear associated with the Covid-19 pandemic and learn to live with it while taking basic precautions like using hand sanitizers, washing hands on a regular basis, wearing a mask and disinfecting commonly used surfaces. This is the new normal and we all need to move forward alongside adhering to these rules. Q: Why did you choose to come on board as the brand ambassador for Raho Safe? Fernandez: Raho Safe is doing a great job in promoting hygiene and making it affordable and accessible through their products to the masses. Since, I am a hygiene freak myself, I could relate to the brand's vision and practices and jumped at the opportunity of becoming their brand ambassador for two years. For me hygiene is not just a habit but also a way of life and I have thus been using hand sanitizers, face masks and disinfectants even before the pandemic. You will always find a sanitizer in my bag. I truly believe in products like Raho Safe, which are high on quality and low on environmental impact. For instance, disposable face masks are emerging as a major source of plastic pollution in recent times, but, Raho Safe offers high quality, safe and reusable fabric masks, which don't encourage plastic usage. Raho Safe products are high quality and give you international standards of hygiene and protection. They are affordable and accessible. Use Raho Safe and keep yourself and your family protected from diseases. Speaking about this, Vikas Bagaria, Founder, Pee Safe, said, "We are delighted to have Jacqueline on board as our brand ambassador for the Raho Safe range. She brings a lot of youthful energy and is a huge influence on the millennial generation. With her on board, we will be able to connect with every segment of the population, be it in the metros or the Tier 2 and 3 cities. The personal hygiene market is expected to reach $15 billion by 2023 in India, more so after the pandemic. We launched the Raho Safe range just before the Coronavirus outbreak with an aim to improve access to better hygiene and wellness products that are also affordable. With Jacqueline, we also aim to strengthen our messaging around the importance of feminine hygiene." The product line includes an alcohol-based hand sanitizer, surface disinfectant, surface protectants, face masks, face shield, and other hygiene products. --IANS IANSlife/tb

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