Decoding the better half of India

“The truth is, I often like women. I like their unconventionality. I like their completeness. I like their anonymity”
— Virginia Woolf

Sreedevi Yallamrazu

It is time to unravel the mystery box called ‘women’. The fact that the women population is emerging as a force to reckon with – shaping not just their family’s future but the world economy at large, adds relevance in today’s context to Virginia Woolf’s statement about their complete and unconventional side. In the marketing context, it translates to opportunities that women present as ‘consumers’, rather than being mere influencers or decision makers.

Healthcare marketers have been looking at innovative ways and strategies to expand their portfolio. Demographic segmentation has been one of them, especially in case of health supplements. But this strategy is yet to see success in its true sense, especially in case of women.

Taking into account the immense opportunities among ‘women consumers’, CubeX has demystified the Indian woman to understand her as a person – her approach to life, her health concerns and needs in its latest report, ‘Decoding the Better Half of India: Mapping the Health and Wellness Opportunity among Indian Women.’ The opportunity areas have also been charted out for marketers, considering the unmet needs. The key highlights of the report have been covered in this article.

Women as consumers – The potential

Apart from being a purchaser for the family, women are now grouping into key consumer segments themselves across various markets and are slated to assume proportions similar to the current population estimates of India or China, rightly being coined as ‘the third billion’ in an article in CNN Money. In India itself, the population of women in India aged 12 years and above stands at 440 million (Source: IRS Q1 2012). Though the urban-rural divide is skewed towards the hinterland, urban women are a key segment for marketers as their exposure to products and evolving trends is much higher and hence, they represent a potential segment. It is noteworthy that the next tier of women too is equally aspirational, though traditional settings may hold them back a bit longer.

Unlike allied industries where Indian marketers are customising male-centric products like automobiles and financial products for women, in healthcare, the mark is yet to be made. The launch of the ‘pill’ 50 years back was heralded as the mightiest weapon a women could have and new launches have focused on better versions of the pill, although women play multi-faceted roles and have diverse needs and wants. Women actively seek healthcare information, are often more interested in taking up lifestyle changes for better health outcomes and are open to preventive measures. Women are more likely to self-medicate as they visit the doctor less often for themselves than for family members. More importantly, as more women become financially independent, they are raising their standard of living and in turn, creating demand for health and wellness products.

More than numbers, women are an integral consumer group today. Women can be a key target audience for digital marketing and also for generating valuable consumer insight, as they use Internet for sharing and gaining opinions from other women. Marketing to women is not limited to facilitating the brand’s purchase. Women are more than consumers. They are willing to explore and can also be brand influencers and advisors.

Defining the new age woman

Though women present diverse views and experiences and it may be difficult to club them into specific groups, they unite in terms of certain common experiences they go through as life progresses. Women across three age groups – teens, 20+ and 40+ years have been profiled in the report to understand them as a person and specifically their needs. The profile considers various aspects of a woman – her thoughts, approach to life and health.

The need for fast pace among teenagers is reflected in their casual attitude towards health matters. While they understand the importance of healthy habits, their inclination to follow them is low, unless it involves enhancing their image. In contrast, young women are concerned about their health, unlike clichéd perceptions and are evidently progressing towards maturity from the rebellious teenage. Although they initially fancy the latest fitness trends, they find them unsustainable, considering their ‘superwoman’ lifestyle and struggle for work-life balance. They are looking for convenient and time-saving options that will help them to achieve their health goals with ease. Many a time, health eventually takes a back seat among young woman but becomes one of the priorities at menopausal age as health issues start to arise. Curative approach to health issues along with a healthy regimen assumes prime importance among 40+ women. They may seem to slow down, with kids growing up and having achieved a certain status in work, to begin focusing on their own health and wellness.

Each age group has its distinct outlook to health and understanding the key nuances of each group can aid in brand segmentation and targeting strategies.

Understanding women’s health concerns

Though women’s health concerns differ in terms of specificity and intensity in different age groups, their key health concerns can be broadly classified into five clusters: general health, reproductive health, feminine intimate care, aches and pain and beauty and wellness.

For example, more than 50 per cent of women across age groups suffer from anaemia, although conspicuously the prevalence is higher in younger age groups (Source: NHFS-3).

The unhealthy diet among urban people and lack of adequate nutrition among poorer socio-economic classes is a major contributor to low BMI levels (normal range 18.5-24.9) among 50 per cent of teenagers (Source: NHFS-3). On the other hand, fast-paced lifestyle, erratic meal schedules and consumption of junk food lead to obesity and micro nutrient deficiencies among young girls.

Among aches and pain, menstrual pain is the chief concern, being prevalent among at least 50 per cent of menstruating women, leaving almost 10 per cent of them incapacitated for one to three days during menses (Source: medindia.net). In terms of reproductive health, lifestyle changes are leading to hormonal problems and infertility in young women. Almost 35 per cent women in the age group of 20-30 years face Poly Cystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), as cited by online reports, though it is diagnosed only when treatment for infertility is sought.

Assocham surveys have reported that 68 per cent working women suffer from lifestyle diseases like obesity, depression, backache, diabetes and hypertension and an almost equal percentage (age 30-40 years) has symptoms of exhaustion, irritability and insomnia. Many women in the age group of 25-40 years have multiple roles to play and in the process of balancing this tight rope walk, they get trapped in the ‘superwoman syndrome’, attracting lifestyle ailments.

As per media reports regarding global estimates of healthy life expectancy (HALE) published in The Lancet, the average life expectancy of women is expected to be 67.5 years, of which the last 10 years are expected to be spent in poor health. As a result of estrogen deficiency beginning with menopause, compounded by lifestyle factors, osteoporosis due to increased bone resorption, hypercholesterolemia due to decreased LDL receptors and atherosclerosis may set in among 40+ women.

Vaginal Yeast Infection (VYI) has been estimated to be on the higher side, given the high prevalence of diabetes, unhygienic sanitary conditions and high birth rate in India. Sadly, intimate concerns of women are largely unspoken and hence awareness levels are low.

There are 25 health needs which have been identified across the above five clusters. Marketers need to broaden their horizon from traditional focus areas of contraception and hormonal replacement therapies to address many other needs of women. It is imperative to show an active interest in understanding them and to engage with them closely to identify their core concerns, rather than simply communicating to them about their needs.

Identifying unmet opportunities in women’s health and wellness

Women’s health market in India is at a very nascent stage and captures less than one-third sales of the total Indian OTC market ($2 billion). Women specific health market has seen strong presence of few brands such as i-pill and Unwanted-72 in recent times. Brands such as Calcium Sandoz Woman, Revital Woman and Supractiv Complete Woman, which cater to everyday needs and are specifically positioned for women, can drive significant volumes. Among women, decision of consuming supplements is need and evidence-based. Hence, creating awareness regarding preventive health and showcasing brand differentiation may create the desired impact. Testimonies of women users or endorsement by female doctors may build confidence as women tend to rely on each other’s advice.

Apart from these brands, most of the other brands have a skew in terms of usage by women. There are many white spaces that currently do not address women’s needs directly through the OTC route. For example, none of the iron supplements are promoted OTC, despite the glaring necessity. Analgesics category are an interesting opportunity area, considering studies that report that women are more sensitive to intense pain than men (Source: Journal of Pain, January 2012). Vaginal yeast infections (VYI) treatments too are still largely prescription-driven or based on home remedies. Introducing effective products in convenient and non-messy formats will drive OTC consumption. Mild herbal remedies, that can relax the tense muscles and nerves and keep anxiety levels low, would be much welcome by many women. These areas can open doors to marketers who are looking for new avenues of growth. Besides, catering to these needs can create first mover advantage.

While new opportunities in the wellness space and feminine intimate care are being explored, existing brands also present greater opportunities which cannot be ignored. Rx to OTC promotional switch of heritage brands such as Dexorange, Shelcal, Lactacyd, Candid and Betadine with women-centric positioning can be excellent growth drivers for these brands, further enhancing their equity. Hence, opportunities are plenty for Rx, OTC and FMHG marketers.

Global inspiration

Globally, marketers have tapped into the spectrum of women’s healthcare needs, ranging from head to toe, from cradle to grave, offering products like PMS supplements, antenatal supplements and natural alternatives to hormone replacement therapies for menopausal women. Anti-fungal brands like Monistat have successfully tapped women from teenage to post-menopause as well as diabetic women, addressing their concerns and fears about VYI. Marketers are also using digital medium to listen and engage women, as they are potential content generators as much as buyers.

It is time to take note of the dual power of women as consumers as well as influencers. Healthcare marketers in India, too, now need to reach out the ‘consumer’ in a woman, focusing on possibilities of a women’s health franchise. Marketing to women has a snow-ball effect even after the purchase, as they become invisible brand ambassadors. Creating a compelling story with an emotional appeal and a rational offering is one of the vital cues in marketing to women. A quote by author, Joannne Yaccato, in the book, The 80% Minority: Reaching the Real World of Women Consumers, succinctly expresses the power of marketing to women consumers, which applies to any product, “If you make it (marketing strategies) woman-friendly, you make it everybody-friendly.”

(CubeX is the Strategic Consulting and Business Intelligence division of Sorento Healthcare Communications with expertise in the Consumer Healthcare and Wellness domain. To know more about reports from CubeX, you can write to [email protected].)