Manish Anandani was speaking at the e4m Health and Wellness Marketing Conference 2025, during a keynote session titled “From Vision to Impact: The Journey of Building a Health and Wellness Brand.”
Artificial intelligence is no longer just a backend tool and it’s now actively shaping product innovation cycles. Manish Anandani, Managing Director, Kenvue India explained the launched its longest sanitary napkin, Stayfree XXL Plus, within just six months of conceptualisation, a timeline dramatically shortened by the use of AI and machine learning.
“This would’ve taken at least a year earlier. We’re now using tech to test, refine, and deliver innovation at unprecedented speeds,” he said.
Anandani was speaking at the e4m Health and Wellness Marketing Conference 2025, during a keynote session titled “From Vision to Impact: The Journey of Building a Health and Wellness Brand,” chaired by Ruhail Amin, Sr. Editor, BW Businessworld & Exchange4media. In a wide-ranging conversation, he shared how brands like Stayfree, ORSL, and Johnson’s Baby are leveraging technology, storytelling, and cultural relevance to stay deeply connected to the evolving wellness needs of Indian consumers.
A 135-Year-Old Startup with Modern Reflexes
Reflecting on Kenvue’s spin-off from Johnson & Johnson, Anandani described the company as a “135-year-old startup.” Despite its legacy, he said, the brand operates with the agility and mindset of a new-age business. “We’re just two years old as a company, but our brands have been trusted for over a century. The challenge now is to keep them fresh, personal, and purposeful in today’s India.”
He noted that legacy and new brands must meet the same benchmark: deep consumer understanding and purposeful innovation. “India is not one market—it’s many Indias. Unless you can decode each one, your brand risks irrelevance.”
Tech-Led Engagement, Personalisation and Transparency
Anandani outlined several tech-led initiatives across Kenvue’s portfolio. Neutrogena’s Skin360 uses AI to assess skin types and recommend products, while Johnson’s Baby gift boxes now come with AR features that allow customers to personalise lullabies. AI also supports demand forecasting and assortment planning to ensure that the right products reach the right shelves faster.
He emphasised that transparency has become a cornerstone of trust in wellness branding. Mothers, for example, can now scan Johnson’s Baby products to view a detailed ingredient list, complete with percentages. “You can’t build trust today without showing your cards.”
Shaping Public Discourse Through Brand Campaigns
Anandani argued that meaningful brand impact goes beyond product features. He pointed to the Stayfree campaign that brings brothers into the period conversation with the line “Beta, Stayfree le aana.” Previously, the brand had included fathers in the dialogue. “We want to normalise period talk. It shouldn’t be hidden behind black plastic bags.”
He also highlighted how ORSL, Kenvue’s electrolyte drink, is driving awareness about dehydration beyond heatstroke or diarrhoea. “Most people don’t realise it happens even with fever or general illness. Water alone isn’t enough—you need electrolytes and energy.”
From Strategy to Shelf Execution
Sharing a lesson from his early days at Pepsi, Anandani emphasised that effective strategy must translate into shelf-level execution. “My manager once told me, if the basket doesn’t show all flavours, your strategy doesn’t exist. That’s stayed with me.”
He reinforced that no amount of data or creativity can compensate for poor execution. “The consumer experience begins at the shelf. That’s where brand storytelling becomes real.”
Reimagining Wellness for the Indian Consumer
Looking ahead, Anandani said successful wellness brands will be those that balance topline and bottom-line growth with real-world impact. “We’re here to improve lives, not just move SKUs. That means being honest, listening harder, and offering solutions that truly help.”
He concluded that in the wellness space, lasting brand equity comes from emotional connection, science-backed products, and cultural contribution. “If you’re not improving someone’s life, they’ll forget you. But if you become part of their everyday, you’re a true wellness brand.”
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