Colgate hands Palmolive ecommerce ads to Bombay Shaving Company

Colgate-Palmolive India has handed over all consumer-facing advertising and customer relationships for its Palmolive brand on ecommerce and D2C platforms to Bombay Shaving Company, CEO Prabha Narasimhan said on Monday. Modern trade and traditional trade will remain with Colgate. The partnership aims to leverage Bombay Shaving Company's D2C expertise, as Colgate admitted it had "not done a great job" with the Palmolive personal care brand.

Colgate first invested Rs 18 crore in Bombay Shaving Company in 2018, acquiring a 14% minority stake. The FMCG company increased advertising spending by 33.7% year-on-year in the June quarter. Narasimhan said the partnership is in early stages and has shown "green shoots". Bombay Shaving Company's parent Visage Lines Personal Care reported operating revenue of Rs 634.7 crore in FY26.

Colgate-Palmolive India reported a 7% rise in consolidated net profit to Rs 343 crore in the June quarter, with net sales increasing to Rs 1,591 crore. Analysts at Nomura expect revenue growth to return to near-double-digits in FY27. The company said it will absorb some near-term margin pressure as it prioritises expansion.