Colgate-Palmolive India Taps Bombay Shaving Company to Boost Palmolive’s Digital Growth

Colgate-Palmolive India has partnered with direct-to-consumer (D2C) brand Bombay Shaving Company to strengthen the digital business of its Palmolive brand. Under the strategic arrangement, Bombay Shaving Company will oversee consumer advertising and customer relationship activities for Palmolive across e-commerce and D2C platforms, according to industry sources.

The partnership comes as Colgate-Palmolive India looks to revive growth in its personal care portfolio, with Palmolive identified as an area requiring greater momentum. During the company’s earnings discussion, Managing Director and CEO Prabha Narasimhan acknowledged that personal care performance had not met expectations. Although Palmolive holds a leading position in the premium handwash segment, the category remains relatively small, creating an opportunity for the brand to expand its reach and strengthen growth.

As part of the collaboration, Bombay Shaving Company will use its digital marketing expertise and D2C capabilities to help Palmolive attract new online consumers and build a stronger digital customer journey. The objective is to develop an effective acquisition and engagement ecosystem that can improve the brand’s performance across online marketplaces and direct channels.

Colgate-Palmolive India, meanwhile, will continue to manage key aspects of Palmolive’s business, including product development, manufacturing standards, supply chain operations, traditional media campaigns and offline distribution through modern and general trade channels. This allows both companies to focus on their respective areas of expertise while working towards a common digital growth strategy.

The partnership is still in its initial phase, but the company has indicated that early signs are encouraging. Narasimhan described the emerging results as positive, while noting that the broader impact will need to be assessed over a longer period.

Colgate-Palmolive India expects to evaluate the collaboration over the next two to three years as it works to expand Palmolive’s digital footprint and improve its position in the increasingly competitive personal care market.

The move reflects a broader shift among established FMCG companies towards partnerships with agile D2C businesses to strengthen e-commerce capabilities, reach new consumers and adapt to changing digital shopping behaviour. For Palmolive, the collaboration could provide a renewed pathway to online growth while complementing its established offline presence.