Vidushi Goyal, Chief Marketing Officer at Swiss Beauty, is an accomplished marketing leader with over 14 years of experience. In her interview, she shares insights on driving brand growth through strategic positioning, ATL and BTL campaigns, and her role in scaling MamaEarth from under 100 Cr to over 1000 Cr in just three years. Now focused on building one of India’s fastest-growing beauty brands, she discusses the importance of innovation, consumer understanding, and leadership in today’s evolving market.
1. Can you describe your 14-years of career journey and key experiences?
Reflecting on my career journey, I can say that every experience has contributed to shaping the professional I am today. I started at FCB+Ulka, where the first 2.5 years laid a strong foundation in advertising and marketing. After that, I moved to the brand side and entered the emerging e-commerce scene in India in 2015 with ShopClues, where I witnessed the rise of ‘new media’ and the growing importance of data in marketing decisions.
With a solid understanding of both creative and analytical aspects, I moved into consumer products marketing. After a brief time at d.light (solar products), I joined Mamaearth (Honasa Consumer) in 2019. At that time, Mamaearth was a nearly 100 crore brand, primarily focused on baby care. Over the next five years, my time at Mamaearth was one of the steepest learning curves of my career, covering all aspects of brand marketing. This experience gave me the confidence to lead the marketing efforts for Swiss Beauty, a fast-growing beauty brand, with the vision to become one of India’s most preferred beauty brands.
2.With your vast experience across diverse sectors, how do you adapt your strategies to stay ahead of evolving consumer behaviours?
Given the pace at which consumer segments in India are evolving, it’s increasingly difficult to keep up, let alone stay ahead. A few strategies that have worked for me and my team include leveraging new-age consumer research tools to understand what’s gaining traction in terms of views and engagement across various sectors. Additionally, we focus on tracking consumer searches to identify emerging trends, following international trends (as they often arrive in India with a lead time), and staying connected with the rapidly evolving tech space to stay updated on developments in AI, ML, media planning, and more.
3.Having worked across various industries, what inspired you to move into the beauty and personal care sector?
From the very beginning, I always wanted to work with a brand that offers a tangible product. I believe that’s the ultimate learning experience for any marketer, as it allows you to work end-to-end across the product and consumer journey. After my experiences in e-commerce and solar power, I wanted to transition into the FMCG consumer space. With the emerging beauty segment in India, I was given the opportunity to join Mamaearth, which ultimately shifted my career trajectory towards the beauty and personal care sector.
4. What achievement in your career are you most proud of, and is there a particular campaign or initiative that stands out?
I believe I’m still waiting for an achievement that will make me the most proud. However, there are two mini achievements that I consider significant in shaping my current experience. The first was at ShopClues, where I began working on brand strategy, developing approaches to solve problems, and analyzing data. The second was at Mamaearth, where, with the support of my then head of marketing, I created the category marketing department and led its growth by strategizing category and media planning.
A few campaigns that emerged from this include Mamaearth’s first-ever TV campaign on Vitamin C Face Wash in 2021, as well as two of the brand’s most successful campaigns—‘Shaadi Wala Glow’ for Ubtan Facewash featuring Shilpa Shetty Kundra and the Onion Shampoo campaign featuring Sara Ali Khan & Sharmila Tagore. These campaigns were successful both creatively and in terms of business impact.[NM1]
5. With the beauty industry evolving rapidly, how do you stay ahead of trends with digital-first brands and shifting consumer expectations?
The benefit for me is that I’ve grown with not just one, but two digital-first brands. This gives me a deep understanding of how these brands think, plan, and execute. I combine this knowledge with the current brand’s strengths, while continuously expanding my knowledge of emerging market trends, contexts, and technology. The challenge arises when data or new-age concepts deviate from consumer realities. In those situations, I return to the basic principles of marketing, which never go out of style.
6.What do you foresee as the top three trends shaping the beauty sector in 2025?
Some of the top emerging trends we’ll be watching out for include:
