Caresmith India takes a jab at Bombay Shaving Company's controversial ad

Caresmith India, a personal care brand, takes a dig at Bombay Shaving Company (BSC) with its recent ad, which mimics the style of BSC's controversial ad featuring Prachi Nigam. The ad was shared on LinkedIn by Rushabh Shah, co-founder of Caresmith.

The ad names 'Shantanu,' referring to Shantanu Deshpande, the founder of Bombay Shaving Company, in a manner similar to how BSC called out Prachi Nigam.

The advertisement takes a playful yet pointed approach, stating, "You may or may not have HAIR, but our head massager doesn’t care."

However, its blunt plea for support truly sets this advertisement apart. The copy concludes with a direct appeal: "Please buy our head massager. We need to meet our sales target."

Accompanying the post, Shah openly admitted the financial constraints faced, expressing regret over the lack of class in the advertisement's execution. He emphasised that they don't have the budget to put this ad in newspapers.

"We don’t have the money to put out this ad in the newspaper. Please sponsor this ad by buying our head massagers."

Last week, Bombae, a women’s hair removal brand by Bombay Shaving Company, faced criticism for its newspaper ad surrounding Prachi Nigam. The ad encouraged her not to yield to bullying while subtly promoting their product stating, "We hope you never get bullied into using our razor."

However, the ad sparked backlash on social media, with many accusing the brand of exploiting women who have already faced criticism for facial hair, and of capitalising on their insecurities for profit. The Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) also responded to the ad.