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An open challenge to Azim Premji

Stop misguiding gullible consumers


Azim Premji is widely revered all over India and also the world for his entrepreneurial spirit and the large business empire that he has built over the last few decades. Wipro is also widely known as an ethical company and his philanthropic gestures are widely publicised.


Wipro chairman Azim Premji has been named the most philanthropic Indian for the third consecutive year, according to a report from Hurun Research Institute, which ranks the most generous individuals in the country.


Premji’s contribution for education through the Azim Premji Foundation more than doubled to Rs 27,514 crore in 2015, from Rs 12, 316 crore, a year earlier, the Hurun Philanthropy List 2015 said.  Source : Times of India

Though he is widely known for his success in the Information Technology, thanks to his Wipro Technologies, he has also built large business empires in other areas also.

Wipro Consumer Care (WCCLG) is today among the top FMCG companies and amongst thefastest growing FMCG companies in India.

However the marketing strategy of Wipro Consumer Care is questionable and is suspected to be misleading gullible consumers.


Santoor Beauty Talc is being sold in the market at a scheme of Buy 1 Get 1 Free. Its sold off the shelf and online amazon, groffers, bigbasket etc.

Here is a comparison of the price of popular Talcum Powder sold in the country:

Wipro Consumer Care Ltd claims that it is offering Santoor Beauty Tal as a deal – Buy 1 Get 1 Free. Which means that I pay Rs.170 for 150 gms can and get another 150 gms can free. Is it really true, that I am getting another can free?

In fact in the picture shown above they are getting exposed. A 400gm Santoor Beauty Talc is sold for Rs.201 with 2 Santoor Beauty Soaps free. Which means that the actual price of 300gm of Santoor Beauty Talc is around Rs.170/- and there fore the actual price of 150 gm of Santoor Beauty Talc is around Rs.85/- So if the are really offering 150gm Can free under the scheme Buy1 Get1 Free, they should be selling at Rs.85/- and not at Rs.170/-. 

Here is an open challenge to WIPRO and to Azim Premji.  Sell Santoor Beauty Talc as a standalone 150gm can for Rs.170 and share with us the number of units you sold in a month. At Rs.170 for 150 gm it works out Rs.1.07 per gm of Talcum Powder, when the average market price of competitors is around Rs.0.30 to a max of Rs.0.50.

Who would ever buy double the price.  Even the original Mysore Sandal Talcum powder costs Rs.0.28 per gram.
Is it that the Marketing Team at WIPRO dont know the meaning of FREE. Its about time that their Marketing team are taught what FREE means.

FREE means to get something for which you pay nothing.

It is very clear that this is a marketing gimmick and is cheating gullible consumers who really think that they are getting a Can of Powder free. In actual sense you are selling 300gms of Santoor Beauty Talc at Rs. 170 but split in 2 cans of 150gms each and just labelling Buy1 get 1 Free to attract gullible customers and make them believe that they are actually being rewarded with a free can. 

It’s a huge disappointment that a company from WIPRO group under Azim Premji who boasts of high moral values, ethics, Corporate Governance, charity and philanthrophy, is actually resorting to such cheap gimmicks just to promote their product sales.

An old lady who I knew and who was regularly using Santoor Beauty Talc told me that she was happy buying it because she was getting rewarded with a Free Can everytime she bought one. I then explained to her that she wasn’t getting anything free and was charged every penny of the grams that she received and explained the above logic. Do you know what she said “these damn CHEATS. I will never ever buy this again………….

She is right. Doesn’t this tantamount to cheating the public.

Cheating is defined as – 

act dishonestly or unfairly in order to gain an advantage
to influence or lead by deceit, trick, or artifice
cheating customers through false advertising

Its about time that such misleading advertising gimmicks are taken up in Consumer Courts and put to an end.

There are many others who resort to such cheap gimmicks and induce gullible customers to buy thinking that they are actually getting a deal and freebies, when actually they are not.

However we expect a company of WIPRO standards led by Azim Premji to desist from such unfair practices and be a leader in the market.

Its time that WIPRO and Azim Premji take up my challenge of selling 150gm Santoor Beauty Talc without any offers for Rs.170/- or put to end this cheap marketing gimmick or risk being called “Cheats”.

Whatever said and done the mask is off Azim Premji and his WIPRO…………


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