MUMBAI: Legendary Indian batsman Sachin Tendulkar believes the barber community was among those who took the maximum impact during the nationwide lockdown which was imposed by the government in order to stem the growth of coronavirus cases in the country.
Gillette, one of India's leading grooming brand, recently announced the 'Gillette Barber Suraksha Program' aimed at educating, protecting and providing resources to the barber community as they return to business.
As part of the program, Gillette will provide an insurance cover of up to Rs 1 lakh to barbers, educate them on safe operations via videos co-created with renowned stylist Aalim Hakim and provide them back-to-business support via specially curated product kits covering requirement for two months. To start with, Gillette will support 50,000 barbers across the country.
As a part of the campaign, Gillette India has also launched a film supported by Brand Advocate Tendulkar that takes consumers through a nostalgic journey reminiscing the various instances they must have experienced at barber shops.
Commenting on the program, Tendulkar said, "While many have been affected by the lockdown, our barber friends are among those who have taken the maximum impact. Gillette Barber Suraksha is timely and very much needed right now. It's heart-warming to be a part of it to make a positive difference to their lives and truly groom their future."
Announcing the program, Karthik Srivatsan, Country Category Leader - Grooming Indian sub-continent at P&G said, "Gillette has been a proud partner of barbers across the country. The barber community is among those whose income have been severely impacted due to the COVID-19 outbreak."
"The nature of their work also puts them at a higher risk of infection. During these tough times, Gillette wants to stand in solidarity with the barber community as they reopen their business.
"Through Gillette's 'Barber Suraksha program' we want to provide the much-needed back-to-business support to barbers across the country through education, protection and health assistance resources. We hope we can help them in a small but meaningful way as they get back to business," he added.