Marketing strategy of Pilgrim brand for competitor research
According to a report by KPMG, the Indian beauty and wellness sector is estimated to be around $20 billion by the end of 2025 with a CAGR of 20.6 %. This booming sector has paved the way for the Marketing strategy of Pilgrim innovative brands to emerge and thrive.
The marketing strategy of Pilgrim is an Indian Direct-to-consumer (D2C) beauty and personal care brand founded in 2019 by Anurag Kedia and Gagandeep Bedi. The brand’s philosophy is “Beauty Secrets of the World”, inspired by global skincare and haircare traditions. Pilgrim products are —
- Made in India
- PETA certified
- FDA approved
- Vegan
- Cruelty free
- Toxic free
The marketing strategy of Pilgrim focuses on clean beauty, sustainability and affordable luxury, aiming to make the global beauty experience accessible to the Indian audience. Apart from that, the Marketing strategy of Pilgrim has gained popularity because of its creative marketing strategy and strong e-commerce presence on platforms such as Nykaa, Amazon and its own website Join me as we walk through Pilgrim’s marketing strategy journey, where every campaign is a story, every collaboration a masterstroke, and creativity is the secret ingredient.
2019 – Brand Launch and Foundational Marketing Strategy of Pilgrim
Brand launch: Pilgrim entered the Indian beauty and azon and Nykaa.
Initial Positioning: Introduced the concept of “beauty secrets of the world” that talked about various beauty rituals from all countries.
Core marketing moves :
wellness sector with a strong focus on Direct-to-Consumer distribution through its website, Am
- Grew Brand Awareness through Educational Content on Beauty and Wellness.
- Strongly focused on SEO concentrated blogs
- Collaborated with micro-influencers for reviews and tutorials
2020 – Building Digital Presence and Community
Marketing strategy of Pilgrim began leveraging Instagram, YouTube and Facebook to create short-format videos like “how-to” videos and skincare tutorials.
Community Engagement :
- Introduced the concept of an interactive quiz on their website for customer engagement
- Encouraged user-generated content (UGC) by asking customers to share their experiences.
Campaign Highlight:
- Marketing strategy of Pilgrim ran an educational content series on global beauty secrets – “Beauty Secrets Series”
- Strongly focused on organic marketing and customer feedback
2021 – Influencer Marketing and Wider Collaborations
Influencer Partnerships: Marketing strategy of Pilgrim collaborated with both micro and macro influencers and scaled its influencer network. Marketing strategy of Pilgrim also focused on collaborating with dermatologists. .
Marketplace Growth: Did partnerships with Nykaa and Amazon during their special sale events and offered exclusive bundles and discounts
Content Strategy: Introduced YouTube tutorials with influencers for skincare routines
2022 – Celebrity Endorsements and Big Campaigns
Flagship Campaign :
- #Pilgrimnedhoondnikala featured Yami Gautam to promote their korean hair oil.
- Impact: Achieved 3 times sales growth in the haircare segment and millions of views on social media platforms.
Influencer Collaborations:
Worked with RJ Karishma and Ranveer Allahbadia (BeerBiceps) to produce content that had humour and storytelling.
Performance Marketing
- Heavy investments in Google Ads and Facebook Ads, including retention campaigns for website visitors.
- Introduced shoppable ads on Instagram to ease the purchase journey.
2023 – Marketing strategy of Pilgrim Seasonal Campaigns and Customer Loyalty
Festive & Seasonal Focus: Pilgrim launched Diwali Glow Campaigns, Valentine’s Day Gifting Kits, and Women’s Day Editions in collaboration with influencers for the brand to be in trend and feel fresh.
Community Building: Pilgrim focused on building a community by introducing loyalty programs and launching referral discounts to improve retention and conversion among customers.
Content Evolution: Concentrated on Instagram Reels and trending audio to improve social media presence
Impact: Seasonal campaigns contributed to spikes in quarterly sales.
2024 – Data-Driven Growth and Sustainability Narrative
Advanced Retargeting: Pilgrim implemented A/B testing for creative advertisement and messaging to improve conversions.
Sustainability Storytelling: Pilgrim focused on eco-conscious packaging and ethical sourcing because of the sustainability trend among Gen-Z and millennials.
Collaborations with Marketplaces: Exclusive launches and joint promotions on Nykaa Pink Friday sale and Amazon Prime Day helped Pilgrim stand out and gain trust.
2025 – Preparing for a $20 Billion Market
According to KPMG, the beauty industry in India is growing fast, and Pilgrim is evolving its offerings and strategies to match this growth.
Upcoming Focus:
More campaigns by celebrities and international influencer collaborations.Adding AI-driven personalisation on its D2C website for customised recommendations. Global Expansion Plans targeting Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Key Takeaways of the Marketing Strategy of Pilgrim
Storytelling as a Differentiator: Pilgrim built a brand narrative around global beauty rituals that made its product different from others.
Influencer and UGC Power: A hybrid influencer strategy (macro + micro), along with UGC-driven campaigns like #DiscoverBeautySecrets has built trust and authenticity.
Impact of Integrated Campaigns Drive: Campaigns like #PilgrimNeDhoondNikale showed that mixing traditional media with digital ads and influencer content was a great plan as it created visibility, trust and increased retention.
Performance Marketing: Focusing on Retargeting, A/B testing and loyalty programs, Pilgrim ensured a high return rate from its consumers
Seasonal & Cultural Relevance: Pilgrim smartly used festivals and seasonal trends to make its campaign feel trendy.
Ethical and Clean Beauty Appeal: A vegan, cruelty-free, toxin-free positioning, along with the Made in India tag, strongly attracted Indian customers.
Conclusion of the Marketing Strategy of Pilgrims
Pilgrim’s journey from starting D2C brand in 2019 to being one of the most recognised beauty brands is all because of its excellent storytelling, strategic collaboration and data-based marketing. Pilgrim has built an amazing narrative around its brand that talks about global beauty secrets. This strategy has attracted and influenced a lot of customers to use Pilgrim products. Its campaigns, from #PilgrimNeDhoondNikale to UGC initiatives, showcased how integrated marketing can create both visibility and trust. With India’s beauty sector set to hit $20 billion by 2025, Pilgrim is well-positioned and will scale more with the help of AI-driven personalisation, global expansions, and
sustainability-driven initiatives. Pilgrim’s success story proves that creativity, consistency, and consumer connection are the real beauty secrets of brand building.
