How Earth Rhythm is Using Technology to Offer Non-Toxic, Sustainable and Biodegradable Products
How Earth Rhythm is Using Technology to Offer Non-Toxic, Sustainable and Biodegradable Products

Launched in 2019, Earth Rhythm is an environmentally conscious and sustainable home-grown brand. It offers professional-grade products in hair care, skincare, and makeup lines. The products are safe, non-toxic, sustainable, and biodegradable. 

The products are currently available on the brand’s site and also with third-party websites like Nykaa, Amazon, etc. 

Earth Rhythm is ECOCERT Certified (by one of the largest certification bodies in the world). The manufacturing unit is registered under the Department of AYUSH, Government of Haryana and is PETA and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certified.

Throwing light on the initial journey of the brand, Harini Sivakumar, Founder & CEO, Earth Rhythm asserts, “I never dreamt of being an entrepreneur, however when the idea of creating a product and knowing what went into the product started taking shape, I became more and more confident of the journey ahead. The biggest task was to create products that are natural, fragrance-free, and at the same time sustainable, but I was certain from the start that these are the pillars on which I would want my brand to stand.”
  
Earth Rhythm is a 100 percent D2C brand and so the bulk of its strategy is still focussed on the online channel. There are plans to explore alternate channels in 2022, however, currently, the entire marketing strategy is to acquire and retain customers who are available and consuming information online. 

“Our proposition in terms of acquiring them is simple i.e., engage with them around our brand story, ethos, communication, and product line to see if there is a resonance with our brand. Naturally, we are strong on all the social media channels as it is a huge part of our marketing strategy,” she states.
 
“Earth Rhythm went for the D2C route because its consumers were looking for personalized and customized skincare products. And a less amount of investment is required in D2C to penetrate into the market. We were looking for a certain kind of TG typically we call them Skintellecutal consumers. In order to educate these consumers, we didn't do anything dramatic besides being transparent and honest. We made them aware of the importance and functionality of ingredients. We also told them about our suppliers from where we source certain ingredients that created the experience of credibility in the consumer's mind. All of these are only possible if you are in a D2C environment,” she further adds.
 
However, the brand is planning to go omnichannel this year, in a phased manner. It is chalking the strategy out. 

Ensuring Consumer Stickiness
 
The most important aspect for stickiness is to ensure that the whole brand story, messaging, etc., is corroborating with the product. This is akin to a dish as one needs multiple ingredients to come together. Likewise, product quality, great branding, clarity of communication plus team strength, etc., would need to come together. 

“Naturally, we spend a lot of time on product quality and curation. When this is taken care of, usually you have a good repeat which is what we enjoy. As an online focussed brand, you get to hear from customers very quickly. The idea is to try and involve them at various points like the new product launches, curation/ usage of new ingredients, improvement areas, and the likes. Consumers are very willing to offer feedback and that increases the stickiness. Besides that, every brand also needs to do the basics that involve usage of technology tools, running offers, looking at loyalty programs, etc., which are regular but cannot be ignored,” she explains.
 
Standing Apart from the Crowd
 
Earth Rhythm is committed to using ingredients that either directly benefit healthy skin or support the integrity of its formulations. It never takes into account whether something is synthetic or natural, instead, it chooses ingredients based on how sustainable and biocompatible it is.

“The concept of the brand is to always offer simple, easy to use, sustainable skincare solutions to our consumers. We are very happy that we have built a brand that still stands for sustainability, inclusivity, and more specifically efficacy. We work hard to obtain and maintain certifications and standards every year. The certification is the only way you can be sure a brand's product truly complies with organic standards. It is a constant reminder of our commitment to our customers and our planet. By choosing certified natural and organic products, we are committing ourselves to wellness. By choosing certified products, we thrive to make sure that we protect your skin for the future, and help to protect the planet for the future generations,” she elaborates.
                                                
Marrying Tech With The Brand
 
One can’t be an online-focused brand and not use technology effectively. While it is an expensive proposition for a lot of brands, one needs to very carefully mesh the usage of tech with the business needs. 

“There is plenty of basic stuff i.e., investment in analytic tools, investment in CRM, any advanced AI-based algorithm that can predict behavior, etc., that we currently have/use. We also used a facial recognition tool that was ahead of its time and we may be bringing that back to allow consumers a clear, transparent need vs gap analysis. There is always scope to do more as customer sentiments and the market/s keep evolving constantly, which means one needs to use tech a lot more to keep up with trends and expectations,” she states.

Future Plans
 
Earth Rhythm plans to remain focused on its journey and a few of its priority items would be to focus on team building, managing them in the right way, keeping a culture of innovation, and being as close to the customers as possible.

“We have an interesting pipeline of new product launches planned and according to our internal research, they are potential game changers and we are betting big on them,” she asserts.

“Along with this, offline and International expansion is a part of our plans this year,” she further adds.
 
The brand raised its seed/pre-series-A funding of $1.2 million from Anicut Capital. It is further preparing to raise an additional round within the next 3 months or so. 

“To run a venture, one needs good external support in the form of funding but one also needs to be very judicious about how and where they are spending the money. We will continue spending and investing on people, processes, and products,” she concludes.
 
 

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