Vishal Vyas, CMO at TTK Healthcare, unpacks how Skore is building a modern sexual wellness brand by embracing pleasure, navigating taboos, and tapping digital India’s evolving intimacy culture.
Vishal Vyas, Chief Marketing Officer at TTK Healthcare, discusses Skore's brand strategy and growth in India's sexual wellness market. (Source: financialexpress)
Born out of legacy and reimagined for modern love, Skore emerged in 2012 after TTK Healthcare’s joint venture with Durex’s parent company ended. In this candid conversation with BrandWagon Online, Vishal Vyas, CMO, CPD from TTK Healthcare, traces the brand’s roots, market position, and pleasure-first philosophy, and explains how the company is navigating cultural taboos, digital media, and rising rural aspirations to build a bolder future for sexual wellness in India. (Edited Excerpts)
When TTK Healthcare’s joint venture with SSL International ended in 2012, we were left with India’s first condom manufacturing facility but without any brand. Reckitt Benckiser had by then acquired SSL and taken over both Durex and Kohinoor. With our infrastructure, category expertise, and distribution network still intact, we decided to build a new brand from scratch. That is how Skore came into being, continuing our legacy in the sexual wellness space while aligning with the needs of a younger, more open consumer base.
TTK has played a pioneering role in India’s sexual wellness industry. We were the first to import condoms into the country under the brand name Durapac, which was an early version of Durex. In the 1960s, we entered into a partnership with SSL to formally introduce Durex in India and went on to set up the country’s first condom manufacturing facility. In the 1970s, we launched Kohinoor, the first Indian condom brand in the non-subsidised segment. For decades, we have helped shape this category, long before it gained mainstream acceptance.
We are currently the third-largest condom brand in India, with a market share of around 9% to 9.5%. Manforce leads the market as a mass brand with a significantly higher share. After that, there’s a cluster: Durex, Kohinoor, Kamasutra, and Skore, all fairly close to each other.
We have carved out a clear identity and continue to grow steadily. The journey has been long, but we are used to pushing through resistance, whether it’s stigma, lack of education, or taboos.
There has been a clear shift. When we conducted research in earlier years, people hesitated to even speak about their preferences. Now, they are far more assertive and open. This is helping evolve the category in a more progressive way.
That said, some barriers remain, especially psychological. Buying a condom is still a hurdle for many, though it’s improving. Consumers are more brand-aware and comfortable than before.
This category is incredibly sensitive. There is a fine line between being informative and being seen as inappropriate. Add to that media restrictions, TV channels often limit condom ads to late-night slots (11 PM to 1 AM), which significantly restricts reach.
Digital media has helped a lot. It gives us the freedom to engage directly with our consumers and create one-on-one conversations, especially with younger audiences.
It’s great for the category. The more awareness we build collectively, the more consumer adoption will follow. Skore started with a clear vision: to target young Indians. Our brand message from day one was about “won in love”, that both partners deserve pleasure.
In 2019, we expanded into pleasure products like lubricants and vibrating rings. More recently, we launched India’s first strap-on finger massager. The idea is to keep innovating and responding to evolving needs, with both partners in mind.
Condoms are still largely viewed as urban products. The Indian market is divided into subsidised and non-subsidised segments. Government-subsidised brands like Nirodh cater to rural areas, mainly for family planning. Non-subsidised brands like ours cater more to urban consumers who are looking for quality, pleasure, and brand experience.
But things are changing. With rising incomes and greater access to information, even rural consumers are starting to move toward branded products. Digital platforms are playing a huge role here; the democratisation of content has made awareness more accessible across geographies.
Yes, but slowly and steadily. Our core focus remains urban and metro areas for now, but we are seeing increasing interest from semi-urban and even rural pockets. Lifestyle aspirations and brand awareness are growing beyond cities, which is a great sign.
When we launched Skore, existing players like Manforce and Kohinoor already had a stronghold in rural and semi-urban regions. We saw an opportunity in the young, urban segment, a consumer who was aspirational but underserved.
Our communication has largely been in English or Hinglish. That said, we do create content in regional languages where needed. On digital platforms, English is still the dominant medium, but we add regional nuances to ensure we are connecting meaningfully.
We are getting there. I won’t say our social media game is top-notch yet, but it’s definitely improving. D2C brands like My Muse are aggressive and content-first; they have set the bar in terms of audience engagement.
We have the advantage of being an established brand with strong awareness in the condom space. But we are learning from newer players and adapting best practices. Our recent “Win in love, Win as One” campaign has helped boost our digital efforts, and we have several activations lined up.
No, not at the moment. We have done occasional collaborations, but the brand is the face. That has been our approach from the beginning. Skore itself is the personality we want people to connect with: bold, youthful, and pleasure-forward.
Skore is one of the youngest brands in our portfolio. We also have legacy brands like Woodward’s and EVA. But Skore is definitely a crown jewel, and we are proud of how far it’s come.
The roadmap is simple: help consumers win in love by offering all the tools they need. That means continuing to innovate, launching new products, and expanding both our e-commerce and offline presence. As the pleasure category grows, we are committed to being right at the forefront, with Skore and our larger ecosystem, including our platform Shape of Love.
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