Aditya Birla Group’s decision to foray into India’s decorative paints market with Birla Opus Paints in 2024 was not merely about diversification. The INR 80,000 crore industry, long dominated by a few key players, offered an untapped opportunity. Despite strong economic growth and a booming construction sector, India’s per capita paint consumption remained significantly lower than global benchmarks, says Inderpreet Singh, Head of Marketing, at Birla Opus Paints. Identifying this gap and leveraging its expertise in building materials, the Group entered the market with an ambitious vision.

Beyond Functionality 

Positioned as a challenger brand, Birla Opus seeks to redefine how consumers perceive and interact with paint. Moving beyond functionality, the brand’s "Make Life Beautiful" campaign reframes paint as an enabler of creativity, personal expression and cultural identity. To establish itself as a national player, the company rapidly built a distribution network across 4,600 towns and invested in six fully automated manufacturing plants.

Most legacy paint brands have built their identity around durability and product performance. Birla Opus, however, is positioning itself differently—shifting the focus from mere functionality to emotional engagement. “We are redefining the role of paint in consumers’ lives,” says Singh, “Through design, storytelling, and innovative solutions, we aim to make paint an integral part of home transformation.”

To further build consumer connection, Birla Opus introduced city-specific colour palettes, drawing inspiration from regional art, architecture, and landscapes. Whether it’s the royal purples of Hyderabad or the botanical greens of Bengaluru, this approach enables homeowners to infuse their living spaces with local character.

Scaling Up With R&D 

A robust R&D framework and manufacturing strength are critical to sustaining the brand’s ambitious growth plans. The company follows a ‘right first time and every time’ methodology to ensure product consistency. “Every formulation undergoes rigorous testing at multiple stages before full-scale production,” explains Singh. The brand’s manufacturing capabilities are bolstered by six fully automated plants, four of which are already operational in Ludhiana, Panipat, Cheyyar and Chamarajnagar.

Additionally, the brand offers industry-first warranties on enamel and wood finish products, signalling confidence in its product quality and durability. These strategic investments in technology and process innovation allow the brand to scale up efficiently while maintaining quality and consistency.

The Marketing Playbook

In a highly competitive market, brand recall is key, and Birla Opus has adopted a multi-faceted approach to capture consumer attention. “Our marketing strategy is built on emotional storytelling, high-impact media placements and experiential engagement,” says Singh.

The brand’s first thematic campaign, Make Life Beautiful, launched in June 2024, leveraged an industry-first 3D animation film. This innovative approach helped it become the most recalled ad during the T20 World Cup final, amassing 130 million YouTube views without celebrity endorsements.

Following this, the Naye Zamane Ka Naya Paint campaign, featuring Vicky Kaushal and Rashmika Mandanna, reinforced the brand’s modern and youthful positioning. Beyond traditional advertising, the brand has partnered with TV shows like Sa Re Ga Ma Pa and Indian Idol and cultural events to connect with a diverse audience.

To enhance engagement among key decision-makers—dealers, contractors and architects—the brand executed over 150 expos across Tier II & III cities, offering hands-on product demonstrations. Strategic presences across television, digital, print, radio and OOH advertising, coupled with well-timed releases during major cricket events, ensured widespread visibility and consumer recall.

Evolving Consumer Preferences

Today’s consumers demand more than just aesthetic appeal from their paints; they seek durability, sustainability and personalisation. “There is a clear shift towards personalised, neutral and nature-inspired colour palettes that promote tranquillity and well-being,” notes Singh. Recognising this, Birla Opus has curated an extensive range of colours and finishes that align with these evolving preferences, allowing homeowners to create unique and harmonious spaces.

Additionally, consumers are increasingly drawn to brands that align with their values. With a focus on sustainable manufacturing and extended product warranties, they are catering to this demand while differentiating itself in the market.

Tapping Emerging Markets

The growing demand for decorative paints in emerging markets and smaller cities has reshaped industry expansion strategies. “Smaller cities and Tier II, III and IV towns are no longer secondary markets; they are key growth drivers,” Singh asserts.

To capitalise on this, the brand is aggressively expanding its reach: growing its dealer network to over 50,000 within its first year of full-scale operations, strengthening its supply chain to cover over 6,000 towns and investing in digital engagement and immersive brand experiences in non-metro regions.

By prioritising smaller cities and fast-growing urban clusters, the brand aims to establish itself as a truly national player with deep market penetration.

Breaking The Ceiling 

With a bold ambition of achieving INR 10,000 crore in revenue within three years,  they are banking on a combination of strategic investments, product innovation and aggressive marketing. “We are not just entering the market; we are here to lead and redefine it,” says Singh. “Our goal is to become the second-largest brand in India’s decorative paints industry within the next three years and set new benchmarks for excellence.”