Kaushlesh Maheshwari, President – Sales and Marketing, Mangalam Cement, contends that the strongest cement brands are not built on advertising budgets but on the quiet, consistent delivery of trust.

In a market where every competitor claims strength and quality, Kaushlesh Maheshwari, President – Sales and Marketing, Mangalam Cement, believes the brands that endure are those that stop selling cement and start standing for their core values. In this exclusive interaction, he stresses on the importance of authentic storytelling and meaningful stakeholder engagement by cement brands.

How has branding evolved from being a support function to a strategic growth driver in the cement industry?
Branding in the cement industry has undergone a significant transformation. Earlier, it was largely viewed as a communication tool supporting sales. Today, branding influences every stage of the customer journey, from awareness and consideration to preference and advocacy. In an increasingly competitive market, customers are not just buying cement; they are buying assurance, reliability, and long-term performance.
At Mangalam Cement, branding is closely aligned with business strategy. The success of Mangalam ProMaxX demonstrates how a well-positioned brand can create differentiation by addressing real customer needs and communicating tangible values.
For us, brand strategy means creating growth through meaningful campaigns with purpose beyond the products alone. It is about building a brand that stands for responsibility, trust, and long-term value while creating meaningful differentiation in a highly competitive market. The success of Mangalam ProMaxX reflects this philosophy by addressing real customer needs and delivering value beyond the product itself.

What are the key pillars that define a strong and differentiated cement brand today?
A strong cement brand today rests on five pillars: performance, trust, innovation, customer understanding and consistency.
Performance ensures that the product consistently delivers on its promise. Credibility comes from years of trust earned through quality and reliability. Relevance is about understanding evolving customer needs and communicating value in ways that resonate with different stakeholders, whether they are dealers, contractors, architects or homeowners.
Equally important is purpose. At Mangalam Cement, we believe branding is not simply about increasing visibility but about creating meaningful value for everyone associated with the construction ecosystem. The strongest brands are those which are positioned quietly and consistently does the work of selling because customers already believe in what the brand stands for. Our Jal Kam… Jal Kam campaign is a true reflection of that with focus on health of the masons and water conservation during construction.

How do you balance product performance, trust, and emotional appeal in your
branding strategy?
The foundation of any cement brand must be product performance. Without performance, trust cannot be built. Without trust, emotional connection cannot be sustained.
In construction, people are not simply buying cement; they are investing in homes, aspirations, and long-term security. Therefore, our communication focuses on both the functional and emotional dimensions of building for these customers. While we highlight technical strengths and innovation, we also reinforce the confidence and peace of mind that customers seek when choosing a brand.
This approach has helped us position products like Mangalam ProMaxX not merely as a cement offering, but as a dependable partner in construction.

What role does digital marketing play in influencing dealers, contractors and end consumers?
Digital marketing has become one of the most powerful tools for brand building. It enables us to engage different stakeholder groups with highly relevant content and maintain continuous interaction. For dealers and contractors, digital platforms provide product knowledge, technical insights, and opportunities for business engagement. For end consumers, they offer access to information that supports informed decision-making.
More importantly, digital media allows brands to listen as much as they communicate. The insights generated help us understand customer expectations and continuously refine our brand messaging and offerings.

How do you measure the effectiveness and ROI of your branding initiatives?
Branding effectiveness can no longer be measured only through visibility metrics. We evaluate success through a combination of brand health indicators and business outcomes, including brand recall, market preference, channel engagement, digital interactions, customer feedback and contribution to sales growth.
However, some of the strongest indicators of success cannot always be measured immediately. When channel partners recommend your brand without hesitation, when contractors repeatedly choose your product, and when architects associate your brand with quality and reliability, those are powerful measures of branding success.
The true ROI of branding lies in its ability to create sustained preference, strengthen customer trust over time, and contribute to sales growth.

How has consumer awareness changed the way cement brands communicate their value proposition?
Today’s consumers are more informed, research-driven and quality-conscious than ever before. They seek evidence, transparency, and clear benefits rather than generic claims. As a result, brands must communicate in a more educational and solution-oriented manner. The focus has shifted from talking about cement to explaining how a product contributes to durability, strength, sustainability and long-term value.
This shift has also encouraged the industry to simplify technical communication and make it more relevant to the end user.

What challenges do cement manufacturers face in building brand loyalty in a largely commoditised market?
One of the biggest challenges is that purchasing decisions are often influenced by multiple stakeholders, each with different priorities. While price remains important, customers are increasingly evaluating brands on reliability, service, technical support, and long-term performance. Building loyalty requires consistency across every touchpoint. It is not enough to have a good product; brands must continuously engage customers, support channel partners and deliver a superior experience.
This philosophy inspired initiatives such as Uttam Shiksha Pehal, through which Mangalam Cement supports the education of contractors’ and masons’ children. These initiatives reflect our belief that the people who build our nation deserve opportunities that extend beyond the construction site. By investing in their families and future, we strengthen relationships that are built on trust rather than transactions. Ultimately, customers remain loyal to brands that consistently create value beyond the product itself.

What branding trends do you believe will shape the future of the cement industry over the next five years?
The future of branding in the cement industry will be driven by three major trends: digital engagement, sustainability and value-added innovation. Customers increasingly want brands that are transparent, responsible and future-ready. Sustainability will move from being a corporate initiative to a core brand attribute. At the same time, specialised products that address specific construction needs will continue to gain prominence.
Going forward, successful brands will be those that combine technological innovation with authentic storytelling and meaningful stakeholder engagement. The brands that lead tomorrow will not simply communicate value; they will demonstrate it consistently through their products, their purpose, and their actions.

• Kanika Mathur