The change in identity will become official in a month's time. The company will then embark on a corporate image building exercise.

Company managing director CK Ranganathan said: "The change in identity is in tune with our need to build a corporate image for ourselves as a fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) company. We did not want to be tied down to the identity of a cosmetics company, keeping in mind our plans to enter segments like personal-care products and detergents."

Beauty Cosmetics has been active in the hair-care segment with shampoo brands like Nyle and Chik and a shikakai hair wash brand Meera. Recently, the company branched out in the skin-care segment with `Fairever' fairness cream. It has also introduced a hair dye called `Indica' and a deodorant `Spinz'.

The name chosen means `Beauty Care' in Tamil (Cavin fornatural beauty and Kare is a variant of Care). Is that a signal of a regional association? "No" says Ranganathan, "To people who are not familiar with Tamil or for people who don't pay close attention to the name, it actually suggests nothing. There are no associations and hence no images drawn up around the company. It has a neutrality to it while still conveying our objective."

The change in corporate identity is not merely cosmetic, but comprises integrating different divisions including some backward integration. An associate packaging company is being integrated into Beauty Care. The company may also go in for further backward integration including manufacturing the necessary chemical ingredients for the personal products division as well as detergents.

Beauty Care has hired a public relations firm to enhance its image. It also plans to enhance its corporate identity in the advertisements for its brands. The company and its brands will get coverage in the upcoming media campaign, says Ranganathan.The media blitz is likely to start rolling by late October.

Even as the company plans a conscious identity building exercise, it has kicked off efforts to change its market perception. For new products, the company has opted to adopt the premium pricing route, pricing `Fairever' slightly ahead of market leader `Fair and Lovely' and `Indica' is also priced higher than the Godrej hair dye which is the market leader.

The earlier brands Chik and Meera are targeted at the middle- and lower middle-class market. Nyle targets the middle- and upper-middle class.

The brand building exercise is expected to increase the company's valuations when it comes out with a public issue, possibly next year.