MUMBAI: FMCG major Procter & Gamble has announced the launch of Pantene Long Black, a variant of its Pantene Shampoo brand.

Pantene was launched in India in 1995. The company launched Pantene Long Black as research conducted in the small towns and villages of India found that there was a need for a product that would enable the Indian woman to have long, smooth uniformly black hair which does not look dull or faded at the tips. The product, which is grey in colour, contains no artificial hair dyes or colourants. Its new patented pro-vitamin Moist black formula makes hair look naturally dark and healthy. The product penetrates hair from root to tip and the regular use of the product helps repair hair damage and also strengthens hair at the ends.

A TVC to promote the product is already on air on mainstream channels. The ad features a woman laughing as she asks the viewer whether there was any other product that could give the hair a natural colour of black. The company will also do print ads as well as in-store advertising through retail outlets.

The company has brought down Global Pantene artistic director and hair stylist Andy Uffels from Holland to promote the product. He said that the wavy texture of the Indian woman's hair gave him the opportunity to come up with different ideas.

"Over the seven years that I have closely worked with Pantene I have seen it successfully provide solutions for every hair problem and every hair look that a woman desires whether it be in Europe or Asia. The Indian woman considers long, smooth black hair as the Gold standard and this product will her achieve just that," he said.