Doing up a room calls for way more than just picking the paint colour for the walls. Long before choosing a brand, homeowners think about how they would use the space: A distraction-free work den, a fun-themed child’s bedroom or a cosy balcony? They look for inspiration and lifestyle ideas first. To meet these consumers early in their shopping journey, Indicus Paints creates themed content on Pinterest that is centred around spaces such as home-offices, staircases and balconies.The Pinterest presence has generated engagement for the relatively new brand, says Gokul Basker, Founder of Indicus Paints and Partner at VNC Group, a diversified manufacturing and distribution conglomerate based in Tamil Nadu. Around half a million consumers engage with the content each month, while total views have run into 4-5 million, along with saves and shares, since the company launched in 2021. He does not, however, draw a direct connection between the engagement and sales. The platform, he says, gives people space to explore options at an early stage, before finally choosing a paint brand.This distinction matters in a category where the person buying the paint is not always the one deciding on the brand. Depending on the segment, homeowners may turn to painters, contractors, civil engineers, architects or dealers for advice and recommendations. The consumer may have a veto, but it is rarely exercised, Basker says.For Indicus Paints, the VNC Group’s first consumer brand, awareness forms an important first step in a category that is getting crowded with the entry of many new players with big pockets (like Birla Opus). The Indian paints and coatings market is estimated at ₹1 lakh crore, with a CAGR of 9 per cent driven by rapid urbanisation, real estate activity and rising personal income. Decorative paints command 75 per cent of this market and Asian Paints is the clear leader.Grabbing attentionIndicus, says Basker, is in the awareness creation phase, ensuring the name is not unfamiliar to a consumer when a contractor recommends it. He observes younger consumers taking a greater interest in paint selection today, researching colours and finishes, and arriving for the purchase armed with more information, compared with earlier generations. Instagram and other social media have made consumers more discerning, he says.Advertising is one of the ways in which the brand is building initial awareness.