BS MRP

“A study on Brand Revitalization of Dettol Soap and Nirma Washing Powder” A Thesis Submitted in partial fulfillment of MBA Degree of Mohan Lal Sukhadia University In the Faculty of Management Studies By BHAWANI SHANKAR MEENA

Under the Supervision of Prof. P.K.Jain

FACULTY OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES MOHAN LAL SUKHADIA UNIVERSITY UDAIPUR (2011) 1

CERTIFICATE

I feel great pleasure in certifying that the thesis entitled “A study on Brand Revitalization Of Dettol Soap and Nirma Washing Powder” embodies a record of the results of investigations carried out by BHAWANI SHANKAR MEENA under my guidance. I am satisfied with the analysis of data, interpretation of results and conclusions drawn. I recommend the submission of MRP.

(Signature) Date: Prof, P.K. JAIN Director, FMS(Udaipur)

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DECLARATION

I hereby declare that the work incorporated in the present thesis entitled “A study on Brand Revitalization of Dettol Soap and Nirma Washing Powder. „‟ is my own work and is original. This work has not been submitted to any university in partial fulfillment of the award of a degree.

BHAWANI SHANKAR MEENA Signature of Candidate

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Acknowledgement

I wish to acknowledge the deep sense of gratitude and convey my thanks from within my heart to all those who helped me out at various stages of the completion of this Research.

With deep sense of gratitude, I wish to acknowledge my thanks to Prof. P.K.JAIN who not only guided me but also made great efforts for making my Research successful by giving proper suggestions encouragement and all kind of support whenever required.

I would like to thank DR. KARUNESH SAXENA and my Faculty Guide DR. HANUMAN PRASAD who always motivated me to put my best foot forward by setting high standards. I sincerely express my thanks to DR. ANIL KOTHARI, faculty members of FMS for imparting me guidance and help whenever required.

Lastly very special thanks goes to my parents for supporting me, my friends and all those who were engaged with this research work indirectly and for the assistance given to me throughout the course of the training record.

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PREFACE

The present research study titled‖brand revitalization of dettol and nirma washing powder‖ studies the revitalization strategies followed by dettol and nirma washing powder for increasing their market shares. This research study starts with a strategic analysis of environment. An ETOP(environmental threats and opportunities) analysis results in the present competitive advantage of dettol and nirma washing powder and their respective market shares. A brief history of nirma and dettol enables us to understand their strategies followed in the past and their impact on the present scenario. Revitalization strategies followed by both these brands occurred due to some reasond which werr studied in this research. The life cycle of these products enables us to study their future market penetration strategies. Revitalization strategies have helped these brands in gaining market share and penetration in the market.

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CONTENTS S. NO.

PARTICULARS CERTIFICATE DECLARATION ACKNOWLEDGEMENT PREFACE

1.

RECKITT BENCKISER INDIA LTD a. INTRODUCTION b. SWOT ANALYSIS

2.

NIRMA LTD a. INTRODUCTION b. BRAND SALIENCE c. SWOT ANALYSIS

3.

REVIEW OF LITERATURE

4.

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

5.

REVITALISATION

6.

DETTOL‘S REVITALISATION

7.

NIRMA‘S REVITALISATION

8.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

9.

APPENDICS

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RECKITT BENCKISER INDIA LTD

INTRODUCTION Dettol king of germ kill as consumer say is a brand that strikes every one as soon as one gets a cut or a wound. Is was used in UK hospital in the early 1930‘s for the first time. Later is 1933 with the recommendation of doctors there, it is as launched for the general public. The fame spread widely during the second world war as an effective antiseptic liquid. The name dettol chosen because of its medical flavor. Dettol‘s popularity today extended to more then 100 countries across the global, and more than a billion people on the planet have heard of it. Laboratory tests also proved that it is highly effective against microbes yet, gentle on the skin. Indian consumers believe dettol is a real antiseptice for entire family. Reckitt Benckiser India Ltd (RBIL) is a fully owned subsidiary of Reckitt Benckiser Plc., world‘s No.1 Company in household cleaning. Reckitt Benckiser Plc came into being with the merger of Reckitt & Colman Plc with Benckiser NV in 1999. The company has operations in 60 countries, sales in 180 countries and has had net revenues in excess of $5.5 billion. Reckitt Benckiser India Ltd (RBIL) manufactures and markets a wide range of products in Personal care, Pest control, Shoe care, Antiseptics, Surface care, Fabric care and other categories. Amongst its many well‐known brands are Dettol, Mortein, Harpic, Cherry Blossom, Lizol, Disprin, Robin powder, Colin, etc. Most of these brands are either number 1 or number 2 in their respective categories in India. RBIL distributes all its products through its common distribution channel, which has a wide and deep reach in the markets and is a key strength of the company. The channel is managed by a well structured sales force, responsible for achieving sales for the entire product portfolio of more than 150 Stock Keeping Units (SKUs).

DETTOL Dettol, the brand synonymous with protection from germs, had for long been voted as India‘ most trusted brand. In September 2008, the marketing team of Dettol was reviewing the brand‘s performance in its 75th year of existence to formulate a three‐year plan. Dettol‘s growth trend 7

had been slow but steady over the years and a number of initiatives taken in the recent years had started yielding results. The brand started its journey in 1933 as antiseptic liquid, but over the years, it has been extended to a number of product categories like toilet soaps, liquid hand wash, liquid body wash, shaving cream and plaster strips. The growth trend in the last few years had been encouraging with shares showing an accelerated upward growth in most categories, but the team felt share gain could be much faster. The brand team decided to further build on the growth trajectory and set itself a visionary target ‐ that of doubling Dettol‘s overall share in next three years in the combined market of the product categories it is present in (Antiseptic Liquid, Bar soaps, Liquid Hand wash, Body wash). The team knew that it had to address various challenges to achieve its ambitious target viz. consumers saw the need for germ kill only in specific situations, resulting in irregular usage and seasonality. The brand had to fight in a competing environment in which new variants and re‐launches were used for driving growth, it was critical to determine what & where should be the business thrust to optimize the marketing spend and further accelerate the brand growth.

STRATEGIES AND OBJECTIVES Reckitt Benckiser's objective is to generate above industry average profitable growth by: • Focusing on building the power brands in high growth categories • Geographic expansion of the portfolio • Continuous innovation • Higher investment in brand building • Margin expansion and cash conversion to fund reinvestment in core brands and to grow returns to shareholders. • Selective add-on acquisitions

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DETTOL PORT FOLIO DETTOL SOAPS DETTOL LIQUID • For Bruises & Cuts • Insect bites • Washing of clothes • Mopping of floors • Shaving • Bathing • Cleansing of skin DETTOL HANDWASH DETTOL PRICKLY POWDER Available in two sizes 75gm and 200 gm DETTOL MPC A new product Dettol Multipurpose cleaner recently launched and added in the Dettol family. Available in two variants floral and citrus. \

MARKETING STRATEGY SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS Soap is a major consumer able item and there is a huge demand and potential in this market particularly the anti – bacterial segment. The anti bacterial market segment has grown year on

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year by more than 7 % percent due to increased consumer awareness and education on the benefits of anti-bacterial soaps. As a result, the pie is growing bigger every year. Some uncontrollable situational factors that are faced by the Reckitt Benckiser Pakistan and Dettol soap are as follows, Demand: Although the demand for Reckitt Benckiser products is very high but when we talk about the demand of the Dettol soap the demand is growing in the antibacterial category. The market share of Dettol soap is more than 10 % in Pakistan out of the Rs 11 billion soap market. Competition: There was no direct competitor of Dettol soap at the time of launching but today; two brands are directly competing Dettol. Safeguard (P & G) and lifebuoy (Unilever) are direct competitors Legal/political: these are the uncertainties that are extremely variable in the political conditions of Pakistan. Constant political instability does affect the company in terms of building new relations with new governments all the time. Social and Cultural factors: the company has to be very careful in the implementation of its promotional campaigns, since the social cultural environment of Pakistan is very conservative and any suggestive advertisements usually face a lot of negative reactions on the part of the consumer. Other factors: like the government regulations and technological advancements have had no significant effect on the product and the company.

MARKETING ANALYSIS In the mind of the consumer, anti-bacterial soap should have the following:A product whose core function is to clean skin, making it softer and smoother, while leaving a feeling of freshness behind. Good perfume and foam combine to deliver this freshness experience. The key functional benefit is that it removes dirt, oiliness and other impurities from skin.

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Germs are not top-of-mind for the average consumer, but are a function of Dirt and disease. Research led us to know that consumers are largely unaware of the diverse nature of ‗jar seem‘. They just know that Germs (jar seem) are the bad guys. They don‘t know that there are different types of germs. Different antibacterial competitors are trying to own a higher ground by building on already present germ-kill equity. Like Dettol has given its slogan of ―Dettol protects against a wide range of unseen germs, including bacteria and viruses‖ While safeguard is focusing on ‗Din Raat Lagataar Tahaffuz‘ which is more powerful in the mind of the consumer. Lifebuoy is following the ―germ buster‘s‖ strategy.

TARGET MARKET The target market for Dettol soap is all households (primarily mothers) who can afford buying soap and who want to fulfill an everyday need (primarily bathing) that provides them and their family with a 100% anti-bacterial solution – complete protection from all germs/ bacteria and cleanliness from dirt / grime.

MARKET

DEMOGRAPHICS

(GEOGRAPHIC,

DEMOGRAPHICS,

BEHAVIORAL FACTORS) The target markets analysis of Dettol soap is:Geographic location Include almost all Urban; suburban; small town; and some rural areas of Pakistan Demographics Gender Male; female mainly mothers Age 18years to 45 years

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Socioeconomic status Mainly targeting middle class and upper middle class in urban and sub-urban areas – Primarily cities and surrounding areas. Rural market penetration is limited and is primarily driven through indirect channels (e.g. Wholesale)

Psychographics Young housewives and mothers who care about the health and well being of her family.

MARKET NEEDS (QUALITY CRAFTSMANSHIP, INNOVATIVE DESIGNS, CUSTOMER SERVICE) RB is conscious of the changing consumer needs and trends and is constantly conducting market research to assess opportunities and threats. Quality of the product is the number 1 priority as well as research on new variants. The next planned variant is Dettol Herbal soap. In addition, a new customer hotline has also been added to get instant feedback on product use, problems and activities.

MARKET TRENDS The soap market has been most affected by the recent sky rocketing price of palm oil which is the primary ingredient of soap noodles. This has caused the average price of soap noodles to increase by 20% - 25 % forcing producers (also RB) to increase prices of their soap products by almost as much so as not to put excessive pressure on their margins. This will undoubtedly result in decrease in soap sales volumes (higher prices means less consumer off take) as well as disruption in the market due to several quoted prices of the same product available resulting in dissonance in the wholesale and retail markets as well as confusion in consumer buying decisions at the point of sale.

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MARKET GROWTH The overall soap market is growing by 10 % while the antibacterial segment is growing by 7%. Hence, there is a lot of potential in the market for growth and additional brand penetration and brand building.

MARKET SHARE: DETTOL-83% SAVLON-10% OTHERS-7%

DETTOL SAVLON OTHERS

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SWOT ANALYSIS THE STRENGTHS • The brand‘s Germ-kill heritage (brown liquid) is seen as strong and adds on Trustworthiness (RTB) • Excellent for treating skin irritations, cuts/bruises and seasonal applications • Brand comes from a reputable (old) company • Loyal following of ‗Original‘

THE WEAKNESSES • Not perceived as an ‗everyday soap‘ due to: - strongly associated with hospitals in – makes skin dry

-friendly • No awareness of variants • No perceived as a dynamic, innovative and contemporary brand • Low Top-of-Mind recall: Communication not engaging

THE OPPORTUNITY Leverage the powerful brand equity associated with the Dettol Brand to make Dettol Soap an everyday use proposition.

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THE THREATS Other main players in the antibacterial soap category (Safeguard and Lifebuoy) have positioned their brands for everyday use against bacteria – Dettol soap positioning lacks that desired everyday benefit and experience!

COMPETITION ANALYSIS Here is a brief description about the antiseptic soap producing companies Dettol soap is a brand of Reckitt Benckiser Pak Ltd and it has been operating in Pakistan since 1999 after taking over from Reckitt & Colman. Market share of Dettol soap in then soap market is around 10% at the end of December 2007. The Dettol soap users have the perception that it is effective in germ kill with the medicinal smell of Dettol liquid which is used for Bruises & Cuts, Insect bites, washing of clothes, Mopping of floors, Shaving, Bathing and Cleansing of skin and used mostly during summers. Its functional core need is incidental antibacterial. Safeguard® is the No. 1 antibacterial soap worldwide; it is the only bar soap registered with the FDA. Safeguard is designed to provide excellent germ protection for the whole family. Safeguard, launched in 1995 by Procter & Gamble has set new standards for defining "health & hygiene" in Pakistan. It is an anti-bacterial soap that provides germ protection for twice as long as ordinary soaps making it the doctors' number 1 recommended choice throughout the world. The market share of safeguard is the biggest in antiseptic soap category with 22 % share. Safeguard users have the perception that it is providing them with Continuous Germ Protection, Gentle on skin, Smells Good, has a easy to grasp shape and the functional needs portrayed is of an everyday soap with germ protection. Lifebuoy is one of Unilever's oldest brands. Lifebuoy Royal Disinfectant Soap was launched in 1894 as an affordable new product in the UK, to support people in their mission for better personal hygiene. Lifebuoy soap aims to provide affordable and accessible hygiene solutions that enable people to lead a life free from hygiene related worries, everywhere, regardless of the boundaries of nationality, religion and socioeconomic status. Lifebuoy has a market share of 16 %. Lifebuoy users see the soap as a decent quality, affordable germ protection agent containing

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carbolic acid as its germ protection agent and its functional need portrays that it is an everyday soap with germ protection for the middle and lower middle class.

OPPORTUNITY ANALYSIS Based on the competitive analysis, Reckitt Benckiser found out that there are a lot of opportunities which will help the New Dettol soap capitalize a greater market share. New Dettol Soap‘s ability to gain real consumer insights, to launch products and variants that consumers actually want, supported by insightful advertising that talks to consumers in their own language, are all vital elements, which will lead to success of Dettol and the New Dettol soap as a brand. • Extensive Market Growth • Market Penetration and Market Expansion. • Achieving High Gross Margins • High Customer Services and Satisfaction • New Product Development and Entrepreneurship.

PRODUCT OFFERING The product is offered in 5 variants : • Original: Contains essence of the Dettol antiseptic solution • Skincare: Contains moisturizer for Skin care. • Active: Contains Active cleaning agent for Active cleaning. • Fresh: Contains Fresh scent for a Fresh feeling. • Sensitive: Contains Skin-friendly ingredients for Sensitive skin.

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POSITIONING STRATEGY Positioning Against Competitor Dettol is positioned as a premium brand which the mother chooses for 100% protection against all germs and bacteria for her family. The mother of the family is the focal point for Dettol Soap positioning compared to Safeguard and Lifebuoy which focuses on children. Positioning In Relation To Product Attribute: The primary positioning vis a vis product attribute is that Dettol Soap has the essence of Dettol Solution, the no. 1 antiseptic brand in the world trusted by families everywhere for over a century – which its competitors do not posses. Hence, it is considered a premium brand in the anti-bacterial segment. Positioning by price and quality As Dettol is a premium brand, it is priced at a premium to its competitors (Safeguard and Lifebuoy). Being premium means there will be no compromise in quality as the link between price and quality exists and customer is always willing to pay more for perceived quality which in the case of Dettol soap, he/she does!

MARKETING MIX STRATEGY PRICING STRATEGY Price v/s non price competition Dettol soap is priced at retail price of Rs. 38.00 (115 gms) and Rs. 26.00 (70 gms) which is at a premium of Rs 3 and Rs. 2 to its competition (Safeguard and Lifebuoy).

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Discounts and allowances RB give a special trade offer on Dettol Soap of 2% during the summer season so as to push to product into retail and an additional discount of 4 % to wholesalers to maximize loading in the channel and improved distribution when demand (consumer pull) is maximum. In addition, for the months of June to August – RB runs a special consumer promotion pack of three Dettol Soaps (in one package) with a Rs. 19 price off on a purchase of three soap bars. Geographic pricing strategy In pricing the seller must consider the cost of shipping. There are different geographic strategies. But RB utilizes the uniform delivering pricing (the same delivering price quoted to all buyers regardless of their location) for Dettol Soap.

DISTRIBUTION STRATEGY CHANNEL OF DISTRIBUTION FOR CONSUMER PRODUCT There are 2 primary channels of distribution for Dettol soap: Distributors and sub distributors: The company sells the products to its appointed distributors and sub distributors (+300 all over Pakistan) that are responsible for the distribution of pre-defined geographical areas who distribute it further to wholesalers and/or retailers. The retail distribution is further classified into TOP STORES (TSP‘s) which include all the high profile outlets like alfatah, HKB, Akbari stores etc and whole sale comprises of categories of diamond, gold and silver divided on the based on their average purchase per month and from here the product reaches the point of sale for the customer.

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Direct Delivery (Key Accounts) The company provides direct delivery to select large customers like institutional buyers of key accounts which sell directly to the consumer (in case of USC and CSD) or to small retailers / end-consumer (in case of MAKRO / METRO). INTENSITY OF DISTRIBUTION RB has an intensive distribution strategy of the product through its distributors that cover every geographical area and who resell onwards to wholesalers and retailers. There is also direct delivery service to key accounts (USC, CSD, MAKRO &METRO). Every available channel is utilized for maximum distribution and coverage to all the hypermarkets, supermarkets, general stores, kiryana stores and medical stores. The company also has in place a RDF (rural development force) which is covering the rural areas and exploring new markets for potential market penetration. PRODUCT STRATEGY Consumer and biz product Dettol soap is a fast moving consumer product. Convenience good It is an essential good vis-à-vis it‘s target market, which is all households (primarily mothers) who can afford buying soap and who want to fulfill an everyday need (primarily bathing) that provides them and their family with a 100% anti-bacterial solution – complete protection from all germs/ bacteria and cleanliness from dirt / grime. Product mix The five variants provide an ideal product mix in terms of consumer needs i.e. Original with Dettol Solution, Skincare with moisturizer, Active with active cleaning agent, fresh with fresh scent and Sensitive for sensitive skin. A new launch of Dettol Herbal Soap, which takes the tally of soaps to six variants. Unique Proposition that Dettol Herbal Soap has to offer is: 19

―The fundamental idea is that ordinary beauty soaps only offer aspects of beauty but what healthy skin requires is both freedom from germs and the use of natural extracts; something only offered by Dettol Herbal Soap which provides not only Maximum Protection from germs but also contains Aloe Vera, Avocado oil and botanical extracts.‖ Product line extension and uses The product is used primarily for showering / bathing but is also used for hand washing. A product line extension is Dettol Hand wash which is also available under the Dettol Brand.

Product Life Cycle Since this is a Fast Moving Consumer Product, the average product life cycle of this product (if used every day) is 30 days and 2 years if not in use (if stored in a cool and dry location). The brand is entering from growth to maturity.

ADVERTISING AND PROMOTION STRATEGY COMMUNICATION STRATEGY OF DETTOL SOAP ―Reposition Dettol soaps range as a preferred everyday use solution for the whole family‖ COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES • Announce new & improved Dettol soap. • Protection against a wide range of unseen germs (including bacteria & viruses). • Better experience (lather / perfume / feel-on-skin). • Show all 5 variants of new Dettol soap. 20

AGENCY SELECTION Almost 135 Advertising agencies exist in market but Reckitt Benckiser has selected Manhattan International Limited (MIL) Advertising Company because of their outstanding work in Pakistani market. BUDGET Dettol soap is a Rs 1 billion brand annually and so the marketing budget allocated to it approx 20 % of total Net revenue, not much resources have been allocated to Dettol soap marketing efforts due to its squeezed margins and close competition with other antibacterial soaps, it mainly derives its sales from the brand equity of Dettol liquid. MARKETING COMMUNICATION METHODOLOGIES This is a summary section. Give a brief overview of your advertising, consumer promotions, personal selling, sponsorship programs and database programs. Discuss the relative mix of each of these components and how you will integrate them together into seamless plan. This discussion should relate back to your Marketing Communication Objective and how these methodologies will help in accomplishing the objective. Different advertising rates of various media vehicles have been given in the appendix 1, 2, 3 and 4.

ADVERTISING (TVC) Television is still the primary medium for advertising for Dettol soap, and print also forms a crucial part of the communications strategy. But increasingly campaigns are integrated across all these communication channels. All advertisements of Dettol soap are a blend of hard sell and soft sell advertising, as all the Dettol soap advertisements first show the ingredient it contains (Dettol Antiseptic solution) and then portray the emotional benefit for the user which revolves around the theme of a mother and children in which the mother is the one who makes her family use Dettol soap as she is one who decides what is best for her family in personal health,

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indicating that the target market of Dettol soap are the health conscious mother‘s of young children. The main model used in almost all of the Dettol ad campaign is mahnoor baloch. When it comes to advertising, DETTOL prefers TV because of their philosophy that;―HEALTH AND HYGIENE ALWAYS COMES FIRST.‖ Thus TV is the best media, as you can show how Dettol soap keeps you hygienically clean and protected and gives you daylong protection from body odour. Apart from this, in Pakistan, TV is a strong medium, it has highest reach. Thus a large part of advertising budget is focused on TV. Dettol soap spends around 60 % of the TV advertising budget on all channels with high rating points like PTV, PTV WORLD, GEO, ARY, INDUS VISION etc. Dettol soap advertises highly in summer season i.e. mid of the year, as people prefer frequent washes in such seasons to keep hygienically clean and long lasting protection against body odour. MEDIA PLAN-TV Dettol has devised a well approached media plan which covers almost all of the major channels which are covered through high frequency spots on all (over 12 minutes per channel per day!), with the Dettol soap ad showing in the headline news of geo and PTV. Cable branding has also been carried out two major cities, in Karachi – world call channel branding (72 spots/day) and in Lahore – cable spots (72 spots/day) The new Dettol Herbal Soap TVC, which went on air from in August on GEO with two spots of a 7 sec break bumper and a 30 sec full commercial every hour for two weeks. With the Presidential Elections due and the political debate it instigated a serious viewer ship and good exposure to Dettol Herbal Ad which helped in building the brand recall. MEDIA PLAN-RADIO The radio ad has been derived from the TVC with air time on all mainstream channels in Lahore and Karachi.

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PRINT ADVERTISEMENT The next priority of DETTOL SOAP is Print media. Dettol soap has a very aggressive approach in print advertising with the launch of the new Dettol soap ads appear in almost all the leading newspapers around the country e.g. DAWN, THE NEWS, NAWAIWAQT etc. the print ad in given below clearing spelling out the message that Dettol soap is daily usage soap for the whole family with a new formulation, which smell good, feels goods on the skin and is available in 5 different variants. Post Eid a print campaign for the NewDettol Herbal Soap was also launched and its presence was seen on all highly circulated newspapers and monthly magazines. CONSUMER PROMOTION Dettol soap also provides additional support by giving away various consumer promotions to provide the consumer with the extra value benefit. The consumer promotion introduced by Dettol soap was that on a purchase of three soaps the consumer will get a saving of Rs 19. The consumer promotion is as under. Another consumer promotion opportunity as a part of new product promotion and sampling effort has been carried out at METRO stores in Lahore and Islamabad where a free soap bar is being offered on a single purchase of the new product, Dettol MPC.

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NIRMA LTD

INTRODUCTION In the summer of 1969, a Gujarati entrepreneur, Dr. Karsanbhai Patel, set up his first detergent making unit in the backyard of his home in Ahmadabad – measuring all of 100 square feet. With bare hands and a bucket he would prepare the dry mix detergent powder that he had invented, pack it in polythene bags and then set off on his bicycle to sell the packets, door to-door. The launch of Nirma detergent cake came sixteen years after the introduction of the detergent powder. Its success was a foregone conclusion. In 1990, Nirma Super Detergent, a spray-dried blue detergent powder, was launched. With the launch of the high-TFM (Total Fatty Matter) content Nirma Beauty Soap, Nirma began to expand its product portfolio. To counter the success of Nirma Beauty Soap, Hindustan Lever Limited launched Breeze. In a flanking operation that would have done military strategists proud, Nirma, launched another brand: Nima. Both the brands from the Nirma stable have been successful in grabbing a huge chunk of all incremental sales growth in the soap category in the past twelve years. Subsequently, the Nima sub-brand, too, has been extended to the detergents category. While the brands were making marketing history, the company was strengthening its operations. Setting up backward integration projects reinforced the detergents' portfolio. The performance of Nirma during the decade of 1980s has been labeled as ‗Marketing Miracle‘ of an era. During this period, the brand surged well ahead its nearest rival – Surf, which was well established detergent product by Hindustan Lever. It was a severing battering for MNC as it recorded a sharp drop in its market share. Nirma literally captured the market share by offering value-based marketing mix of four P‘s, i.e. a perfect match of product, price, place and promotion. Today, almost 90% of all raw materials –including linear alkyl benzene, soda ash, salt and packaging material – are manufactured in-house. A 15,000-strong work force at different locations ensures that there is no compromise on quality and that production deadline sere met. In 1994, Nirma Limited was listed on the stock exchanges. Today, Nirma is the flagship 24

company of the group with complete rights and ownership of the brand. Its wholly owned subsidiary – Nirma Consumer Care Limited is the distribution arm. The company's two brands, Nirma and Nima with 32 variants, are distributed through more than 2 million retail outlets, generating gross sales in excess of Rs. 4000 crore (US$ 833.30 million).The company has a significant presence in the personal care category through detergent powders and cakes, toilet soaps, scouring bars and in the food category through free-flow, edible salt. . At the lower end, Nirma has already tapped neighboring countries to sell its products (Bangladesh, Nepal, parts of Africa where it sold Rs 20 crore worth of powder in 2001-02).

PRODUCT Since the launch of Nirma detergent powder in1969, the Nirma portfolio has grown to include fabric care products, personal care products, food products, packaging and chemicals. However, the underlying philosophy remains consistent – to deliver value to consumers. In2005 there were three successful product rollouts – Nirma Saffron Beauty Soap, Nima Jasmine Beauty Soap and Nirma Super White Detergent Powder. In the fabric care category, Nirma has three products for the lower-end market. The Nirma Yellow Washing Powder is available in pack sizes of 30gms, 200gms, 500gms and 1kg and is ranked as the largest selling single detergent brand in the world. The Nirma Detergent Cake – also yellow in colour – is ranked as the most distributed detergent cake brand in the country and is available in pack sizes of 125gms and 250gms.The Nirma Popular Detergent Cake, available in pack sizes of 125gms and 150gms and targeted at lower income consumers, sells in huge volumes without any advertising support. In the mid-priced segment, the Super Nirma Washing Powder successfully debunked the myth that high-quality products had to be high priced. The blue as well as white powders are available in pack sizes of 25gms, 500gms and 1 kg and are 40% cheaper than the nearest competitor. The blue-colored Super Nirma Detergent Cake was introduced in 1990 as the better alternate to the then available detergent brands. In the scouring products category, the Nima Bartan Bar was launched with the tagline Bartan Hai Ya Darpan (Is it a utensil or is it a mirror?) which addressed the need for a scouring product 25

that puts the shine back on utensils. The Nirma Clean Bar was launched to enable users of unbranded detergent powders and cakes to switch to a value-for-money branded product. Nirma entered the toilet soaps category with Nirma Bath Soap, a carbolic soap which positioned itself against the largest selling carbolic soap brand, Lifebuoy, from the Hindustan Lever stable, at half the price.The more up market Nirma Beauty Soap with five perfume variants also became an instant success. Nirma Lime Fresh Soap was launched as a mid-priced toilet soap without any advertising support. In the first month of its launch, 17 million packs were sold, vindicating the company's belief that value-for-money products are what consumers are looking for. Nima Rose and Nima Sandal are the other toilet soaps that are on offer in the mid-priced segment. The company entered the foods category with the launch of Nirma Shudh Salt in 2002. Nirma Shudh is only the second vacuum salt in the country and is manufactured using the world-class Akzo Nobel technology. The edible salt is free from human touch. Recently, Nirma has doubled its production facilities for vacuum salt.

MARKET SHARE OWNED BY DIFFERENT PLAYERS: P & G- 13% HENKEL- 2% OTHERS- 18% NIRMA-29% HUL-38%

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P&G HENKEL OTHERS NIRMA HUL

Marketing strategy Nirma started with the basic idea of giving credit to customers and thus realized that this strategy resulted in an adverse effect. Then the role of advertising and promotion came into play and nirma went on with an advertising campaign in which it displayed nirma with the tag line. WASHING POWDER NIRMA, WASHING POWDER NIRMA, DOODH SI SAFEDI...... the advertising campaign was a success and nirma experienced a rise in demand. Nirma followed three strategies to remain in the competition. All cash on delivery, tight supply and no credit facility. The best case of - Give your consumer what he wants, when he wants, where he wants and at the price he wants, selling will be done quite automatically. This is the marketing 'mantra' of

Nirma.

Nirma adopted backward integration strategy for the regular supply of raw materials, 90 % of which they manufacture themselves. Nirma also gave due importance to modernization, expansion and upgradation of the production facilities. The company also made sure that it uses 27

the latest technology and infrastructure. As far as Corporate social responsibility (CSR) is concerned, Nirma has made some good efforts by starting Nirma Education & Research Foundation (NERF) in the year 1994 for the purpose of running various educational institutes. Nirma has also set up Nirma labs , which prepares aspiring entrepreneurs to effectively face the different business challenges. Nirma also runs Nirma Memorial Trust, Nirma Foundation and Chanasma Ruppur Gram Vikas Trust as a part of their effort as a socially responsible corporate citizen.

Brand Values Dr. Karsanbhai Patel puts enormous stress on operating efficiencies and marketing practices so that consumers receive their money's worth. Every packet of Nirma that Karsanbhai Patel sold to his consumers came with a money-back guarantee. Nothing has changed since. But as sales grew, so did Nirma's scale of operations. The cost-conscious approach of the initial years was to evolve into a strategic branding perspective. By the 1980s, Nirma was the toast of marketing gurus.Today, it's not just a brand – it's a phenomenon whose time has come.

Brand Salience (Brand Awareness) Depth Brand Awareness: When we think of strong detergent in general and low cost in particular, Nirma is the first brand which comes to our minds. Everyone remembers not just these lines but also the tune! ―Washing powder Nirma, Washing powder Nirma; Doodh si safedi Nirma se aaye, rangeen kapda bhi khil-khil jaye; Rekha, Jaya, Meena aur Sushma, Sabki pasand Nirma‖ The kind of impact that Nirma‘s simple ―Dancing Girl‖ advertisement managed to have on prospective buyers was phenomenal. It perhaps was the most famous audio-visual of its times.

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And it remained etched in the minds of people for a very long time. Advertisements of Nirma focus on the ―performance‖ and ―cost effective‖ features of the washing powder which has made it popular in most Indian households, who have been using it for many years now. This product is targeted for middle class and lower middle class population of India. Washing Powders have undergone a number of changes in terms of composition, advertising etc ever since they were first introduced. And consumer preferences have also changed accordingly with people more comfortable with more sophisticated brands. Yet, Nirma with its distinct yellow color (later which became blue) does crop up somewhere in the mind space of consumers, even nonusers. Nirma envisioned the vast Fabric Wash market segment and sensed a tremendous potential therein. Breadth of Brand Awareness- Brand usage This brand had been ranked as the ―Most widely distributed detergent powder brand in India‖. Brand Nirma has always been able to demonstrate his mass market presence. Nirma as a brand has few variants. Four of the more popular ones are Detergents, soaps, edible salt and scouring products. As a brand Nirma may be limited in its variants. But, its usages are plenty.

Brand PerformanceRatio of detergent to other constituent makes Nirma a unique product which is good in quality and reasonable in price. Nirma is also used as cleaning agent for floor etc. in many Indian families. Nirma is regarded as a strong cleaning agent that can be used in any condition which includes hard water, tough stains and sticky dirt. Owing to its unique environment-friendly, phosphate-free formulation, the consumers became loyal to this brand, helping it to over-take the decades‘ old brands, in terms of volumes. Nirma is successful in providing a very attractive ‗value-for-money‘ proposition. Deriving inspiration from its success in the Detergent Powder market, Nirma expanded its product portfolio by introducing the ―Nirma detergent cake‖ in 1987. Here again, the excellent price-quality equation tempted the consumers to try the product. This blue soap has got

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substantial market share in the premium detergent segment and continues to perform well as its parent. Due to its unique formulation, this product offers benefits like less melting in water, better stability, and therefore lasts longer. In the country like India where majority of the population belongs to middle class and lower middle class Nirma is strongly positioned in this segment. ―Nirma ―for me scores on all the counts mentioned above. Compared to other product, Nirma is quite affordable. A packet of Nirma lasts longer as compared to any other washing powder; Kind of detergent used in it necessitates less quantity. Simple and non-sophisticated packaging contributes to reduced cost of Nirma. Nirma is never provided in paper box, customer buys it and store it in some box already available in house .That way customer need not to pay extra money for packaging which is non value adding for them. Its Cover saves it from moisture and humidity.

Brand ImageryNirma has always been embedded in consumers mind in some or other part ofconsumer‘s life. Nirma is always willing to cater to its customer from every segment. (a) Jyada Shakti Nirma: Initially Brand Nirma was targeted for low class and lower middle class segmentof the population. (b) Super Nirma: Exploding the myth that ‗better quality always demands higher price‖, Nirma introduced a spraydried blue colored washing powder in the premium segment, in 1996. Available in 25g, 500g and 1000g packs, this product out-classed its competitor brands. Though, priced almost 40 % lesser, thus providing a very attractive ‗value-for-money‘ proposition. This brand, within a short span of two years, had cornered substantial market share in the premium detergent segment and continues to perform well. c) Nirma Popular:

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To cater to the needs of the specific target audience, Nirma launched a good quality product at a very affordable price. The objective is to convert the nonusers of detergents into users and also prevent the competitors and local manufacturers to lure away the prospective Nirma consumers by sub-standard products. This product has created a loyal consumer base of its own and has established substantial amount of volumes. It is available in pack sizes of 500g and 1000g pack sizes. Nirma is available in any kirana stores and mostly all parts of the country .Nirma is most widely distributed brand of the country. Yellow color of Nirma washing powder is still present in the minds of Indian consumers.

Personality and values: Various dimensions of multi personality brand Nirma are as follows: a) Sincerity b) Robust c) Competence d) Performer e) Ruggedness f) Powerful (ab jyada shakti Nirma) Its advertisement focuses mainly housewives which is a major chunk of Indian population. Nirma entered in the production of beauty bars also. Sangeeta Bijlani, Sonali bendre, Deepti Bhatnagar are some of brand ambassadors of Nirma.

Brand Judgments: Brand Nirma is always considered as a non sophisticated and high performing brand as compared to any other brand present in the market. Variety of Washing powders like Surf excel, 31

Ariel, Tide are present in the market which can give tough competition to Nirma as they provide better performance. But brand Nirma is strategically positioned so well in its customer segment that it can sustain its position in the market, after being few of its customers switching to other products. If a Lot of customers shift to premium product range another set of customer shift to Nirma. a) Brand Quality- Nirma is famous for providing high quality in terms of money spend on the product or we can say High value for money preposition. It has an image of being a performer in any odd situation.

b) Brand Credibilitya. a. Perceived expertise- Nirma is a Market Leader. It always been very successful in giving tough competition to its counterparts like Fena, More, Hepoline etc .It always added innovation to its products and gave a specific product for specific customer segment e.g. Super Nirma and Nirma Popular were introduced to cater to high quality demanding customers. b. Trustworthiness- It has always proved to be a dependable brand from decades. It has always been present in the mind of Indian customers including non-users.

c. Likeability- High ―Value for money ―and high ―Quality to cost ratio‖ makes it an interesting, price-worthy and useful product. d) Brand Consideration- Other than any brand Nirma is personally related to my grand-mother and surprisingly high brand recall value and praise for brand motivates me to know the brand. Its presence from decades depicts its ubiquitous nature and robustness. e) Brand Superiority- Its presence from long time and performance makes customers to view the brand as unique and better than other brands. f) Brand Feelings- Customers‘ are emotionally attached to the brand. Brand Nirma being a prime mover in affordable washing powder has a respectable place in Indian consumers mind. It 32

gives an Image of a strong and sturdy old man who has faced all the adversities calmly and courageously. Nirma always adopted captivating and unique advertising and marketing strategy. This product created a marketing miracle, when introduced in the domestic marketplace. In 1969, when the detergents were priced so exorbitantly that for most of the Indians, it was a luxury item. Nirma envisioned the vast Fabric Wash market segment and sensed a tremendous potential therein. This product was priced at almost one third to that of the competitor brands, resulting into instant trial by the consumers. Time to time it kept on introducing its variants in the market like Super Nirma, Nirma popular, Nirma beauty bar and other toiletry preparations. It took advantage of word of mouth advertisement. Especially the segment in which Nirma focuses; consumers are always ready to admire a brand which gives them performance. Nirma also delivered consistent performance matching to customer‘s need. Customers tend to use it because of its attachment to the brand in spite of presence of other similar performing brands. Brand Nirma was also notorious for its harmful effects on user‘s hands but here also Nirma came up with Super Nirma and very well advertised this newly introduced feature.

Brand ResonanceBrand Nirma is present in the mind of customers from long ago. Despite being a non user customers respect this brand and share a good memory and experience with the brand from its child hood days or may be experience of parents. Like a person Nirma has a glorious past which epitomizes its success and strong presence in the market even now. My parents share their early age experiences when they were the user of this brand and how exiciting the introduction of this brand in the market was. Everyone in the friend circle was the user of this brand. Sense of belonging to this brand is stronger today also. In washing powder stories Nirma is a protagonist which reaches to the apex by keeping small and steady steps. Its success is incremental and phenomenal.

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4 A‟s of rural marketing mix

1. Affordability : Designing product which match the needs of rural consumer and within his buying capacity (e.g. nirma detergent powder, chik shampoo)

2. Availability: To ensure that the product reaches the retailers shelf

3. Awareness: Rural specific promotion media and methods

4. Acceptability: The product should serve its purpose and offer solutions to their problems

Distribution: All nirma and nima range of products have a retail reach of over two million retail outlets and more than 40 million loyal consumers spread all over the country; The efficient network has made nirma washing powder and nirma detergent cake, the brands with highest penetration in the respective product categories in the market; The distribution channel is geared up to enhance trade relations, buil up the retailer base by providing various benefits and incentives, organize and implement different activities to generate sales and manage numerous other programmes, schemes and activities concentrated towards business development; Nirma limited markets its products through its fully owned subsidiary nirma consumer care limited since 1985; 34

The nirma brand is marketed through the first network, which consists of about 450 exclusive distributors. It is one of the lowest cost FMCG distribution channels of the country; The nima range of products is marketed through a parallel marketing network that comprise of more than 2000 distributors.

SWOT ANALYSIS Strength Strong brand equity. Nirma is rate 17 billion umbrella brand offering brand portfolio of products as multiple price points.

Weakness Highest interest burden less presence in premium segment lack of global tie-ups & thus finding hard to export market.

Opportunities Exports acquisitions for strengthening tie-ups entry into others categories like shampoos toothpastes and fabric whiteners

Threats MNCS coming to India particularly in toilet & soap industry Emergence of small but strong regional pleas

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Review of literature: According to V S ramaswamy & S namakumary companies add some value to an ongoing brand by improving product attributes and enhancing its overall appeal. This is intended to the recapture the attention of consumers. Brand revitalization helps overcome consumer‘s boredom in seeing the same product on the shelves year after year. Consumer‘s psychological desire to change is one key factor behind revitalization programmes.Quite often we see ongoing brand appearing as new, super, special, plus, premium, deluxe, extra strong and fresh. They appear in new shapes, new colures and shapes, new pack and sizes/design and new containers.

Brands must make the product relevant and meaningful for the target customers.Branding gives the customers reasons to buy and use the products.

Brand revitalization gives a second life for a brand. More than 80% of the brands that are launched die off, a mere 8% of these brands, which are retiring, try to rejuvenate/ revive the brand. Today Brand Revitalization is in very high demand as companies realize that building a brand would take ten times more money. New product development tries to create brand equity from a blank sheet of paper. But it can frequently be more rewarding to start with a sheet already written on, with a hidden message we can decode for a relatively small investment. Many companies have identified the necessity of Brand Revitalization and entrepreneurs have brought in ―Brand Spas‖ to rejuvenate, indulge and refresh the brands. While understanding the importance of brand revitalization.

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RESEARCH METHODOLOGY Research design Research design is the conceptual structure within which research would be conducted. My research designs are Explorative research at beginning level and later Descriptive research.

Major hypothesis a hypotheses is a hunch, assumption, suspicion, assertion or an idea about a Phenomenon, relationship or situation, the reality or truth of which you do not know. According my case Revitalization of a brand will lead to sure shot success for the brand. It will increase the market share.

Tools and techniques Statistical methods and measure of central tendency

Data source To achieve the objectives both primary and secondary data will be collected from various sources.

Sample size My research‘s sample size is based on 100 in Udaipur city. My sampling design is Non-probabilistic design

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REVITALISATION

Brand revitalization is a process of revitalizing an ailing brand. An old brand which is losing its market share over a period of time has to be revitalized through the adoption of several strategies.

SALES

Injections of new life

TIME

BRANDS THAT NEED REVITALISATION

- Heritage Brands These are the brands that were the first ones to come in the markets. They could be referred to as the pioneers of the markets. These products are generally in the last stage or sometimes in the 38

second last stage of their product life cycle. However, just as Sir Hector Laing, Chief Executive Officer, United Biscuits plc. remarked, ―Buildings age and become dilapidated. Machines wear out. People die. But what live on are the brands‖; these brands too lived on. However, their image among customers changes from that of a brand to a special brand. E.g. - Hindustan Motors‘ car Ambassador. It has become a heritage car with the memories of its yesteryears.

- Orphan Brands Orphan brands are the neglected ones. These are the brands that despite their high recognition factors may suffer from poor market positioning, a lackluster business environment, or just plain neglect from the parent. Orphan brands also include those brands that after being neglected, have also been disowned from their parent manufacturers. A major example that could be cited in this regard is that of the ointment Burnol. Burnol was originally a brand of Boots Company plc. It was bought over by Knoll AG of Germany in 1995 and was then bought by Reckitt Piramal in 1998. It re- launched Burnol as " Antiseptic Burnol plus" in 1994, which widened its usage from minor burns category to an antiseptic cream. Now recently, Morepen labs ltd. acquired of the brand Burnol from Reckitt Piramal ltd. for Rs. 8.95 crores.

- Ghost Brands Ghost Brands are brands that are shadows of their former selves. They may be existing in the market or even sometimes phased out, but they continue to haunt the minds of the consumers. These are the brands were once the top brands in their market, but have now been overshadowed due to any of the various reasons, such as launch of new improved products, or change in the consumer needs or preferences, etc. They walk the fine line between life and death, and are often demoted to the bottom shelf, which is the death row in many stores.

The companies, which own these brands, have four options: 39

1) Revive them, 2) Milk them, 3) Sell them, or 4) Kill them.

Reviving, in such cases, could be the best option as milking them won‘t yield much and eventually it would have to be killed. Also, selling would give the producer a much lower price as compared to the profits that the buyer could make if he revives it. Hence, though revival involves considerable costs to the companies, but it could yield them profits more than their investments.

Need for brand revitalization 1. A new competitor may have taken over the category and the company is struggling to generate revenues from the current product. A new variant has to be launched in order to regain market share. 2. The whole product or service category may be declining and a brand could be one of many brands that could use revitalization. 3. Revitalization may be needed in order to commute category leadership. As well as develop an energized new visual identity system and unify the brand‘s expressions across all audiences. 4. Revitalization may just be a need increase market share as the brand image may be becoming less relevant to people. 5. The brand develops a strong association with the offering and the brand association network gets strengthened with more nods.

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6. Perhaps the brand has lost its unique point of differentiation and thus looking to revitalize the product or brand with a new image. 7. The target market for the brand has aged, and now the brand has not manage to renew its positioning in the mind of the next generation of consumer. 8. Brand may no longer meet the consumers‘ needs or desire, where in the consumer has shifted to a different platform . consumers‘ needs have sifted from price to value. The lack of customer understand of the product and the lack of customers‘ experience,

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which would require developing a concept that would achieve high impact and recognition. 10. Revitalization may be to modernize the brand identity and making it more accessible. Likewise market success prompts the need to revitalize the positioning or package design. 11. Existing the brand logo may not have communicated a sense of natural well being which may have prompted the company to completely revamp the brand logo.

THE PROCESS

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Identify potential products

It is Important to identify and select the right brand to revive and choosing the right as not all brands can be revived. While reviving a brand many different considerations have to be taken into the mind like the market in which the brand is to be revived, the targeted market, and the advertising strategies. Thus in the brand revival process the first step is by far the most important step as all other steps are directly dependent on the efficiency of the first step. 41

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Listen to your consumers

They are the best source for information about products and needs. The Himmel Group has effectively utilized the following consumer research tools to gather critical information: (1) Brand Research Cards (BRC) questionnaires and on-line surveys used to collect consumer feedback on every product, (2) Concept test research, (3) Focus groups, (4) Product use research, (5) Toll free consumer hotline and consumer mail and emails. Management read all consumer correspondence.

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Create compelling creative messages that strike a chord with target consumers

Focus attention on consumer needs and wants with single-minded, believable messages. Create an advertising "hook" (in the case of medicines, a proprietary name for a medical condition, and then create the solution through the Himmel brand) and have strong brand registration. Control the creative process and cost by utilizing In-house creative development and production resources and contract out manufacturing of products and utilize outside consultants for research and development, medical expert advice, etc., to keep fixed costs low.

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Differentiate your product from the competition

Discover and exploit the unique selling proposition (USP) of the brand. Motivate consumers to choose the Himmel brand over the competition by promoting brands 52 weeks a year. Create an emotional connection with consumers and treat brands like children — they must be "nurtured."

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Advertise, Advertise, and Advertise. Maintain a heavy investment in advertising

There is a direct correlation between investment in advertising and consumer awareness, brand loyalty, market share, ability to resist price competition, and leverage with the retailer. Maintained the frequency of advertising — advertising frequency creates awareness and 42

awareness creates sales by deliver advertising messages on television, radio, etc.Control cost and maintained efficiency by utilize in-house media buying service.

SOME STRATEGIES FOR BRAND REVIVAL

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To make a brand comeback, successful, the first thing is to create a new economic v value for the customer, identify alternate distribution channels. For instance, brands can go online, get into new organized retail format and so on. Today, channels are market makers. One must find alternative ways of doing the 4Ps of marketing which may even require a modification of packaging in certain cases.

- The companies need to trace the ailments that led to the brand becoming defunct. Brands become defunct for many reasons. Sometimes not enough effort is put behind them when they were first launched. Otherwise they could have been ahead of time or not as relevant as it was conceived for. For e.g.- If a product like a fabric softener was relaunched at present, it could find more takers than the comeback of a ―neel‖ (the blue fabric after wash).

- Repositioning strategy Sometimes global product portfolio rationalization could affect local brands. A case in point is Kelvinator refrigerators which were put on a slow burner after it was taken over. But Kelvinator‘s strong brand proposition--―it‘s the coolest one‖-is timeless and would be equally relevant to the customers at present. In another instance, Dabur repackaged its Real fruit juice; the company‘s flagship product; as a natural, great tasting fruit juice for kids. They aligned the packaging, communication and all 43

elements of the marketing mix to communicate the brand‘s benefit (i.e., ―REAL-tastes like eating a fruit‖).

- Following the rules & doing the basics right This is the case with Lifebuoy, a brand that although did not disappear from shop shelves, but nevertheless made a successful comeback. From just being a carbolic soap which would be used in office toilets and dhabas, Lifebuoy has come to be‗family bathe soap‘. They played by the rules to win. For instance, the carbolic soap form of Lifebuoy had reached a state of maturity. As the strong brand started to plateau, the company started to revamp and reposition it. Importantly the relaunch of Lifebuoy was backed by consumer insights and significant marketing spends, both of which are completely essential.

- Having new applications Brands can also be revived by the marketers by developing or inventing some new and innovative uses of their product. This worked wonders for the US based Arm & Hammer, a baking soda company. For years the company stuck to its core business baking soda and marketing it as it is; but then customers frequently baked at home. As lifestyles became hectic, baking became a hobby and sales suffered. The company took its core product baking soda and put it into new applications. At present it marketed it as it could not only be used for baking but it is also a treat cleanser and odour killer and can kill odour in refrigerators. All this exercise helped the brand to remain contemporary.

- Finding New segments Sometimes just finding a new segment of users for the same brand can help in a successful revival of the brand. For instance, the largest users of are actually adults as opposed to children. That‘s because customers who grew up with video games are continuing to play and their tribe is increasing. In another instance, companies in US have revitalized the orange juice industry from 44

being only on the breakfast table to a juice for all occasions. It‘s also being touted as a healthy alternative since it has vitamin C. With bulk of population in US being elders has broadened the product scope and has helped it make a comeback.

- Geographical segmentation Even without new applications or new customer segments, a dwindling brand in one country can find solace in another. Companies are increasingly putting their brands into a new country or geography where they never existed. As there is no prior image of the brand in the new geography, the company can market the brand in a way so as to create the image they want customers to remember the brand as. Relevant example in this case could be that of General Motors, who managed to make its passenger car Buick a hit in China when the sales of the brand were not good in the US.

- Clever positioning Clever positioning and promotions can be deciding factors in brand comebacks. A creative approach to communications can revitalize the brand. E.g. -- Chewing gum brand Chiclets. Previously a pack of Chiclets had eight pieces in a box. Naturally the unit price was high. But price was not the problem for the brand. No consumer would eat eight gums at a go and when consumers put the rest into their pockets, Chiclets would melt if the climatic conditions were unfavorable. The recommendation was that if Chiclets had only 2 pieces in a packet it would also bring the unit price down. After implementing these changes, the company came with a ‗two of you‘ campaign targeted at young couples. The Chiclets case had all the must haves for the brand revitalization: a new economic value, new packaging and a new promise.

- New strategies being followed

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Some firms offer an outsourcing service to parent firms for the marketing and management of old brands. The parent retains a stake in the business, so it shares in the profit when the brands are revived.

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Saatchinvest, for example, holds a 51% majority stake in Complan globally, but Heinz has retained a 34% share.

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Chartered brands started out with a full acquisition strategy for orphan brands, but now takes only minority stakes in them. They, in their words, ‗take risks, inject cash, manage the process and share the benefits with the owners‘.

Outsourcing marketing can make sense for both parties. First, the small firm does not need to worry about the seller refocusing on a category. Second, the multinational does not sire a new competitor.

In nutshell, consumers will buy a brand only if they find value and trust (which could be in the form of past goodwill) in it. It does not matter if it has gone out of public view for a while. In fact marketing consultants add that as long as consumers can be convinced about the value and as long as they connect with a brand, sales will happen. But conditions apply. No strong negatives must exist to be associated with a brand that‘s awaiting revival.

CHALLENGES FOR REVITALISATION

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Understanding the market

If your product is aimed at a very specific target market then there is a good chance that this product will require only basic modification from country to country. If your product is aimed at

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a larger, more general market, there is a higher chance that wider-reaching changes will have to be implemented in order to make the product suitable for mass marketing.

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Gathering intelligence

In order to achieve international success, a business must understand its target customers, not only in measurable ways such as education levels and income, but on more intangible levels. While customers may not be aware of their depth of response to design they do respond strongly to form, detail, colour and balance. Design relates to every aspect of the experience, visual, tactile, and emotional. While your customer may not easily be able to articulate their feelings about these aspects of your product, they are nevertheless extremely important. When carrying out customer research it is essential that you formulate an approach that allows you and your design team to understand what your customers actually need, rather than what they say they need. Over the past decade there has been an increasing interest from business in non-quantitative customer research. Using techniques such as ethnography will not provide a clear set of answers that can be presented in graphs. It is open-ended, holistic and discovery-orientated and if used correctly will give incredible insight and knowledge into their customers‘ needs and desires that can then be used to inform and guide the subsequent design process.

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Understanding what you are selling

To understand what exactly a company is selling, many companies use the strategy called 'value exporters'. These companies have strong values that are often linked to national characteristics. They use design as a tool to emphasize either their national origin or the set of values that differentiate them from other products. Then, some companies use a strategy called 'value collectors'. These companies may well have a strong internal culture, but their outward style is less identifiable. They have to invest more time and money in researching their potential markets and then use design in order to create products 47

to connect with their international customers. Understanding which of these approaches is most applicable to your product is central to your approach to design for international markets.

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Managing the design process

A marketer maybe having the most brilliantly designed product in the world, but if he has a poor understanding of the target audience, a poor business plan, or both; it would fail. For good design to be good business it must be pursued as an integral part of a wider set of activities. For example, while a company may have invested in a successful industrial design and engineering process it may have failed to consider the total customer experience. This includes how the customer becomes aware of the product - will it be, for example, through TV advertising, product promotion or product placement? And how will the customer take ownership of the product? Will this be by ordering from a catalogue, purchasing online or in store? Considering all these areas and more leads to a significantly improved total customer experience and the likelihood of success is dramatically improved

DETTOL‟S REVITALISATION:

REASONS:

The reasons why dettol underwent revitalization were as follows: 1.) Its positioning was of a germ killer. This resulted in loss of its target market. Thus it needed to change its positioning to an antiseptic so that the safety measure could become a reason for people to buy it.

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2.) Its fragrance was discarded and disliked by many persons and they could not accept it as a bathing soap. 3.) Dettol soap had already established itself as a germ killer. Thus introduction of a new variant in the form of a soap resulted in superiority of dettol over its competitors like lifebuoy and lux. 4.) The various soaps available in the market were either beauty soaps or soaps with good fragrance. Dettol had introduced a new concept and thus provided an evidence of innovation. 5.) To overcome the pricing barrier. i.e. dettol was available at a premium price as compared to the competitors. This was not acceptable to the price sensitive Indian customers as they sought value for their money spent.

REVITALISATION: To overcome the limitation of the antiseptic liquid and to capitalized brand reckitt & colman launched dettol soap in 1979 on premium platform, which was way off the brand core properties of hygiene & cleanliness. The launched was not much of success. The findind of market research revealed that the product was positioned on the wrong platform. Reskitt quickly re-launched it in 1982 as a ‗100 percent germ fighter.‘the positioned work out so well and dettol soap could command a share of 11% in 1400 crore bath soap market. Dettol original was the launch soap. Which initially found limited acceptance from the customers. Its sales picked up after a changed positioning. By 2000, it saw limited success but its market share had started stagning. Research on brand equity revealed that while dettol‘s equity remained very strong on germ protection, the product relevance in the consumer‘s choice for a bathing soap was getting limited. It was also gathered in the consumer research that while loyalists loved dettol soap for its trademark fragrance, it was being rejected by a big chunk of consumers as a regular bathing soap bar.

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The brand team felt a need to launch a variant in dettol soap given that sensorial measures like fragrance, moisturized soft skin, etc were key drivers when it came to consumers choosing their soap brands. Dettol skincare soap was launched in January 2004- a white colored soap, offering dettol‘s protection with moisturizers to nourish the skin. This was followed by the third variant-dettol cool in February 2006, which offered trusted dettol protection with menthol to help feel refreshed and revitalized. Dettol occupies a 4.9% share (full year 2007) in this market. Its major competitors are lifeboy, lux, santoor, godrej no 1, etc. the stronghold and dominance of these brands and their distribution, varies across regions and urban and rural markets . while some brands are strong across the market, others have their strongholds in only some of the regions in the country. Dettol variants have contributed incrementally to dettol soap sales and now make up about 25% of total dettol soap sales. However, given its heritage and years of existence, dettol original soap continues to be the lead variant, and top of mind when it came to dettol soaps. To suit the needs of different consumers, dettol and its competitors are available in different pack sizes and combo-pack offers Pricing also plays a big role in this market that can be segmented as economy, mid price and premium. Each player is present in different sizes, and hence tries to straddle different pick up prices. Dettol soap has a premium price versus others key players in the market. This has limited dettol penetration in the lower end of the market. To overcome pricing barrier, small pack was launched in 2007, priced at Rs. 6. This helped in gaining further share. Household penetration and consumer preferences towards dettol vary across regions and seasons.

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KEY PLAYERS in the soap market: Lifebuoy: post a major positioning change in 2002 from ―male victorious health‖ to ―family health‖ in the bar soap market, lifebuoy relaunched itself in march 2004 with improved product and new claim of ‗100 % better germ protection‘, and since then has been trying to make strong its equity on germ protection through various communication and new product launches. In February 2005, lifebuoy has launched a new campaign adding a layer of social good in its communication with a tagline of ―have no fear‖. In november 2007 another new as was launched comparing vs. beauty soaps in general. Lux: it relaunched itself in 2004, with better packaging graphics and upgraded variants in line with the global range. It was highly visival on air with range of aishwarya rai copies. Post decline of share in early 2005, lux launched a new campaign in sep 2005 with shahrukh khan and four prominent film actress to commemorate 75 years of lux, via special promo packs & new pack graphics. In feb 2007 , it again launched a new campaign, ‘surat bhi bhi khoobsurat bhi‘. It launched new variant copies in Q2 2008 (peach cream & strawberry cream) offering fruit based skin care. Santoor: it comes up with regular renewal of its copies (one every year) communicating ‗skin that looks younger than its age‘ proposition. It launched a new white variant in September 2007. Savlon: in the soap category, it is positioned on the ‗gentle protection‘ proposition. Its share has remained flat at 0.6% over the years. Godrej no. 1: it has had a very low key TV activity, relying mostly on regional print in select states. It frequently airs advertisement featuring popular soap-star ‗jassi‘. Dettol‘s communication: Dettol original soap was launched on platform of ‗mild and gentle skin care‘ with the selling proposition as- ―give your family the loving care of dettol soap‖. However the brand failed to take off since a mild soap from the dettol stable did not make sense. Even after two years of launch, dettol soap could not make its presence felt.

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In mid 80s, an exhaustive consumer research was undertaken with the objective of finding reasons for dissatisfaction among consumer and the result was the understanding that a consumer need platform has to be built for a special bathing soap based on dettol‘s core strengths and not on the mild and gentle skincare platform. After in depth consumer research, it was seen that consumers were open to idea of using dettol soap when they faced extreme dirt condition. Hence it was felt that dettol soap needs to be positioned for occasions that are special, but not rare in everyday life. These could be based on exposure to dirt and germs, pollution, heat, sweet etc. Another challenge was to create a positioning that managed a fine balance between a cosmetic and therapeutic medicated position. The final positioning that was decided was: ―dettol protection comes to you and your family in the form of a soap for those daily occasions when a specially clean germicidal bath is necessary. WHEN NO ORDINARY BATH WILL DO – DETTOL SOAP- THE 100% BATH‖ The advertising was thus developed along these lines and dettol soap was relaunched. The advertising clicked with the consumer. Dettol soap sales reacted very positively to this new communication. Dettol sales grew year after year, with communication being renewed periodically to keep consumer interest in the brand promise alive. Dettol‘s packaging is distinct in its very own way. The green and white colours are associated with the hospital. All dettol products have a sword on pack which is symbol for fighting germs and infection

NIRMA‟S REVITALISATION: REASONS: There were the following reasons that led to the revitalization of nirma – 1.) To break the middle class image of its products

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2.) To give nirma an international/global platform so that the market share of nirma faced an

increased level. 3.) Nirma‘s core competency lied in value for money and the major portion of its target

customers included middle class families who were price sensitive. Thus revitalization would be safe in terms of new packaging and attractive advertisements. 4.) The brand value of nirma is strong in the minds of Indian customers. Thus revitalization

would further result in more purchase of the product. 5.) In any revitalization strategy, there are two available options. First, add a new product in

the existing product line and second, improve the existing product. Nirma was being sold at the same economic price for many years and this strengthened its roots in the minds of the common man. Nirma adopted revitalization because the younger generation needed something different from the past generations. This psychology was used by nirma effectively.

Recent Developments . The success of Nirma's umbrella branding strategy has led to a change in the competition's marketing strategies, as well. Many of Nirma's competitors are now consolidating their brand portfolio and consequently gaining more bang for their advertising rupee. In a changing market environment, the company has relaunched Nirma Yellow Washing Powder and Nirma Beauty Soap, two of its strongest brands. Nirma Yellow Powder is being re-launched with improved formulation and new advertising. This is an extension of the original ad which will return after the launch is over. Nirma Beauty Soap is being re-launched with a new shape, fragrance and a smarter, brighter pack to improve shelf visibility. In 2008, through the acquisition of massive production facilities near Ahmedabad, Nirma entered the healthcare segment with 'Nirlife' to manufacture and market intravenous fluids, life saving

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drugs, amino acids etc.Within a short span Nirlife achieved sizable market share of the domestic as well as the global parenterals market.

Promotion Nirma's success is synonymous with its advertising and marketing strategy. When Karsanbhai Patel started selling his detergent powder, he decided to call it Nirma, derived from the name of his daughter Nirupama. In the early years, the Nirma packet featured a lady washing a garment. Later, however, the design was changed and an image of his daughter was featured on the pack. The white dancing girl, featured in Nirma's television advertising, is perhaps the most enduring image of Nirma. Though Ms. Patel passed away in a car accident, she continues to live on in the corporate logo and the best selling brands of the company. Nirma's advertising has always focused on the value-for-money angle. It‘s simple and catchy jingle - Dudh si safedi Nirma se aye, rangin kapda bhi khil khil jaye - has continued to echo in the drawing rooms of middle-class Indian homes through the decades. While the jingle stresses on the product, it also salutes the savvy and budget-conscious Indian housewife. The jingle, which was first aired on radio in 1975, was broadcast on television in 1982. It is one of the longest running jingles and the spot has seen very few changes since the time it was first aired. For the re-launch of Nirma, the company has developed new spots but they are variations of the old favorite. Once the re-launch is complete, the company plans to go back to the original advertisement. Nirma's promotion strategy, too, has many firsts to its credit. The company pioneered product sponsorship through the electronic media. Besides, the company has developed a unique advertising strategy - new products are launched with no advertising support. Once the distribution glitches are sorted out and the product reaches the shelves of retailers, the company begins to advertise it. The umbrella branding strategy helps to give new products instant recall without increasing the advertising expense.

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CONCLUSION Nirma‘s USP(unique selling proposition) is its price. Low cost is a result of their strategy of backward integration. Nirma has a strong brand equity and it has a rs. 17 billion umbrella brand offering consumers a broad portfolio of products at multiple price points in the detergents, soaps and personal care market. Market leadership in detergent market and fabric wash industry. It has a wide distribution network and it has less presence in the premium category which results in its image as a brand for the common household of India. The one aspect where nirma lacks is that it does not have any global tie ups and so it lacks a strong presence in the export market. Nirma should enter in related categories like shampoos, hair oil and other beauty care products owing to its strong brand image. The threat to nirma is the emergence of small players in the soap market and the competition with international brands at the global level. Dettol‘s positioning has changed its image in the minds of the consumer. Too much brand extension is not preferable for dettol and so the available variants are enough to continue the growth of dettol. There is a monopoly of dettol in the market and this is the main cause of its success. Dettol has its reach to the rural India which is due to its wide distribution network. By conducting an environmental analysis of the soap industry, we find that the dettol‘s core competence is its antiseptic features and so it provides a competitive advantage to it over other brands. The revitalization strategies followed by dettol have helped it in sustaining its market share and thus the growth stage of dettol continues. The market penetration has also increased owing to proper advertising campaigns by dettol.

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BIBLOGRAPHY  Brand line- a supplement of Business Line  Brand management by Y L R Murti  Research methodology, C.R Kothari  Marketing Management by V.S. Ramaswamy & S Namakumary, 3rd edition (2007)  Marketing Management by V.S. Ramaswamy & S Namakumary, 4 th edition (2009)  The 360 degree brand in Asia : creating more effective marketing communications / by Mark Blair, Richard Armstrong, Mike Murphy.  Advanced brand management : from vision to valuation / Paul Temporal.

Websites: http://www.nirma.co.in/ http://dettol.co.in

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APPENDICS QUESTIONNAIRE

1. Do you use Dettol at your home? a.) Yes

b.) No

2. Which variants of Dettol you use? a.) Dettol hands wash

b.) Dettol soap c.)Dettol talcum powder

3. Are you satisfies with the variants of Dettol available in the market? a.) Yes

b.) No

4. What is the frequency of use of Dettol variants at your home? a.) Daily b.) Once in a week c.) Once in a fortnight d.) Monthly

5. Which part of revitalizing do you feel has provided an advantage to you? a.) Change in price b.) Packaging c.) Change in the ingredients of the product

6. What are the future changes you want to see in the Dettol products? a.) ____________________________________________________________________ b.) ___________________________________________________________________ c.) _____________________________________________________________________

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7. Do you use Nirma washing powder? a.) Yes

b.) No

8. Which other products of Nirma you use at your home? a.) Nirma washing soap b.)Nirma beauty soap c.) Any other

9. Are you satisfied with the revitalization of Nirma washing powder? a.) Yes(please give the reason_________________________________________________)

b.) No(please givethe reason___________________________________________________)

10. What changes would you like to see in Nirma? a.)_____________________________________________________________________ b.)______________________________________________________________________

11. Rate the overall satisfaction level in using Dettol and Nirma washing powder? Dettol a.) Highly satisfied b.) Average satisfaction switch over to another product soon

c.) Not satisfied

d.) I am going to

Nirma a.) Highly satisfied b.) Average satisfaction over to another product soon

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c.) Not satisfied

d.) I am going to switch

Details of Consultancy taken from Supervisor 1. Name of Student 2. Name of Supervisor 3. Details of Consultancy taken:

S.No. Date Visit

of Time Duration

Issues Discussed

Signature of Supervisor

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

Signature of Student

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