Exo which 
is a brand of Jyothi Lab has been positioning itself as the dish wash bar with antibacterial properties. Exo has been promoting the USP of antibacterial bar using the ingredient Cyclozan. The differentiation was effective and the antibacterial attribute gave Exo sufficient consumer attention.
This year, Vim relaunched itself as Antibacterial Vim. The latest relaunch takes on the differentiation of Exo. In marketing theory , we talk about Competitor Points of parity . Competitor points of parity aims to neutralize the points of differentiation of competitors. The latest relaunch of Vim is a classic example of this concept.
Does Exo has a reason to worry?
I think there are two main reasons for Exo to worry. Firstly its USP is no longer unique. The same attribute is now shared with the competitor .
Secondly Vim has put Exo in a trap. The new Vim uses Neem + Lemon as the antibacterial agent while Exo uses Cyclozan which sounds like a chemical. So here again Vim scores over Exo.
Vim is a classic example of how brands sustain its marketshare through careful marketing strategies.
Related Brand
Vim
is a brand of Jyothi Lab has been positioning itself as the dish wash bar with antibacterial properties. Exo has been promoting the USP of antibacterial bar using the ingredient Cyclozan. The differentiation was effective and the antibacterial attribute gave Exo sufficient consumer attention.This year, Vim relaunched itself as Antibacterial Vim. The latest relaunch takes on the differentiation of Exo. In marketing theory , we talk about Competitor Points of parity . Competitor points of parity aims to neutralize the points of differentiation of competitors. The latest relaunch of Vim is a classic example of this concept.
Does Exo has a reason to worry?
I think there are two main reasons for Exo to worry. Firstly its USP is no longer unique. The same attribute is now shared with the competitor .
Secondly Vim has put Exo in a trap. The new Vim uses Neem + Lemon as the antibacterial agent while Exo uses Cyclozan which sounds like a chemical. So here again Vim scores over Exo.
Vim is a classic example of how brands sustain its marketshare through careful marketing strategies.
Related Brand
Vim
In this blog you talks about competitor points of parity, i.e. a competitor aims to neutralize the brand's differentiation by imitating it. But I think it's an advantage to the original brand. Sometimes a brand’s greatest strength is when your competitor imitates you. And that too a market leader.
ReplyDeleteHUL has been imitating competitors' strategies for a while, for example the MAIDS focus strategy of Henkel. The company realized the importance of maids as influencers, end users and sometimes decision makers in the DINK families and even the normal busy families very late.
About your second reason for Exo to worry, i.e. the natural contents as germ fighters, I don't think it is a major factor. Anyway a dish wash bar is a chemical substance. And one more chemical adding on to it; nobody is really bothered. But another differentiation you failed to mention is the polythene coating of Vim bar. This prevents the bar becoming soggy and hence the brand becomes more economical.
Disagreeing to whatever technological and marketing innovations, a dish wash bar is a messy product and the total dish wash bar market is shrinking. Dish wash liquid segment is catching up fast with its convenience of use. Moreover, there are about 5 major dish wash bars; N number of locally made dish wash soaps and many private labels like Spencer’s. This increases the competition, and every marketer is fighting for a chunk in the pie. To sustain the total dish wash bar segment and a 100 year old brand like Vim for another 100 years, HUL have to come out with continuous product innovations and innovative marketing strategies.
You said in previous post about Vim bar, Exo dish wash bar is using Trichlozene to fight germs, and in the new post you said it's Cyclozan. I don't know which is correct, but I think for liquid dish wash Exo is using Cyclozan and for bar it's using trichlozene. Anyway, as a customer I don't know what these chemicals are all about except it fights bacteria.
sir, will the use of complex chemical names reduce the trust of customers towards EXO,ie: can it cause a actual panic, the product being related to daily usage in households and thus undermine the brand image?
ReplyDeleteThe name sounds like Triclosan which is commonly used as antibacterial agent in such formulas. It widely listed as cancer causing substance.
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