Power Mosquito Swatter : A worthwhile Hobby

Brand : Power Mosquito Swatter
Company : Tera Impex

Agency : NA

Brand Analysis Count : 304

If you ask me to name the most useful product I have seen in 2007, I would say that it is the Electric Mosquito swatter. I would also say that this product was one of the hottest selling product in Kerala in 2007.
Kerala is facing one of the most severe mosquito menace of recent times. The mosquito density is as high as 95%. This menace caused a severe attack of Chikunguniya ( a virtually unknown disease till 2006)in the state which took lives of many. I live in Cochin which can be termed as the headquarters of mosquitoes in the state.

Cochinites has been experimenting with all sorts of methods to keep themselves protected from mosquito attack. Most houses in the middleclass and above are insulated with Netlon but still these smart intelligent pests enter the houses at will. Mosquito repellents acts as energizer for these devils.

Then came this product : Electric Mosquito swatter. The product is a tennis racket shaped bat with a wire mesh and electrically charged grid inside. The bat when slowly waved traps the mosquito inside and it dies out of an electric discharge when it bridges the terminals of the device. The mosquitoes die instantly with a spark followed by a splitting sound.
As soon as this device was introduced, the entire city embraced this new found savior. During the dawn , just walk through the lanes of Cochin city, one can hear the sound of mosquitoes getting electrocuted .
For many this bat provides a physical exercise and mental pleasure. The pleasure in the sense that you are able to pay back for the irritation that these small creatures give you. For once the mosquitoes are at the receiving end. There are even households where husband and wife plays a game as to who kills maximum mosquitoes. It has also become a favorite time-pass for husbands when their wives are engrossed in those " Kyon Ki " Soap operas.

Mosquito swatters are popular in West as Bug Zappers. Bug Zappers was invented in 1934 by William Folms and Harrison Chapin. Electric Zappers was developed from these Zappers.

These bats are priced anywhere between Rs 225 - 700. The entire market is dominated by Chinese products. While Indian products comes with warranty, consumers prefer the cheap Chinese products only because of the price factor.
The success of this product is without a single ad. The consumers buy this because it offers a solution to one of their major problems . It also shows the threat that Chinese products give to Indian marketers. But it is also an opportunity for marketers to brand this product. So far there is no well known Indian brands in this category.

Searching the internet for Indian brands, I just found one brand - Power mosquito zapper. Although I hav'nt seen any promotion for this brand, the site offers some differentiators like : Twice Speed Recharge, Leak-proof net etc.
A prospective Indian brand can take on the following differentiators :
a. Battery life
b. Safer than the Chinese products
c. Child safe net
d. More quality
e.Better killing power etc.
d. Healthy option compared to repellents.

My take is that the potential for this product is going to grow in coming years. I also feel that there is an opportunity for an Indian brand in this category.

Hit : Quit India Movement with a Difference

Brand : Hit
Company : Godrej Sara Lee
Agency : Publicis


Brand Analysis Count : 301

Hit is a major brand in the Rs 900 crore home insecticide market in India. The home pesticide market can be divided into two segments : one that is used as repellents like cream ,coil, lotion ,liquidator etc which does not kill the insects and the other category is the Insect Killers which consists of aerosols, chalks, poison etc. Hit belongs to the insect killer category.

Godrej Sara Lee are considered as pioneers in creating and developing the home pesticide market in India.Brands like Goodknight, Jet, Banish ,Hit makes the company the industry leader.
Most of the marketing action takes place in the repellent segment where there is war between brand like Goodknight , Mortien, Allout etc.

Insect killer category is minuscule in size compared to the other segment. According to a report in Equity Master, the insect killer segment is only 15% of the total market. Hit is a major player in this segment especially in the aerosol category.
What is interesting about this brand is the effort that the company has put to develop the aerosol category and also to build this brand.
Hit was launched in 1991. The brand came with two variants : one for killing flying insects and another for killing cockroaches. The brand separated these two variants by using two different colors : one red and another black.
Hit was well received in the market but there was issues regarding the price. The aerosols were too expensive costing around Rs 120 for a pack. Consumers found it less value-for-money and this severely restricted the popularity of aerosols. Only large 350 ml cans were available which again inhibited customers from buying the product. The use of aerosols were restricted to households which had grave insect/cockraoch problems and other households managed with crude methods . Within the two variants, the Cockroach killer was more popular among households.

Hit was marketed heavily by Godrej Sara Lee. This brand is in a product category that is less glamorous. But Hit was promoted smartly by the company. The brand was giving an important promise of a "Pest Free Home " to the homemaker. The brand was essentially targeting the homemakers.

Hit started a series of ads with the theme of a smart homemaker killing all the cockroaches and making her home ' pest free' . The homemaker after killing the cockroaches said " Kyonki ye mera Khar hain " ( This is my house ! ) . That was a perfect tagline for a pesticide. The ads were very effective in positioning Hit at a place above the functional utility of the product.

Another interesting campaign showed the homemaker in a James Bond style chasing and killing cockroaches. The idea was communicated effectively and humorously by these campaigns. The consumer insight is very simple : We feel that pests are intruders. So when the house is infested with pests, we feel that our house is taken over by them and by killing them we take back OUR house.Unwelcomed guests/pests are not allowed.

Despite these campaigns , the category did not grew because of the higher price. Then came the price reduction. Along with the price reduction brand also came out with smaller cans of 250 ml .The price of Hit was dropped drastically . The brand launched smaller SKUs and when the price went below Rs 50 , customers began to look at this product category.

In 2007 Hit ran a very interesting commercial to announce the price cut. It talked about a QUIT INDIA Movement with a twist. The news-like commercial showed a Chinese news reporter reporting an insect invasion of China. Lakhs of insects invading the country. In the climax , it is shown that because of the price of Hit being reduced to Rs 49, insects from India are fleeing to neighboring countries.
Watch the ad here : Quit India

The ad is aimed at bringing the customers into the category of aerosol and thus developing this category as a preferred solution for the problem. The brand also has a cockroach- killing chalk which is highly popular solution for the cockroach menace .
Besides these campaigns, the brand also improved upon the product by introducing a unique applicator which can reach many places where the cockroaches hide.

Hit faces competition from Baygon brand from Bayer. Baygon is not as aggressive a marketer as Hit so not much problem in that front. But a threat is brewing in the form of some new brands that has hit the market. One brand is STOP and another is Quitmos. Stop is running a campaign in the visual media highlighting a major differentiating factor : Non Pesticidal.

As a consumer, I have a strong belief that all these pesticides are harmful to humans. Since it kills insects, some harm is done to us also. But the problem force us to take the risk of using such products. STOP promotes itself as a safe insect protector ( especially flying insects) . On a closer look at STOP reveals that it is not an insect killer but a repellent. I bought it because of its non- pesticidal property which I found a compelling reason to choose it over other aerosols. There is a possibility that such 'safe' aerosols can eat away the market share of the Hit Fly Killer variant.

However there is going to be a huge potential for brands like Hit because the insect menace is going to stay . Consumers like fast and effective solution of such menaces. Hit has rationalized the price making the category more affordable. The heavy investment that Godrej has made on this brand is definitely going to take this brand to new heights.

Kangaro : Organizing Documents World Over

Brand : Kangaro
Company : Kanin ( Kangaro Industries Ltd)

Brand Count : 299

This is a short post about an offbeat brand. I have neither seen an ad nor any promotions of this brand but for over a decade I have been using this brand. If you work in an office ( in India) you may have definitely used Kangaro staplers.
Kangaro is a major player in the office stationery market especially in staplers and paper punches. The brand is from Janki Dass Jain group from Ludhiana. The company was established in 1958-59 and has been a leading player both in domestic and international markets.

The only reason why one may have never seen an ad of Kangaro is that it operates in the B2B market where more than ad, the stress is on personal sales. Having been a user of Kangaro products, there are certain factors that makes this brand stand out.

The first factor is the quality of both the staplers and the stapler pins. Kangaro has offered exceptional and consistent quality because I have personal experience in using local staplers which either rusted very fast or caused problems while stapling. According to the brand website Kangaro has won some international awards in quality which has enabled it to build its reputation worldwide.

Another factor was the attention the company has given to packaging. Kangaro staplers and pins comes in packages which looks truly international. The use of white and green ( usual color of Kangaro stapler box) gives it an elegant look.There has been some trademark lawsuits when Kangaro challenged some players who copied some of the design elements.
Third factor is the support that the retailer gives for this brand. Ask for a stapler or a punch , more often, the retailer choice is Kangaro.

The brand since it operates in the B2B segment faces the issue of competition from local players aswellas cheap products from china. That is where the issue of branding comes into prominence. When the product faces competition from similar low priced manufacturers, brand makes the difference. Kangaro have already made its reputation across the business segments worldwide and the quality has been the prime differentiator.
Starting from staplers, the brand has extended itself to clips, gun takers, lever arch mechanisms etc. The company has also added a slew of staplers for various uses both business and houses. From the ordinary looking staplers, the product has evolved to become more stylish and elegant.
Kangaro is an example of branding without advertising. But with the market becoming cluttered with price competition and a segment of home-office growing, there is a good reason for this brand to start campaigning.

Kandamkulathy Eladi Lehyam : Making Ayurveda Popular

Brand : Eladi Lehyam
Company : Kandamkulathy Vaidyasala


Brand Analysis Count : 296

The brand that is featured today is offbeat and unique. Those readers outside Kerala ( South India) may not have heard about a brand known as Eladi Lehyam. But this small brand from Kerala has lots of lessons for a marketer.
Eladi Lehyam is a brand of Kandamkulathy Vaidyasala. Kandamkulathy is a well known ayurvedic company in Kerala. The Vaidyasala ( traditional name for ayurvedic clinic ) has a rich tradition of over 150 years . The firm which was started by late Shri K P Pathrose Vaidyan has now grown into a company with over 500 product ranges and over 20 patents.

India boasts about its rich tradition of ayurvedic way of treatment. The ayurvedic treatment has been a permanent feature in most of the campaigns that highlight India as a tourist destination ( example : Incredible India campaign). But within India, ayurvedic marketers are facing difficulty in attracting the new generation into this system of medicine. In my opinion Ayurveda is fighting hard to sustain the competition from Allopathic system of medicine. Since Indians have strong roots in their traditions, this system is still in the Consideration Set of the prospective customers. But Ayurveda is considered only after modern medicine by most .
But the real problem lies in attracting the new generation into this system . There is no doubt about the effectiveness of the treatment system, but the issue is with regard to convenience. It is in this area that Allopathy scores over Ayurveda. Usually youngsters are put off by the lengthy healing time and the strict dietary regime which is a part of the treatment system in Ayurveda. Most of the Kashayams ( syrups) taste very bad which adds to the unpopularity of this system among youngsters. What today's customer looks for is a single pill that cures all very fast ( Panacea !)
Modern Ayurvedic practitioners has tried to adapt to the changing times. Now the sour tasting syrups are available in capsules. Practitioners have also liberalized the dietary regime to fit the modern lifestyle. It is estimated that the total size of the ayurvedic products is about $1 billion. It is in this context that brands like Eladi assumes significance.
Eladi Lehyam is a propriety medicine of Kandamkulathy for the treatment of sore throat & coughs. It has expectorant properties and also provides immunity against common cold and cough. Kandamkulathy has the patent for the Eladi Lehyam combination.
Eladi Lehyam was initially launched in the Lehyam product form. Lehyams are thickened and sweetened semisolid extract of a single herb or a combination of herbs. The product form made this brand less popular because consuming lehyam may not be possible during work . It is often messy and you have to wash your hands after taking it or use a spoon . So people preferred the easy to use lozenges like Vicks and Strepsils.
chewable tablet became highly popular. In this segment, the brand faced competition from Understanding this problem, Kandamkulathy launched Eladi Lehyam in chewable tablet form which became highly popular. Since the brand was proved effective in soothing the throat, Eladianother similar ayurvedic tablet branded as "Thalees" from SD Pharmacy.

The innovation did not stop at that . This year , Kandamkulathy launched a granule product form of Eladi Lehyam. What attracted me was the new packaging which was modern and user friendly . The pack looks similar to Tic Tac breath mints pack. What is interesting is that the new variant looks totally Un-Ayurvedic.The granules are more powerful than the tablets and it seems that this version is aiming at those who liked the lehyam form.

Right now the granule variant is heavily promoted in the media across the state. The positioning is based on the ease of use and the packing acts as the key anchor.
I am not commenting on the future of this brand . The brand faces competition from the likes of Vicks which have a strong equity in the market. But I am thoroughly impressed by the efforts of a small company to make its flagship brand sustain in this market. Eladi is an example of how brands change in tune with times. It also shows that even small firms can make meaningful customer centric innovations. The new variant may fail or succeed but this brand should be an inspiration for all smaller brands who wants to make it big.

Brand Update : Kur-lon

After repositioning itself as a home decor brand, Kurl-on is back again focusing on its core product : mattress. The brand is now running a campaign focusing on the mattresses.
Watch the TVC here : Kurl-on
I like this ad because it is simple straight forward and excellently executed. This is a reminder ad to create brand awareness for Kurl-on. You will yawn after seeing the ad.
The new campaign makes sense because there can be a dilution of the of Kurl-on's association with mattresses since it had ventured into related products. So once in a while , the brand has to remind the customers about its main product.
From the beginning itself , Kurl-on had positioned itself as a sleep enabler. The new campaign is an execution of a smart execution of a simple idea.

Related brand

Kurl-on

Transitions : Healthy Sight in Every Light

Brand : Transitions
Company : Transitions Opticals


Brand Analysis Count : 292

Transitions is a niche brand in the 1200 crore Opticals market. Transitions is a pioneer in plastic Photochromic lens market worldwide. The company launched the first commercially viable plastic photochromic lens in 1990 . Transitions optical is a Florida based company formed as a joint venture between PPG Industries and Essilor. The company besides selling Transitions brand of lenses also supplies the technology for leading eyecare marketers across the world.

Transitions lenses are plastic photochromic lenses that automatically adjusts with the changing light conditions. It becomes dark as sunglasses when there is bright sun and become plain when the light is low.
Transitions began its operation in India in 2006 and this year the brand has decided to become aggressive in the Indian market. India is predominately a glass lenses market with a market size of over 75 mn pieces sold every year. The market is moving towards plastic lenses which offers a huge potential for a brand like Transitions.
Transitions is running a campaign in the visual media these days. The brand is positioned on its UV blocking attribute. The ad talks about the danger of exposing to ultra-violet rays and highlights the flexibility of usage of Transitions in various light conditions.
Watch the Tvc here : Transitions
The brand is positioned as an everyday eyewear and helps the customer to do away with having two spectacles ,one for indoor and another for the outdoor. Transitions use the tag line " Healthy sight in every light " true to the positioning of the brand. Priced upwards from Rs 1800, the brand is targeting the premium segment of customers.
The brand is facing an interesting problem in the consumer behavior front. A research by the company showed that Indian consumers spent 65% of the time selecting the frame and only 35% in choosing lenses. Hence the buyer behavior focuses very much on the style rather than the lens. There is again an issue with the branding of lenses. Lenses is still a commodity business and the branding only have just started.
What is making Transitions excited about Indian market is the growing population of IT professional who work across different time zones . The growing cases of VDU syndrome , Computer related eye problems have opened up a huge market for such lenses. These new work related diseases have increased the demand for anti-glare and photochromic lenses.
Transitions has been able to identify the emergence of a new market for branded photochromic lenses in India. The brand faces the competition from unbranded lenses but thee opportunity is too good to resist.
source : FE, Businessline

Brand Update : Ambipur

After creating and ruling the branded car perfume market , Ambipur had a reasonably successful extension in the home perfume ( aircare ) segment. This year Ambipur launched yet another innovation in the Indian market : Car odor eliminator.
All car owners faces the issue of odor especially during rainy season and also when you have kids. What ever care that you put , sometimes, the odor usually wins the fight. Sensing this universal issue, Ambipur has launched this product in the Indian market.
There is also another interesting development in this brand. Ambipur has a new brand ambassador in Soha Ali Khan ( Saif's Sister). Infact the new campaign launching the Car Odor Eliminator features Soha.
Watch the Tvc here : Ambipur
The TVC although too dramatic for a product like Ambipur however keeps the viewer hooked on till the end ( spoof).
But what is really commendable about this brand is its ability to create and expand a new category. But the brand faces tough competition from cheap look alike and unbranded Chinese products. The original car purifier has not made any improvements so far and no new fragrances has been launched. This is an issue of being blinded by the success. As a customer I am bored by the fragrances available and is in lookout for a new product ( but couldn't find one... ).
Regarding the new launch, I wanted to try it out but was taken aback by the steep price of the product. The price just repels any thought of trying it out. May be the brand is taking on the premium segment ( I recommended that in my earlier post on Ambipur).
How ever , the new launch has enabled the brand to be alive in the media. The parent brand will also get the benefit of this launch. The odor eliminator is at best a niche and often seasonal. Another issue is whether this brand will cannibalise the existing Ambipur range ? Will an Indian consumer bother about having two air purifiers in the car and bother about refilling both ?

Time will tell....

Related Brand
Ambipur

NDTV Good Times : A Unique Co- branding

Brand : NDTV Good Times
Company : NDTV
Agency : Equus Redcell

Brand Count : 279

In September 2007, NDTV launched India's first hardcore lifestyle channel branded NDTV Good Times. This new channel is unique in two ways - its India's first lifestyle channel and secondly its the first time where a product brand has co-branded with a channel.
Co-Branding is where two brands operating in two different domains coming together for a common cause ( objective) . The objective can be anything from tapping a common market or sharing promotions. The oft quoted examples in classrooms were the co-branded credit cards .
NDTV Good Times is promoted by NDTV alone and not with any equity stake by the UB Group.
The new channel is all about lifestyle. In theory , we tend to describe lifestyle with the three descriptors
Activities
Interests &
Opinions ( AIO).
Truly like this concept, Good Times is all about activities, opinions and interests. The channel devotes its time to Health, Fashion, Food, Luxury, Technology , Chats with celebrities, life of rich and the famous etc. The channel also wants to create a class of its own by roping in HOT Properties to anchor respective shows. These include the actor Rajat Kapoor, Chef Manju Malhi, Techie Rajiv Makhni etc. The channel is full of aspirational lifestyle programs and contains about 50-60 original programs per week.
The channel is looking at the target market comprising of socially upbeat 20-40 yr old SEC A viewers.
The questions arises as to the benefit of these two different brands coming together in a channel. For NDTV, the brand association with Kingfisher gives it the revenue cushion. According to Agencyfaqs, UB group has committed around Rs 100 crore worth of ads in the next five years. For NDTV this takes away the risk of launching a lifestyle channel with is atmost a Niche . Kingfisher will provide the much needed ad revenue till the channel began to attract other advertisers.

For UB Group, its a boon. We know that Indian law does not permit Kingfisher Beer to advertise. The rules are getting stricter day by day. Hence there is nothing better than a channel that carries your tagline and the mascot. Besides that every businessman knows the power of having a media under its fold. UB Group may not have the capability to run a media, so why not associate with the best brand in the media domain NDTV. Also Kingfisher as a brand epitomizes lifestyle positioning. Whether its the beer or the airlines, Mallya has built the brand on lifestyle platform . Hence Co-branding with a lifestyle channel makes perfect sense.

But things are not as rosy as it seems. This whole concept will work only if NDTV can bring in quality content to the channel. NDTV has proved its capability in the news front but entertainment is a different ballgame altogether. Right now cost of the new launch maynot be a headache since NDTV has its processes and systems in place. What is going to make or break this channel is the quality of programming and the innovation that this channel will bring in to get the eyeballs sticking. For NDTV , Good Times is testing waters since it plans to roll out an entertainment channel in collaboration with the ace director Karan Johar. For Kingfisher, its a promotional expenditure ( nobody ever has perfectly measured the effectiveness of advertising as yet !!!). I feel that Good Times channel will be an integral part of inflight entertainment in the airlines too in future.
So as of now its a win-win game for both the brands. Time will tell if GOOD TIMES will last.
Related Brand
Kingfisher

BSA Ladybird : Your Best Friend For Life

Brand : Ladybird
Company : TI Cycles
Agenc : Lowe

Brand Analysis Count : 276

Ladybird is the Sub-brand of BSA targeting the girls . Ladybird was the first brand to come out with a cycle for girls and it was a big hit. The brand targets girls aged 13-18 . BSA Champ has a girl's variant for those below 13 years of age. Ladybird is a classic example for segmentation based on Demographics ( more specific : gender).
Ladybird has been promoting itself heavily through media. It is interesting to see the evolution of this sub-brand. The brand had started with the campaign explaining the benefits of the cycle made exclusively for the girls. The step through feature and the shopping basket in front of the cycle and the ergonomics were promoted heavily.
The next step was to create the brand image. The brand used the message of gender equality to keep the brand appealing to the girls
Watch the TVC here : BSA Ladybird
The brand was not having much issues in the sales front because it had a high top of the mind recall. The new generation was lapping up this product since cycle is a natural step before acquiring the scooterette .
The brand also made sure that it keeps the brand exciting through relevant changes in the product. Ladybird introduced funky colors and even a sporty premium version to keep the brand rocking. The brand kept low at the promotion front and relied more on below the line promotion and positive word of mouth.
This year the brand has stepped up the promotion at the branding front. Currently the brand is running the campaign positioning the brand as one that gives FREEDOM to the girls. It is another case of Laddering Up. I think that the concept is one of the best I have seen in recent times. I strongly believe that Mobility is something that gives a terrific sense of empowerment to girls. Mobility gives freedom and that is what now Ladybird tries to own. No more waiting for the brother/father/boyfriend to drop you to school or beach or to theater. The agency has wonderfully executed this concept. The campaign targeting the urban young generation has rightly put the brand in proper perspective. An interesting fact is that Ladybird is using the same tagline (" Your Best Friend for Life " ) as its parent brand BSA. I feel that Ladybird should have something of its own.
The current campaign may not ring in sales : that is also not what it is meant to be. I feel that this has given some direction to the brand. Also this laddering has given the brand a great amount of energy to create more campaigns which ultimately will drive more sales. Another reason for such a campaign is the brand's idea to bring in more premium versions of cycles.

LG Asafoetida : Branding a Commodity

Brand : LG Asafoetida
Company : Laljee Godhoo & Co

Brand Analysis Count : 263

Laljee Godhoo (LG) Asafoetida is yet another offbeat heritage brand . You may have never seen an advertisement of LG asafoetida in any of the media. But check out your kitchen, there is a chance that a pack of this brand has been there for a long time.

LG brand is almost 110 years old. The company started its operations in the year 1894. Today this brand of asafoetida commands a market share of over 70% in the Indian market.
Asafoetida is a a resin like gum extracted from the dried stem and roots of a herbaceous perennial plant Ferula Assafoetida found abundant in Iran. Laljee imports the raw latex from Afghanistan and prepares the compounded Asafoetida which is adding spice to the popular dishes across the country. Asafoetida is a popular spice used in many Indian dishes.
For ninety years, LG was selling Asafoetida in the lump form later, the brand began selling the powder form of asafoetida. This is a brand which became a dominant player through word of mouth. Asafoetida was earlier selling as a commodity. LG differentiated by a unique package and the emphasis on quality. More over this was the first brand to bring this product in the powder form which increased the popularity of the brand.
But the brand faces certain issues because of the commodity nature of the business. The major issue that this brand faces is the counterfeit threat. There are innumerable brands which mimic the logo and package of this brand. Since it is a commodity , many a times customers take other brands which looks similar to this brand. The second threat is from the private labels. Now most of the organized retailers have their own Private Label brands of spices. Since LG has not developed any point of differentiation, there is a chance that its share will get hurt by private labels.

For a heritage brand like LG asafoetida, the future offers lot of challenges. The brand has never invested in brand building except for occasional ads cautioning customers about counterfeits. The threat from private labels is real and huge. The brand has no option but to spent more in reinforcing its equity built over these years.

i-pill : Get Back To Life

Brand : i-pill
Company : Cipla

Brand Analysis Count : 262

i-pill is an offbeat brand that has just being launched in Indian market. i-pill is an emergency contraceptive pill which prevents unplanned pregnancy. Although emergency contraceptives pills ( EC Pills) were earlier available in the market, its only in 2005 that Government has allowed the sale of this product over the counter ( OTC). i-pill is special because it is the first brand which has been promoted heavily in media after the government has allowed the OTC sale of this drug.
EC pills were also popular as Morning After Pills because this drug is taken the morning after the " Accident " has occurred. Before 2005, the product was available only with a doctor's prescription.

This product category has lot of social significance in the Indian market. Out of more than 50 million conceptions that happen in India , 30% end up in abortions. There are also reports that suggest that 75% of pregnancies are unplanned ( My Goodness !). And an estimated 20,000 deaths happen because of complication during abortion. Hence EC pills offer a safe and effective second chance for those unprotected events and also a second chance for those contraceptive failures.

In 2005 Government has put this product under the Government Reproductive and Child Health Program. That means , there is going to be a reduction in the price of this drug. According to reports, the product price is expected to come down from Rs 40 to Rs 5. Government will also undertake advisory as well as awareness creating campaigns to promote this product category.

Coming back to the brand i-pill, this brand was existing in the ethical market as Pill 72. The company has relaunched pill 72 as i-pill in the OTC market. Although Government is taking steps to promote the product through campaigns, Cipla is not aiming the social class that government is aiming at.

i-pill is targeting the urban class SEC A & B. The campaign is already aired in the media.
Watch the TVC from the brand website : i-pill
Although it took a little time for me to understand the ad when I saw it the first time, I feel that its a cool ad that captures the essence of the brand. The brand uses the tagline " Get Back to Life" .

The tagline indicates the core idea of the brand which is explained by an advertorial :

" Take a pill as soon as you know that things have gone wrong . And you can prevent an unplanned pregnancy . That's it. And do be little careful the next time. Now there goes the alarm.Switch it off and begin a new day "

I think its cool way of communicating a concept that most of the marketers find difficult to express. The brand has got it right in terms of communication. And I like the packaging.
Although worldwide , EC pills has been popular, it also has its share of controversies. Some argue that these pills are abortion pills , encourages unsafe intercourse , immorality and so on and so forth. But Government of India has recognized the importance of this product category.
This category also is relevant in the modern context where the new generation has different ideas about morality . When India is aligning toward the west interms of Culture, such safety valves may prove very valuable.
i-pill is a smart move by Cipla because the brand aims to piggyback the government initiative to promote this category. When the category growth is taken care by the government and NGO's , Cipla can concentrate on skimming the cream of the market through this brand.

Zipouch : Keep Fresh, Eat Safe

Brand : Zipouch
Company : UFlex (Flex Industries)


Brand Count : 254

Zipouch is again an Offbeat brand. Its is a classic case of innovation and another instance of a firm trying to tap a latent. Zipouch is a brand from Rs 1350 crore Flex Industries Ltd. Flex Industries is a leader in the B2B packaging industry and supplies packaging solutions to FMCG majors. Zipouch is an initiative of this B2B firm into the B2C segment.

Zipouch is packing solution for households. In simple terms Zipouch is storage bags for household focusing mainly on Food Storage. According to Brand Reporter Magazine, the product idea came from a similar product in an international trade exhibition in Europe in 2001. It took three years to bring the concept to the product form. Zipouch was launched in 2004.

The brand comes under Food Storage segment which is nascent in India. But it is for sure that there is a great potential for such storage solutions for households. Here the brand faces the challenge of

a. Convincing the customer about this product and its efficacy.
b. Pricing it right.
C.Gaining Distribution.

The need is evident when we look at the traditional storage style at our kitchens. Usually vegetables and fruits are kept in the Vegetable Tray in the refrigerator. And within two days, the fruits becomes unusable. If the fruits and vegetables are cut, then the fridge life will be reduced by half. It is this problem that Zipouch is trying to address. Give a storage solution for Fruits and vegetables which is convenient and healthy and along with that enhance the storage life of the food.
Zipouch not only has a product for fruits and vegetable, this brand has a range of storage solutions for the households :

Fresh 'n' lock : For fruits and vegetables
Press'n' lock : storage and freezer pack
Snack Pack: For storing snack items, for kids, can be used in School kit of kids
Assorted Snack pack: To store assortment of snacks.
Press'n'hot : For hot food items
Fresh'n'juicy : Much more stronger pack

Zipouch is taking the following qualities to promote itself :
Healthy and Safe
Retains Warmth and Freshness for longer periods
Maintains high nutritional levels
Convenient to Use
Microwavable.
Reusable
Hygienic .

Zipouch is also distinguishing itself from other plastic bags by its unique Zip ( from which it derives its brand name).The brand is targeting the SEC A+, A , B segment. The brand is being positioned as a safe and healthy way of storing food products. At the promotions front, the brand was very active in the media when it was launched but later went in for hibernation. Today's ET Brand Equity features an Ad which was the inspiration behind this post.

Having all these positive qualities need not guarantee the success of an innovative product like this. Zipouch faces lot of issues in the market. The primary issue is that of the distribution. I don't think that the brand has been able to secure a deep distribution network in the country. It is understandable since Flex Industries' is not an FMCG company and hence may have to start from the scratch. I talked to one colleague of mine who fits the Target Customer profile , it was sad to find that she was looking for such a product but was not aware that such a product was available in the market.
The second issue is that of differentiation. Although Zipouch is a new and an innovative concept , the product is such that it can be easily replicated. Hence if the market expands, it will be easy for anyone to come out with a product like Zipouch. A differentiation based on product attributes may not be sustainable. Hence the brand may have to take on a differentiation other than the Product attributes. More importantly, Zipouch may have to own a proposition that define this product so that other competing brands may not be able to make a dent. For example , the brand can own a proposition like : " Safe and Hygiene " or " Fresh and Safe ".
Early adoption of such a proposition will make the brand less vulnerable to competition. Having a patented Abbreviation like FSPT ( Fresh safe packing technology) which can act as a differentiator.

The brand has to spend a lot of money, first educating the customers about the product itself ( since the product is entirely new to the market) and also promoting this brand. The brand is retailing in the range of Rs 49- Rs 69 per 10 bags which is a very affordable range.

Zipouch is a wonderful product which has lot of potential but also lot of challenges ahead. Zipouch has got its product and price perfect but distribution is the weak point. The brand could piggyback some of the Retailing giants or FMCG majors for a distribution tie-up. It has to act fast because where there is a potential, there is competition.

Source: businessline, ET,agencyfaqs,brand reporter

Power Soaps & Detergents : Complete Satisfaction ?

Brand : Power
Company : The Gold Company ( RKN)

Brand Count : 253

Most often, in this wonderful world of brands, we tend to see only the biggest and the largest brands. We , marketers did not care to look at small brands that struggle for their existence in this fiercely competitive battlefield.

One such small brand that is making lot of noise in the media is Power Soaps and detergents. This brand is from a company Gold Soap company based in Kodai , TamilNadu. This brand is now spending lot of money in advertising basically in South India. Started as a small detergent soap manufacturing unit by Mr. Krishnan Nadar, the company is now handled by the second generation entrepreneur Mr Dhanapal.It is obvious from the series of TVC's across South India that the second generation entrepreneur wants to make the brand to move beyond TamilNadu .

As always, marketing plays the pivotal role in making or breaking any product or services. I feel that in this case also, it will be the branding that is going to decide on the future of " Power" brand. Many of us may not have seen the ads of Power soap and detergents. The brand is being positioned as a soap that gives you " Complete Satisfaction". Taking a very generalized Utopian Positioning means that Power brand is aiming for the mass market. And I feel that by adopting a strategy of trying to be " everything to everyone " is going to harm this highly ambitious brand. The ads actually conveys nothing. As usual there is a homemaker who says the " Power detergent offers her COMPLETE MENTAL SATISFACTION". Thats it.... the TVC for the soap features a gentleman saying " I chose Power soap because it fits my income". There is no Segmentation, No USP, No differentiation.

I am not blaming the company or the agency for its poor advertising strategy. These type of ads may have worked 25 years back when there was limited choice and only brand recall and price was important . But now even at the bottom of the Pyramid, we can see that brands trying to differentiate. As Kotler says, the era of mass marketing is over. Power is going to fight with Wheel , Nirma, Ujala and scores of other brands. It is no longer the PRICE that is going to bring in the consumer.
The high intensity advertising is going to give results to the company in the short term. But once the promotional budget dries up, Power brand may not have anything to hang on... that is typically the case of most of the small brands. Moreover, from the website of the company , I understand that the firm is entering into Skin care , Hair care and detergent care using the same umbrella brand " Power" for all products from the company.

For the detergents, it is Triple Action Power, Super Power, Active Power, Double Power etc
For Skincare and Hair care it is Nature Power.

Using the same brand for its detergent and personal care productline is definitely going to make Alries and Jack Trout very angry. Power as a brand will have a bright future if only it is able to identify a clear differentiator and stick to it rather than trying to be a master of all trades.

OxyWash : Add Life To Your Clothes !

Brand : OxyWash
Company: Enzyme Technologies Pvt Ltd (ETPL)
Agency : ib&W


Brand Count : 248

OxyWash is a new brand that is making lot of noises in Southern India.The brand comes from a lesser known Company Enzyme Technologies Pvt Ltd. The company is basically a firm engaged in the manufacturing of laboratory equipment, reagents and chemicals. The company website gives the information that ETPL is a 100 crore company.

OxyWash is interesting because of three factors :
a. It takes lot of guts to enter into the fiercely competitive detergent market.
b.The brand tries to adopt a differentiation.
c. The brand is being promoted heavily and that means that the company is serious about this brand.

OxyWash is one of its kind in the detergent market especially in India. The concept of using Oxygen is washing purpose is popular in the European countries . The brand according to the advertisements, the product has two components ( two pouches) one containing the detergent and another that releases oxygen when dissolved in the water. The oxygen gives the clothes freshness and Life.

OxyWash is positioned as an ecofriendly economical detergent that makes your clothes full of life.The brand adopts the tagline " Add Life to Your Clothes" . I think the brand was successful in trying to differentiate with the gaints Surf and Ariel and is taking a new route. The brand has roped in the Tamil Film Actress Meena to endorse the product. Right now the brand is being promoted heavily in print as well as in Television. The brand is focusing on its product features like Auto Sterilizing, Non Toxic,Bio- Degradable and Anti Microbial properties to impress the TG. The use of the celebrity has given this brand an instant impact. I am not sure whether the brand is priced a premium. The major negative I see is in the packaging. The packaging looks stale and looks totally unattractive.
OxyWash is moving in right path but the future is very tough.The Oxygen property can be hijacked by its big competitors and negated using a variant.Second threat is the sustainability of the promotional efforts. Will be brand be able to spend heavily throughout? The success will very much depends on whether the brand is able to attract repeat users. The brand has not started sampling yet. Since this is a new product, extensive sampling will help create more publicity and word of mouth.

SAS Paper Leaf : Innovation

Brand : SAS Paper Leaf
Company: S A Saifulla & Company


Brand Count : 245

SAS is an offbeat brand and is a classic example of innovation. The brand claims to be the first in coming out with Paper Banana Leaf. The brand is owned by SAS Company based in Pudukottai in TamilNadu.

Now for non South Indian Readers, Banana Leaves is.. no was an integral part of one's lunch. With the changed lifestyle, the use of Banana Leaf is now restricted to Marriage Feasts and also during festivals like Onam ,Vishu, Ponkal etc. Banana Leaf is also used in restaurants to serve traditional south Indian meals.
This tradition has taken some serious threats due to the change in the lifestyle and also because of the rapid urbanisation that we see now. The banana leaves are becoming scarce in cities and towns. In the earlier days, every house had Plantain cultivation and getting banana leaves was not an issue. But now in cities where flats and congested living has become a norm, who has the time and space to maintain such plants? Now frantic search for Plantain leaves is common during festive seasons and one has to pay even Rs 2 for a leaf ( which was available free in olden days) which is a stark reality of today.

Catching this need , SAS company has comeout with artificial paper banana leaf which solves the problem of the urban masses. This is an innovative blend of tradition with modernity. Although eating a feast or a sadhya in a artificial leaf will not give the thrill of the original, one should appreciate the logic and smartness behind this innovation.
The brand aims at the following target customers and usage situations:
1. Restaurants who serve traditional sadhya .
2. Hotels who supply parcel meals.
3. Caterers
4. Unexpected guests, functions ( households)
5. Export markets where south indians are more eg. middle east
6. Lunch packs during picnics outings etc.

The Brand faces competition from local unbranded players. But the website of SAS claims the following differentiators: Hygienic, sterilized, withstand high temperature hence ideal for packing,. The brand also claims that it cannot be torn and uniform in size. More than that it is available in all departmental stores and supermarkets. The brand is priced Rs 12 for a pack of dozen. Hence the brand takes advantage of the convenience and ease as its main selling point. The brand also advertises heavily on Television .

I feel that the brand will fare well in the institutional sales at hotels and restaurants. At the consumer end, since the usage of Leaves are limited to specific occasions , one cannot expect steady sales at this front. For that the brand may have to spent lot of money tackling the seasonal issue for this traditional product.One way is to prompt the customers to stock atleast one pack of this product for emergency situations. A campaign in this regard can drive some sales for the short term. Once the customers are comfortable with this product, SAS can be assured of some steady sales at the customer end.
Whether the brand will thrive or not, SAS Paper leaf is a classic innovative marketing story.

Source : saspaperleaf.com
imagesource : healthynspicy.blogspot.com

Popy Umbrella : Dancing In The Rain

Brand : Popy
Company: Popy Umbrella Mart
Agency : Jelitta

Brand count : 237

Popy is the market leader in the fiercely competitive umbrella market in Kerala. Looking at the number of umbrellas it sold every year, I think that Popy is largest selling umbrella brand in India. Annually this brands sells more than 2 Lakh umbrellas.

Popy has a legacy that is associated with the rise of the product umbrella from a staid ugly accessory to an interesting product. The brand comes from a family that is credited with branding a product that once was considered commodity.
In 1954 Mr Thayyil Abraham Varghese established St George Umbrella mart with its base in the Alleppy District of Kerala. Soon the brand St George began aggressive marketing which made the brand number one in the market. In 1995, the family business split into two : Popy Umbrella mart and John's Umbrella mart. The competition between these two companies marked the umbrella market in Kerala - a haven of innovation and smart marketing.

Umbrella market is a highly seasonal one ( not a big discovery from my part !) and selling a seasonal product is any marketers nightmare because he may have to sell all the inventory during the season and also device methods to tide over the seasonality factor also. On the top of it, the product category was considered a commodity.
But Popy and Johns did wonders in the market. These brands made brands out of commodity through sheer innovation. But Popy got a headstart with its successful campaign that caught the attention of the consumers. The popular malayalam jingle " Mazha mazha kuda kuda mazha vannal popy kuda" became an instant hit in the market.

The brand Popy ( also Johns) is more interesting because it was able to make the product from a lousy dull product to a lifestyle product through sheer innovation. The brands made innovations that are aimed at all segments of customers be it kids, young customers or older ones. Some of the innovations are include auto-open/close umbrellas,walking stick like umbrellas,5 fold ones, umbrellas with steel rims water gun umbrellas for kids, umbrella with torch, umbrella that is too small in the size of a Ray Ban?,umbrella that has UV protection,umbrella in different colors etc.
If I have to write all the innovations, it will take two blog posts because that is the extent of innovations that these brands have done.This season the brand has come out with a Laser umbrella aimed at kids.
On the marketing front also the brands have carefully segmented the market according to the age and demographical variables and innovated to suit their needs. For example, one of the common problems faced by lady commuters is the problem they face with the closing of umbrella when they board a bus. The auto-close umbrella will close the umbrella with the click of a button. Also the brands come out with another umbrella that will resist heavy wind. For the older ones, the brand has umbrella that double as a walking stick.These small but customer centric innovations have kept the product an exciting one.
These innovations also has helped the brand to command a premium over the usual black ones.The brand comes in different price range from Rs 59 to Rs 35000. Popy has tie- up with Futai umbrellas of Taiwan mainly for the sourcing of cloth. The brand has more than 140 varieties of umbrellas in the market.

Despite these innovations and smart marketing, the brand faces issues from the entry of cheap umbrellas from China.These can take away the mass market from Popy because mass market is price sensitive and the product is seasonal. The life of umbrellas are less than 2 years and customers may not be brand loyals. Both Popy and Johns are on an overdrive to build the brand equity so as to sustain the imminent price war.

Poppins : Goli Rainbow Wali

Brand : Poppins
Company: Parle

Brand Count:234

Poppins is a heritage brand. Although I am not sure when it was launched, I am pretty sure that this brand is more than 30 years old. Still this brand is existing in the market now in a second life. Poppins comes in the category of hard boiled candy in the Rs 1200 crore confectionery industry.According to businessline, the hardboiled candy market is estimated to be Rs 350 crore and is dominated by Alpenleibe.

Poppins is a unique product because of its product characteristics. For me, the brand evokes a feeling of nostalgia since this was among the most popular brand when I was a kid. Poppins was liked by us because of its taste, color and ofcourse economy. Where else can you get 10 candies in a packet that too in different flavours .
But things changed last decade with the entry of aggressive players and new products. The market witnessed lot of segmentation and new categories and product forms evolved. Poppins at that point of time had lost its way.
Poppins were positioned on the platform of its range of flavors and color. The brand during the early times spent lot of money on brand building. The brand used two characters Ram and Shyam and used cartoon stories to build this brand ( source:vishalpatel.com). Since there was not much competition from organised sector, the brand had a good run.
But during the recent times that is from 2000-2007, the brand kept a very low profile. Although there are reports of a rebranding exercise during 2002, I don't remember any ads on air during this period.
This year however, has seen some action for this brand. TVC's are now on air using the Colors as the main USP. The website and the wrapper shows the tagline "Goli Rainbow Wali" which points towards the rainbow colors of the candies. Although the TVC's looks OK, I don't see any meaningful positioning for the brand except that the ads highlight Rs 2 and also the colors.I think that the brand wants to say to the customers that in this expensive world, you still get a Poppins for Rs 2.
Parle Poppins like Cadbury's Gems is a unique brand because of its product characteristics. Although both of these brands face competition from fake products, there is no serious brand competition for Poppins. But still like all heritage brands, this brand also faces the issue of being relevant. I feel that Poppins is looking at small kids aged 5-10 as its target segment. Because the ads are too kiddish.But I am glad that Poppins is back...

Imagesource:vishalpatel.com

Lion Dates: Makes Your Day Complete

Brand : Lion
Company: Lion Dates Pvt Ltd

Brand Count:228

Lion Dates is an Off Beat brand in the sense that there is no glamour attached to this brand but it is an interesting brand because of its success. The brand has been successful in popularizing a foreign food in India but also brand a commodity.
Dates are popular fruit of the Middle East and 90% of dates are consumed in the producing countries. Lion Dates started operation in 1978 and in 1995, it consolidated its operations under the banner Lion Dates Pvt Ltd.

The company imports dates from Oman because Omani Dates are considered to be of superior quality. Starting from a mere three containers in 1995, Lion dates now imports 25 containers (500 tonnes) of Omani dates last year making India the second largest importer of Dates after France.

How did a small Trichy based company did that? The answer lies in smart marketing and brand building. Lion has been aggressively promoting dates as a product itself. In marketing theory , we talk about communication strategies vary according to the various stages of market development. Here the brand was dealing with an alien product and the primary communication task was to impress the consumer about the product's benefit rather than the brand.
Hence the earlier communication of the brand was around the qualities of dates.The brand concentrated on TamilNadu and later branched out to South India . The brand initially used a simple proposition of " Be Like A Lion" as its main theme. The brand mainly targeted Kids and Mothers as their TG.
The brand was aware that to brand a commodity, it has to take some serious points of differentiation. The brand used Quality and Hygiene as is POD's. Lion was the first branded Dates to come out with Seedless dates. As a consumer, I would vouch for the quality of this brand. Lion also came out with different packaging and convenient SKU's that made this brand a leader in the market.
Once the product became popular, the brand faced competition from unbranded dates. To counter the competition, the brand came out with a campaign highlighting the quality and hygiene of the brand.
The company also tried to leverage the popularity by introducing India's first Date syrup which can be used to make various drinks and even substitute sugar. In 2007 the company launched a new drink based on Omani Date seed with the brand name "Takof" which is made from roasted dates mixed with chicory.The brand is not yet promoted in the market.

Dates have exceptional nutritional value. The fruit contains Potassium,iron calcium,magnesium etc and is considered to be an energy boosting snack. Dates are also recommended by Doctors for older people.
The quality of brand communication for Lion dates has improved considerably over time
. The brand has now adopted new tagline "Makes Your Day Complete" highlighting the nutritional value in a more professional manner.I feel that the brand should position itself as an energy snack and raising the TG from Kids to a larger audience.
Buoyed by the success of Lion Brand, the company extended this brand to various other products like Honey, pickles etc ( in my opinion will dilute the parent brand).

Lion is a brand that has clearly demonstrated the ability of a marketer to brand a commodity.

Center Shock : Hilake Rakh De

Brand : Center Shock
Company: Perfetti Vanmelle
Agency: O&M

Brand Count:207

Center Shock is an interesting brand or rather it is a disruptive brand in the sense that the brand just makes all marketing theories look funny. Conventional marketing wisdom says that the product should deliver a promise ,satisfy a need and blah blah . Here is a confectionery brand that tasted sour making itself a market leader in less than 6 months time.

Center Shock was launched in 2001 and at that time, the chewing gum market was at cross roads. The market lifecycle was at the decline stage. Although the market was worth Rs 300 crore, it was declining at a faster rate at 25-30%. Perfetti then decided to break the category degrowth and make this category more exciting to the customers.

It still baffles me how a product like Center Shock become successful in the market. This peculiar gum gave a distinct fruit filled acidic taste to the customer which really gave the customer a shock. The TG for this brand was SEC ABC and age 10-19.The brand was an extension of the highly popular Center Fresh known for its Fruit Gel Center. Center Shock came in two flavors : Peach and Apple.
Center Shock broke into picture through two clutter breaking ads crafted by O&M . The first ad of the barber ( View Here) created a huge impact in the market. The ads won lot of accolades for O&M. According to reports, the brand became market leader within no time with a share of over 35% beating Center Fresh from the same company.The first tvc was followed by the second one featuring a dude visiting his girlfriend's home to meet the parents ( View Here) .According to Agencyfaqs, the creative brief for Center Shock was simple :break the clutter and make it funny and distinct and really shocking and the ads just did that.

I have no clue how and why the brand became successful. I was tricked into taking a Center Shock by my friend and I swear I have not taken product again. I think the company also doesn't have any dreams about repeat customers. But the brand done the trick with the market. There was a rejuvenation of the category which grew from 1000 tonnes to 3500 tonnes . The lack of excitement in the category was corrected by this outrageous product. The brand adopted one of the most funniest and best taglines " Hilake Rakh De " which translates to " Will Shake you UP". The brand was positioned as a fun brand and customers liked the change. The brand had virtually shaken the market. During those days most of the chewing gum brand were sold on sales promotions and seldom marketers invested any thing more on ads . Center Shock brought back the trust on advertising in the category players.

To sustain a brand like Center Shock for longer period of time is a difficult proposition. After launching the product in 2001, the last ad was aired in December 2002 and for one year the brand went into silent mode. In 2004 the company. In 2003 the brand launched a variant Center Shock Mirchi with another outrageous commercial. But the variant bombed since the novelty was lost for this brand.The brand had a funny tagline " Pilake Rakh De".After this launch , Center Shock faded from the scene.Its long time since I saw any promotion of this brand.
Although this brand had a very short PLC, the brand showed us the power of advertising. A good advertising can make people eat a sour candy and be happy about it . Hats Off to Perfetti for taking such bold and outrageous step .

source: O&M,businessline,perfetti website

Scotch Brite : Makes Cleaning Fast and Easy

Brand : Scotch Brite
Company: 3M
Agency: Grey

Brand Count: 194

Scotch Brite is an interesting brand from a very interesting company. Scotch Brite is a niche product created by Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co ( 3M). The brand which was born in 1958 was launched in India in 1990 .
Scotch Brite is a Scrub which is used to clean the kitchen utensils.The product comes under the Kitchen Tools market which is estimated to be around Rs 30 crore.3M has around 2000 products in India across diverse industries and application.
Scotch Brite was the result of an effort to produce a non woven fabric. Later the technology was spun off to produce scrubs and other related products.In 1958 Scotch Brite was launched as a consumer product.

3M is considered as one of the world's best innovative companies. 3M has a corporate goal which states that 30% of its sales should come from products less than 5 year old. Further 10% of the sales should come from products that are less than a year old. The innovationsof the company are so relevant that one third of world's population is either using or has used a 3M product.Most of 3M products are complex to make and simple for the customers to use. 3M is best known in the consumer space for its Post-it notes.

Scotch Brite is one such innovation which is a simple product : a Scrubber.The brand has been slowly penetrating into Indian Kitchen. The brand is targeting SEC A and SEC B households.The brand faces competition not from any established brands. I can say that this brand face no brand competition. But the competition is from the traditional methods of cleaning the utensils.Although the home makers are discerning customers for most of the products , in the case of the kitchen tools, the home makers do not think much. Most of the households use either cloths or plastic and nylon scrubs or steel scrubs with the dishwash bar to clean the utensils. In rural households , coconut fibre is used as the scrub.
Another challenge that the brand face is the fact that in urban households ( SEC A) , 60% of the cleaning activity is performed by the housemaids rather than the home maker. So the challenge is to get the housemaid to use the brand rather than the traditional ones. 3M has countered this problem true to its innovative nature. In 2006, the company undertook a massive campaign targeted at the housemaids. In Pune, it organized a march by housemaids ( walkathlon) and they took the pledge to keep the houses clean ( using Scotch Brite of course). Reports suggest that the campaign was successful. The company also conducted a 10 day training program for housemaids and rewarding them with goodies for participating. This is a proof that the brand realises the impact of " Primary Users" in making the brand successful.The whole campaign is expected to be rolled out nationally , if the initiative results in positive sales.

The company is aiming to create a market rather than looking at market share. The market for such scrubs are in the emergence stage. Hence the primary aim for the brand promotion is to create awareness about the product and its attributes.More emphasis is being put on below the line activities rather than other promotions. The promotion is aimed at highlighting the hygiene factor in using Scotch Brite.
As a consumer I still feel that the brand is not user friendly in the sense that since Scotch Brite is small in size, it often slips from the hand ( When I tried using it).Hence something like a small strap will help in a better grip for the product ( just a suggestion !).

Scotch Brite is a classic case of Customer centric Innovation.

Related Brands

Vim

Source:magindia,3mwebsite,businessline,indiafirstfoundation.org,agencyfaqs