JSW Paints : Har Rang, Har Kisi Ka

 Brand: JSW Paints

Company: JSW Group

Brand Analysis Count: # 609

JSW group belonging to the Sajjan Jindal family which is known for JSW Steel and JSW Cements has forayed into the highly competitive but lucrative Rs 50,000 Crore paint industry. In 2019, the company soft-launched its paints branded as JSW paints in the South and later expanded to a larger national footprint. 

Indian paint industry dominated by Asian Paints is lucrative with its sheer size at the same time is extremely competitive and a difficult market to crack. While the organized market is dominated by Asian Paints, Berger, Nerolac, there is a large unorganized market too dominated by the price competition and middlemen ( influencers/decision-makers) like painters and contractors. 

Asian Paints is credited with building a brand in this category and breaking the stronghold of painters and contractors in the consumer decision-making process and making the brand choice a consumer prerogative. 

When a conglomerate like the JSW group enters the market, everyone will look up to the launch and a possible threat to the long-standing market-leader Asian Paints. The market is large enough to accommodate such a large player at the same time, the existing players are known for defending their market shares.

JSW Paints was launched into the market with a positioning based on colour and price. The key differentiator for JSW paints is the 1808 colour options it provides to the consumer. The choice of the differentiator based on the colours is intriguing since that positioning platform is already owned by Asian Paints. When a challenger brand takes the same positioning as the market leader, there is a risk of consumers failing to associate the colour based positioning with the new entrant. There is a classic example of Nerolac ad featuring Amitabh Bachchan which was focused on colour and later when consumers were asked to recall the brand which Bachchan endorsed, they recalled Asian Paints. 

JSW Paints has roped in two celebrities to endorse the brand - Alia Bhatt and Ayushmann Khuranna. The launch ad is well made but the issue of a very close similarity with Asian Paint's positioning lingers. 

The brand has also put a number 1808 colour options to give credibility to the range of colours value propositions and this can easily be countered by its competitor and technically it is not a sustainable differentiation.  JSW Paints has four brands under its paint portfolio Halo, Aurus, Pixa and Halo Aquaglo. Each brand offers different attributes like Halo is focused on its anti-bacterial property. 

Another differentiator for the brand is the One Colour, One Price guarantee by the brand. Usually, brands charge differential pricing for the various colours and in my opinion, JSW paints have identified a good value proposition in this. In a sense, the large number of colour options together with the one price for all colours make a sensible value proposition for this new brand. If promoted this combined value proposition, JSW paints will force the other players to offer one price for all colours in future. 

The tagline for the brand is Har Rang, Har Kisi ka which translates to Colours for All. The brand is targeting the young couple ( 25-50 years) and the choice of the brand ambassadors reflects the intent. 

 I am not sure whether the launch campaign was able to give a proper push to the combined value proposition. Subsequently, more rational campaigns highlighting the combined value propositions will cement a significant position for this brand in the market. If the market accepts this one price formula, it will not be difficult for the competitors to catch up and for JSW Paints, a new hunt for new differentiator will begin. 

Brand Update : Oreo does it again with 5Star

In my earlier posts on the brand, I had talked about how the Oreo brand is being used as a platform to launch variants by collaborating with other brands in Modolez's portfolio like Dairy Milk. Oreo is now experimenting with yet another launch this time with the 5Star brand. Recently the company launched a new product Cadbury 5 Star Oreo which combines the caramel of 5 Star with Oreo. Mondolez has rightly realized that their products both in the chocolate and biscuit categories are no longer water-tight compartments but the consumers perceive these as a part of the snacking category which is much broader than chocolates and biscuits. 

This realization has given rise to the new strategy of cross-pollination ( as mentioned in some business news reports) of brands giving rise to new variants. The advantage of such collaboration is that there are instant awareness and motivation for trial. For snacking category success, a trial is a pre-requisite to success. When two familiar brands come together for a new variant, consumers don't have a reason not to try the variant and the product efficacy then will decide the fate of the new variant. For snacking category, consumers look for variety and novelty. So these experiments are a necessity if one wants to succeed. 

Mondolez should be credited for thinking beyond their products. How many brand managers would agree to their iconic brands to be cross-pollinated with other brands within the brand line for creating new variants? 

These experiments will encourage marketers to think beyond the products thus eliminating the occurrence of marketing myopia. It is not about whether the new variants succeed or not. This example also resonates with the advice given by Roberto Goizueta to the Coke executives who were rattled by Pepsi Challenge. Goizueta told the executives to focus on what percentage of fluid intake of an individual can Coke capture rather than be worried about the growing share of Pepsi. This changed the mindset of Coke executives encouraging them to rise up to the Pepsi Challenge. In the same manner, Mondolez is trying to gain a larger share of the whole snacking market rather than being narrowly focused on individual brand share. This probably is encouraging the company to launch this type of products.

Astral Pipes : Who thinks about a Pipe?

 Brand: Astral Pipes

Company: Astral Pipes Ltd

Brand Analysis Count: #608

Astral Pipes one of the leading player in the CPVC pipes category. The company has around 25% market share in this category. The plastic pipe market in India is estimated to be around Rs 21500 Crore. Astral pipes came into existence in 1998. At that time, the market was dominated by GI pipes. After many attempts, Astral pipes were able to pivot the market towards CVPC pipes which now has become a mainstream choice.

It was not an easy task for the company to change the market's preference. It found that although the engineers and supervisors were convinced about the superiority of CVPC pipes, plumbers who were the major influencers were not taken aboard. Since the CVPC pipes were expensive, the company approached this issue on two fronts. At the influencer level, it pursued an outreach program for the plumbers convincing them about the product superiority and at the product level, the company made efforts to reduce the price differential betting on the volume play. 

Then the company did the impossible, it ran a very striking branding program. Just like what Asian Paints did to the paint market by branding, Astral tried the same in the pipe category. For that, it chose two platforms- Bollywood and Cricket. Astral in a way behaved like an FMCG company trying to associate with movie stars. And success came with the product placement in the hit Salman Khan movie- Dabangg. The product placement in the movie earned the brand a nickname- Dabangg pipe. Buoyed by the success, the brand went on to associate with many Bollywood blockbusters thus increasing the awareness of the brand. Along with this, Astral pipes roped in Salman Khan to endorse the brand and there was no looking back. 

On the cricket front, Astral Pipes associated with IPL by sponsoring teams like Rajasthan Royals, Sunrisers Hyderabad which further helped the brand in building awareness. As we all know, one of the fundamental building blocks of brand equity is brand awareness and Astral Pipes were able to create a strong foundation. 

In 2020-21, the brand has roped in Ranveer Singh as the brand ambassador. The brand is currently running a very interesting campaign themed " Who thinks about Pipes? "

What is interesting about this campaign is the thought process and the issue that the brand is trying to address. The theme " Who thinks about pipe" rightly captures the issue that Astral pipes try to address. Actually who think about pipes anyway?

For a brand, this question is a make or break for brand. If the consumer doesn't think about pipes, then the purchase will be a commodity purchase with price as the deciding factor. So the current campaign in a way urges the consumer to think about this product category. Further, the brand assures the consumer that as a company, they are constantly thinking about building excellent pipes hence the consumer can trust the brand. With a touch of humour, the ads deliver the message very effectively. 

Astral has also explored various promotional options other than ads. In 2017, it launched a much-acclaimed video #Everywomensright promoting the concept of toilets in every house.

The types of above-the-line marketing efforts are rare in a product category like pipes where the energy and investment are more on dealer relationships and margin management. Astral has paved a new path of marketing in this otherwise dull category. 

Brand Update : Amul puts the butter narrative into its biscuit entry

 Launched in 2019, Amul's foray into the highly competitive and fragmented Rs 37000 biscuit market has become national. The ads for Amul Butter cookies are now streaming across various markets. Although the brand is not yet in stores in Kerala, I guess it is a matter of time that the brand will be in the stores. Amul has been on a roll in the last couple of years with a slew of launches in various categories. The brand has decided to leverage the full potential of the equity and is experimenting with various products and categories. 

Biscuits is a tough market to crack owing to the low entry barrier and fragmentation. The consumers in the category have fleeting brand loyalty and are swayed by new variants and innovative flavours. So it will not be an easy walk even for Amul. Just like what it did with the ice cream market with its " made with cow's milk" proposition, in the biscuit category, the brand is pivoting the market with the proposition of " 25% Amul Butter" ingredient. In a subtle way, the brand is referring to the presence of vegetable oil in the competitor's products creating jitter among the competing brands. The powerful narrative it created in the ice cream market with the education of consumers about ice-cream and frozen dessert made Amul a strong contender in the category. The same narrative is applied in the biscuit category also. For a consumer, the very Amul brand name is enough to enthuse trial and rest will depend on the product efficacy. 

The challenge for Amul will be to create the variants and innovate in the product category. Sunfeast, Parle and the likes are bringing in new flavours, variants and new products and getting into the market quite fast. Amul is known for its distribution prowess and marketing muscle, it will be tested to the fullest in this category. 

Nimwash : The First Step in a Recipe

 Brand: Nimwash

Company: ITC

Brand Analysis Count: # 607

Covid-19 has made some category like sanitisers, handwash etc penetrate the market very fast and became a part of the consumer basket within a short span of time. In a way, consumers were forced to adopt those products. Along with these essentials, marketers are trying to push their luck in some other categories taking advantage of the new normal of fear and personal hygiene. One such category that is witnessing a lot of product launches is the vegetable and fruit wash category

The category of fruit and vegetable wash is not a new one, in fact in 2008, I had written a post about a brand Bio-Fresh which is in the same category. The difference in 2021 is that many brands from famous companies are in the fray. One such big launch is Nimwash from ITC. 

The interest behind such new launch in this category is to take advantage of the general sentiment of the consumers towards personal hygiene and fear of getting sick. While sanitsers have reaped the benefit of direct connection with the pandemic, the fruit and vegetable wash category is trying to go with the flow.  

Having said that, there is a very real benefit that these products are offering. It is real that the fruits and vegetables that we consume are laden with pesticides and chemicals and these are potential threats to our health. So just like the santisers, it makes immense sense to clean the vegetables from the chemicals and pesticides.

Nimwash is pitched as a healthy vegetable wash with natural contents like Neem. The proposition seems to be very logical and attractive. The brand has chosen a celebrity endorsement route with the celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor as the endorser. The brand has smartly put the tagline as " The First Step in  Recipe" highlighting the importance of cleaning the vegetables and fruits before confusing. 

Nimwash along with the competitors like Marico's Veggie Clean, Raho Safe are already available across various supermarkets and consumer offers like 1+1 free also have started coming highlighting a sense of panic selling by the marketers. 

As a consumer, I was also tempted to purchase such a product because I am aware of the core issue that this product is solving. So the issue is not the need-identification or problem recognition, the challenge is the repeat purchase and continuous adoption of this category. That continuous adoption requires a change in consumer behaviour in terms of cooking and eating fruits. These marketers need to teach consumers to use this product to wash the fruits and vegetables before cooking/ eating. That is not a small task. The same issue was faced by sanitisers before and Covid was a good teacher in that aspect. For a brand like Nimwash, despite the product being beneficial, it is a challenge to shore up the volume by making these products a part of the daily life. The benefit of washing the fruits and vegetables daily with such products does not offer any visible pieces of evidence other than a mental satisfaction. Products like floor cleaners, sanitisers have already created that mental feeling of germ-free/ cleaning picture in the mind of the consumer, it is now the task of Nimwash and others to replicate the same. 

Brand Update : Cadbury Dairy Milk Silk Mousse puts you in chocolate heaven

Under Mondolez, Cadbury as a brand is on a roll. The fans of the brand are seeing a host of thoughtful product launches which are thoughtful and unique. What is so good about Mondolez's approach towards its product is to look at each brand as a platform through which new products( variants) can be launched. The company is not afraid to launch variants which are unique and often risky. These launches make the brand look sophisticated and interesting. 

This season, Cadbury under the popular brand Silk has launched a new variant- Mousse. Mousse is a french food which is in a soft and aerated form. Cadbury has successfully incorporated this popular dissert inside the Dairy Milk Silk. The mousse seamlessly integrates with the soft nature of Silk chocolates. 

Consumers are looking for indulgence and unique experiences everywhere. A brand succeeds when it gives a unique experience with product consumption. It is vital in the snacking category that is growing leaps and bounds among young consumers. Mondelez game plan is to capture the snacking market with unique variants launched under its power brands like Cadbury and Oreo. 

Silk Mousse is promoted across the various platforms with the proposition of " heavenly indulgence". The variant has the tagline - Scoop into Chocolate Heave" which reflects both the product form and the nature of the variant. 

Silk has always being promoted in the platform of romance. For this variant too, the brand is banking on the romance and a very young couple. As usual, the advertisement ticks all the right boxes.

Bumberry : Conscious Diapering

Brand: Bumberry

Company: Bumberry Baby Products Pvt Ltd

Brand Analysis Count: #606

Bumberry is a brand of cloth diapers for infants and kids which wanted to give an environmentally friendly alternative to the usual disposable diapers that are popular in urban India. Started in 2013, the brand is currently selling through online e-commerce platforms. 

The diaper market in India is worth around $800 million and is characterised by high growth and low penetration. The market is dominated by P&G and concentrated on the urban market. The earlier players like Huggies, Snuggy, Pampers created the market by educating the consumers about the benefit of diapers in terms of convenience and health. The market is growing owing to the demographic nature of India and the fact that the entry barrier in this category is only the brand power has encouraged many players who import these products from manufacturing hubs like China and brands it and sell in India. 

While disposable diapers are cheap and convenient, it is not without problems. Although the unit price is affordable to the middle-class, there is a cost in the long run because of the disposable nature of the product. Another big issue is the environmental cost of these disposable diapers. Further, these diapers can create skin-related allergy if used for a prolonged period of time. 

It is these problems that encouraged the founders of Bumberry to find an alternative. A chance encounter with cloth diaper imported from the ave the idea of a home-grown brand which is less expensive than the imported ones. 

Thus brand Bumberry was created. The brand is now an online-only brand and is marketed through influencers and other digital promotions. The product is basically a durable diaper with removable inserts. The cover diaper is cloth-based and hence environment friendly and re-usable. The USP of the brand is re-usability and comfort and design. Priced at around Rs 740, the brand is trying to offer value compared to expensive imported products. 

The brand with its value proposition will appeal to a section of consumers who are looking for a healthy organic alternative to the synthetic diapers. 

So the initial market will be niche and with the diaper market growing, the potential for such diapers will naturally grow. 

The challenge for a brand like Bumberry is similar to that of the brands which created the diaper market in India -educating consumers to change. While the pioneers wanted the consumers to change from using cloths to diapers, Bumberry wants the ordinary diaper buyers to change to cloth diapers. That requires an investment on a large scale in terms of promotion. To make these products mainstream will be a mammoth investment in terms of promotions. A startup brand like this can at this point can only rely on digital tools and influencer marketing. While the brand's main talking point is its environment friendliness, I think that attributes like fashion, comfort, image are more attractive at a consumer point of view. 

Brand Update : Coca Cola to Turn Up Your Day

 This season was a washout season from most product categories. The pandemic forced many firms into crisis mode with no money or energy left for brand promotions. After the massive lockdown has been lifted, things are limping back to normal so is brand promotions. 

Coca-Cola during these periods was steady in its brand promotions. During Diwali 2020, the brand was running a popular campaign featuring Ranbir Kapoor and Paresh Rawal and the theme was focused on relationships.

The best thing about the ads was that the focus was on the brand rather than the celebrities despite the presence of two powerful celebrity brands. Then came the new campaign featuring Ranbir. 

The problem with celebrity endorsement is that there is always a chance that the celebrity will eclipse the brand in terms of screen presence. You have to be very bold and creative to make the brand stand out in the presence of a celebrity. In the current campaign themed Turn Up Your Day, the focus is on the charm of Ranbir rather than the brand even if it is the brand that makes him dance. It is all celebrity when you show the girls head over heels over Ranbir and the poor Coke brand is just rattling in the fridge. 

The new brand tagline is Turn Up Your Day which is a sort of confusing! Internationally the brand is running a campaign Turn Up Your Rythm which links the brand to music. However, we get a dancing Ranbir here in India. 

Brand Update : Tata Safari is back to Reclaim Your Life

 It's happy news for Tata Safari fans. Tata Motors has decided to relaunch the iconic Tata Safari in a new platform. The brand which created the premium SUV market in India was languishing in the sidelines when the Indian market was gravitating towards SUVs. After 2016, there was no product improvements nor any campaigns. The only saving grace for the brand was that it was chosen by Indian armed forces to replace Maruti Gypsy.

Then Tata Motors did a coup. It began to launch a range of products under a more refined platform. Harrier was launched in the Land Rover platform quickly began to impress the customer with its road presence and refinement. I almost believed that Safari will be silently killed and the new era belonged to new brands. Tata Motors then began its work on a 7 seater SUV which was showcased as a new brand Gravitas. 

But then the twist happened. The 7 seater Harrier was decided to bear the name of Safari. The teaser ad is now on air and what is interesting is that the brand is retaining the tagline Reclaim Your Life. 

The advantage of launching Safari is the immediate adoption by Safari fans. Although many have migrated to other SUVs, still Safari brand commands a lot of traction among the auto-enthusiasts. Since Harrier has already established itself as a reliable machine, Safari will not have to worry about the mechanical issues which were the Achilles heel of the brand in its earlier avatar. 

Evion 400 : Nourish Your Cells

 Brand: Evion 400

Company: P&G Health Ltd

Brand Analysis Count: #605

Evion 400 is a vitamin tablet which is a market leader in its category. It is one of the most popular vitamin E tablets around. The products like vitamin and mineral tablets used to be marketed as drugs and in medical marketing terms- through ethical route. Around 2000, there were moves from the government and regulators to regulate the pricing of these drugs. To circumvent the price capping, many medical marketers began to sell products through OTC ( Over The Counter) route which means that these products can be bought without a doctor prescription. 

The challenge in such a move is that these brands will lose doctor's patronage in many cases. Doctor's tend to prescribe products which are classified as a drug rather than an OTC product. 

So brands in the OTC route needs to build all brand-related assets because, in OTC, it is the consumers that take the purchase decision. The strategy adopted by Evion is interesting in this regard. Rather than promoting the brand as a vitamin E supplement, Evion has positioned itself based on the benefits platform. One of the key benefits of vitamin E is the effect on the skin. Evion has smartly positioned itself as a provider of glowing skin rather than a vitamin supplement thus broadening the scope of the promotion. The advertisement of Evion looks like that of a skincare soap or a cream. In that way, the brand aims to increase the usage among the target consumers. 

The problem or challenge with most of the vitamin or health supplement is to ensure continued usage of the product. While consumers will start consuming such products because of some trigger or advice, often this enthusiasm wears down over a period of time. Evion believes that skincare proposition is something that may prompt consumers to use this product on a regular basis. 

Dabur Sanitize : Complete Family Protection

 Brand: Dabur Sanitize

Company: Dabur

Brand Analysis Count: 604

It was a launch that had to happen one day. The Covid pandemic accelerated the product entry into the new hot category- sanitizer. Dabur which is one the respected FMCG and health major in the country did not let the opportunity wasted. In March 2020, the company accelerated the product launch of its range of sanitizers and antiseptic liquid product range into the Indian market.

The corporate brand Dabur is associated with herbal/ayurvedic products and true to its heritage, the new product launch also has herbal ingredients like Turmeric and Aloe vera inside. What is interesting about the new product launch is the brand name. Dabur has decided to use the generic name Sanitize for the product range endorsed by Dabur brand. Under the brand name Dabur Sanitize, the company has launched a range of products like hand sanitizers, antiseptic liquid and soap. Another interesting thing is that it has another variant Dabur Sanitizer Plus which is an antiseptic liquid promoted in South India using the actress Simran. 

Dabur Santize antiseptic liquid is challenging the market leader Dettol. The USP of Dabur Santize is the properties such as antibacterial, antiseptic and no-burning (which takes on the Dettol ) along with natural ingredients like turmeric and Aloe vera. 

The market is currently flooded with products such as santizers, antiseptic liquids, creams, sprays and what not. The market now has the demand owing to the relentless spread of pandemic and fear. So the market is able to contain the supply of these products to a large extent. In that way, Dabur also will ride the wave of this category growth. The buzzword at this point in time is the ability of these products to reach the point of purchase. According to the news reports, Dabur Santize is available initially in online platforms. The brand will benefit from trend once it is available offline at a large scale. 

In a branding perspective, Dabur had chosen not to launch these products under a new brand or even a sub-brand. Rather it has used the generic product descriptor route for the new products. In one way the company has missed the opportunity for a new brand which could've offered more individuality and flexibility in terms of positioning and promotion. 

Brand Update : In 2020 ad, Horlicks subtly reinforces its positioning

 Great ads need not shout its message, the viewers without any effort will understand it. Such an ad was created by Horlicks this season. The new ad of Horlicks featuring mother and daughters very cleverly and powerfully reinforces the brand's message of making you stronger thus confident and empowered. The new ad of Horlicks under the new brand owner HUL takes the campaign to next level of brand laddering. What is beautiful is that the brand comes only at the end credit. The purpose of these kinds of themes is not promoting purchase intention but to reinforce the brand's message and positioning which will have a powerful influence on brand outcomes. In that sense, the current ad of Horlicks ticks all the right boxes. 

Brand Update : Surf Excel takes forward Dirt is Good campaign during pandemic

While all brands are trying to use germ-killing or protection feature in their product in one way or the other, Surf Excel has a different take on the pandemic. In the latest ad, the brand takes the time tested "Dirt is Good" campaign to a different level linking the lockdown effect on the pandemic. In a clever move, the brand has used a family bonding theme to further the brand's positioning. 

A powerful positioning platform helps the brand to mould it to suit various environmental changes. Be it consumer behaviour changes or changes caused by the external environment. Dirt is Good is such a positioning platform which offers excellent creative flexibility to the agency to respond to these changes. The agency has done exactly that with Surf Excel. Surf is in a position where it need not talk about its functional attributes. That is the reason why the brand has taken an emotional position. The current ad brings the brand's relevance in this tested times aiding awareness and salience factors. 

Ariel Detergent : Firing All Cylinders

Brand: Ariel

Company: P&G

Brand Analysis Count: #603 

The Indian detergent market worth over Rs 29000 crore is a fiercely competitive market with a whole lot of organized and unorganized players, global and local players vying for a pie of the market.HUL commands the detergent market with around 39% share with its power brands like Surf, Rin, Wheel, Sunlight etc. 

P&G has been fighting the market leader with Ariel and Tide pitching these brands against Surf and Rin respectively. Ariel is a global brand which has a history dating back to 1967. The brand came to India in 1991 and ever since, the brand has been fighting Surf head-on. 

Ariel has always positioned itself as a stain-fighting detergent, thus directly challenging Surf. In the marketing journey, it had used all possible strategies in challenging the market leader. While Surf although a premium-priced detergent tried to appeal to the value, Ariel steadfastly focused on performance in terms of stain-removing. For this, Ariel launched a series of product enhancements and form variants.

In the promotion front, the brand used every trick in the book. While Surf moved from value-based pitching to an emotional " Dirt is Good" theme, Ariel focused on the logic of stain removal. The brand is using the celebrity chef Sanjeev Kapoor in the last two to three years in their campaigns. The theme is revolving around food-stains which are toughest and in a sort of challenge format shows that Ariel cleans the stains better. 

Last year, the brand also used Bollywood actor Anil Kapoor in their campaign again highlighting the brand's core promise. 

Not to be left behind in the emotional positioning, Ariel in 2016 launched a campaign Share The Load with the hashtag #sharetheload. The theme focused on the fact that women in households are often deprived of basic necessities of life such as sleep because they are forced to take an entire load of managing the households. Hence Ariel decided to be their voice and launched a campaign asking everyone in the house especially men to share the load. The campaign was there for one year and then stopped. In 2020, the campaign was again restarted and was well received by the audiences. The campaign is nicely done and is relevant to the brand since it is talking for its customer- the women of the household. 

In 2020, the brand also came out with product innovation - The Pod. Pod is a unique detergent capsule where there are three components of detergent packed using a thin film. One is a stain-remover, another detergent and a whitening element. This capsule has to be put into the washing machine along with the clothes and the capsule breaks to release the detergents. 

The USP of this pack is the convenience and more than that this product also showcases the brand's focus and innovative character. As a consumer, there is a novelty value and added convenience but how it fits the laundry budget is something debatable. 

Despite all these efforts, Surf still rules the premium laundry segment. Ariel should be credited with a single-minded focus and consistent positioning and also its ability to come out with new product innovations. The brand has remained premium over its competitors and resisted a price war with the competitors. It is patient and focused and I think the brand is letting customers patronize the brand based on the merit than anything else.

Brand Update : Tide gets Ayushmann Khurrana as the brand ambassador

 P&G's detergent brand has now a brand ambassador- Ayushmann Khurrana. The brand which is pitching for the leadership position in the detergent category is fighting the whiteness battle with Unilever's Rin. Tide cleverly uses " Surprising Whiteness" as the theme while Rin uses the lightening mnemonic to reinforce the brand's promise. 

The new campaign featuring Ayushmann Khuranna follows the time-tested theme. The interesting part is that the brand ambassador plays all the character in the ad including that of the lady. According to reports, Ayushmann is now the hot pick for brands in Bollywood as he has delivered back to back hits and has a next-door person image and is relatable. Around 7 years ago, Rin had roped in none other than Amitabh Bachchan as the brand ambassador. 

With washing machines getting into many homes, detergent brands have launched their own variants for machine use. The current campaign is for Tide Ultra variant which is for the machine wash segment. 

Related Post

Tide Vs Rin 

Berger Breathe Easy Safe24 : Stay Safe 24 Hours

Brand: Breathe Easy Safe24
Company: Berger Paints
Brand Analysis Count: 602

 The huge demand for any product that protects us from the COVID-19 virus has created an unprecedented demand for sanitizers and surface disinfectants. While surface disinfectants were existing in the market for quite some time, it was in the form of floor cleaners. The pandemic has created a new opportunity for this product as a tool to clean all surfaces which have a chance to be infected by the virus- that makes almost all surfaces.

Many brands have their own version of surface disinfectant sprays and encourage the customers to spray on every surface every time so that their banks keep on sprayed with money. In fact, in one of the ads, the character is spraying the disinfectant on the pages of the book he is reading. As I have mentioned in my previous posts, a lot of firms have entered the market of sanitizers and the like and paint companies are not left behind. Along with Asian Paints, the paint major Berger Paints also have entered the market with their own brand. 

Berger has extended one of their paint brand - Berger Silk Breathe Easy into this new product category. The main USP of Berger Silk Breathe Easy was the germ-killing feature and the company decided to extend the brand to the new category. The brand extension ( although not 100% technically) is done with some tweaking with the brand name. The surface disinfectant spray is branded as Breathe Easy Safe24 and is endorsed by the corporate brand - Berger. 

Three elements make this brand interesting. The first element is that this product is marketed in association with IIT Guwahati. Scientists from IIT Guwahati lead by Biman Mandal has created this product. What it does to the brand is that it builds tremendous authenticity to the claims. The product is one of the few instances in India where a consumer product is created in association with an academic institution. The second element that makes this brand interesting is the Unique Selling Proposition( USP). While the sanitizing products that exist in the market are based on alcohol which will easily get evaporated from the surface within a few minutes thus reducing the duration of the surface protection. It will get contaminated within no time. According to the media reports, this product has a nano-silver coating which stays active in the surface for a longer time thus offering extended protection. This is a very powerful differentiator for this brand. 

The third element is the presence of a brand ambassador- Kareena Kapoor for this new product. Kareena was also the brand ambassador for the paint products and the company is using her in the new initiative. 

Although the brand name Breathe Easy Safe24 seems a long brand name, it does convey the brand's promise in a no-nonsense fashion. One brand which may not be happy would be the Kerala based brand Pankajakastri Breathe Easy which is an ayurvedic formulation for breathing-related problems. 

The IIT association along with a powerful USP has made this brand a serious player in the market. The challenge is to expand the market for disinfectant sprays and also to expand the product's range to a volume delivering market like surface-cleaners. 

Brand Update : Thums Up struggling to taste the thunder

 The latest ad of Thums Up featuring the brand ambassador Ranveer Singh is a classic example of (Hyperbole)^2. The stunts make James Bond movies look very realistic. Over the last few years, the brand ( in my opinion) is struggling to find a way to convey the positioning - taste the thunder. The current interpretation of the iconic tagline is coated with unrealism which in a way have diluted the charm of the tagline. 

While the positioning of Thums Up was initially based on the taste, later the brand unnecessarily dropped the tagline and went on experimenting with the positioning and later brought it back. The current positioning is based on the theme of " anything for thums up". The idea was well executed where the celebrity would do anything for the brand. Now also the theme is the same but the focus has shifted to the celebrity rather than the brand.

More and more, the ads have become too unrealistic where consumers will be tempted to discount the brand's message. The same thing happened with Axe with its unrealistic campaigns in the long run took consumers away from believing the brand. Hyperbole or exaggerated advertisements serve the purpose of novelty but should not be at the cost of losing authenticity. Positioning should have some amount of believability and should not be compromised for short-term eyeballs. 

Thums Up now is in a celebrity trap and is not alone. The rival Pepsi now has the erstwhile Thums Up, brand ambassador vouching for it. The brand is now in a position where they cannot afford to think of a campaign sans a celebrity. I think Thums Up, if serious about the survival should reset its current campaign trap and do something different to bring the thunder back. 

Nature Protect : Harness the super power of nature

Brand: Nature Protect
Company: Hindustan Unilever
Brand Analysis Count: #601

After a long time, the market is witnessing a brand launch from HUL. So far, HUL has been playing around with its existing power-brands through brand and line extensions. However, HUL is facing this pandemic rather aggressively with a new brand- Nature Protect. 

The COVID-19 pandemic had a different kind of effect on businesses. While most businesses faced a serious existential crisis, some category showed strength and resilience. One category which had the most advantage during the pandemic was products related to hygiene. Hygiene products raced to take advantage of consumer fear and products were tagged with germ-killing propositions across product-ranges. 

HUL found this time to be ripe for a product launch. Nature Protect, as the brand name suggests, is in the "natural" space of the market. The brand is in the hygiene category with products such as surface disinfectants, sanitizer wipes, vegetable wash etc. 

The basic promise of Nature Protect is its natural ingredients and the USP is the neem content. Nature Protect is heavily banking on the efficacy of the neem ingredient as the selling point. While HUL has similar natural/ayurvedic brand like Ayush, that brand has not taken off as expected. Ayush is now pitched as a fighter brand against Patanjali and the likes. Nature Protect is expected to boost HUL's brand portfolio in the naturals space where there are strong consumer interest and future potential. 

Another advantage of having a natural-based brand is the Unilever's fight with Dettol dominated hygiene category of disinfectants and related products. So far, Unilever has not been able to fight Dettol which is slowly expanding its product range. Lifebuoy is fighting it in multiple categories and Nature Protect is expected to open another flank in the fight for supremacy in this category. 

Nature Protect will help HUL to further expand the hygiene category especially appealing to consumers who are worried about chemical-based hygiene products. Right now, the HUL has been covering the hygiene market with brand extensions and now it has created a focal brand for all products in this category. That gives a lot of freedom for the brand managers to explore new emerging categories like vegetable-wash, laundry sanitizer, sanitizer wipes etc. 

The launch ad ( in my opinion) is a disappointment for such a high-profile launch. There is a trend of using kids in all things related to germs. Nothing worthwhile in the ad to write about. The brand name in a typical textbook-style conveys the brand promise. The USP of neem ingredient is relevant but can be copied by the competitor and thus negate the point-of-difference. 

Although HUL is known for its marketing finesse, it has a tendency to abandon their brands after the initial hype. Hope that will not happen with Nature Protect. 

TT Asafoetida : A Heritage Brand Celebrating 125 years.

 Brand: Tasty Tasty Asafoetida
Company: Mahesh Value Group

Brand Analysis Count: # 600

The trigger to this post is a television ad of TT perungayam ( Asafoetida) I saw recently. A quick search found something interesting and new to me so thought of putting this as my 600th brand analysis. The most interesting fact about this brand is history. This brand born in 1895 is celebrating 125 years of existence and it is something to be celebrated. In this ever-changing world, how many brands, big or small can boast of such a history? 

This brand is not from a glamorous industry but from a commodity - common asafoetida which is an integral ingredient of South Indian cuisine. This brand may have survived this long because of this close connection with culture. In marketing, we learn about the interaction of culture with the choice of products. Most likely, these brands have become an integral part of the kitchen. 

It is not that the brands selling these products are not promoted. Brands like TT, LG are promoting heavily in their respective regional markets. In fact, a search for asafoetida ads can throw up a lot of brand advertisements in this category. Another interesting information was regarding the brand name TT stands for Tasty Tasty. 

Although TT as a brand is famous for asafoetida, it had launched brand extensions like appalam ( pappad) and also into the highly competitive spice masala market.

To commemorate the 125 years, the brand has recently upped its promotions across various channels. The brand is focusing on the health benefits of asafoetida as its USP. As we know about the commodities, its very difficult to find and establish a sustainable point-of-difference since the characteristics or benefits are common for all marketers of these commodities. However, TT is trying to own the health benefits platform through its claim that the product is made from the natural first extract of the latex from the plant. 

These brands will remain as long as there is a major shift in consumer preference from traditional food choices. Some brands are blended deeply with the culture which is often enduring. The challenge comes when these ingredients become a part of a package and customers need not buy these ingredients separately. Till that time, these brands will be around.

Related Brand

LG Asafoetida

Zed Black : Prayers Will Be Answered

Brand: Zed Black
Company: Mysore Deep  Perfumery House
Brand Analysis Count: #599

Zed Black is an unusual name for an agarbatti and perhaps that has contributed to this brand's success. Zed Black is the brand of premium agarbattis from Mysore Deep Perfumery House ( MDPH) which is an Indore based company. The location of the firm is relevant because it is reported that the agarbatti market is usually dominated by Karnataka based brands. 

Zed Black was launched in 2000 aimed at creating a space in a market dominated by numerous players both in the organized and unorganised sector. The overall market for agarbatti in India is estimated to be around Rs 2000 crore. 

What made me look at this brand were two things - the brand name and the brand ambassador. Zed Black is a name one would not associate with a traditional product like agarbatti. I searched for the story behind the brand name but no avail. However, in an interview with the directors of the company, they mention that the founder wanted a unique English name for the product that will catch the fancy of the consumer and help the brand stand out from the rest. Most of the agarbatti brands are connected with tradition or god's name. Of course, there are exceptions like the market leader Cycle Agarbatti. The founder wanted to have a name that would also showcase the premium image of the brand. Hence the brand name was chosen. 

MDPH knew that agarbatti was chosen based on the perfume. Consumers smelled the pack before purchasing and often sticked to a brand he liked. Rightly so, the founder travelled across the market to gauge the consumer's tastes and also in search of perfumes that could hook the consumers to the brand. The focus on perfume helped Zed Black gain consumer acceptance quickly.

In 2017, Zed Black roped in Dhoni as the brand ambassador. The company uses a traditional tagline " Prayers will be answered" for the promotions. In regional markets, the brand uses regional celebrities. While the perfume acts as a powerful cue for purchase, the brand drives the consumers towards trying the brand. In that aspect, MDPH has cracked the code for a category like incense sticks which are very cluttered. 

Brand Update : SugarFree launches chocolates under D'Lite brand

SugarFree, the market leader in the Rs 350 crore Indian artificial sweetener market has recently launched a brand extension much to the delight of calorie-conscious and diabetic patients in the form of dark chocolates. India which is considered to be the diabetic capital of the world is yet to see a boom in the artificial sweetener category and sweets made up of artificial sweeteners. This is largely due to lack of awareness and fear of risks in consuming such products. 

However slowly and steadily, the market is warming up to such alternatives to non-sugar delicacies. To take advantage of such potential, most of the confectionery brand has one or two variants in the sugar-free category. For example, Amul has one variant of sugar-free dark chocolate but is rarely available in offline stores.

Zydus Wellness, the owner of SugarFree is sensing such an opportunity and with a brand which has a strong generic name and market leadership, it would not be wise not to take advantage. The company has chosen to launch its range of dark chocolates under the sub-brand D'Lite. D'Lite is not a new brand, earlier, SugarFree had attempted to launch a range of beverages such as fruit punch under this brand name. 

In the new avatar, D'Lite will be initially a digital-focused brand with the product available in online stores such as Amazon, BigBasket etc. The sugar-free chocolates come in four variants - Dark Rich Cocoa, Dark Zesty Orange, Dark Hazelnut flavour with roasted almonds, and Dark Crispy Quinoa with roasted almonds. All these have 50% cocoa content. The sugar-substitute is maltitol. 

The brand is positioned as a premium healthy alternative for calorie-conscious consumers. Priced at Rs 99 for 40g, the brand is a premium offering. The packaging is excellent and reflects the premiumness of the range. The brand has a soft-launch and I think it is promoted initially through digital platforms. The brand is promoted with the hashtag #Twogood. 

I strongly feel that the market for such products has huge potential. The one factor that prevents growth is the negative feedback from a key influencer - doctors. Most of the doctors whom I talked to have expressed a negative opinion about the artificial sweeteners. Except for Stevia, all sugar substitutes carry some form of side-effects is usually what doctors say. It would take some persuasion from these marketers to change that influencer- narrative. However, for a consumer, these products are welcome alternatives to sugar and help keep check of sugar-cravings. 

Related Brand Story

SugarFree