Cif : Lets You Shine

Brand : Cif

Company : HUL

Brand Analysis Count : 463

Cif is India's first cream based surface cleaner. The brand which was launched in India on June 2009 is World's largest selling domestic cream based surface cleaner. This 50 year old global brand is estimated to be worth 500 Million Euros.

Hindustan Unilever Ltd has been launching a wide range of products from its global portfolio into the Indian market. The launch of Cif also is a testimony to the fact that Indian market has matured enough for such specialty products.

Cif is a cream based surface cleaner. Indian household cleaning care category is worth around Rs 1240 crore. The market is divided as follows :

Utinsils - Rs 950 crores

Toilet cleaners - Rs 180 crore

Floor cleaners - Rs 75 crore

Surface cleaners -Rs 35 crore.

Cif is fighting for share in the surface cleaner market. Surface cleaner category is a niche. This category has emerged because of the changing consumer needs. Cif is a surface cleaner to tackle tough stains. If you look at Indian market four years back, there were no brand which was positioned as a surface cleaner. The consumers also was not keen on adding another product to their consumption basket. The emergence of such a product is the result of the increased care and attention given by consumers towards their kitchen. Now kitchen is not only a place to cook but also a place to make an impression.Kitchens have become a reflection of lifestyle in the new urban households. Hence households are now open to the idea of spending more for products that can sparkle rather than clean. It is in this perspective that Cif found Indian market attractive.

Cif is not alone in this category. The brand is facing competition from other global players like Easy Off Bang from Reckitt & Benckiser and Mr Muscle from SC Johnson.

Cif initially adopted the easy way of importing foreign commercial to the Indian market for launching campaign. The ads showed a busy chef using Cif for removing tough stains. Now the brand has launched a ' made for India ' campaign featuring the famous Indian chef Sanjeev Kapoor.

The brand is positioned as a cleaner that cares while cleans tough stains. The key differentiator for the brand is its creamy form and its stain removing capability. Now the brand is only talking about its use in the kitchen . Its competitors like Easy Off Bang and Mr Muscle has been promoting multiple utility .

The launch of products like Cif and Easy Off Bang has fragmented the surface cleaner market into various sub-segments. The task for these brands is to nurture the niche further. The key is to make encourage repeat purchases for the products.

Brand Update : Dazzler Moves into Personal Care

Dazzler brand which is endorsed by Eyetex has moved into personal care cateogry by launching its range of Talcum powders. The brand owners - Arvind Laboratories has been investing behind this brand which is targeting the youth. Dazzler so far was focusing on color-cosmetics.

Dazzler has been luring the customers with its hip-hop advertisement campaigns and very competitive pricing. The endorsement from Eyetex brand also helped Dazzler to gain acceptance from the customers.

The move of Dazzler to launch a talcum powder is a surprising one. The move can be qualified to be called as a brand extension ( category extension) because talcum powder belongs to a different category (personal care) while Dazzler's products were primarily in the cosmetics segment.

Brand extensions are always tricky and these extensions will succeed only if the parent brand is significantly powerful. I am not sure whether Dazzler has gained enough equity to support a brand extension to talcum powders. It also has to be noted that Dazzler itself derives support from the Eyetex brand and has not yet become independent.

The move for this extension may be part of a larger plan to develop Dazzler as a personal care + cosmetic brand in future. Brands like Pond's, Lakme etc has successfully developed themselves to be family brands endorsing a large number of products across various categories. Personal care is different from color cosmetics interms of attributes. Dazzler may find it difficult to manage these two categories using same set of attributes.

Having said that, Dazzler may have to set a clear direction for interms of the positioning . Now Dazzler color cosmetic campaigns are depending heavily on imagery to do the talking. The entire brand is revolving around the " Dazzler Girl " who is imaged as a modern, stylish, fashionable and thus radiates the brand's attributes. The same imagery is shown in the Dazzler's Talcum Powder advertisement.

Dazzler now should move to be come an independent brand with a clear positioning. The use of " Dazzler Girl " will give brand imagery but along with that, the brand should communicate some very relevant attributes that will support the positioning of a trendy fashionable brand. Now the brand is leaving lot for the consumers to imagine. There is no mention of brand's core positioning or its strengths and promises.I feel that it is time for Dazzler to define itself more clearly. Since the brand is moving across categories, it will be nice if the brand clearly communicates its positioning through the campaigns.

Related brand

Eyetex

Marketing Strategy : Making Brand Portfolio Decisions

Brand portfolio decisions are strategic in nature. These decisions have very powerful impact on the entire brand architecture and marketing strategy of the firm. According to marketing theory, there are two basic brand portfolio models –House of Brands and Branded House.

Recently Rajiv Bajaj, CEO of Bajaj Auto announced a decision that the company will not be using the corporate brand Bajaj for any of the motorcycles produced by the company. Instead, the bikes will sport individual brand names and Bajaj Auto will be a garage of independent brands like Unilever and P&G. According to newspaper reports, the company will focus on four brands – Pulsar, Boxer, Discover and KTM and will not use the parent brand to endorse these individual brands. Bajaj Auto has made the decision to move from a Branded House portfolio model to House of Brands portfolio model.

House of Brands

House of Brands model refers to a brand portfolio where firms will choose different brand names for various products across categories. These brands will have own identity and personality. Different products in the same category will also have individual brand names. FMCG giants like Hindustan Unilever, P&G l follow the model of House of Brands. For example HUL has soap brands like Lux, Rexona, Hamam, Lifebuoy, Dove etc.

House of Brands portfolio model have many advantages. One of the biggest advantages is the focus that managers can give to individual brands. Since each brand will have separate identity, brand managers can devise focused strategies with regard to segmentation, positioning etc. Individual brands also give tremendous amount of freedom as far as strategies are concerned. Brand managers are not constrained in devising their strategies since the brand is not linked to any other brands in the portfolio.

Since the brands in the portfolio are independent, the failure of any one brand is not going to have an impact on other brands. Controversies affecting one brand will have minimal impact on other brands from the same company and brand managers can distance other brands from the brand which is facing the issue.

House of Brands model also have its fair share of disadvantages. Since the firm intent to have different brand names for various products, the cost of promotion of these multiple brands will be more compared to Branded House model.

In the case of House of Brands, the promotional budget has to be shared which will create internal competition among various brands for a larger share. While internal competition can be beneficial, there is also a chance of internal conflicts within the brand management teams.

Another potential disadvantage is the chances of brand cannibalization within a category. For example soap brands Rexona and Hamam from HUL compete with each other in some southern markets. Thums Up and Coca Cola compete with each other in markets where they co-exist.

If not done carefully, different brands in the portfolio can also create confusion in terms of positioning and segmentation. Overlaps in segments, cannibalization, same positioning, and clutter etc can occur if the firm is not careful about the individual brand strategy. At one point of time HLL (now HUL) found its brand portfolio with too many brands that overlapped with each other. The company had to undertake a brand rationalization exercise which reduced the number of brands from 110 to 30 power brands.

Branded House

Branded House portfolio model is where the firm chooses to have one brand name for all the products that is marketed by the company. Many firms use the corporate brand name for all the products that they sell in the market. Dell is often cited as a classic example of a Branded House.

The biggest advantage of Branded House is the economies of scale in terms of brand promotion activities. Since there is only one brand to promote, the firm can channel the entire resources more effectively.

Another advantage of Branded House is that the promotional cost of introducing new products into the market will be significantly lower compared to House of Brands. Since the new product will carry the common brand name, there is an increased chance of consumer acceptance because of the existing brand equity of the parent brand. The firm is thus spared of the task of building brand awareness from the scratch.

A major disadvantage of Branded House model is the possibility of brand dilution arising out of different products from the same brand. Unless carefully monitored, product proliferation within the brand portfolio can dilute the core positioning of the parent brand. It may not be possible for all products to have the same positioning theme and any deviation from parent brand’s positioning will dilute the core positioning them of the Branded House.

Firms strictly adhering to Branded House portfolio model may have to forego many market opportunities if those categories do not fit into the parent brand’s positioning. For example a Branded House marketing luxury product may have to forego the mass market opportunities because of the positioning constraints. That constraint is not applicable for House of Brands because the positioning of one brand may not affect another.

Another disadvantage of Branded House portfolio is the impact of product failures/controversies on entire portfolio. Since all products carry the same brand name, failure of one product can have a negative impact on the parent brand. Any controversy involving a single product can have devastating influence on the entire product range.

Although theoretically these two portfolio models exist, in practice firms tend to use various elements of both models together while devising their brand portfolio strategy.

(Reference: Tybout, A., & Calkins, T. (2006). Brand Portfolio Strategy. In Kellogg on Branding (pp. 104-129). Wiley India.)

Originally Published here at Adclubbombay.com

Brand Update : Allout Will Also Catch Flies

From now on, Allout Frog will not only catch mosquitoes but also catch flies. India's popular liquid mosquito repellent has launched a campaign claiming the additional benefit of repelling flies. This is the first major change in the brand's strategy ever since SC Johnson's took over the brand from Karamchand Appliances.

What I make out of the ad (seen only once) is that the fly repellent property is an additional benefit of the core product - mosquito repellent. The brand expects that consumers will find more value in the product because of the additional benefit provided. Also, the current move can be seen as a larger plan for the brand to become a pest control brand from the current space of mosquito repellent.

The brand website also mirrors such a plan. The tagline of the brand is now " Worry No More " as against the " Macharoan ka Yamraj".

The new campaign follows the core theme of previous ads of Allout - talking about disease spreading pests and how the Allout Frog protects the entire family from those disease spreading pests.

The interesting question is whether launch of the additional attribute of " fly repellent" will add value to Allout brand or will it dilute the core positioning of the brand ?

My perception is that consumers will be delighted to have such an additional benefit with Allout. So far no brand has been able to provide relief from the irritating pest like housefly. So in that sense , Allout will standout ( differentiated) from the rest of the crowd.

Regarding the positioning of Allout, the brand has been careful in continuing with the same theme of ' protection from disease carrying pests ' for the new ad also. I feel that the brand will continue using this theme as its positioning and move away from the " mosquito -Yamraj " theme in future.

Related Brand

Allout

Brand Update : Fastrack Goes Celebrity Way

India's youth accessory brand Fastrack has gone the celebrity way. The latest series of campaign for Fastrack bags is featuring the brand ambassadors - cricketer Virat Kohli and actress Genelia. I think this is the first time that Fastrack has chosen to have celebrity endorsement as a part of the brand strategy.

In my earlier update, I have mentioned that Fastrack has extended itself into accessories like Bags, wallets and belts. The brand also went into retailing by launching exclusive Fastrack stores. The current campaign is the first for accessory and the brand has chosen to promote 'bags' in this campaign.

The brand has rightly identified a need for a branded bag targeting the youth. Currently the market is dominated by unorganized sector and a branded bag priced competitively and marketed properly is certainly a good idea.

Although I am principally against brand extensions, Fastrack extending into the bag segment will open up new opportunities of the brand although at the cost of diluting the primary product line - Fastrack Watches.

The brand is currently running a series of campaign featuring Virat Kohli and Genelia.

Watch the campaigns here : Fastrack lovemark

Fastrack Airport ad

Fastrack ATM Ad

I was shocked at seeing the ATM ad and found it very very bold especially in the Indian context.Frankly I never expected such an Ad theme from Fastrack.

I am getting old and my understanding of Indian youth and their psyche is becoming outdated but I think Fastrack is moving little too much on the theme of " Move On ". The current campaign is giving an impression that " Move On " means only flirting and fleeting physical relationships. That interpretation will hurt the brand in the long run.

I understand that such kinds of relationships happen in campuses and encounters happen in dark corridors but that cannot be projected as the psyche of youth. Youth have an irreverent attitude towards life and are keen to experiment on everything including relationships. I hope that Fastrack will be careful and desist from narrowly interpreting " Move On " theme.

"Move On " as a theme has lot of creative potential beyond flirting relationship. There are other sides of this concept which is much more sticky and can take the brand to iconic status. Hope that the creative team will consider an holistic approach in this positioning.

Another interesting development for Fastrack is that the brand launched a sub-brand called Fastrack Denim.

Watch the ad here : Fastrack Denim

It is interesting to see Fastrack which was launched as a sub-brand of Titan becoming a full fledged independent brand and then having a sub-brand on its own.

Now looking at the logic of having a sub-brand Denim. I think Fastrack is looking at Sub-brand like Denim to cater to the lower-price points. If you notice, Fastrack brand ( primary brand) has been moving higher in terms of the prices. It started off in the range of Rs 500 and above and later moved over to Rs 1000 and above. Now Fastrack Denim range is priced at Rs 500 and above. So using the sub-brand , Fastrack is protecting its lower-price Flank from attack from competitors. Other than this I do not see any need or relevance of such a sub-brand.

Related brand

Fastrack

Marketing Strategy : Is Time on Your Side ?

Renowned marketing guru Dr Philip Kotler calls this era as the era of experience economy. Consumers live in an experiential world where,rather than products, the quest is for experience. The level of experience factor in consumption varies from urban to rural markets but marketers has to accept the fact that consumer's penchant for experience will only increase as years goes by.

Time is the most critical component in an experiential world. Experience is about time spent with a physical product/service. So for marketers, Time has become a part of the product. The importance of TIME as a part of the product package is practiced in services marketing for long. But although we learn that in theory , seldom Time is treated with importance it deserves.

The beauty of experience economy is that it treats physical products ( goods) in the same league as services. Even while purchasing a physical product, consumers will look for experience. The experience while purchasing physical products happens while the product is purchased ( at the store) and also when it is consumed.

The TIME component of a physical product varies across categories.The importance of TIME in the marketing of a soap will be less compared to marketing an automobile.

Although large established service firms take the TIME factor seriously, it is the small business owners that are left clueless about TIME. Sometimes businesses views TIME in their perspective rather than customer's perspective.

A tailor that misses the date of delivery of a suit, a taxi that arrives late, a courier that delivers late , a soap variant that is not available at the store when advertisements are running , are all examples where marketers fail to understand TIME as a component of the product.Historically , time is viewed as an input for business. For consumers , Time forms a part of the cost.

Does it make sense for marketers to view time as a part of the product so that they could use the time to create positive experience ?

When time is considered as a part of the product, the whole marketing mix elements come into play. There will be conscious thoughts about adding value to the time spent with the consumer.

For a marketer of physical product, TIME is about reaching the consumer. This is a period when speed matters most . How fast a product reaches the channel and to consumer's home is an important determinant of a product's success. Domino's used TIME as the key differentiator with its " 30 minutes home delivery " proposition. It is a classic example where TIME added value to the physical product.

For a business, treating TIME as a part of the product opens new opportunities to create an experience.

• Sometimes consumers have to wait inorder to avail a service/product. In such cases, marketers should be able to add value to the waiting time of the consumers. The waiting time is the time spent with the marketer. Hence it is the responsibility of marketer to make an impression on consumer during that waiting period. If the consumer is waiting at the company premises ( like showrooms, clinics) then he should be treated in a manner where he enjoys the time spent with the firm. In cases where he is waiting for the product at his home, such time should be adequately rewards. For example, during the launch of Nano,Tata Motors announced that it will pay an interest on the booking amount for Tata Nano since the actual delivery of the car will be made only after a few months.
• Another strategy is to reduce the waiting time so that the perceived value of the product/service goes up.
• In cases where such value cannot be provided, marketers should be able to set only reasonable expectations with regard to the time factor.
• For a marketer of physical product, the time is about speed . TIME translates to - How fast the new products are launched, the stocks are replenished, product improvements made, information passed to the consumers and after -sales services are performed.