Pril : Nurturing Relationship by Washing Dishes Together !

Brand : Pril
Company : Jyothy Laboratories

Brand Analysis Count : # 553

Pril is the brand which created the dishwash liquid category in the Indian market. A brand globally owned by Henkel  was created in 1951. Sold in over 22 countries, the brand was launched in India in 1999. At that time, the brand was owned by Henkel India which was the subsidiary of Henkel AG. In 2011, Henkel India sold its brands ( in India) to Jyothy Laboratories Ltd. 

Pril was the pioneer in the liquid diswash category. The Rs 10,000 crore Indian dishwash category was dominated by the dishwash bar product-form. The bar product-form had its own limitations like being soggy and messy. Pril saw a need for a hygienic upmarket alternative for the soggy dishwash bars. Pril was launched as a hygienic alternative to the dishwash bars. The brand was launched with the positioning of " tough on grease , soft on hands " platform. 

The journey of the brand was never easy. Its difficult to change the habits of the consumers. According to Business Line  the liquid form of dishwash is used by on 15 % of the consumers. Although the potential seems to be high, to create the shift from one product form to another is not an easy task.

To break the strong-hold of the dishwash bar product form, Pril  entered the market with follwoing product attributes

• Strong de-greasing property - establishing parity with bars
• Fragrance ( De-odorizing ability) - established point of difference 
• Germ killing capability - established point of difference.
• Hygienic - established point of difference with bars.

The efforts of the brand reaped rewards in creating a category that was growing more than the traditional bar-product form. The brand has created a shift from the soap form to the liquid form in certain segments of the market.

According to Business Standard, Pril now have a market share of over 16 % growing at 26% p.a. The brand is estimated to be worth around Rs 450 crores. 

The brand used a direct comparison with the dishwash bar product category in its campaigns. The brand used celebrities like Sonali Bendre and Shobhana in its ads . In the earlier campaigns during 2009-13 , the brand highlighted its de-greasing and de-odorizing attributes to create a point-of-difference while highlighting the soggyness of the dishwash bar category.

The brand last year tried to ladder up its pitch into relationship. In the latest campaign featuring the new-generation couples, the brand is trying to appeal to a higher level attribute of " relationship".

One may wonder how a dishwash product can " nurture relationship " but Pril claims that by sharing common household chores like washing dishes together, one will further strengthen relationship. The brand uses the tagline " Bartan Chamkein, Aur Ristey Bhi "  meaning  - both utensils and relationship will sparkle. 

watch the ad here  : Pril relationship 1, Pril relationship 2

The campaign is well made and the brand has to be credited to think beyond just product attribute. Laddering is a risky strategy since the higher-order attribute should be clearly linked to the brand. In this case, the brand was able to establish that link in a beautiful manner. The campaign also gives an upmarket feel to the product. So much for a product like dishwash liquid !

Pril although the first mover in the liquid dishwash market is not having a wonderful time. The category competition is intense with fewer options to create sustainable differentiation. The laddering up of Pril in a way is a smart move to create some amount of visibility in the crowded market.