Nido : Milk and More !

Brand : Nido
Company : Nestle


Brand Count : 255

Nido is Nestle's brand in the milk food segment. The brand is recently making lot of noises in the media. Nido is a milk powder fortified with Calcium and Vitamins. I think that Nido is the updated version of Nestle's Milk for Growing Children.

Nutritious food for children is a growing market worldwide. But this market is left unattractive by lot of regulatory issues. For example , in India, Infant foods ( foods for kids upto age 3) cannot be promoted through any media.
Nido operates in such a market. Nido targets kids above 3 yrs and is positioned as a food for growing children. The USP for Nido is that it is fortified with Calcium and Vitamin D which helps the kids develop strong and healthy bones. The TVC featuring the child and mother is now on air.

You can watch the ad through the link in the company website : Nestle Nido

Nido faces direct competition with the ordinary milk and milk based beverages.

The brand competes with Junior Horlicks and a host of other nutritional foods available in the Indian market. In terms of promotion and positioning, Junior Horlicks is miles ahead of other brands. But there is a difference between Nido and Horlicks in the sense that Nido is a milk food while Horlicks is a Malt based beverage. So the competition is essentially Industry competition rather than direct brand competition.
Nido is currently using a simple message to convey its positioning.The brand takes the tagline " Nutritious Milk for Growing Kids ". The brand takes the differentiation from other milk brands by having 25 essential nutrients that growing children needs ( comparison with 23 nutrients of Complan) . From the TVC, I think that Nido is addressing competition from both ordinary milk and brands like Horlicks , Bournvita , Complan and the like.

I feel that rather than competing with Horlicks and Complan, the brand will be better accepted if positioned as a substitute for ordinary milk. The ad says Nido is Milk + More.. That is the message that can take the brand forward.

Thirty Plus : Needing Energy

Brand : Thirty Plus
Company: Ajanta Pharma

Brand Count: 236

Thirty Plus is an interesting brand because of the brand name and marketing. The brand comes under the energizer category but perceived as an Aphrodisiac. This herbal capsule was launched in 1990 by a small time pharma manufacturer Ajanta Pharmaceuticals. This single product catapulted the company into the big league.

Indian Aphrodisiac market is huge valued around Rs 5 - 8 billion. The market is fragmented with majority of market dominated by local brands and unbranded remedies. The major branded players being Thirty Plus and Revital from Ranbaxy.

Although the website says that Thirty Plus is an energizer + Aphrodisiac, when the brand was launched , it was positioned as an energising capsule for Thirty Plus Males. The brand used Jitendra as its brand ambassador during the nineties. The ads were an instant hit and so was the product. The brand is now sold through the Over The Counter ( OTC) route.
But after the initial launch hype , the brand did not invest in itself. I don't remember any ads of this brand in the past 10 years or so. But because the product is an Aphrodisiac, the users may search and find it out.
The brands in categories of OTC or herbal drugs face serious regulatory issues regarding the brand promotion. The marketing of such products are regulated by Magic Remedies Act and any serious violation can take the brand to the court. So most of the manufacturers of such drugs are careful of not over exposing themselves.

There is another interesting issue that this brand faced.It is regarding the brand name. As the name indicates, the brand is meant for those who are Thirty Plus. When it was launched, the age Thirty was considered to be middle age where you become psychologically conscious about your decreasing vitality. Hence the brand name correctly conveyed the brand 's TG and its use.

But the brand now faces the issue where thirty is not now considered as a middle age ( not because I am past thirty). Most of the professionals start their family life in their late twenties and early thirties. The average age of Indians also has increased and now may be even Forty is considered to be a middle age. Hence a brand with a name Thirty Plus appeal to the new TG of 40 + ? It is just a theoretical observation because if the brand does what it promises, then any brand name will do.

Brand Update : Horlicks

Horlicks is the market leader in the Rs 1300 crore health drink market in India. The brands owns more than 50% market share. As discussed in the one of my blogs, the success of the brand lies in its ability to change with the changing consumer. The new strategy of the company is to extend the brand into a family health drink brand with variants suiting every member of the family i.e Parents and Kids. The brand initially was aimed at kids aged around 6- 16 years and has been successful in establishing its present there. The brand in 2005 extended itself to a new segment : adults with its Horlicks Lite variant. The Lite boasts about Zero Cholestrol,Zero Added sugar is clearly aimed at the Parents. The brand also came up with another line extension Junior Horlicks aimed at pre-schoolers. Junior Horlicks claims to have DHA which is Docosahexaenoic Acid which is an Omega-3 fatty acid which will boost the brain power.With these three variants, Horlicks have covered all the life stages ( except infant) of a consumer.
The latest campaign of Lite aims at the lady in the house and reminds her to keep her husband active with Horlicks lite. The well made ad takes a cue from the cooking oil advertisements of Saffola and Sundrop.
To promote the Junior Horlicks, the brand has come out with a Piggy Bank shaped Horlicks Jar which is a consumer promotion scheme . Currently Horlicks is running a Topical that is related to exams. The campaign says that Horlicks can drive away the Exam GHOSTS.. Right now this brand is rocking..

Image courtsey:GSK

Related brand

Horlicks

Boost : Is The Secret Of Our Energy

Brand : Boost
Company: Glaxo Smithkline Beecham
Agency:JWT

Brand Count : 192

Boost is one of the major players in the Rs 1400 crore Indian Health Food Drink ( HFD) market. The brand was created in 1975 by the company R&D team and test marketed in 1976. The brand became national in in 1980's. Glaxo rules the Indian HFD market with a share of around 64 %. The market is ruled by Horlicks and the leader is flanked by flanker products Maltova and Viva.

Boost takes on Bournvita from Cadbury's which is the market leader in the brown powder segment. The HFD market is having two segments : White powder segment and brown segment. The market is dominated by white powders. Boost is a malt milk additive with the flavour of chocolate.Boost has a share of around 12% in the HFD market.
HFD is targeted at children aged 5-18. The market is huge since this is the age group that demands some kind of energy drink. The kids are active and playing during this age and the pressure is on the home maker to keep the energy level of the kids high using some drinks.

Boost is positioned as an energy drink. The tagline " Boost is the secret of my energy" has remained a blockbuster all through these years.The tagline has highest recall among the TG. Boost is also the first HFD brand to be endorsed by a celebrity.

After the initial growth, the brand landed in the mature stage of PLC during 1980's with sales plateauing. The brand repositioned itself through a careful planned strategy backed by consumer insight. The brand realised that kids are strong influencers of the purchase process for such products and once kids get hooked onto such drinks, brand loyalty can be assured. GSK also identified cricket as the vehicle to Boost the Sale of Boost.
During 1980's Kapil dev was roped in as the brand ambassador for Boost and as a cricketer, Kapil was considered an Icon by many . Boost got the energy from Kapil and GSK had found the success mantra.
During 1990's Kapil gave the baton to Sachin. Sachin endorsed this brand when he was in his teens. During those times, the ads showed both Kapil and Sachin together endorsing the brand and thus ensured that the transition is smooth. From 1990-present, Sachin has been endorsing this brand. I think Boost and Sachin hold the record for longest association between a brand and celebrity at least in India. (The kid who starred with Kapil for the ad was Nikhil Chopra who later played for India0
in 2000, the brand also roped in Sewag to endorse the brand. At that time, Sewag and Sachin was at fire as the opening pair.
Boost was innovative not only in the promotion front but also in product improvements. in 2002, as a part of its repositioning, the brand came out with Power Boosters : which contains Copper and Biotin.It was first of its kind in this segment.Boost also innovated in packaging. Over these years, the packaging became contemporary and stylish to reflect the changing consumer preferences.
A brand will become successful only if the owner invests in the brand for the long term. Boost is a testimony of that. Over these years, the brand has been positioned and repositioned in tune with the consumer. During the late nineties, consumer insights showed that although the kids liked the promos involving Sachin, they felt somewhat distant from the brand ( because Sachin was perceived to be extraordinary). Realising this the brand changed its tagline to " Boost is the secret of my energy' to " Boost is the secret of OUR energy". The ads increasingly gave importance to kids rather than the celebrity.
In 2005, the brand came with Choco Blast ( more chocolate) and Advanced Energy Boosters to counter the threat from Bournvita who now has the Chocolate taste of "Five Star" in it.
watch the commercial here: Boost chocoblast

Boost is a super brand with lots of lessons for a marketer to learn.The brand continues to invest in it and has remained the favorite of marketers and kids..

Source: Superbrands,agencyfaqs.
Imagesource; agencyfaqs,superbrands

Brand Update : Amul

Amul has launched India's first Probiotic Wellness Icecreams. Probiotics are live beneficial culture which when administered in adequate amounts confer a beneficial health effect on the host. Probiotics help in digestion, fight allergic reactions and even helps in controlling traveler's diarrhea. It also prevents colon cancer and is said to enhance brain activity. Amul will gain a huge first mover advantage by launching this product now. The Indian Wellness market ( including beauty ) is huge with a market size of around $ 9 billion. Icecreams are considered to be a junk unhealthy food . The wellness range is expected to change the way Indian consumers look at Icecreams. Now consumers can indulge in icecreams without worrying about the health.
Great thinking ....

Icecreams were often a dream for Diabetic patients...but not any more...Along with the Probiotics, Amul is set to shake up the icecream market with the launch of India's first Sugarfree icecreams.The icecreams contain digestible sugar substitutes which enable the diabetic patients to indulge. The company communication excerpts is given below:

"For diabetics, consuming ice-cream had remained a dream. Amul is all set to change that with the launch of India's first specially created SUGAR FREE low fat diabetic delight. In Amul Sugarfree Probiotic diabetic delight Frozen Dessert, Sugar has been replaced with ZERO calorie and low calorie sweeteners. Fructo-oligo saccharides are soluble dietary fibre that improve the mineral absorption and bone health in addition to increasing the disease fighting ability of the body. Digestive enzymes sparingly digest these sweeteners in stomach or small intestines and therefore do not cause fluctuations in blood sugar levels unlike in a diabetic condition where intake of digestible sugar causes fluctuation in the blood sugar level.

In diabetic condition it is advisable to consume less fat, less calorie to maintain proper metabolism. Amul SUGAR FREE probiotic diabetic delight contains 50% less fat and half of the calorie than normal ice cream. Further, it has been supplemented with pro-biotic cultures for health improvement. All these special range of ice creams/frozen desserts would be available in 125 ml, 500 ml and 1.25 litre packs in five flavours, vanilla with chocolate sauce, strawberry, chocolate, shahi anjir and fresh litchi. They would be available in the price range of Rs. 15 (125 ml.) to Rs. 120 (1.25 ltr.) "

India has 37 million diabetic patients and around 400 million overweight. That is a huge market for healthy foods. With the media and doctors in an overdrive to educate Indians on the efficacy of healthy foods, the market is expected to grow multifold. With the launch of healthy icecreams, Amul is all set to ride the healthy foods wave.

Kwality Walls Are You Listening .....

Related brands
Amul
Kwality walls

Crocin : Your Trusted Paracetamol

Brand : Crocin
Company: Glaxo Smithkline
Agency: O&M

Brand Count: 186

Crocin is a three decade old heritage brand. The brand was once generic to the antipyretic category in India . The brand is currently sold through Over The Counter (OTC) route. The brand is the market leader in the paracetamol category.

Crocin was launched in India 30 years ago by the company Duphar Interfran Ltd. During the early years, the brand was marketed through the ethical route. The brand was bought by Smithkline in 1996. The brand was so successful in the market that GSK bought it for a consideration of Rs 45 crore. There was a logic behind the brand acquisition. GSK had the brand Calpol in the prescription market and was a market leader in the Ethical segment. Crocin was proving to be a major threat for Calpol. So the brand was acquired inorder to safeguard the position of Calpol.

The Indian Pharmaceutical market is huge with a valuation of $45 billion. The OTC segment accounts for a value of $ 1 Billion i.e Rs 4500 crore. Crocin is in the analgesic/antipyretic market. The analgesic (pain Killer) market is a large market with a size of Rs 900 crore and the mild analgesic market is worth Rs 300 crore. With in the analgesic market there are two types : Aspirin based and Paracetamol based. Paracetamol based formulations constitute a major part of the market. Crocin formulations has a 5% share in the total market.

Crocin although a generic name in the paracetamol segment faces an interesting problem. 65% of the brand usage is for its antipyretic i.e fever related use. The antipyretic segment in the OTC is very small with a size of Rs 30-40 crore. In the painkiller market which is large, Saridon leads the pack in the OTC segment.

Crocin's market became limited sadly because of its efficacy or popularity as a drug for fever although it had pain killer properties. Sometimes success can become a limiting factor for further growth. The paracetamol segment is witnessing competition from the generic tablets. Most of the time the druggist has the influencing power in the sale of OTC products. During the 1990's if Crocin was a generic name for paracetamol tablets, the situation is different now with consumers asking for Paracetamol rather than Crocin.
Crocin was in the maturity stage of its product lifecycle in 2000 with the sales stagnating.There was intense competition from generic products and other brands.Paracetamol became a commodity with little scope for differentiation. The brand then went into Market Development Mode in 2003 by repositioning the brand as an analgesic. The brand roped in Kapil Dev to endorse the brand. The high profile ad campaign gave a new life to the brand. The brand also came out with variants like Crocin Quik that boasted of faster relief . Quik was essentially a concentrate of the classic Crocin. Crocin also came out with Crocin 1000 aiming at patients having arthritis. Crocin is promoted as an ethical product.

Crocin had its fair share of problems from the " Watch Dogs". Typically when a brand moves from Ethical to OTC and embarks on brand building , there is going to be someone who will cry foul. Crocin faced objections from FDA for some of its campaigns but those were later sorted out.

As far as a customer is concerned, Crocin is still perceived as a drug for fever( antipyretic) rather than as a pain killer(analgesic). It will take a lot of money and time to change that perception.

Related Brands
Gelusil
Vicks
Hajmola

Source: walletwatch,agencyfaqs,pharmabiz

Acuvue : Healthy and Convenient

Brand: Acuvue
Company: Johnson&Johnson
Agency: Lowe

Brand Count:183

Acuvue is a major brand in the Rs 60 crore contact lens market. Although the market is led by Bausch and Lomb with around 70% market share, Acuvue can be termed as the innovation leader in this segment.
Acuvue, the brand of the Johnson &Johnson ( J&J) is a pioneer in the disposable contact lens category. Acuvue was the first disposable contact lens brand in India. The brand is the market leader in the disposable lens category.

Although the eye-care market is estimated to be around Rs 1200 crore, the contact lens category forms a minuscule part of the market. The penetration of this category is abysmally low even in the metros (5%). The changing lifestyle hold immense potential for this category in the years to come.

There are many factors that has inhibited the growth of contact lens. The primary factor being the price perception. Contact lenses are perceived to be priced higher and considered to be out of reach for the middle class. Another factor is the health and maintenance issue. Users of contact lens will agree that regular /prolonged use of lens often causes irritation . Although the marketers talk about convenience, the lens should be cared more and the limitation of its use ( example : you should remove the lens while taking a nap/ cooking etc) makes the consumer averse even to try this category. More over consumers are not aware about this category and its uses. Some reports suggest that most users have a fear of inserting foreign object in the eyes which is termed as Pokeaphobia that further limits the popularity of this category.

The target market for contact lens category is the SEC A B in metros ages anywhere between 15-35. While the consumers aged below 20 will not have their say in the purchase of contact lens, it is the working youngsters who show the maximum potential for a contact lens marketer.

Acuvue is a brand that had tried to make the category popular by addressing the two issues : cost and maintenance. The brand came out with disposable lens that can be used for two weeks and can be disposed thus freeing the customer from maintaitenance hassles. The brand became successful because customers of contact lens use ordinary glass as the primary eye wear and uses lens for special occasions/events. Primary need that these lens satisfy is the need for looking good. The brand is positioned as a healthy and convenient brand stressing the comfort factor. The brand has also embarked upon an e-trial initiative to prompt the potential consumers to try out this category. The consumers can go to the site and register themselves to get a trial pack of lens. The aim is to get the non users to try out this brand. The brand is optimistic that the majority of trial users will turn to be regular users. The brand is also trying to train the opticians because majority of sales happen at the shop and opticians acts as a major influencers.
Acuvue was also an innovation leader by coming out with lens that is bifocal and also color lens. One of the major innovation was the Acuvue 1-day lens that was launched in 2006. The new variant is a use and throw lens. It is the shampoo sachetisation of contact lens. The consumer insights is that people may need to look good on some special situations like marriage or interview or company presentation etc. One cannot afford to spent Rs 1000 just for that occasion. The solution is the 1-day use lens that costs only Rs 90. Theoretically it makes perfect sense.The product effectively seals a gap in the market.

But the larger issue is that the product related issues are limiting the category growth. The inherent product problems limit the popularity of this product category. The target which these marketers aim are those who will be using computers. Using lens while working on a computer will cause irritation in the eyes. This is just one example of how product problems can obstruct growth. Using lens while traveling in a motorcycle also is not advisable which alienates many young men from trying out lens or using it regularly. In such a scenario the 1-day lens or disposable lens make perfect sense. Till the contact lens marketers sort out the product related limitations, the category is going to remain a niche.

Related Brands
Essilor
Ray-Ban

source: businessline,rediffmoney,acuvue.com
image source: agencyfaqs.com,opitek-dietze.de

Clearasil : For Clear Skin

Brand : Clearasil
Company: Reckitt & Benckiser
Agency: Euro Rscg

Brand Count : 177

Clearasil was a brand that was synonymous with skin care in India. The brand occupied a distinct space in the Indian market as the ultimate cream for Pimples and acne. But over the years this brand is facing the decline stage in its product life cycle. The brand reached this pathetic state because of reasons not of its own.

Clearasil is a global brand famous world wide as a cure for acne and pimples. The brand is 56 year old. Mr Ivan Combe of USA invented the product in 1950. It was the first dermatological brand for curing pimples and acne made especially for young skin. In 1961, the brand came into the fold of Richardson Vicks. In 1985 P&G became the owner of Richardson Vicks. Later the company sold of these brands to Boots Pharmaceuticals in the year 2000. In 2006, Reckitt &Benckiser bought the brand globally. The brand came to India in 1967.

Now you can easily see the reason why the brand failed. The brand went through too many ownership changes. Some companies did not feel that the brand was a part of its core portfolio. For example during the ownership of Clearasil by P&G there was no investment on the brand since for the company, the personal care business was not a core area. Hence during this period the brand was not at all promoted. Even though the other owners had tried to revive the brand, frequent changes made the brand vulnerable.

Clearasil during its peak years had the reputation as a strong cream for fighting pimples and acnes. At that time there was no direct competition for Clearasil although there were many skin creams. For a family having teenage girls, Clearasil was an essential brand. But over the years, because of the lack of brand building efforts, the brand became irrelevant to the younger generation. Clearasil slowly became the brand that “my mother used”. When Boots owned the brand, lot of variants were launched. The brand changed its packaging and was extended to soaps.Rather than limiting to acne control, the brand tried to position itself as a skin care brand. But the effort did not bear fruit because by that time, the market was flooded with modern contemporary brands.

The brand is now owned by Reckitt and marketers expect that the brand will get a new lease of life. The greatest challenge before the new owners is to make the brand contemporary and relevant to the new generation. Reckitt had to find a new differentiation platform for this heritage brand. It has to tap the existing brand equity and try to create a new space for Clearasil. Globally Clearasil is positioned on the basis of Confidence through better skin . The global positioning statement is “Get Clearasil , Get Confidence”. But in India, Cinthol uses this positioning . The brand faces tough competition from the likes of Ponds, Lakme, Loreal and so on .So to find the right space is going to be tough.I think that the brand could take the “ Clear Skin” positioning where by it is not limited to controlling pimples but overall skin care. With the brand Veet from Reckitt is in the same skin care market; the brand managers will have a tough time integrating Clearasil to the portfolio.

source:agencyfaqs,businessline,reckittbenckiser.com

Related Brands

Ponds
Fair&Lovely
Vicco
Loreal
Bodyshop

Brand Update : Sugar Free Natura

Sugar Free Natura has come out with a new campaign featuring the master chef Sanjeev Kapur. The ad tries to pitch the brand against the ordinary sugar. Targeted at heavy tea drinkers ( and other beverage drinkers too), the ad clearly hints at the risk of taking sugar with tea. The consumer insight is that doctors tell diabetic patients to have " tea without sugar" which is dreaded by the heavy tea drinkers. And more sugar is consumed daily along with tea rather than through other sweets. Hence the ad makes perfect sense. great insight . great work.

Related brands
Sugar Free
Parry's sugar

source: agencyfaqs.com
image courtsy:agencyfaqs.com

Hajmola : Tasty Funfilled Digestive

Brand : Hajmola
Company: Dabur
Agency: Lowe

Brand Count : 176

Hajmola is one of the power brands from Dabur's portfolio. The brand is one of the oldest and most respected brands in the digestive market in India. The brand commands 75% share in the Rs 90 crore digestive tablet market in India.

Hajmola is a 31 year old brand launched in 1975. The brand has ayurvedic formulation and is sold through all kind of shops unlike the antacids. Hajmola is very popular in North India and North is the strongest market for the brand.
Hajmola although a digestive is not positioned as a digestive brand. The brand has moved away from the therapeutic aspects and is positioned more as a naughty mischievous brand. The brand is positioned as a mild digestive that can be taken any time anywhere. The brand uses kids as the main ambassadors and the campaign that features a boy in the dormitory( Hajmola Sir) is still most remembered classic.

The brand has been nurtured by Dabur carefully. The brand was endorsed by Kapil Dev during 1995.Not restricting itself to tablets, the brand extended itself to candies and other forms of digestives. Now Hajmola has Candy, Candy Fun2, Mast Masala and Hajmola Yumshell. The brand also has changed its package from the old rustic glass bottle to a new contemporary pack. Dabur has now promoted Hajmola as an umbrella brand in the digestive segment .The brand is now worth Rs 100 crore.

In 2004 Dabur roped in Amitabh Bachchan to endorse all Dabur power brands. Hajmola also got the power of Big B into its fold. The ads now feature the fun filled tussle between Big B and a kid. Hajomola has kept its positioning of being a fun filled product. The reason for not restricting to digestive is to give the brand more room for growth. If positioned entirely as a digestive, the usage of brand will be limited. Hence Hajmola tries to induce the customers to take it anytime anywhere. In all the campaigns the brand is positioned on its Zingy Zangy taste (Khatta Meeta).
The brand has also ventured into the highly competitive candy market . The hard boiled candy market is estimated to be around Rs 350 crore and Hajmola is reported to have a 9% market share.
Hajmola has always tried to focus on the Northern market. The ads are predominately Hindi and not at all targeting the south market . The tagline of Hajmola " Hazm Sab, Chahe Jab" will not be understood by most South Indians. The brand is also not being promoted heavily in this market. One reason can be that the taste of Hajmola may not suit the South Indian Palate.

Like the Chawanprash market , the digestive market also feels the issue of stagnation. The endorsements by celebrities and the heavy spending are the only way out for brands facing such stagnation issues.

Related Brands
Gelusil
Sona Chandi

source: dabur.com, agencyfaqs,businessline,magindia,domainb

Amrutanjan : It's Gone !

Brand: Amrutanjan
Company: Amrutanjan Ltd
Agency: Dentsu

Brand Count: 168

Gayab,
Poye Poch,
Poyallo,
Its Gone !!!!!
Remember the brand ?

Amrutanjan is one of India's heritage brands. This 113 year old brand is still young and rocking. Amrutanjan is still one of the largest players in the Rs 250 crore balm market.Etched firmly in the mind of the consumer, Amrutanjan sustained competition, generations and maintained its relevance in the Indian market. The brand has a huge equity in the Indian market and all along has been trying to extend its equity to various categories.

Amrutanjan was founded in 1893 by Mr. Nageshwara Rao Panthulu Guru. The company became public in the year 1936 and currently commands 21-23% market share in the category. The yellow colored formulation and the glass bottle has been a part of Indian households. Although a pain balm , the brand was used for cold and head aches. The brand has a huge cache of loyal users especially in South India. Although the balm market including cold rubs and cold reliever market is Rs 250 crore, the balm market is estimated to be around Rs 100 crore.

Although Amrutanjan is famous for its pain balm, the company has successfully diversified into categories like Diabetes cure and bio technology. The company has now a portfolio of brands like Daikyur, Amrutanjan strong, Dragon liquid balm, Cold snap etc.
In the pain balm segment, the company faces tough competition from Zandu Balm which is the market leader. While the overall balm market (including cold) is dominated by Vicks. Vicks commands a market share of over 60% in the cold balm/rub category.
Amrutanjan has positioned its pain balm on its quick relief attribute. The old and famous " It's Gone" campaign is still recalled by most people. Even though many brands have tried to convince the customers about quick relief, Amrutanjan still retains its equity.

In its portfolio of brands, Amrutanjan's Cold snap is an interesting case .The brand was launched in 1997 with much fanfare. The cold snap was pitted against Vicks. The brand was the first gel product in the category. The differentiators for the brand was that it is non greasy . But the brand was not successful. The simple reason is that Cold snap should not be applied to the nose. It should be applied to the chest and the back for Cold relief. This caused lot of confusion in the consumers. Traditionally when we have cold, we rub the balm all over the nose and even apply the balm inside the nose ! Now the brand says not to do it and warns the customers that it is dangerous to apply Cold Snap on nose. I believe that it is the single factor that prevented Cold Snap from being successful. Cold & Nose have strong association and the brand went against that association.

The pain balm has been riding on the equity and the heritage. Although I am not making any judgement about the future of the brand, I feel that the campaign " It's gone" has immense potential. The brand could come out with new series and versions on this platform and keep the brand alive and relevant in the consumer's mind.

source: businessline,amrutanjan.com,superbrands,sify,domain b

Band-Aid :Continuous Care

Brand : Band-Aid
Company: Johnson&Johnson
Agency: McCann Ericson

Brand count: 167

Band-Aid can be considered as an classic case of branding success. The brand which is almost 86 year old has become generic to the category. Band-Aid is an Adhesive Bandage used to cover minor cuts and bruises. The brand has come a long way to become one of the classic marketing case study.

The brand came into existence in 1920. The person behind this innovation was Ms Josphene Dickson, a homemaker and wife of Mr Eric Dickson who was cotton buyer at Johnson & Johnson. Josphene during her daily chores inevitably encounters numerous minor cuts and bruises, wanted an easy solution to cover the cuts to prevent it from worsening while continuing her work. Eric prepared a readymade bandage using cotton and adhesive tape so that Josphene can cut from the readymade bandage and use it when in need. Eric told his boss about the invention and thus the concept took shape of Band-Aid ( source:superbrand.com).In 1924 the world's first machine cut band-aid was marketed and it was a huge success.

In India, Band-Aid was launched in the year 1978. Band-Aid was successful because it identified the need in the households for wound care. But to reach the dominant position in India was not easy. Band-Aid had to fight the tradition rather than the competitors to succeed. Traditionally, Indians prefer not to cover the cuts and bruises because there is a feeling that wounds should be kept open inorder to heal faster. Further, Indian consumers typically used traditional methods to heal wounds. In earlier days most of the households had the bottle of tincture iodine which was considered as the best solution for cuts and bruises. Kids used to hate this because the pain will be excruciating when tincture iodine is applied to cuts. Band-Aid comes with red coloured medicine inside ( I think it is Benzalkonium) which resembled Iodine. This had enabled early adoption of this brand and Band-Aid was called " Lal Dhawa Wali Patti" which became the USP . Had the medicine color was not red, Band-Aid would have tough time convincing mothers. The Kids also loved the brand since they were relieved of the pain of Tincture iodine.

Band-Aid also tried to educate mothers about the possible problems in keeping the wounds open because of dust infections caused by it. This also boosted the brand acceptability. One of the major factors that aided the success of this brand was the distribution strength of J&J. Band-Aid was a mass market product and hence it has to be there at every shop in the market.

Band-Aid was a brand that changed with time and it keenly watched the consumers and tried to identify their needs. The company had valuable consumer insights that created the first water proof band-aid in India. The main weakness for bandages was that it used to come off easily when wet. This prevented the category usage to certain extent. The waterproof band aid made the brand usable in any condition. This innovation catapulted the brand popularity to newer heights. Band Aid focused on the area of application and was clever enough to come out with various size and shapes. This come from the insight that different wounds in different parts of the body needs different shapes. For example, a small cut in the forehead needs a round band-aid .These insights made the brand a market leader in the category with a market share of over 60%.

Johnson& Johnson also saw an opportunity for the brand in the traditional cure for cuts. In India, turmeric is used as a medicine for cuts and blemishes. Band-Aid launched a turmeric variant of the plaster much to the delight of the Indian consumers. The brand was also promoted heavily. Band-Aid was the first in the category to advertise in electronic media. According to Superbrands.org, Band-Aid was the first product endorsement of Sachin Tendulkar.
Initially positioned as a wound care brand, Band-Aid was repositioned as a product that encourages kids to be active. Kids have the innate desire to be active and Band-Aid makes sure that cuts and bruises will not be hinder that desire. The brand also roped in Virendra Sewag as its ambassador during the cricket season.
Band-Aid has been lying low in the media for a while. The brand has already become generic to the category. Being generic has its share of problems also. When the customer uses the brand as a generic name for the category , the retailer can offer him any brand in the category. There are many local players in the market who gain by a brand major becoming generic. Competition is also from players like Handyplast and Dettol. Although the Indian wound care market is estimated to be around Rs 512 crore, the domestic adhesive bandage category is small at Rs 25 crore. The brand equity of Band-Aid still going strong is a an entry barrier for any one looking to enter this category.
The brand is currently being positioned on " Continuous Care". The positioning is pitting this brand against the ointments and other external applications. The concept is to educate the customers that use of plasters will heal wounds better than the use of ointments.

source: superbrands.com,jandjindia.com,agencyfaqs

Burnol : The Burn Specialist

Brand : Burnol
Company: Dr Morpean Labs
Agency: JWT

Brand Count: 156

Burnol is one of the oldest antiseptic cream brands in India. This 65 year old brand still holds tremendous brand recall among the Indian consumers. Burnol has changed hands many times in its existence in the Indian market. The first brand owner was Boots and the brand the brand was acquired by Knoll. Later Reckitt and Piramal bought the brand from Knoll. In 2002 the brand was acquired by Dr Morpean labs. This constant change over of this brand from one company to another has virtually undermined the equity of this heritage brand.

The Indian antiseptic cream market is estimated to be around Rs 210 crore. The market is dominated by Boroplus from Emami which commands a market share of around 60%. Burns market is specialised market with a size of Rs 30 crore. Burnol had a generic status in this market.

Burnol during the hay days had a strong demand in the market. It was perceived as a " must have" in households and offices in the first-aid boxes. Although in households , there is rare incidents of burns, Burnol was kept as a essential first aid medicine.

The market still remains the same. The homemakers still deal with fire and there is still a perceived need for such a burn specialist at home. Despite the market remaining unchanged , Burnol was pushed to a negligible presence because of reasons not of its own.

Burnol was positioned as a burn specialist from day one ( I think so). Customers also associate this brand with burns. The fact is that Burnol is an antiseptic cream that could be used for burns as well as cuts just like other antiseptic creams. Burnol was positioned so strongly that the association has become embedded in the mind of the customers. Even the name reinforces the positioning of this brand. During its life cycle, the brand had tried to change over from being a burn specialist to an all purpose cream but it was a mistake. Customers refused to accept the repositioning and the whole exercise was a failure.

When Dr Morpean relaunched the brand with the positioning based on being " Burn specialist", the customers reacted favorably to it. Burnol was promoted as a " must have " at every home.
The brand was not able to garner its potential share in the market for reasons related to the brand owners. Either some of the companies who owned this brand was in financial crisis or the brand was not in their core marketing plan. Because of these two reasons, the brand promotion was virtually nil and this apathy reflected in the market share of this brand. Although Morpean labs initially pushed the brand, the financial health of the company is limiting the brand promotion to a great extent. Morpean had initiated major repositioning campaign and even changed the product to a more acceptable cream composition.

The brand will remain a niche brand for the following reasons.
a. Unlike other antiseptic creams, the incidence of small burns are rare and hence the usage of this product is limited thus causing little or no repurchase. This creates stagnation in the sales of this brand.
b. Since Burnol is very much embedded as a burn specialist, the extension of this brand to other uses is virtually non existent because customers will not or may not accept such an extension.

The factors outside the control of the marketer is severely hindering the brand growth. With lot of money for promotion, one can see this brand regaining its lost position in the market.

Source: businessline, agencyfaqs,express4media,

Sugarfree : Freedom From Calories

Brand : Sugarfree
Company: Zydus Cadilla
Agency : Rediffusion

Brand Count : 150

Sugarfree is the market leader in the emerging category of Sugar substitutes. The sugar substitute market in India is estimated to be of Rs 60 crore growing at 15%. The market is expected to grow even faster because of the changing lifestyle of Indian elite. Sugarfree has around 70% market share in this segment.
The category will be of interest to marketing practitioners because of its potential. Primarily marketed as a sugar substitute for diabetic patients and diabetic prone middleaged Indians, the market is witnessing a change in the positioning of this products.

The major players in this markets are Sugarfree, Equal and the new aggressive entrant Zero from Alembic. These products are now targeted at the more " Proactive " consumers who are health conscious and non diabetic. This is a risk that the marketers are taking. The rationale is that these proactive consumers have seen their friends and relatives suffering from the consequences of diabetics . Hence will be looking for options to substitute sugar in their daily diet. Hence the product is positioned as a substitute for sugar ( to a certain extent). The rationale behind this positioning is to create a positive image about this category. If these brands are marketed as sugar substitute for diabetic patients, the consumers will hesitant to publicly buy this product. But when these products are marketed as a healthy option to stay fit, there is a positive perception towards this category.

The segmentation for this category will be SEC A1-A2 aged between 30-40. Although marketing campaigns are trying to position this as a healthy alternative to sugar, I feel that the actual buyers will be those who have been diagnosed with diabetics or youth in the risk category who have diabetic parents .

Since this product category is new, the task of the marketers are manifold. The consumers has to be educated about this product. Since the TG is not diabetic patients, the task is more difficult because the competition will be with ordinaryl sugar. Another task is to make the consumer to try the product. Then comes the price, these products are priced at a premium and hence it will be a tough task to convince the value conscious Indian consumer.

Should you spent so much money in repositioning this category away from diabetic patients? The reason for this question lies in the fact that India will have large number of diabetic patients owing to the changing psychographics. It takes minimum effort to convince the diabetic patients to take this product .( I am not sure whether diabetic patients can take this product, correct me if I am mistaken). I feel that there is a good market for a brand that targets this diabetic patients rather than beating around the bush and spending hell lot of money on repositioning. Hence " Enjoy life with Diabetics " will sell more than " freedom from calories".

Sugarfree has the ingredient of Aspartame which is a low calorie sugar substitute. The competitor Zero is having sucrose based sugar substitute.Sugarfree has recently ran into trouble because of some health issues regarding its ingredient Aspartame.

Sugarfree is positioned on its " Low Calorie" attribute and the campaigns promote this brand as a healthy option for consumers who have less time for exercise and targeting mainly at the SEC A category. Lack of product awareness and high price will limit this product category to a niche ( a profitable one) .

Source: agencyfaqs,timesfood,businessline

Cerelac : In a Tough Terrain

Brand : Cerelac
Company: Nestle
Agency: McCann Healthcare


Brand Count 136

Cerelac is the market leader in the Rs 3oo crore Baby Cereal market in India. With a market share of 85%, the brand have a huge equity in the Indian market. The brand right now is facing the worst nightmare of its lifetime .

In Kotler's Marketing Management text, he elaborates on the various external environmental factors that affect marketing . In that chapter, he talks about the regulation and laws affecting the marketing of a product. Cerelac is a classic example of Regulations negatively impacting the marketing of a brand.

The infact foods market is a very sensitive market. Since it is concerning infants , the stakeholder's interests are high. In India the market is regulated by an act IMS act of 1992. The act lays down the rules for marketing infant foods and other products in the market. Earlier the law prohibited any advertising and marketing campaigns for baby foods for babies under 4 months of age.Recently the act was amended and restricted any promotion of foods for infants upto the age of 2 years. This amendments was a severe blow for Cerelac whose target market was infants.

Along with this regulatory factor , other factors also affected this brand. The major influencers of this product ;the doctors began recommending normal food for infants. Another major influencer WHO began global campaign on promoting breast milk and the government began to demarket milk substitutes.

The marketers (generally speaking) were also responsible for creating such a situation. The brands were promoted using claims not validated and there were also quality and health issues that was ignored. Seeing all the chubby babies on the ads, it is said that mothers started feeding infants with artificial foods that may have caused health problems. ( I have not yet come across any such serious health issues in kids who took these foods).

The new amendment prohibits use of baby models in the packs and restricts any form of promotions including sponsoring doctor conferences, surrogate ads, events etc. For sure this may have a huge impact on the market for such kind of products.

Sensing the threat to the category of Cerelac, Nestle has launched a brand Ceremeal ( a porridge) for kids aged above 2 years.

Now Cerelac sells through word of mouth publicity. The product will sell because there is a need for such nutritional infant foods in the market. Even there is going to be a huge potential for infant milk substitutes because of changing lifestyle and the fact that there is an increase in the number of working mothers.

Cerelac as a brand has not written off its future. In 2003, the brand launched a new formulation Cerelac 123 aimed at different stages in a baby's growth chart.

Since the brand is not advertised, the positioning is not very obvious. The brand is basically positioned as a highly nutritious food for infants.

So here the million dollar question for the marketer is this :

How do you promote such a product where there cannot be any promotion?

Surrogate advertising will be caught by the civil society workers and unnecessary controversy will be created. Events are also ruled out.

As of now the company rely on the shelf promotion for the product. The company has launched lot of flavours and variants in attractive colorful packages that give a banner effect at the shops.

The product is priced at a premium and does not have any sales promotions giving the company value growth.Since the brand is facing little competition, the lack of media promotions may not hurt the company too much.

One thing I have noticed is that the brand has a cute mascot or brand character . It is a blue teddy ( I am not sure whether it is named). If the brand wants to aggressively promote, then Teddy can show the way. Start giving away this small teddy with Cerelac and kids are gonna love it. The marketer can do wonders if they have a cute Mascot /Character.

Cerelac has one, use it.

source: businessline, agencyfaqs, magindia, nestleindia

Disclaimer : This is an analysis of the Cerelac brand in the point of view of a marketer, not a promotion of this brand.

Gelusil : Ye kam kare to aap kam kare

Brand: Gelusil
Company: Pfizer
Agency: Contract

Brand Count:105

Gelusil is one of the major brands in the 220 crore antacid market in India . A brand once owned by Parke-Davis came into Pfizers hand when the two companies merged. Gelusil was promoted through ethical route where the drugs are to be sold only through prescription. This 30 year old brand had a strong support from the medical community and is worth Rs 20 crore.

In 1999 Gelusil became the first antacid brand to shift from ethical route to OTC. It was a risky move since there was a chance of alienating the medical practitioners and also doubts about the ad spent that is needed to promote such a mass market product.

The antacid market in India is crowded with lot of products fighting for their share of the pie. The market leader is Digene from Abbot Pharma with a market share of 35% followed by Eno from GSK with 24% , Gelusil with 21% and Pudin Hara with 14%. Digene is still sold through the ethical route and are available only at the Chemists. Eno and Pudin Hara are available in all shops since they are ayurvedic products.

Globally antacids are sold as OTC products. The market is expected to grow faster in India because of the " changed" lifestyle of less exercise and more junk foods. Right now in the OTC segment, growth is now taken more by the ayurvedic products rather than products like Gelusil because of the association of " no side effects" with ayurvedic products.

Gelusil faced a setback in 2004 when Pfizer had to recall its liquid form because of odour problem. Gelusil have some issues with its taste as it may not be liked by some of the customers ( including me). For that matter all antacids tastes bad. Since this product is now sold through OTC, the share of mind and share of voice is crucial for maintaining and building market share. The creatives of Gelusil were critically acclaimed with one ad winning at the ABBY's.

With a huge potential for antacids in the future, Gelusil has to get more aggressive to leap from the solid foundation it had created .

Source: Businessline, agencyfaqs, magindia, companywebsite.

Gatorade: Tested In The Lab, Proven On The Field

Brand: Gatorade
Company: Pepsi
Brand Count : 104

Gatorade, the $ 3bn Iconic brand is in India.Launched in 2004 , the brand is keeping a low profile in the Indian market. This global brand is dominating the world's sports drink market for more than 35 years.

The brand came in to existence as a result of a research by the University of Florida. The researchers was trying for a drink to help their football team called the Florida Gators to beat the dehydration. That year the Gators became champions because of this drink.

Gatorade came into Pepsi fold when Pepsi acquired Quaker Oats. This brand have a market share of over 70% in the US market.
The brand had a soft launch in India. One factor is that the market for sports drink is in its nascent stage in our country. While in US and the west, Sports coexist with the studies while in our country it is mutually exclusive.
But reports suggest that Gatorade have users from across ages and is not confined to athletes. With increasing popularity of health and fitness activities, there is a growing market for such drinks. Gatorade is not a product for the mass market since it is a functional benefit led drink catering to a niche ( but a growing niche). The drink is being promoted by a " special sweat team" from Pepsi who will be meeting potential clients at the various " Points of Sweat" like gyms, sports centers etc.

Pepsi has roped in Kaif and Pathan to endorse the brand. Priced reasonably at Rs 45 for 500 ml, this is a brand to watch for.

Iodex : Ooh Aaah Ouch

Brand : Iodex
Company : Smithkline Beecham
Agency : Enterprise Nexus

Iodex is a classic example of a generic brand being dumped by consumers because it did not change with changing consumer expectation. Another classic case of marketing Myopia. A brand which once commanded 70% market share is now languishing at 20%. Moov have moved Iodex from the first place.

How can this happen to a brand owned by a gaint like Glaxo commanding a market share in excess of 50% suddenly become a laggard?

Iodex like Chetak, Robin, did not change with times rather these brands were resistant to change. May be blinded by the success of the brand, the managers did not care what a smaller company named Paras was doing.In the 400 crore pain and rub market, Iodex have left the position of a leader to a follower. David have humbled a Goliath.

Iodex although a quality product had certain shortcomings
1. Greasy
2. Bad smell
3. Unattractive packaging

Moov looked at that shortcomings and projected itself as a product which is white, nice smelling and no greasy. Iodex could have retaliated with a white version but did that only after the battle is over. Too late.

Iodex have a great legacy, a history of 86 years but all lost because company thought about themselves as invincible. The campaigns were good and the brand was accepted by the consumers.But that never means that customers will stay with you for life.

ooh aah ouch...

Vicks: Vicks Ki Goli Lo , Khich Khich Door Karo

Brand : Vicks
Company : P&G
Agency: Ambience

Vicks is a brand that is more than 50 years old. Vicks is a leading brand in the Fast Moving Health goods ( FMHG). FMHG industry in India is worth around 4500 crores. This market is dominated by products like Rubs & Balms, medicated skin treatments,cough syrup and drops, digestives and health supplements.
Vicks Brand was launched in India in 1951 . It was manufactured by Vicks Products Ltd. Later in 1964, Richardson Hindustan Ltd was formed to manufacture the product .In 1985 RHL became the affiliate of P&G. In 1989 RHL became P&G hygiene and health care.

Vicks in India is known for its VapoRub and cough drops. Globally Vicks brand is worth around 3000 crores.

Vicks vaporub is the market leader in this segment with a share of 50%. Vaporub was initially targeted at children but later the company found out that it is used mostly by adults. Vicks Vaporub is positioned along Mother's Love platform . Vaporub pioneered the concept of " Touch therapy" linking it to the rubbing of vaporub on the child's chest. Vaporub advertises itself as having 6 key benefits
1. Clearing blocked nose
2, Cough relief
3. Body ache relief
4. Head ache relief.
5. Relaxing muscle stiffness
6. Easing breathing difficulty.

Vaporub also ranks best among the consumers in the following parameters : Non greasy, Smells better, Long lasting relief. Greasyness was important because Iodex ( a different category product) failed because of greasyness.

The rencent ad campaign also involves " father " in to the picture. The ad shows a father taking care of the child using Vaporub when the mother is away. The smart positioning and campaigns has ensured the brand retaining the top position in the market.

Vicks Cough drop is another blockbuster from the Vicks stable. Vicks commands a generic recall in this category. Using brand imagery and the catchy charachter " Kitch Kitch", Vicks commands a major share in this market. With unique shape and the long lasting positioning "Vicks ki goli lo Kitch Kitch door karo" , Vicks is a super brand in this category .Vicks coughdrops were careful in not messing up "Kitch Kitch" .This has ensured that the brand enjoys excellent recall .The recent campaigns of Vicks-Honey also strengthens the time tested positioning of the brand.

Vicks Action 500 has been in the market for more than 25 years. Launched in 1979 this is the first advertised OTC brand in India. Over these years the brand has carved a position for itself with around 40% market share in the category. This brand which is now relaunched talks about its ability to provide relief from cold related symptoms. This product is in Caplet shape ( capsule shaped tablet) which makes it different from its competitors and reinforces its ability to cure two symptoms of cold : blocked nose and headache .

Vicks Inhaler was launched in 1951 created and own the inhaler category is one of the first products launched in India from Vicks.

Vicks recently ventured in to the 550 crore cough syrup market with its Formula 44 in October 2003. The brand's usp is 8 hours relief from cough. The product is targeted at kids .The insight is that the power of most of the Cough syrups wanes after 5 hours and long lasting relief is the platform that Vicks is banking on for this product.

Vicks is a brand that is enjoying tremendous equity in the market. It has established its trust with thee customers. The FMHG market calls for Umbrella branding since it is difficult and expensive to create trust for individual brands in that category .That is the reason behind Vicks extending its equity across the various categories. Vicks has used careful branding and packaging for promoting the products. The unique shapes of cough drops, inhaler and caplet are examples of using product form as a differentiating factor.

Vicks is a testimony to the marketing genius of P&G

Complan: Complete Planned Food

Brand : Complan
Agency : Leo Burnett

Baseline : Extra growing power


Complan is a major brand in the 1200 crore malted beverage segment in India. A brand once owned by Glaxo was acquired by HJ Heinz in 1995. Heinz is a $9.2 Bn conglomerate that has operations in 200 countries and is famous for its Ketchups.

Complan has always been positioned as a Complete Planned food with its famous baseline " I am a complan boy : I am a complan girl"
The market for malted beverages has been stagnant for a while. But recent years it has been seeing some activity, the reason being that Indians are forced to be health conscious. Complan also found itself to be stagnant in terms of market share. The researches found that although the brand is established and popular among its users, the brand is not growing because it failed to attract new users.
This can be dangerous because a brand can sustain only if it is able to attract new users to its fold. Hence Complan changed its promotional strategy from targeting the existing users to attracting new users. The baseline was changed to " extra growing power" and ads were mainly targeting the non users of the product.

The change in the positioning is also due to the increasing competition from Horlicks and other GSK products in the segment.
Complan have also launched Complan: Family , a variant aiming at all members of family as a part of expanding the target market. Another interesting strategy was the launch of Complan sachet priced at Rs5 for 15gm complan . I am little confused at the exact purpose of the sachet launch , may be they want to explore the bottom of pyramid

Complan has been an established brand in the Indian health drinks market.The brand was carefully positioned and nurtured by its owners. With the competition getting hot all the time the brand is reinventing itself . It will be worthwhile to watch the fight of David And the Goliaths in this market .......