Sakshat Puro

191094
Consumer Behaviour

Case study- LUX The Beauty Soap

Q1. Lux has traditionally positioned the brand by influencing consumer
beliefs and attitude by highlighting on the theme of “beauty soaps of film
stars”. In your opinion, why has HUL adopted this approach instead of
highlighting certain specific brand features or benefits.

HUL has always recognized the value of using spokespeople who are admired by
the class as well as the mass; and so has always associated the advertisements
for LUX with celebrities belonging to the entertainment industry. It is a rough
estimate that 20% of all TV commercials feature celebrities, and advertisers pay
hundreds of Crores of rupees for their services.

 Normally there lies immense considerations for the company before it finally
decides to endorse its products by celebrities – these are dangers of
overshadowing the product and being overexposed, the target audience’s
receptivity, and other potential risks to the advertiser due to sudden image
crisis of the celebrity endorser.
 HUL has successfully managed over the years to avert these risks by careful
selection of celebrities, who mostly belonged to the top performing class in
the entertainment industry. For example, Leela Chitnis, Hema Malini, Sridevi,
Juhi, Kareena, Aishwarya and even Sharukh Khan has endorsed the brand
and has always bought a star power and presence to the advertising that
attracted attention and made it memorable, yet has never overshadowed
the brand they were promoting.
 The advertisements created a strong feeling among consumers that using
the soap they could probably look different from the mass. These
celebrities had a huge fan following and that proved highly beneficial for the
company to break through the clutter easily.
 One of the most important considerations in choosing a celebrity endorser is
how well the individual matches with and is received by the advertiser’s target
audience. LUX had always chosen celebrities who can be well associated
 with the product and thereby boost its sales.
 Highlighting on the theme “Beauty soap of film stars”, LUX wanted to
develop a strong connection with the consumers by influencing on their
belief and attitude that the soap has certain features and benefits which has
influenced the industry leaders to endorse their brand.
 The soap must have a better quality or else celebrities would not have been
interested in endorsing the brand – they would obviously not like to hamper
their own image by associating with a wrong brand only for monetary
benefits. The message was clear and transparent – highlighting only on
features or benefits would make the advertisement look dull and consumers
would easily switch over to other brands.
 A celebrity’s behavior may pose a risk to the company. HUL could manage to
avert these risks easily by their careful selection of celebrities – the ones with
more power in their performance rather than seeking attention on scandals.
Also the personality of the celebrity matched the product and company’s
image. The advertising was focused on emotional appeal more than the
rational appeal. Thus LUX could position itself successfully in the heart of the
consumers rather than on their minds
 Bringing out limited editions of the product has been a popular way of
attracting attention and promoting sales and when you tell people that a
product/service can help them, they may or may not believe you. After all,
you have a vested interest in selling your services. But when celebrities say
that the particular product/service has helped them, and it could help others,
people tend to listen — and believe. After all, most people assume “he
wouldn't say it if it weren’t true. "When you get a celebrity to endorse your
company or sign a licensing agreement, you benefit from customers'
awareness of the property, [which] could include the perception of quality,
educational value or a certain image."
 Celebrity endorsement helped the lux soap in differentiating the brand
from others consumers remember it by celebrity faces and gives it a
different opinion.

Q2. If you are to expand the base of the market by suitably changing
the consumers’ existing beliefs and attitudes what kind of strategies
will you adopt, e.g. changing beliefs about the brand? Add some new
attributes, choose a new theme of brand positioning etc.

The Lux soap can be defined to customer for a UV ray’s protection or Skin
Diseases protection soap which will create new belief in consumers that this
brand is changing according to environment and for consumer protection. For
this purpose, we can:

The second characteristic that we have to change its colour from red and pink to
some yellow or green as it looks kind of medicated.

The third is that we can add ‘clouding’ effect that appears when it is added to
water so that it looks more safe and medicinal.

The fourth and most important is the absolute trust that we have to build by
showing facts about the skin diseases that are spreading nowadays and how
the soap can reduce this.

The soap will need to change the packaging so that is looks more medicinal and
protective for skin like showing mild and beautiful skin protected by soap.

Also it can enter into lux for natural Indian Beauty- This will be done by
showcasing the common girls and stating that Indian women are the most
beautiful in the world. Positioning the brand for every Indian and not for affluent.

Q3. As a brand manager of Lux, given its long established brand

equity, you want to enter into new product categories. What kind of
personal use product categories will you venture into?

Lux is famous for fragrances so they can also enter into:

 Scrub soap
 Lux men
 Baby lux
 Lux hair gel (hair styling cream)
 Lux talc
 Lux shaving cream
 Lux face wash
With key categories such as soaps, shampoos fast reaching maturity in
terms of penetration, HUL can also enter into these personal use
product categories.

Q4. What will be the nature of your communication to differentiate the

brand from other ‘me-too’ or similar quality brands of toilet soaps?
Educate the customer about their product with product differentiation soaps.

 Different line of soaps under lux brand to cater to different customer

needs.
 Made from natural extracts (Combination of different fruits)
 Neem and Aloe vera (Herbal and medicated soaps)
 Made from flower extracts.
 Sandalwood and Rose water (Natural glowing skin from ages)
 Cream and milk for smooth body.
 With glycerine and lemon extracts to fight with pears.
 Lux germ protection bar.
 Brand will grow to cater different requirements of the people, so they
will not go to another brand as their skin needs will be addressed by
lux.

Aware about lux as if it is best for them-

 Lux- Living up to Expectations

 Aggressive advertising.
 Skincare at its Best-Lux
 LUX- Learn, use and experience.

Strategy to educate customer, make her or him buy and let them feel that
they have associated with a long life experience.