Name of the Project: Branding Strategy

Subject: Brand Management

Division: B
Team Number: 3

Faculty-In-charge: Prof. Anup Raj

Name of the Student SAP ID

Yashunandan Mer 80012100002

Vipul Chaudhary 80012100253

Pearl Borgohain 80012100368

Kasturi Gouri Borah 80012100488

Sugam Agarwal 80012100701

Advait Mandawade 80012100729

HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED :

● Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is a consumer goods company headquartered in

Mumbai, India. It is a subsidiary of Unilever, a British company. Its products include foods,
beverages, cleaning agents, personal care products, water purifiers and other fast- moving
consumer goods.
● HUL was established in 1931 as Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing Co. and following a
merger of constituent groups in 1956, it was renamed Hindustan Lever Limited. The
company was renamed in June 2007 as Hindustan Unilever Limited.
● HUL works to create a better future every day and helps people feel good, look good and
get more out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others.
● With 50+ brands spanning categories such as fabric solutions, home and hygiene, life
essentials, skin cleansing, skincare, hair care, color cosmetics, oral care, deodorants, tea,
coffee, ice cream & frozen desserts, foods and health food drinks, the Company is a part
of the everyday life of millions of consumers across India.
● It is one of India's most popular fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, with
products including Lifebuoy soap, Dove creams, Nirma detergents and Surf Excel liquid
laundry soap. In recent years its product portfolio has also included Liz Earle skin care
products such as Cleanse & Polish Hot Cloth Cleanser and Eyebright Pads.
● The company's motto is "Contribute to the quality of life". It has long campaigned on issues
such as plastic pollution and encouraging recycling. In November 2017, Hindustan
Unilever, along with Tetley Tea, pledged to stop using single use plastic water bottles in
its global operations by 2025.
● Hindustan Unilever is listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange and is a constituent of the
Sensex, one of India's most important stock market indices. The company's early products
included toothpaste, hair oil, shoe polish, and face powder.
● In 2015, Hindustan Unilever launched Brio water to combat the effects of plastic pollution
at sea on marine life: "One bottle can replace 700 plastic bottles".
● The company's logo is a "U" with a small image of the earth in the center. This logo was
introduced in 1999.
PRODUCT NAME – SURF EXCEL

○ Surf excel encourages mothers to push their children to learn via experience while
Surf excel takes care of the dirt and tough stains because it believes that dirt and
experiences are a conduit for unlocking human potential.
○ Children experience life, make friends, share, and learn from each other when they
play outside and get dirty, not just accumulate stains. This aids with their physical
and mental development and helps them prepare for life outside of the home.
○ As a market leader in the Indian detergent industry, Surf excel has consistently
innovated ahead of the competition and introduced new product forms to meet the
country's consumers' evolving needs. With its numerous product options and
exceptional clean up on a variety of stains, Surf Excel.
Objectives

· The main objective of Surf Excel is to gain market share through various promotional
activities and ensure that their customers receive the best laundry services and are loyal to the
brand.

· To meet people's everyday needs, anticipate their aspirations and respond creatively and
competitively with products and services that improve their quality of life.

To ensure that customers are completely satisfied with both the brand and the product, and to
remain committed to exceeding expectations and to embracing new ideas and learnings in order
to achieve success.

· To maintain the product quality and same time being on top position when compared to
competitors.

Brand portfolio of Surf Excel

Marketing Strategy of Surf Excel

Every firm has a set of marketing tactics and strategies that it uses to attain its
objectives. A marketing plan details an organization's efforts to gain new clients. An
excellent marketing strategy is one of the most effective marketing methods a firm
can utilise.

There are numerous organisations on the Indian market with fantastic and effective
sales and brand building tactics. Surf excel is one of the most well-known brands on
the Indian market and in Indian families. Surf excel is a well-known detergent and
soap brand associated with garment and clothing care. As part of its marketing mix,
Surf excel separates its service offers into Hand wash and Machine wash
subcategories.

The Surf brand is owned by Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) and Unilever Sri
Lanka. In India, Surf was introduced in 1959. Surf's brand communication
underwent multiple alterations as a result of the emergence of numerous local
detergent manufacturers and other global brands, and was ultimately replaced by
Surf Excel in 1996.

Surf excel developed the optimal way for product stacking. Utilization of a product
generates a new variant and range of the product. This tactic, along with others, has
contributed to Surf excel's success on the Indian market. Let's start by studying about
the price, product, advertising, and distribution tactics of the Surf surf Marketing
Strategy:

1)Pricing

· All of its items are less expensive than the P&G brand Ariel.

· This is owing to Indian customers' price sensitivity across the board.

· Surf excel uses product line pricing to price its premium-segment products higher than its
mid-range-segment commodities. To appeal to customers who wish to spend less money on a
 single transaction, the company distributes its products in various package sizes based on
weight.

· For the series of items it intends to advertise, Surf Excel uses a product-bundling pricing
approach.

· In reaction to market developments, Surf excel gives periodic price discounts and
frequently revises its rates.

· The offers are of two types: one is a quantity discount given on bulk purchases, since it
wishes to instil the culture of bulk purchasing in consumers in India in order to increase
efficiency in its activities, and the other is seasonal discounts.

2)Product

· Surf excel divides its product range into Hand wash and Machine wash sub categories as
part of its marketing mix.

· Hand washing is aimed at people in the middle class who cannot afford or do not want to
use a washing machine. Surf excel liquid detergent, Surf excel bar, and detergent powders
including Surf excel Quick Wash and Surf excel Easy Wash are among the Surf excel items in
this category.

· Surf excel has introduced a machine wash product under the Matic sub-brand. The Matic
family of products is designed specifically for front-load and top-load washing machines. Surf
excel Matic Liquid front load, Surf excel Matic Liquid top load, Surf excel Matic front load
detergent powder, and Surf excel Matic top load detergent powder are only a few of the
company's products.
3)Place & Distribution Strategy

· In India, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, and Pakistan, the Surf Excel line of items is offered.

· India accounts up a significant amount of the brand's sales.

· In all of these nations, HUL had a country-wide distribution network as part of its
marketing mix.

· The product was largely available in India through conventional wholesalers and retailers.
Surf Excel has direct presence in over 1 million retail outlets as of 2021 data, with a network
of 7000 wholesalers and over 2000 suppliers and partners.

· HUL sells Surf Excel in rural areas through rural merchants with reduced pack sizes,
although its primary focus is on promoting Surf Excel in urban areas.

4)Promotion & Advertising Strategy

· Surf excel uses a wide angle marketing strategy to promote its items.

· The company's entire advertising is predicated on the premise that "Dirt is Good." For the
brand, HUL has used both an above-the-line (ATL) and a below-the-line (BTL) promotion
approach.

· In ATL, the corporation places a strong emphasis on great television commercials. Surf
excel has used numerous themes to highlight youngsters in its ad campaign in order to develop
an emotional connection with clients.

· For its ad campaigns, the firm has recruited a variety of TV and movie superstars.
Billboards, posters, and print media such as newspapers, magazines, and major radio stations
have also been used by the corporation Promotion & Advertising Strategy.
Target Market:

Mainly housewives but the things have to be seen in context. Pakistan’s middle income group
comprises about 35 million consumers. But Surf Excel is not just targeting the middle income
category. With the broadest socio-economic footprint amongst consumer goods competitors, Surf
Excel is also looking at lower income market as well as the higher income bracket with different
sets of products.

STP of Surf Excel

Segmentation

Market segmentation can only be accomplished based on customer perceptions of the product's
value. Consumers are segmented in accordance with their demands. The consumer also has a
perception of the product's worth. Segmentation is based on four variables. The segmentation of
Surf Excel is as follows:

Geographic: India as a whole; urban and rural

Geographic: India as a whole; urban and rural

TG are females. Mostly moderate to upper income groups.

Psychographic: Behavioural: Loyalty, Delivery of the product's stated perceived value Quality,
Service, and affordability.

Targeting

After segmenting the market based on the various groups and classifications, you must determine
your objectives. It is crucial that you be able to establish distinct tactics for your target markets, as
no one plan will appeal to all customer groups.

Surf Excel's intended audience:

Middle to upper class income brackets

Females, housewives, and those responsible for grocery budgeting .

Positioning

Positioning refers to how consumers perceive the location a product or brand occupies in a market
sector. Positioning a brand in the consumer's mind is accomplished by linking the brand's
advantages with the demands or lifestyles of the segments.

Surf Excel positions itself as a high-quality, moderately-priced home essential. Using children in
its commercials gives it an emotional connection with consumers.

Positioning Map

Price

Surf
Excel

Ariel

Stain Nirma Tide

Henko
Removal

Rin
CBBE Model for Surf Excel:

Surf Excel has a strong brand

presence, as most people call
Resona
detergents as Surf
nce

Customers love Provides assurance to

and trust the brand Judgeme Feeling customers that it can clean
and hence Surf nts s all the stains, due to its tag

Strong stain
removing High quality,
Performanc Imagery
ability, Does premium detergent
e
not damage powder.
clothes.
India’s Top
detergent brand.
Salience Strong brand
awareness

Brand Architecture of Surf Excel

Brand Value/Equity: Surf Excel controlled the monopolistic market until the 1990s. On the
subcontinent, competition did not emerge until thirty years had gone. After the release of Nirma
in 1969, India had a detergent war, and Lalita ji was created as a result. In response to Nirma's low
prices, Surf Excel's Lalita Ji rose to prominence and represented value. Lalitaji of Surf Excel
created the consumer concept of "sasti aur achi cheez" to distinguish her company from the
competitors. In addition to becoming the first detergent powder in India, the Surf brand was the
first detergent promoted on television.
Brand Pyramid:
1) Brand Personality: For the upper middle class and middle class
2) Brand Essence: Family-based detergent
3) Emotional Benefits: Daag acche hai (stains are good)
4)Product Benefits: Hand-safe
SWOT ANALYSIS OF SURF EXCEL :

STRENGTHS:

The major elements of Surf Excel's business that provide it a competitive edge in the market are
examined in terms of the company's strengths. The strength of a brand may be attributed to a
variety of things, such as its financial standing, skilled personnel, distinctiveness of its products,
and intangible assets like brand value. The Surf Excel Strengths in the SWOT Analysis are listed
below.

1. HUL first developed its premium detergent brand in 1959.

2. Surf Excel Quick Wash uses ground-breaking technology that cuts down on water use and rinse
time by 50%.

3. HUL has a robust distribution network, which is advantageous for the product.

4. Strong brand awareness and promotion with fresh advertising efforts to maintain brand
awareness

WEAKNESS:

A brand's shortcomings are specific areas of its business that may be improved to strengthen its
position. Some flaws can be described as qualities that the business lacks or in which the
competition excels. The Surf Excel SWOT Analysis has the following weaknesses:

1. A somewhat higher price keeps it out of the reach of the majority of clients.

2. In rural markets, there is hardly much product awareness.

3. Lawsuits resulting from brand battles

OPPORTUNITIES:

Any brand has the potential to develop in certain areas in order to grow its customer base.
Opportunities for a brand might include global growth, product enhancements, improved
communication, etc. The opportunities identified by Surf Excel's SWOT analysis are as follows:

1. Rapid market expansion and increased rural penetration

2. Adapting to client demands that are changing and improving lifestyles

THREATS:

Any firm may face risks in the form of elements that might harm its operations. Threats can come
from a variety of sources, including increasing rival activity, shifting governmental priorities,
alternative goods or services, etc. The following are the risks identified in Surf Excel's SWOT
analysis:

1. The sector of detergents has low profit margins

2. Threat from both established and emerging market competitors

Surf Excel Campaigns

1) Surf Excel’s Holi campaign encourages everyone to keep their inner child alive

Surf Excel unveiled its latest

Holi campaign bolstering its
unique 'DaagAchhe Hain'
brand proposition. With the
festival of colours fast
approaching, Surf Excel
inspires us to keep our inner
child alive and give into
these playful impulses, age
no-bar. The new 360-degree campaign shows a heart-warming gesture by a little girl to include
her aunt in the buoyant celebration amongst children. The campaign will go live across TV &
outdoor media from 1st March.

In the TVC, the spirited child protagonist is seen playing colours with her friends when she notices
her aunt setting the table of colours and sweets, and enjoying their game subconsciously wanting
to join in. When the little girls insist that her aunt join them, the aunt moves away, saying it’s not
her age to play like them. As the girl watches her aunt consciously throw away the colours she had
unconsciously picked up in her palms, she covers herself with the colours and runs to her aunt for
a hug. This action imprints the aunt’s clothes with a colourful silhouette of the child. Pointing
towards the imprint, the girl suggests that this child could play with them. The heart-warming
message “Jo rang bachpanlautaye, woh rang achhehain” makes us examine the boundaries that
keep us away from finding the joy of keeping our childhood alive.

With the TVC campaign the company aims to strike an emotional chord in a slice-of-life context
that appeal to every adult. While the context in the film is that of Holi, the message is an all-
pervasive one

Surf Excel’s DaagAcche Hain came at a time when advertising in the detergent category was
limited to its functional aspects of cleaning and adding fragrance to your clothes. Surf Excel, in
association with Lowe Lintas, thought of moving away from this functional proposition in 2005.
The company already had a campaign ‘Dirt is good’ running in Brazil which was conceptualised
by BBH, and ‘DaagAcche Hain’ was an extension of this proposition in India, with a desi twist.

In 2012 came ‘Dhondte Reh Jaoge’ Starring a woman in a white sari again, she tells us her husband
that he would have to really look for the ‘daag’ once she washes his stained shirt with Surf Excel.
He stains his shirt as his kids’ carromboard’s coin hits his Samosa. He blames the wife for spoiling
‘her kids’ and she cleans his stain with a handkerchief for him.
It is only now that detergent brands have woken up to realise that household chores are equally a
man’s job. Until the early 20’s, detergent brands were only targeting women and portraying them
as nurturers of the family, who didn’t have the agency to make a decision for themselves. Women
were seen as someone’s wife or mother, who is supposed to be a good role model for her family
by taking care of them, even raise her husband like a baby who can’t wipe a stain off his shirt
himself.

Before DaagAcche Hain, stains were just stains that people would think about washing away
because, who likes dirt on them? Bollywood has also compared Daag with women’s ‘pride’ and
for a long time, had us believe that stains cannot be washed away, especially if you are a woman.

Surf Excel, on the other hand, made us accept our flaws and reminded us that flaws make humans,
humans. Through its metaphorical campaigns, it said stains are only temporary and with just one
attempt, relationships can be mended and differences are washed away. (It also subtly comments
on our country’s poor infrastructure where you can manage to find a puddle anywhere you look).

Surf Excel’s first ‘DaagAcche Hain’ ad featured two siblings. The little sister steps into a puddle
and starts to sob. Seeing her little sister upset, the big brother does what any desi parent would do
if an inanimate object hurt their kids. Hit it. He also apologises on behalf of the puddle and this
innocence, we are certain, does not fail to bring a smile to your faces even today. The ad concludes
with a voice over, “Daaglagne se agar kuchacchahotahai, tohdaagacchehaina? (If something good
comes out of staining, stains are good).”
Telling us why the brand casts kids in their ads, the company said, “We believe that children should
have the freedom to get dirty, because its only then that they can truly learn and develop. And if
kids get dirty in the process of doing something good, then dirt is good.”

2)Over the years, Surf Excel has tried to mirror the ever-changing socio and political issues in its
campaign and reminded us that the most powerful virtue is kindness. It has been able to carve a
niche for itself in the market through this powerful proposition.Surf Excel’s colourful relationship
with Holi depicted this

Holi is a natural fit for Surf Excel. We all stain our clothes while celebrating this festival of colours
and the brand has never missed this opportunity to replug ‘DaagAcche Hain.’Surf Excel’s Holi ad
from 2019 titled ‘Rang Laaye Sang’ had evoked a controversy. As its beatiful Ramadan ads, Surf
Excel had chosen to portray Hindu-Muslim harmony in 2019. The only difference, however in
2019, was the political scenario.

Surf Excel’s minute-long Holi ad ‘Rang Laaye Sang’ (colours bring people together) featured two
kids, a Hindu girl and a Muslim boy. The girl dressed in white, rides on a bicycle and challenges
neighbourhood kids to splash her with Holi colours. It is later revealed that it was in order to protect
her Muslim friend who had to go to a nearby mosque for prayers. As she drops her friend at the
mosque, she said, “I will colour you later” and he agrees, with a bright on his face. However,
Twitterati took the ad rather badly and said that the ad portrayed Hindus in a bad light and
promoted “Love Jihad.

3)Over the years, Surf Excel has evolved its communication with ever-changing trends. In the 80s,
the iconic Lalitaji educated people about the perks of buying a detergent with the proposition- 'Surf
ki khareedarimeinhaisamajhdaari.' Later Surf Excel came up with 'Dundte reh jaoge' and 'Surf
Excel haina.'

When all other brands were positioning their products by talking about removing "ZiddiDaag,"
Surf excel, along with Lowe Lintas came up with a unique proposition of "DaagAcche Hain." It
all started with the first campaign featuring two cute siblings, one who slips on a puddle, and the
other, who then punishes the puddle for hurting his sister, conceptualized by Mr. Arun Iyer from
Lowe Lintas, the brain behind this campaign.

Thought Process behind the campaign:Every Stain a child brings home is an experience. Surf
Excel claims that Dirt and experiences are the keys to unlocking human potential and urges
mothers to allow their children to learn by
practice while Surf excel handles the Dirt
and tough stains. Kids don't just accumulate
stains when they go out to play and get dirty.
They live their lives, make friends, share
their experiences, and learn from one
another. This helps them to grow strong and
to prepare for the outside world. The team
leveraged this to bring in this beautiful
campaign which resonated with all the
Homemakers.

4)Marking World Clean up day, Surf Excel had launched a 30 sec TVC that nudges all of us to
make choices and take action to bring about a positive change. Highlighting the need to facilitate
this change for a better life and being future conscious, the latest TVC is conceptualised by its
creative agency Lowe Lintas.The video features a young child who is moved by the stories of her
father and grandfather about their sense of joy from small experiences at a time when man and
nature weren’t out of sync with each other.

Surf Excel Promotion & Advertising Strategy:

The promotional and advertising strategy in the Surf Excel marketing strategy is as follows:
Surf Excel adopts 360-degree promotion for its products. The company has based all its campaign
on the baseline of “Dirt is Good”. HUL has adopted both above the line (ATL) and below the line
(BTL) promotion strategy for the brand. In ATL, the company focuses heavily on effective TV
advertisements. To establish emotional connect with the customers, Surf Excel has featured
children in its ad campaign using various themes. The company has used various TV and movie
celebrities for its ad campaigns. The company has also used billboards, posters, print media such
as newspaper, magazines, and major radio channels. In its BTL campaigns the company has
organised various competitions like hand painting competition. It has launched initiatives like
“Surf Excel and You” to suggest mothers to inculcate the habit of active learning in their children.
On this forum, mothers can share their pride stories and special moments with their children. Surf
Excel has also used social media platform like Facebook and Twitter to build the community
relationship.