CONSUMER

BEHAVIOUR
CASE STUDY
ADITYA VADODARIYA
0211BBA020
 INTRODUCTION
• IN 1933, A BRAND EMERGED IN INDIA THAT WOULD
BECOME SYNONYMOUS WITH GERM PROTECTION
AND HOUSEHOLD HYGIENE – DETTOL. CELEBRATING
ITS 75TH YEAR IN 2008, DETTOL HAD EVOLVED FROM
ITS ROOTS AS AN ANTISEPTIC LIQUID FOR CUTS AND
WOUNDS TO A COMPREHENSIVE RANGE OF
PRODUCTS, INCLUDING SOAP, HANDWASH, BODY
WASH, SHAVING CREAM, AND PLASTER STRIPS. AS A
PIVOTAL SUBSIDIARY OF RECKITT BENCKISER INDIA
LTD, THE BRAND FACED THE CHALLENGE OF NOT
ONLY MAINTAINING ITS STRONGHOLD IN THE
ANTISEPTIC LIQUID MARKET BUT ALSO EXPANDING
ITS PRESENCE IN DIVERSE PRODUCT CATEGORIES.
THIS INTRODUCTION PROVIDES A GLIMPSE INTO
DETTOL'S RICH HISTORY, ITS STRATEGIC GROWTH
INITIATIVES, AND THE COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE IT
NAVIGATED IN ITS QUEST TO DOUBLE ITS MARKET
SHARE OVER THE NEXT THREE YEARS. JOIN US IN
EXPLORING THE DYNAMIC JOURNEY OF DETTOL AS
IT SOUGHT TO REINFORCE ITS POSITION AS THE
GUARDIAN AGAINST GERMS IN EVERY ASPECT OF
DAILY LIFE.
 SUMMARY
• DETTOL, A BRAND SYNONYMOUS WITH GERM
PROTECTION, CELEBRATED ITS 75TH YEAR IN 2008 WITH
PLANS TO DOUBLE ITS OVERALL MARKET SHARE IN THE
NEXT THREE YEARS. A SUBSIDIARY OF RECKITT
BENCKISER INDIA LTD, DETTOL EXTENDED ITS PRODUCT
RANGE FROM ANTISEPTIC LIQUID TO INCLUDE SOAP,
HANDWASH, BODY WASH, SHAVING CREAM, AND PLASTER
STRIPS. WHILE IT MAINTAINED A DOMINANT MARKET
SHARE IN ANTISEPTIC LIQUID, THE BRAND AIMED FOR
ACCELERATED GROWTH IN VARIOUS CATEGORIES.
• THE ANTISEPTIC LIQUID MARKET WAS LED BY DETTOL
WITH AN 85% SHARE, COMPETING AGAINST SAVLON AND
SUTHOL. DETTOL'S COMMUNICATION STRATEGY
EVOLVED FROM MEDICAL DETAILING TO EMPHASIZING
SECONDARY USES LIKE BATHING AND FLOOR
DISINFECTION. IN THE SOAP MARKET, DETTOL FACED
CHALLENGES POSITIONING ITSELF AGAINST BEAUTY-
FOCUSED BRANDS. DESPITE INITIAL STRUGGLES, DETTOL
SOAP GAINED TRACTION AFTER INTRODUCING VARIANTS
LIKE SKINCARE AND COOL. THE SOAP MARKET, WORTH
RS. 6550 CRORES, FEATURED COMPETITORS SUCH AS
LIFEBUOY, LUX, SANTOOR, AND SAVLON.
 SUMMARY
• DETTOL'S COMMUNICATION FOR ITS SOAP SHIFTED
FROM MILD SKINCARE TO EMPHASIZING GERM
PROTECTION FOR DAILY OCCASIONS. A FINE
BALANCE WAS MAINTAINED BETWEEN COSMETIC
AND THERAPEUTIC POSITIONING. THE "100% BATH"
CAMPAIGN SUCCESSFULLY RESONATED WITH
CONSUMERS, DRIVING CONSISTENT SALES
GROWTH. DESPITE SEASONAL VARIATIONS,
DETTOL AIMED TO ESTABLISH EVERYDAY
RELEVANCE THROUGH EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS
LINKING GERMS TO SPECIFIC HEALTH
CONSEQUENCES.
• IN SUMMARY, DETTOL'S JOURNEY INVOLVED
DIVERSIFICATION INTO MULTIPLE PRODUCT
CATEGORIES, ADDRESSING CHALLENGES IN THE
ANTISEPTIC LIQUID AND SOAP MARKETS, AND
IMPLEMENTING EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION
STRATEGIES TO REINFORCE ITS BRAND IMAGE AS
A PROTECTOR AGAINST GERMS IN VARIOUS DAILY
SITUATIONS.
 SWOT ANALYSIS
STRENGTHS:
1. HISTORIC BRAND TRUST: DETTOL, ESTABLISHED
IN 1933, HAS CULTIVATED A STRONG BRAND IMAGE
THAT IS ASSOCIATED WITH TRUST AND EFFICIENT
GERM PROTECTION.
2. WIDE ARRAY OF PRODUCTS: DETTOL HAS
BROADENED ITS PRODUCT PORTFOLIO TO
INCLUDE ITEMS SUCH AS SOAP, HANDWASH, BODY
WASH, AND SHAVING CREAM, CATERING TO
DIVERSE CONSUMER NEEDS.
3. DOMINANCE IN ANTISEPTIC SEGMENT: DETTOL
DOMINATES THE ANTISEPTIC LIQUID MARKET
WITH AN IMPRESSIVE 85% MARKET SHARE.
4. ROBUST DISTRIBUTION CAPABILITIES: RECKITT
BENCKISER’S WELL-STRUCTURED SALES FORCE
AND DISTRIBUTION NETWORK ENSURE WIDE AND
EASY ACCESSIBILITY OF DETTOL PRODUCTS.
 SWOT ANALYSIS
WEAKNESSES:
1. SEASONAL CONSUMPTION TRENDS: DETTOL
ENCOUNTERS CHALLENGES DUE TO
CONSUMERS ASSOCIATING THE NEED FOR GERM
PROTECTION PRIMARILY WITH SPECIFIC
SEASONS, RESULTING IN SEASONAL
FLUCTUATIONS IN PRODUCT USAGE.
2. CHALLENGES IN SOAP MARKET
PENETRATION: DETTOL FACES INTENSE
COMPETITION IN THE SOAP MARKET AND ITS
PREMIUM PRICING STRATEGY RESTRICTS ITS
PENETRATION INTO THE LOWER-END SEGMENT.
3. RELIANCE ON ANTISEPTIC LIQUID: ALTHOUGH
THE ANTISEPTIC LIQUID CATEGORY IS A
STRONGHOLD FOR DETTOL, THE DEPENDENCE
ON IT FOR A SIGNIFICANT PART OF ITS REVENUE
COULD POSE RISKS IF MARKET DYNAMICS
CHANGE.
 SWOT ANALYSIS
OPPORTUNITIES:
1. EXPANDING PERSONAL CARE MARKET: THE
GROWING PERSONAL CARE MARKET IN INDIA
PROVIDES DETTOL WITH AN OPPORTUNITY TO
LEVERAGE ITS BRAND TRUST AND DIVERSIFY
ITS PRODUCT OFFERINGS.
2. IMPACT OF EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS:
PERSISTENT EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGNS
EMPHASIZING THE NEED FOR DAILY GERM
PROTECTION CAN HELP POSITION DETTOL AS AN
EVERYDAY ESSENTIAL, MITIGATING THE IMPACT
OF SEASONAL USAGE PATTERNS.
3. PRODUCT INNOVATION: THE INTRODUCTION OF
INNOVATIVE PRODUCT VARIANTS CATERING TO
CONSUMER PREFERENCES FOR FRAGRANCE,
MOISTURIZATION, AND OTHER SENSORIAL
ASPECTS CAN BOOST DETTOL’S MARKET
APPEAL.
 SWOT ANALYSIS
THREATS:
1. HIGH MARKET COMPETITION: THE PERSONAL
CARE MARKET IS HIGHLY COMPETITIVE, WITH
CONTINUOUS PRODUCT LAUNCHES AND
REPOSITIONING EFFORTS BY COMPETITORS,
WHICH COULD THREATEN DETTOL’S MARKET
SHARE.
2. ECONOMIC INSTABILITY: ECONOMIC
UNCERTAINTIES AND FLUCTUATIONS CAN
INFLUENCE CONSUMER SPENDING HABITS,
POTENTIALLY IMPACTING THE SALES OF
PREMIUM-PRICED PRODUCTS LIKE DETTOL.
3. REGULATORY HURDLES: AS DETTOL’S
ANTISEPTIC LIQUID IS UNDER PRICING CONTROL
BY A GOVERNMENT-AUTHORIZED BODY, ANY
REGULATORY CHANGES OR INTERVENTIONS CAN
AFFECT ITS PRICING STRATEGY AND
PROFITABILITY.
 CONCLUSION
• IN CONCLUSION, DETTOL'S JOURNEY, SPANNING OVER 75
YEARS, REFLECTS A BRAND THAT HAS EVOLVED AND
DIVERSIFIED TO BECOME A HOUSEHOLD NAME
SYNONYMOUS WITH GERM PROTECTION. FROM ITS INITIAL
ROLE AS AN ANTISEPTIC LIQUID, DETTOL STRATEGICALLY
EXPANDED ITS PRODUCT PORTFOLIO, FACING CHALLENGES
AND SEIZING OPPORTUNITIES IN VARIOUS MARKETS. THE
BRAND'S DOMINANCE IN THE ANTISEPTIC LIQUID MARKET,
COUPLED WITH ITS EFFORTS TO ESTABLISH RELEVANCE IN
THE SOAP MARKET, SHOWCASES A COMMITMENT TO
MEETING DIVERSE CONSUMER NEEDS. AS DETTOL CHARTS
ITS COURSE FORWARD, NAVIGATING THROUGH SEASONAL
USAGE PATTERNS AND MARKET COMPETITION, ITS LEGACY
OF TRUST AND COMMITMENT TO EVERYDAY GERM
PROTECTION POSITIONS IT WELL FOR CONTINUED GROWTH
AND IMPACT IN THE DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE OF PERSONAL
CARE AND HYGIENE.