Lifebuoy personal wash brand. It has been around since 1895. It has always stood for health and hygiene, delivered through germ - Manish Samtani protection. The ruby red colour soap, with its distinct odour, has As the son of an army officer, I could not think of life without Lifebuoy soap, carried the Lifebuoy message of the only one available in cantonment area shops. Among the things I remember health across the length and fondly are those times when I used to return after a football match in the rain, soiled from head to toe and drawing the most contemptuous glances from all breadth of the country, making it occupants of the drawing room, as I was loudly instructed to take off my the largest selling soap brand, not shoes before stepping in. I looked forward to a nice warm bath with Lifebuoy, only in India, but anywhere in the which my mother believed would disinfect me completely. The advertisement world. The name ‘Lifebuoy’ is added a swell to my chest since it was portrayed as a soap used by champions supposed to convey the promise of and really able-bodied young men, I wanted to grow into. ‘Tandurusti kee a healthy family, and not just an raksha karta hai Lifebuoy; Lifebuoy hai jahan, tandurusti hai waha!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!’still rings a familiar nostalgia and brings back a whiff of individual.” the fragrance of old times. Brand Positioning and Brand - Building nter Lifebuoy.
The HLL is the country’s largest Originally, Lifebuoy was a ‘tandurusti’ soap marketer of soaps, detergents, and down market brand, but in recent marketed by HLL. home care products. Some of the times, HLL has made efforts to Hindustan Lever brands that lead the HLL pack are position it as more of an upscale Limited is India’s largest Lifebuoy, Lux, Liril, Hamam, product. HLL has positioned FMCG (Fast Moving Consumer Breeze, Dove, Surf Excel, Surf, Rin, Lifebuoy as a pan-Indian brand, Goods) company with brands Wheel, 501, Sunlight, Vim, and targeted at every Indian family, spread across 20 different Domex. urban or rural, rich or poor. It aims consumer categories, 40,000 Lifebuoy, the world’s largest at bringing alive Lifebuoy’s employees, inclusive of about selling soap brand, came into promise of family health in an 1,425 managers, a behemoth in the existence in 1895, and was enjoyable and compelling manner. ‘Consumer Household Products’ launched in India in 1935. It has Chimes the HLL spokesman sphere. Very, very impressive, to been an essential part of the daily enthusiastically, “We strive to say the least. Indian bathing experience for build the Lifebuoy brand through millions across mass media advertising, direct the nation. consumer contact, and trade activation.”
Brand HLL repositioned the Lifebuoy History brand in 2002, in an attempt to The HLL make it more relevant to both new spokesman and existing customers. sums it all up in After this revamp, Lifebuoy is his words, no longer just a carbolic soap with “Lifebuoy is cresylic perfume. It is now being India’s oldest positioned as a toilet soap. The new formulation, launched in 2002, contains Active-B, which protects users against germ infections. The current Lifebuoy formulation offers a superior bathing experience. Lifebuoy has also re- established its message of health for consumers, from the ‘traditional, male, victorious concept of health’ to a more responsible concept of ‘health for the entire family.’ Thus a stereotype that glorifies good the more than 100-year-old brick good health to the entire family). health for the head of the family shape. The ‘health soap’ now had Lifebuoy has been seen as a value- (a male), and possibly the other ‘an easy grip’ and a modern look. for-money product, a soap that is ‘working members’ of the family HLL demonstrated, with the long-lasting. (again, invariably males), has been aid of laboratory tests, that the In a very smart TV ad done away with, indeed replaced new Lifebuoy was twice as good campaign, children are shown by a more democratic concept of as other soaps in terms of cleaning a street. The message put a healthy family. providing germ protection. across is that since these children The Brand Derby has rated Lifebuoy now provided are secure from ailments that are Lifebuoy as one of the most protection from germs that cause caused by a lack of proper successful brand re-launches of all body odour, acne and infections sanitation and hygiene, thanks to time. in cuts and bruises. the fact that they use Lifebuoy, As the HLL spokesman points HLL currently provides they are in a position to ensure out, “After the re-launch, Lifebuoy consumers with four cleanliness and hygiene for the Lifebuoy’s market share in the bath choices - Lifebuoy Strong, entire community. Thus, Lifebuoy soaps sector rose from 12% to Lifebuoy Fresh, Lifebuoy Gold and not only ensures good health and 18%.” Lifebuoy Naturals – all different cleanliness for individuals, but In 2003, HLL took a major variants of Lifebuoy. All these healthy and productive pricing initiative, by making variants are available in the new communities as well. Lifebuoy available at the bargain curved shape and have the new The ‘Lifebuoy Swasthya basement price of 2 rupees at the formulation. Chetana’ programme uses a retail level. This pricing strategy is ‘direct consumer contact’ Marketing Strategies targeted at the rural market, where methodology, and touches the buyers are extremely price- Lifebuoy has always been lives of 70 million people in 18,000 sensitive. marketed as ‘a tough cleaning villages. A unique feature of this In 2004, Lifebuoy saw another soap for a tough man.’ (Of course, campaign is that it utilises re-launch, whereby it was given a the 2002 re-launch targeted multiple contacts, as opposed to new curved shape, a change from Lifebuoy as a soap that brought other programmes which are ‘single contact’ in nature. which is on a high growth school-going kid is shown, who, Gushes the HLL spokesman, trajectory today. We have come a on a holiday, decides to clean up “This programme aims to educate long way from a ruby red carbolic the garbage-strewn streets of his people about the benefits of hand- soap to a range of contemporary neighbourhood. He wakes up wash with soap, and how hand- offerings. Our vision statement is: from bed, wears his spectacles, wash can help kill invisible, ‘Make a billion Indians feel safe fetches a broom, and ties a piece disease causing germs. It is thus a and secure by meeting their health of cloth around his forehead. He marketing programme with a and hygiene needs.’ then starts cleaning the streets, strong social cause of improving dumping the garbage into a Brand Positioning for the the health and hygiene of rural cardboard box. He sets an Future India. The brand USP is, ‘Lifebuoy example, as other children in the provides 100% better protection For the future.
HLL intends to neighbourhood soon join him. A from germs as compared to position Lifebuoy as ‘a family lady in the neighbourhood ordinary soaps.’ health offering through germ expresses her concern for the well protection.’ being and hygiene of the Growth of the Brand in the “We will strive to make our children, and another lady, a face of Competition promise enjoyable and compelling, confident mother, reassures her In the mid to late 1990s, to build authority and affinity for with the words, “Koi Dar Nahi.” Lifebuoy was reeling under the the brand,” states the HLL This concerted effort by the onslaught of the ‘discount’ soaps, spokesman proudly. children transforms the dirty which were luring consumers by neighbourhood into a spanking Advertising Media-Mix offering soaps with modern forms clean area. Now, to express their and good sensorial experience at In addition to its TV campaign, gratitude, all the parents give affordable prices. Consumers saw HLL also uses other methods and their children an open-air bath Lifebuoy as an outdated offering media, such as direct consumer with………………..yep, you vis-à-vis discount soaps. The two contact, radio, statics, and point-of- guessed it right……..Lifebuoy. re-launches in 2002 and 2004 sale, in order to reach consumers The line ‘Koi Dar Nahi’ implies enabled Lifebuoy to reverse this who do not have access to a that a well-protected family has trend and ‘reinvent’ itself. television set. The Lifebuoy no reason to fear hygiene related Adds the HLL spokesman, “The account is currently being handled illnesses or problems. two re-launches have dramatically by the ad agency Lowe. Concludes the HLL spokesman, altered the fortunes of the brand, In the Lifebuoy ad by Lowe, a “Even for the TV-viewing consumer, in today’s cluttered world, we do feel the need to bring our brand alive to consumers in multiple ways at multiple touch points, to remain visible.” In conclusion, Lifebuoy seems right on target to make a ‘clean’ sweep of the Indian soap market!
