The document summarizes the detergent powder industry in India. It describes key metrics like market size, segmentation, major players and their market shares. Popular brands like Surf Excel, Ariel and Nirma are discussed along with their positioning, advertising campaigns and variants. Future trends of industry growth through upgradation and increasing consumption are also mentioned.

1. Detergents

2. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Industry Structure
 Market
 Per capita consumption: 3.2 Kg
 Industry growth rate: 6-8% per
annum
World’s third largest detergent market
Total detergent market: Rs 6000 crore
Detergent powder: Rs 3300 crore
23 lakh tonnes/ annum
Other forms:
Detergent bars (43%)
Liquid detergents
Compacts
3300 crore
55%
6000 crore

3. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Industry Structure
 National Sales
Distribution
• Urban – 60%
• Rural – 40%
38%
28%
18%
16%

4. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Industry Structure
Detergent Demand in India (th MT)
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
1400
1600
1800
2000
1990-91
1991-92
1992-93
1993-94
1994-95
1995-96
1996-97
1997-98
1998-99
1999-00
2000-01
2001-02
2002-03
2003-04
2004-05
 Strong and consistent growth

5. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Industry Structure
 Very high penetration
 Growth
• Upgradation from bars
to powder
• Increasing per capita
consumption
• Increasing use of
premium powders

6. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
84%
14% 2%
Popular Economy Premium
Industry Structure
 Detergent powders segmentation
• Premium
- Surf Excel, Ariel, Henko (Surf Excel + Ariel ~ 90%)
- Rs 75 per Kg
• Economy
- Henko White, Rin, Tide, Sunlight
- Rs 35-50 per Kg
• Popular
- Nirma, Wheel, Ghadi, Check
- Rs 18-22
• Compacts
•T

7. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Industry Structure
 Market share
• HLL is the largest player. Operates in all segments
• Nirma leader in the popular segment
• P&G present in the economy and premium segments
42%
21%
7%
4%
12%
14%
HLL
Nirma
R&B
Henkel SPIC
P&G
Others

8. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Industry Trends
 Detergent market has good penetration – but slow growth
 Saturation hits urban areas
 Bar form of detergents are losing out. Premium quality synthetic
detergents are experiencing growth due to drop in unit price.
 Compact detergents meant for washing machines are getting
slow entry.
 Price competition among major manufacturers getting more
intense.
 South India offer good potential and growth.
 P&G has chosen an expans‫ﭩ‬绿ｷ럿strategy by lowering prices.
 HLL trying to build brand loyalty for Surf by innovative ad
campaign.

9. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Consumer Behaviour
Across all segments:
 The main attributes that consumers look for in a detergent are:
• Value for money (how effective the detergent is in cleaning clothes vs
affordability)
• Ease of use (must dissolve fast) – this was specific to households which do
not have washing machines
 Apart from the cleansing action, detergents should also be easy on
the skin and must have a fragrance: Ariel Spring Clean (roses),
Ariel Fresh Clean (mogra)
 Main factor influencing consumers’ expectations:
• Improved affordability
• Ad campaigns

10. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Consumer Behaviour
Within a segment:
 Very little perceived difference in a particular category and a price
point
 Consumers are more or less indifferent among leading brands as long
as prices are comparable
 This commoditization nature of detergent business that is forcing
players to fall in line with lower prices superior quality detergents at
an affordable price
Between two segments:
 With price cuts, upgradation
 With slowdown, downgradation

11. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Major Players
 Premium
• Surf Excel
• Ariel
• Henko Stain Champion
 Economy/Mid Priced
• Tide
• Rin Shakti
• Henko Mr. White
 Popular
• Nirma
• Wheel

12. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Positioning Map - Detergents
Price
Cleaning Power
Whiteness
Concentrates
Economy
Popular

13. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Surf Excel
 ‘Surf’ launched in 1959: first in Indian detergent market
 Surf Excel launched in 1992
 Complete migration of Surf to Surf Excel Blue in 2004
 Premium segment: Market leader
 Positioned as very effective with any kind of stains: ‘Surf Excel Hai Na’
• Less effort in cleaning and lower water consumption
 Focus on building brand loyalty through emotional connect: ‘Daag Acche
Hain’campaign
• Positioned against generic hate stains attitude
• Assurance: Go ahead and get dirty
• Latest campaign: Colour
 Variants:
• Surf Excelmatic: Specially for washing machines
• Surf Excel Blue: Stain removal with fabric care (midpriced segment)
• Surf Excel Liquid: Liquid concentrate

14. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Ariel
 Launched by P&G in India in 1991
 First to bring compact detergent technology
 Premium: Positioned as a stain remover that is easy to use
P&G: Slashing prices of Ariel to expand its consumer base, more
affordable.
 Two variants, Ariel Spring clean and Fresh clean (scented)
 “A to Z daag ke liye jo de taaza khushboo”.
• A man cooks dinner for his wife, who is away. He stains his shirt in the
process, but uses Ariel to remove the stain
• Key emphasis: Ease of use, fragrance, stain removal
 Target segment: Women, age group 25-35 years
 Variant: Ariel Front-o-Mat (front loaded washing machines)

15. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Henko Stain Champion
 Launched in ’94 in the South: Direct competition to Surf
 Top end premium: Market share ~9%
 Focused on stain removal (highest order need for Indian consumer):
Pre-treater powerpearls (proprietary technology)
 High-on-quality, relatively low-on-price proposition
 Earlier campaigns: Positioning Henko as a better option (usage of
Surf was more a habit than conviction)
• Celebrities; Freebies; Regional association to strike emotional chord
 “Iske power pearls kapro mein geheraee tak jaye aur daag ko jar se
nikal”
• Focus on product performance superior as compared to rivals
• Technological aspect: No social/emotional angle as such

16. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Tide
 Launched in 2000: Mid priced ; Price cuts: moved to
popular
 “Fastest growing and one of the most deeply penetrated
detergents in households across India” – ORG-AC
Nielsen
 Target: "superior whiteness" and "whiteness
maintenance" laundry needs of a homemaker in India
 “Chaunk gaye? White ho to Tide ho…”
• Showcase its cleaning power; superior whitening
• Focus on value proposition: High performance at low cost
• No emotional aspect: Beg stage of PLC
• Social consciousness of white clothes

17. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Rin Shakti
 Re-launched in 2004 as Rin Advanced to counter Tide
 Mid-priced brand
 May lead to cannibalization of other HLL customers due to
forced price cuts of Surf Excel Blue
 “Double safedi”
• Focus on whitening: Direct competition with Tide
• Pure clean technology: Absence of residue
• Social acceptability due to white clothes
• Focus different from Surf Excel Blue: However, does not completely
eliminate cannibalization given similar prices

18. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Henkel Mr White
 Mid priced: Market share ~14%; No 2 in segment
 Only eco-friendly detergent in its segment: not emphasized
 Promises superior product performance;unique dazzling whiteness
• Mr White - personifying the brand clearly
 Relaunched this year: enhanced formulation, a fresh new fragrance,
in an all-new pack
 “Thoda sa green thoda sa blue. Thoda sa jadoo. Mr. White. Sabse
white”.
• Social consciousness: Ensure that clothes are the whitest
• Uses expert: Research on voices of authority
• Promises the “Power of 2 - Lime + Blue”
• Focus on premium values: Good quality at a reasonable price

19. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Wheel
 Launched in 1987 by HLL to counter Nirma
 Single largest detergent brand by value
 Popular segment: Mass market
 Superior formulation to Nirma
• Promise: Clean tough stains easily; not harmful to hands
• Lemon fragrance
 ‘Mehnat kum, phir bhi dhulai No. 1’.
• Positioned as the smart housewife’s choice for the mass market
 Introduced a fresh fragrance along with Wheel Green: “Naya
khushboodaar Wheel. Mehengi wali dhulai, budget mein samayi”.
 Premium variant: Active Wheel
• Quality Clean and Care at affordable price
• Brightness of coloured clothes, fresh fragrance

20. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Nirma
 Caused a marketing miracle when introduced
• Targets bottom of the pyramid
• Priced 1/3rd of competitors; caused immediate trial
• Unique environment-friendly, phosphate-free formulation—
consumers become loyal
• 0% of the market share in 1976 to 61.6% of market share in 1987
• HLL launches Project STING
 Unique marketing mix: Lowest pricing, distribution
through small retailers and heavy advertising
 Communication of Value: Simple messages and catchy
jingles
 Has a variant in the premium segment
• Priced almost 40% lesser - 25g, 500g, 1000g

21. Marketing in Practice Detergent Powders
Future Trends
 Detergent industry set to grow at 10% per annum
 With penetration already high, growth to come largely
from:
• Upgradation from bars to powder
• Increasing per capita consumption
• Increasing use of premium powders
 Effort by firms to avoid the commoditization of the
product
 Greater stress on branding and emotional connect