The document discusses Sensodyne's integrated marketing communication campaign in India. It aimed to increase awareness of tooth sensitivity as a dental issue and position Sensodyne as the preferred brand for sensitive teeth relief. The campaign used various touchpoints like in-store demonstrations, print ads, TV commercials, dentist recommendations, and free samples. By educating consumers and emphasizing Sensodyne's clinical efficacy, the brand was able to gain a leadership position in the tooth sensitivity category in India.

1. Integrated Marketing Communication Project Brand: Sensodyne Project By Vishal Khatokar SCMHRD
vishal_khatokar@yahoo.co.in

2. Table of content
 Overview of Indian Oral care industry
 Oral Care Product Market Share
 About Sensodyne
 Communications Objective
 Communications Objective for the offering
 Brand Identity
 SWOT Analysis
 Touch points of Communication used in the Campaign
 How Did the Communication Model work?
 Results of the Campaign
 Integrated Marketing Communication
 Reference & Bibliography

3. Overview of Indian Oral care industry The India oral care industry is increasingly becoming competitive with the entrance of many international players in the Indian market. The industry for oral care in the country has recorded double digit CAGR 14.4% from FY’2008-FY’2013. The growth in the industry over the last five years was due to significant the change in the spending power of people on the oral care products, backed by growing awareness about healthy lifestyle and oral hygiene. Further, the industry has witnessed introduction of innovative oral care products such as sensitive toothpaste, gum care toothpaste, sensitive mouthwashes and dental flosses which has aided the oral care industry revenue from FY’2008-FY’2013. Other factors that have played a vital part in the growth of oral care industry are the sizable increase in the population of the country and augmented disposable incomes. The Oral Care Market in India Accounts for About 16% of the Overall Personal Care Market In India, the oral care sector is segmented into five products categories which include toothpaste, toothbrush, toothpowder, mouthwashes; others oral care products such as dental flosses and oral care chewing gum. Toothpaste segment accounted the maximum share in the oral care market in FY’2013. Leading players in the Indian oral care segment include Colgate-Palmolive India Ltd. (COLPAL.NS), Hindustan Unilever Ltd. (HUL.BO) and Dabur India Ltd. (DABUR.NS). There are also a few smaller, unlisted players, such Vicco Laboratories Ltd. and Anchor Health & Beauty Care Pvt. Ltd. GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare Ltd. (GLAXOCON.BO) entered the segment a few years ago, whereas Procter & Gamble Hygiene and Health Care Ltd. (PNG.BO) was the most recent entrant. As displayed in the following chart, the oral care market in India is dominated by multi-national Companies (MNCs). Market Share of leading players in the Indian oral care segment
56%
23%
13%
3%
Colgate-Palmolive India
Hindustan Unilever
Dabur India
GSK Consumer Healthcare

4. Oral Care Product Market Share
In terms of in dental hygiene, India is still a nascent country, with majority of the population still not having access to modern dental care and is still relying on substances like coal ash and neem sticks. Traditional materials like neem and tobacco are popular for cleaning teeth in the rural areas. The oral care industry in India is worth Rs. 5,400 Cr. annually & comprises of: Toothpastes: 60 %: Rs. 3,240 Cr., Tooth powder: 23 %: Rs. 1,242 Cr. and Toothbrushes: 17 %: Rs. 918 Cr. Currently, toothpaste enjoys a country wide penetration level of 55 %, with only 15 % of them brush twice a day. The per capita consumption in India stands at 127gms/year; one of the lowest in the world.
Also, India’s per capita consumption is less than half of other emerging markets and almost 1/4th the amount of consumption in U.S. Given the low per capita consumption and penetration rates, toothpaste demand is mainly being driven by the overall market growth of 8-10 %. The penetration levels of dentifrice in the country have been on an upward trend over the last few years driven by strong improvements in toothpaste penetration. Incumbent Opportunity The incumbent opportunity in the Indian oral care market can be gauged by these facts:
• Almost one-third of the Indian population does not have access to modern oral care.
• India’s annual per-capita consumption of toothpaste, at about 146g, is among the lowest in the world.
• Dental cavities (tooth decay) are prevalent in sixty-three percent of fifteen-year-olds and in approximately eighty percent of adults in the age group of 35-44 years old.
• One out of three Indians suffers from gum problems. Particularly, periodontal diseases (gum diseases) are prevalent in sixty-eight percent of fifteen-year-olds and in ninety percent of adults in the age group of 35-44 years old.
• One in every six consumers suffers from dental sensitivity.

5. About Sensodyne Sensodyne is an oral health brand targeted at people with sensitive teeth. Sensodyne products are applied at home by the patient to treat this condition. Sensodyne is owned by GlaxoSmithKline. History Sensodyne is a brand of toothpaste that was first sold by Block Drug, a Brooklyn, New York-based Company established in 1907 by pharmacist, Alexander Block. The toothpaste was first marketed in 1961 as desensitising toothpaste based on a strontium chloride formulation. In 1980, Sensodyne launched a new toothpaste containing potassium nitrate, a mild local sedative.[3] In 2000 Block Drug was purchased by GlaxoSmithKline. In 2006, Sensodyne Pronamel was released and is marketed as toothpaste that protects against the effects of dental erosion.
How Sensodyne Works
Sensodyne toothpastes work in one of three ways to relieve the pain of sensitive teeth. Depending on the product's active ingredient - Potassium Nitrate, Strontium Acetate, or NovaMin technology. Potassium Nitrate: The potassium ion in Sensodyne is believed to soothe the nerves inside the teeth. Clinical studies show potassium nitrate progressively reduces the pain of sensitivity over a period of weeks. As long as a toothpaste with potassium like Sensodyne is used twice daily in brushing, the nerve response will gradually be reduced and sensitivity pain is relieved. Strontium Acetate: Sensodyne Rapid Relief contains strontium acetate, which is similar to calcium. The strontium in Sensodyne Rapid Relief replaces some of the calcium lost from the dentine and blocks the exposed tubules in the dentinal tissue. This helps prevent the movement of the fluid within the tubules in response to a sensitivity stimulus that could otherwise cause tooth pain. Sensodyne Rapid Relief: Relieves sensitivity pain when directly applied to the sensitive area of a tooth with a fingertip for one minute. This is because it is formulated to create a physical seal against sensitivity triggers.
Product Characteristic: Category : Toiletries Packaging : Paper box Pricing range : Rs. 50 to 200 Unit per sale : A tube in 50gram and 120gram Storage : At room temperature Shelf life : 24 months.

6. Communications Objective
For the longest time, toothpaste was all about cleaning the pearly whites and the dazzling 'ring of confidence'. Colgate was and still is the clear leader, registering a 56% volume market share for Jan' 13-Sep' 13. There have been periodic attempts to dethrone it, but finally the competition appears to be getting its game plan right. The doughty toothpaste brand is starting to get flanked by new and nimble players who focus on recently acknowledged specialist needs like sensitivity or bleeding gums. This marks a paradigm shift in the segment. "Till recently, we did not acknowledge how different types of toothpaste helped us. In many cases, price was the deciding factor." One brand worked for the entire family. With increasing awareness, urban Indians have a better understanding of diet and its impact on teeth. They are willing to pay for preventive attention. "A typical urban family is nowadays buying different toothpastes as each member needs something specific, which broadens the category and allows for newer products" Initially Sensodyne was test marketed in the South before launching pan-India. 17% population in India talked about a short sharp sensation in their gums or teeth, but only 4% visit the dentist and that only when their dental concern is severe. Communications Objective for the offering
The Communication Objective is very crisp & clear, to update the masses that SENSODYNE is a tooth paste for the sensitive teeth.
Some lines from the campaign are mentioned below:
Sensodyne works to relieve tooth sensitivity due to sensitive teeth and to provide lasting protection all day. If you have sensitive teeth, switching to sensitivity toothpaste such as Sensodyne toothpaste can make a big difference in not only your enjoyment of everyday life, but in your overall oral health.

7. Brand Identity
The brand has strong recall when it comes to sensitive tooth; it comes first in the consideration set of the consumers. The Brand Name SENSODYNE stands for what is says or it’s a synonymous to tooth sensitivity relief. The brand can be best indentified from the below terminologies.
 Relieves tooth sensitivity
 Toothpaste for sensitive teeth
 World's No. 1 Toothpaste for Sensitivity
Positioning Sensodyne is a toothpaste marketed for individuals with sensitive teeth and those who wish to prevents sensitive teeth. Target Segment Ages group between 20 to 50 years (middle & upper class). Tagline/ Slogan World’s no. 1 sensitivity toothpaste Unique Selling Proposition (USP) Sensodyne is a desensitizing toothpaste that helps to relieve pain causes by sensitive teeth and helps to prevent it. Advantages
• Looks promising.
• Relieve pain and builds a barrier against sensitive teeth.
• Helps protect against cavities.
• Does not use stannous fluoride which may produce surface staining of the teeth.
• Keeps mouth feeling fresh & clean.
• Can be used every day as basic toothpaste.
Competitors
 Pepsodent
 Colgate Sensitive

8. SWOT Analysis
Strengths
• Contains no sugar.
• Clinically proven, helps to relieve sensitivity within 2 weeks.
• Proven carried protection of fluoride.
• The #1 dentist recommended brand for sensitive teeth.
• Dentists have been recommending Sensodyne for over 20 years.
• A variety of flavors and choices such as Original, Fresh Impact, Fresh Mint, Cool Gel, Gum Care and Rapid Relief.
Weakness
• Certain shops do not have Sensodyne in stock.
• Some consumers think the taste is funny.
• Little more expensive than competitors
• Customers confuse which flavors to choose as it seems like all has the same effect.
Opportunity
 Can leverage on the unique positioning and differentiation it has achieved
 The brand can target kids and youth also since they frequently suffer from such problems
 Should also promote other benefits, apart from Sensitivity relief
Threats
 Lot of competition in the market from regular toothpaste brands.
 Some customers dislike the taste of Sensodyne, as it does not have strong taste like normal toothpaste.
Marketing Communications Mix Marketing is a broad business function that includes product research and development, merchandising and distribution processes and pricing, as well as communication or promotion. The communication mix refers to specific methods used to promote the company or its products to targeted customers. Some depictions of the promotional mix include five elements, while others add a sixth -- event sponsorship.

9. Advertising Advertising is often the most prominent element of the communication mix. In fact, marketing and advertising are often misconstrued as the same thing. Advertising includes all messages a business pays to deliver through a medium to reach a targeted audience. Since it involves the majority of paid messages, companies often allocate significant amounts of the marketing budget to the advertising function. While it can be costly, the advertiser has ultimate control over the message delivered, since it pays the television or radio station, print publication or website for placement.
Dishum Dishum 'us versus them' advertising or below the-belt attacks, relying on the 'focus strategy'. GSK brought the dentist to people's living rooms, spoke about the problem of sensitivity and used the demonstration and testimonial approach to drive the message. "They actually made people more aware of the problem and introduced a solution, Audio Video Advertising on TV
The brand ran a campaign in visual media with the aim of creating awareness about the condition of sensitive teeth and projected Sensodyne as the dentist's most preferred choice for this condition.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHvlNLGYwW8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FnYZ2udITWI Advertising through Print Media

10. Discounts and Promotions Sales promotions or discounts are similar to advertising in that they are often promoted through paid communication. However, sales promotions actually involve offering a discounted price to a buyer. This may include coupons, percent-off deals and rebates. Goals of this communication tool include increasing revenue and cash flow, attracting new customers and clearing out extra inventory. The unusual approach of Sensodyne extends to its brand partnerships. Sensodyne tied up with ice- cream chain Baskin Robbins by putting up tent cards at 229 outlets across 19 cities to offer free samples of the toothpaste to customers along with the bill. Today, it's a brand that has a sizable lead over Colgate in the sensitive category. Direct Marketing Direct marketing includes some aspects of both sales promotions and personal selling. It is interactive communication with customers where the company's message seeks or implores a response from targeted customers. E-mail and direct mail are common formats. These messages are sent to customers with special offers or calls to action, often promoting limited-time deals or new product launches.
Chill tests where people were invited to take a sip from a glass of cold water to see if they felt a short sharp pain in their teeth. The promoters provided them with a leaflet on dentine hypersensitivity together with a 25ml sample of any one of three variants. Promoters also encouraged consumers who felt discomfort to visit their dentists and try Sensodyne for effective short-term and long-term relief Sensodyne ran 50,000 of these in the year of its launch and as of June 2014, the number stands at a staggering 5 lakh.
Consumers found the chill test helpful and unobtrusive. Keynote Communications, which is well known for its innovative national brand activations, managed the campaign for GSK. Its promoters found consumers’ reactions to both the Sensodyne message and solution overwhelming. This was reflected in the high consumer reach and conversion to sale recorded during the campaign Sensodyne rolled out the Wake Up To Sensitivity (WUTS) campaign across 45 cities to connect with over 20 lakh people. It has also started a door-to-door consumer connect to push the brand. And if sampling on ground was not enough, GSK even tried doing it 30,000 feet above, after a tie up with low- cost airline IndiGo.

11. Working closely with dentists has also added to its credibility. They brought real life dentists on screen and invested in building trust among them. No wonder, Sensodyne has been ranked as the No 1 sensitive toothpaste brand recommended by dentists.
Event Sponsorship
Event sponsorship is the element sometimes left out of the five-element communication mix. Many models include it within advertising. Event sponsorship occurs with a company pays to have a presence at a sports, entertainment, non-profit or community events. The sponsorship may include a mix of benefits including booth representation during the event to hand out samples, gifts and literature, name mention during the event and ad spots connected to the event. Public Relations Public relations are somewhat similar to advertising in much of it involves messages communicated through mass media. The major difference is you don't pay for the time or space for the message. A television or newspaper feature story mentioning a business, for instance, isn't paid for and can provide brand exposure. The downside of PR is that you don't always control the messages. You can try to influence them through press releases and invites for media coverage, but the media could put a negative spin on the story. Due to its unusual campaign & success in market penetration, Newspapers like Economic times, Business Standard took a notice of the efforts of the efforts of Sensodyne and wrote articles how Sensodyne outlasted Colgate. Link to the articles
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/brand-equity/sensitive-segment-how-sensodyne- checked-colgate-from-capturing-market/articleshow/38870175.cms
http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/gsk-overtakes-colgate-in-sensitivity-segment- nielsen-113041800016_1.html Touch points of Communication used in the Campaign
 Chill test
 Print media
 Audio visual Ads
 Dentists advice
 Standees
 Tent cards
 Tie-up with Baskin Robbins
 Website
 Free Samples
 Social Media

12. How did the Communication Model work?
At the time of its launch in 2011 awareness of sensitive teeth as a problem was minimal. Market leader Colgate dominated (and continues to dominate the overall toothpaste market with a staggering 56% share.) It had a sensitive teeth variant but made no special attempt to push it. The team at Sensodyne realized this was a problem that would take a lot more than a TV commercial to crack.
Hence Sensodyne took unusual marketing approach. They started by creating awareness about the condition of sensitive teeth and projected Sensodyne as the dentist's most preferred choice for this condition. Globally also Sensodyne is positioned as Dentist's choice for sensitive teeth. Along with the Above the Line promotions, Sensodyne is also conducting brand awareness programs among the key influencer - dentists. The brand conducted events called ' Chill Tests ' among consumers to spread the awareness of the condition of sensitive teeth. Sensodyne banked on the promise that it provides relief in two weeks. Results of the Campaign For Sensodyne, ‘the chill test’ not only effectively reached the correct end user with leaflets and product through helping consumers identify their problems, but proactively marketed their variants by illustrating the need for an ongoing treatment plan. The immediate result was that the campaign has helped to further fuel the brand’s growth and created a foundation for even further growth. GSK’s sensitive brand currently has a slightly higher market share compared to its rival Colgate Sensitive, which has captured a 26% share as compared to the latter's 25%. The numbers are for the month of March, according to industry numbers. Manufacturers have decided to address the sensitivity problem. Overall, the market is evolving and the newer players are doing well for themselves. While the segment is being seen as a premium offering at the moment, massive democratisation can be expected given our lifestyle that makes us prone to sensitivity or other oral issues.
Himalaya is the latest entrant in the space. The company is looking at replacing its Dental Cream in the oral care space, Dabur too is looking at a foray, which sources inform is in the developing stages.

13. Integrated Marketing Communication What is IMC? The American Marketing Association defines Integrated Marketing Communications (IMC) as “a planning process designed to assure that all brand contacts received by a customer or prospect for a product, service, or organization are relevant to that person and consistent over time.” The IMC planning process has been compared to composing a musical score. In a piece of music, while every instrument has a specific task, the goal is to have them come together in a way that produces beautiful music. It’s the same in IMC, where advertising might be your violin, social media your piano, public relations your trumpet and so on. Integrated Marketing Communications is a simple concept. It ensures that all forms of communications and messages are carefully linked together. At its basic level, Integrated Marketing communications, or IMC, as we'll call it, means integrating all the promotional tools, so that they work together in harmony. Promotion is one of the Ps in the marketing mix. Promotion’s has its own mix of communications tools. All of these communications tools work better if they work together in harmony rather than in isolation. Their sum is greater than their parts - providing they speak consistently with one voice all the time, every time. This is enhanced when integration goes beyond just the basic communications tools. There are other levels of integration such as Horizontal, Vertical, Internal, External and Data integration. Here is how they help to strengthen Integrated Communications. Horizontal Integration occurs across the marketing mix and across business functions - for example, production, finance, distribution and communications should work together and be conscious that their decisions and actions send messages to customers. While different departments such as sales, direct mail and advertising can help each other through Data Integration. This requires a marketing information system which collects and shares relevant data across different departments. Vertical Integration means marketing and communications objectives must support the higher level corporate objectives and corporate missions. Check out the Hall Of Fame later for more about missions.

14. Benefits of IMC Although Integrated Marketing Communications requires a lot of effort it delivers many benefits. It can create competitive advantage, boost sales and profits, while saving money, time and stress. IMC wraps communications around customers and helps them move through the various stages of the buying process. The organisation simultaneously consolidates its image, develops a dialogue and nurtures its relationship with customers. This 'Relationship Marketing' cements a bond of loyalty with customers which can protect them from the inevitable onslaught of competition. The ability to keep a customer for life is a powerful competitive advantage.
IMC also increases profits through increased effectiveness. At its most basic level, a unified message has more impact than a disjointed myriad of messages. In a busy world, a consistent, consolidated and crystal clear message has a better chance of cutting through the 'noise' of over five hundred commercial messages which bombard customers each and every day.
At another level, initial research suggests that images shared in advertising and direct mail boost both advertising awareness and mail shot responses. So IMC can boost sales by stretching messages across several communications tools to create more avenues for customers to become aware, aroused, and ultimately, to make a purchase. Carefully linked messages also help buyers by giving timely reminders, updated information and special offers which, when presented in a planned sequence, help them move comfortably through the stages of their buying process... and this reduces their 'misery of choice' in a complex and busy world. IMC also makes messages more consistent and therefore more credible. This reduces risk in the mind of the buyer which, in turn, shortens the search process and helps to dictate the outcome of brand comparisons. Un-integrated communications send disjointed messages which dilute the impact of the message. This may also confuse, frustrate and arouse anxiety in customers. On the other hand, integrated communications present a reassuring sense of order.
Consistent images and relevant, useful, messages help nurture long term relationships with customers. Here, customer databases can identify precisely which customers need what information when... and throughout their whole buying life. Finally, IMC saves money as it eliminates duplication in areas such as graphics and photography since they can be shared and used in say, advertising, exhibitions and sales literature. Agency fees are reduced by using a single agency for all communications and even if there are several agencies, time is saved when meetings bring all the agencies together - for briefings,

15. creative sessions, tactical or strategic planning. This reduces workload and subsequent stress levels - one of the many benefits of IMC.
Meanwhile Internal Integration requires internal marketing - keeping all staff informed and motivated about any new developments from new advertisements, to new corporate identities, new service standards, new strategic partners and so on.
External Integration, on the other hand, requires external partners such as advertising and PR agencies to work closely together to deliver a single seamless solution - a cohesive message - an integrated message.
Communications Theory How do we communicate? How do customers process information? Simple communications models show a sender sending a message to a receiver who receives and understands it. Real life is less simple - many messages are misunderstood, fail to arrive or, are simply ignored. Thorough understanding of the audience's needs, emotions, interests and activities is essential to ensure the accuracy and relevance of any message. Instead of loud 'buy now' advertisements, many messages are often designed or 'encoded' so that the hard sell becomes a more subtle soft sell. The sender creates or encodes the message in a form that can be easily understood or decoded by the receiver. Clever encoding also helps a message to cut through the clutter of other advertisements and distractions, what is called 'noise'. If successful, the audience will spot the message and then decode or interpret it correctly. The marketer then looks for 'feedback' such as coupons returned from mailshots, to see if the audience has decoded the message correctly. The single step model - with a receiver getting a message directly from a sender - is not a complete explanation. Many messages are received indirectly through a friend or through an opinion leader. Communications are in fact multifaceted, multi-step and multi-directional. Opinion leaders talk to each other. Customers talk to opinion leaders and they talk to each other. Add in 'encode, decode, noise and feedback' and the process appears more complex still. Understanding multiphase communications helps marketers communicate directly through mass media and indirectly through targeting opinion leaders, opinion formers, style leaders, innovators, and other influential people.

16. How messages are selected and processed within the minds of the target market is a vast and complex question. Although it is over seventy years old, rather simplistic and too hierarchical, a message model, like AIDA, attempts to map the mental processes through which a buyer passes en route to making a purchase. There are many other models that attempt to identify each stage. In reality the process is not always a linear sequence. Buyers often loop backwards at various stages perhaps for more information. There are other much more complex models that attempt to map the inner workings of the mind. In reality, marketers have to select communications tools that are most suitable for the stage which the target audience has reached. For example, advertising may be very good at raising awareness or developing interest, while free samples and sales promotions may be the way to generate trial. This is just a glimpse into some of the theory. Serious marketers read a lot more.

17. Reference & Bibliography Books Principles of Advertising and IMC, 2nd edition, By Tom Duncan Publication- New York: McGraw-Hill, 2005. Graph 1
http://www.breakingcall.com/index.php/blog/india-insight/85-india-blog/149-toothpaste-war-in-india-who-will-prevail2 Graph 2
http://www.slideshare.net/VishalKhatokar/savedfiles?s_title=marketing-project-toothpaste-industry&user_login=reshmiraveendran925
http://sensodyne.in/
http://www.ida.org.in/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sensodyne
http://us.sensodyne.com/products.aspx
http://www.dental-professional.com/products_sensodyne.aspx
http://www.gsk-dentalprofessionals.co.uk/brand.aspx?id=sensodyne
http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2014-07-23/news/51932343_1_sensodyne-sensitivity-segment-toothpaste-market
http://www.nature.com/bdj/journal/v212/n12/full/sj.bdj.2012.542.html
http://www.rediff.com/money/report/gsk-overtakes-colgate-in-sensitivity-segment-nielsen/20130418.htm
http://www.samachar.com/GlaxoSmithKline-back-on-health-track-ndpjOdaccde.html
http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/gsk-overtakes-colgate-in-sensitivity-segment-nielsen-113041800016_1.html
http://www.slideshare.net/joyajit/sensodyne-colgate-pro-relief
http://www.slideshare.net/hrudi21/toothpaste-7972238
http://www.campaignasia.com/Article/360246,Sensodyne+lets+sensitive+teeth+speak+for+themselves+in+AR-driven+campaign.aspx
https://www.google.co.in/search?q=sensodyne+ad&client=firefox-beta&rls=org.mozilla:en- US:official&channel=fflb&biw=939&bih=555&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=52kVVNKCPZKwuATSuICwBg&sqi=2&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ