Lifebuoy soap was introduced in 1894 in England by Lever Brothers to help stop the spread of cholera. It entered the Indian market in 1895 and became the largest selling soap brand in India by 1940. Over time, Lifebuoy expanded its product line and used various advertising campaigns promoting hygiene and health to establish itself as a family brand focused on preventing disease. It faces competition from other soap brands but maintains market share through community initiatives and social marketing campaigns.

1. Lifebuoy
(The brand
saves the
life)
Pazhaneraajaa G (17397068)
MBA – DMS
Pondicherry University

2. Profile
• Introduced on : 1894
• Introduced by : Lever Brothers in England
• Products : Body wash, Hand wash, Body soap,
Clinic care, Sanitizer
• Product Available: 22 different countries
• USP: Lifebuoy provides 100% better protection
for germs as compared to other soaps.

3. Source : https://www.lifebuoy.in/lifebuoy/about-lifebuoy.html

4. History of lifebuoy
• 1894 – William Heskett lever launched lifebuoy in the UK as the royal
disinfectant soap – using carbolic acid
• It is launched to stop the cholera in the Victorian England
• 1895 – Reached Bombay harbor
• 1911 – brand went global – distribution started in US, Germany, Canada and
Switzerland
• 1935 – officially launched in India
• 1940 – largest selling soap in India
• 1962 – white version of the soap was introduced and followed by pink and
aqua version.
• 1987 –until then the brand was originally produced in UK, later Unilever took
the control.

5. Lifebuoy in India
1895
• Lifebuoy entered into Indian market
1956
• Lifebuoy advertisement - Tandurusti ki raksha karta hai Lifebuoy
1970
• New product – Lifebuoy Special, Lifebuoy witnessed the maturity
stage
1970-
1991
• Nirma and other local brands entered into the market

6. 2002
• Lifebuoy changed their position
2002-
2004
• Lifebuoy swestya chetna – Sales grew to 10% after the campaign
• Regrowth of Lifebuoy
2008
• New products – Lifebuoy handwash, bodywash, sanitizers came out
2011 • Repositioning – Protection from 10 infection causing germs

7. Product
• Product line extension
• Brand extension

8. Price
• Lifebuoy is considered as the low price with high quality
• Penetration pricing
• HUL launched lifebuoy at a price of Rs.2 to target rural market,
• Lifebuoy product price range from Rs10 to Rs15 for the rural market

9. Place
• Lifebuoy have extensive distribution through out India.
• More than 2000 suppliers
• 80 factories
• 45 C&F agent
• Covers more than 50,000 villages and 250 million consumers

10. Advertisement
• “knock out B.O.”
• 1964 – Brand relaunch – used Sports – 25
years - ‘Tandurusti ki raksha karta hai
Lifebuoy…Lifebuoy hai jahaa tandurusti
hai wahaan’
• TV, radio
• Krish movie
• Campaigns

11. Shifts of lifebuoy philosophy
‘You will be healthy if you use Lifebuoy’
to
‘You will not fall ill if you use Lifebuoy’.
‘Masculine brand’
to
‘Family brand’.

12. Campaigns
Lifebuoy targeted the rural Indian market and
emphasized the importance of using their product.
Lifebuoy Swasthya Chetna campaign – visibly
clean is not really clean – social marketing – 2002
More than 50,600 villages among 9 States in India
was covered
More than 110 million reach
Result – Soap use increased among the parents and
children

13. Global handwashing day
• Started in 2008, Oct - 15
• Over 25 million pledges were
made and over 6 million people
pledged in Social media pages of
Lifebuoy

14. Help a Child Reach 5 (Kajol – Brand Ambassdor)

15. “Roti Reminder”- Maha kumbh mela - Allahabad

16. Hygiene and Disaster education
• 1941 blitz of London, the brand set up a free washing facilities
for public use
• 2004 after a Tsunami hit Asia, Lifebuoy bars were sent in relief
packages to India, Sri Lanka and Indonesia to help prevent the
spread of disease
• The brand also provided aid after earthquakes hit Pakistan and
Northern India in 2005.
• Lifebuoy donated over 200,000 bars of soap to the International
Committee of the Red Cross to support the recovery effort.

17. Social Media Presence

18. Challenges faced by Lifebuoy
• Targeted only children and masculine brand
• Entry of Nirma and other soaps
• 1996 – Consumer query – “Why do I need lifebuoy when all the soaps
are clean”
• Change in consumer needs

19. Lifebuoy vs Dettol

20. Latest products from lifebuoy

21. References
• https://www.leaf.tv/articles/history-of-lifebuoy-soap/
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/magazines/brand-equity/brand-story-lifebuoys-journey-that-is-in-the-
spotlight/articleshow/7765313.cms
• https://www.fastcompany.com/43028/strategic-innovation-hindustan-lever-ltd
• https://www.forbes.com/sites/williamarruda/2018/02/15/why-storytelling-is-the-key-to-success-and-how-to-tell-your-
story/#52c5e2cb7711
• https://www.outlookbusiness.com/strategy/feature/the-soap-opera-begins-1195
• https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20160307-house-on-the-hill-828517-2016-02-24
• https://www.exchange4media.com/marketing/lifebuoys-handwashing-ambassador-kajol-in-un-to-promote-the-cause_52830.html
• http://www.brownpoliticalreview.org/2017/12/29673/
• http://onedaycart.com/odcb/lifebuoy-soap-brand-history.html
• https://www.lifebuoy.in/products.html
• https://twitter.com/lifebuoy_arabia/status/786220187347451904
• https://www.quora.com/How-does-Unilever-maintain-consistent-sales-for-its-soap-brands-Lux-Hamam-etc-in-India
• https://www.unilever.co.uk/about/who-we-are/our-history/1940-1949.html
• https://causemarketing.com/case-study/lifebuoy-roti-reminder/

22. • https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/catalyst/a-soap-for-all-
seasons/article23031009.ece
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/lifebuoy-how-the-brands-
transformation-win-its-fans/articleshow/18699446.cms
• https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/how-lifebuoy-shell-reaped-
success-far-away-from-the-city/articleshow/46594591.cms
• http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/29986_Lifebuoy-Hand-Sanitizer-
takes-up-hand-hygiene-at-malls
• http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/36959_Round-Two-Now-
Lifebuoy-attacks-Dettol
• http://www.yaeeshcader.com/evolution-brand-marketing-lifebuoy-
soap/