This document proposes developing a Geisha-branded mosquito repellent product to help combat malaria in Ghana. Malaria is a major public health problem, especially among children, in sub-Saharan Africa. The proposed Geisha Mosquito Repellent would complement existing malaria control measures like insecticide-treated bed nets. It could provide protection for travelers and others not protected by bed nets. The marketing strategy would create awareness through signs at borders and supply the product at transportation hubs. The document suggests partnering with the Ministry of Health and National Health Insurance Scheme to leverage existing health programs and institutions. Developing the product under the trusted Geisha brand name would give it a competitive advantage over existing repellents.

1. 2014
UNILEVER GHANA LTD, TEMA
GAMAOR ERIC MAKAFUI
Merchandiser, Al-Zulpha Akatsi.
[Product Idea Development
Geisha Mosquito Repellant ]
Malaria has been rated the leading killer disease in sub Sahara • In 2012, malaria caused an
estimated 627000 deaths (with an uncertainty range of 437000 to 789000) mostly in Africa and
highly among children.

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Table of Content
Page
Table of Content………………………………………………………….. 1
1.1 Introduction……………………………………………………… 2
1.2 Population Risk to Malaria……………………………………….. 2
1.3 Control Measures…………………………………………………. 3
2.0 Unilever Ghana ltd’s Role in Ghana Malaria Free Campaign… 4
3.0 Market Niche……………………………………………………... 4
4.0 Marketing Strategy………………………………………………..5
4.1 Creating a Strong Product Awareness……………………………. 5
4.2 Ensuring constant availability in supply chain…………………… 6
4.3 Collaboration/Leveraging………………………………………… 6
4.3.1 Ministry of Health………………………………………………… 6
4.3.2 National Health Insurance Scheme……………………………….. 6
5.0 Competitive Market Analysis……………………………………. 7

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Product Idea Development
Geisha Mosquito Repellant
1.1 Introduction
Malaria has been rated the leading killer disease in sub Sahara. Much effort has been made in
salvaging its devastating effect on the worse affected areas and much is still required. In the
WHO facts sheet No 94 updated 2014 the key Facts of malaria in the Sub Sahara was out lined
as follows
 Malaria is a life threatening disease caused by parasites that are transmitted to people
through the bites of infected mosquitoes
 In 2012, malaria caused an estimated 627000 deaths( with an uncertainty range of 437000 to
789000) mostly in Africa and highly among children
 Malaria is preventable and curable
 Increased malaria prevention and control measures are dramatically reducing the malaria
burden in many places
 Non immune travelers from malaria free areas are very vulnerable to the disease when they
get infected
Mostly, children are the major victims of malaria and according to certified information from
World Health Organization (WHO) researched conducted over the years unveil a shocking
revelation of a child dying of malaria every minute.
1.2 Population Risk to Malaria
It also quite frightening to know that the approximately half of the total world’s population is at
risk of malaria and most malaria cases and death occurs in the sub-Sahara Africa. Six countries in
the sub-Sahara Africa including Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, Mozambique and
Cote d’ Ivory account for an estimated 103 million malaria cases – 47% of the total global cases
with Nigeria and Democratic Republic of Congo together accounting for 40% of the total global
estimate.
The total global populations mostly are:
 Young children in stable transmission areas who have not yet developed protective
immunity against most severe form of diseases.
 Non- immune pregnant women as malaria causes high rate of miscarriages and lead to
maternal death rates.
 Semi- immune pregnant women in areas of high transmission malaria can result in
miscarriage and low birth weight especially during first and second pregnancy.

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 Semi immune HIV infected pregnant women in stable transmission areas, during all
pregnancies. Women with malaria infection of placenta also have a higher risk of passing
HIV infection to their new born.
 People with HIV/AIDS
 Inter nation traveler from non endemic areas because they lack immunity.
 Immigrants from endemic areas and their children living in non endemic areas and returning
to their home countries to visit friends and relatives are similar to risk because of waning or
absent immunity.
www.who.int/../en/
1.3 Control measures
Available control measures such as
 Indoor residences spraying
 Use insecticide-treated bed nets and
 Drugs such as arthemisinin combination therapy (ACT)
Have successfully reduce malaria cases and deaths but drug resistance has
become a growing threat as interventions continue to be scaled.
As an old adage goes “prevention is better than cure” the need to implement preventive measures
rather than control measures is now of an urgent necessity.

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2.0 Unilever Ghana ltd’s Role in Ghana Malaria Free Campaign
I believe Unilever Ghana ltd has the product range and production capacity to provide an
effective and efficient preventive product through its product brand Geisha.
Geisha being one of the leading brands of Unilever Ghana ltd has dominated the Ghanaian
markets of bathing soaps. I believe an attempt to fight against malaria could be channeled
towards the development of an extension of Geisha brand into a mosquito repellant. This can be
in a bar soap or lotion, Geisha Mosquito Repellant.
My experience with Tiashi as a sales representative in 2008/09 broadened my understanding of
the importance and effectiveness these methods of preventive measure could amount to in
branding Ghana a malaria free country.
In light of recent high growth rate of drug related resistance in the treatment of malaria, I believe
more focus should be channeled towards strengthening preventive mechanism system which
mainly comprises
 Indoor residences spraying
 Use insecticide-treated bed nets and
With the later being one of the most effective mechanism facing its challenges as this anti
malaria campaign progresses. Never the less, this mechanism currently faces challenges in it
effective implementation.
3.0 Market Niche
The whole idea of this product development plan is complementing current control measures and
making effective these mechanisms. Enough can never be enough when estimated 627000 deaths
(with an uncertainty range of 437000 to 789000) mostly in Africa and highly among children
was recorded in only 2012. Until every child in Africa is 100% safe from malaria and 0% death
rate assured, I believe more can be done to secure a malaria free future. Geisha mosquito
repellant will complement control mechanism in
1. Making convince to travelers the safety and protection from mosquitoes as their treated
bed nets.
2. Provide protection from mosquitoes throughout the night to ensure a sound sleep for
those who don’t have the protection of a treated bed nets.
3. To provide protection from mosquitoes between the early hours of the evening till
retiring to bed, e.g. SHS students who will have to prep till 9:30 every day in school.

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4.0 Marketing Strategy
This marketing strategy of this product development plan is targeted at creating a strong three
main pillars which comprises of;
1. Creating a strong product awareness
2. Ensuring constant availability in supply chain
3. Collaboration/ leveraging
4.1 Creating a Strong Product Awareness
How do we create a strong product awareness considering the nature of the product idea under
development?
Taking into consideration our first identified market target being travelers, this strategy seeks to
develop awareness bass advertisement that will mainly attract travelers both within the country
(intercity) and internationally.
In attracting international patronage of the product under discussion, we need to design suitable
mind probing and eye catching banners, strategic sales point as well as strategic occasional but in
frequent interval promotional packages for every entry point (boarder) into the country.
For example, Aflao being the main boarder town in my territory a good awareness strategy can
be
a) Mind probing: the next neibouring country being Togo, a preferred language on aside
English should be translation into French. An exciting message conveying this easy and
comfortable but effective way of malaria prevention. An additional touch of
traditionalism could be a translation into the indigenous language, Ewe. A possible
preposition; Unilever welcomes you to Ghana with Geisha Mosquito Repellant, Travel in
style and comfort with 0 risk of malaria infection.
b) Eye catching banners: In order to effectively utilize recourses and still be able to put out
communicative three translated language (English, French and Ewe) preposition
effectively displayed in combination with product colorfully will require a back and front
banners at strategic places.
c) Strategic Sales Points: the first and the last thing you see before leaving for Togo or
after entering into Ghana from Togo through the main boarder is a branch of Melcome
shopping center.

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4.2 Ensuring constant availability in supply chain
To be able to fully cover our market niche will require fulfilling and extra mile of designing a
special supply chain that will target intercity travelers at convenient places and time of traveling.
Day in day out, millions people travel round for various reasons thereby living the comfort of
their homes making it necessary for some to spend days away from home. In other to protect
these people, street hooking of the Geisha mosquito repellant could be introduce so as to make
available and remind travelers of its need. The designing of the supply chain should mainly focus
on being able to constantly supply theses hookers.
4.3 Collaboration/Leveraging
This strategy focuses on ways we can partner with existing functional institutional mechanism in
fully exhausting our market niche. We can work out an agreement to suit each institution based
on our combined strength and resources in achieving a common aim. Some outlined institutions
that we can start with;
4.3.1 Ministry of Health
Ministry of health being the primary health body of the country can be of great help in the
successful introduction of this product and can also provide an efficient monitoring and
evaluation report of the efficiency of the product.
Leveraging with the ministry of health provide us wider marketing platform in addressing a long
known global issue of malaria. Due to the challenges being faced with the National Health
Insurance Scheme (NHIS), a sales plan that will help the various health institutions generate
revenue to meet pressing financial challenges could attract great interest and patronage.
4.3.2National Health Insurance Scheme
Unilever Ghana ltd as part of their cooperate social responsibility could leverage with the
national health insurance in providing for pregnant women an effective comfortable preventive
means from malaria at a very reduced cost so as to effectively protect our pregnant women from
malaria. This is to help create more awareness of the product as well as patronage across the
country.
5.0 Competitive Market Analysis
Currently, the identified competitive products on the market are “Anadwo mosquito repellant”
displayed below

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Another strong competitive product is that of PZ medi- soft mosquito repellant which is currently
known to have the leading market share of the product idea in question.
6.0 COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE
Brand name
Unilever Ghana ltd over the years have committed it effort in creating a strong competitive brand
in the whole world. It is believed that any product under the brand name is a best option among
which ever category.
Distribution Channel
Most of the retailers transport these products all the way from the capital city to their various
destinations and bear the cost of transport themselves. We at Unilever have an effective transport
system and a well defined distribution channel that enables door to door delivery for our
customers.
This is a personal research into the low patronage of blue band original in my territory as a
merchandiser under Al – Zulpha. A major constrain to the efficiency of this research is finance
by restricting the some part of the work.
Gbologah Eric Makafui
0249302014/0206666306

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