The document summarizes the marketing challenges facing Lever's RIN laundry bar brand in India in 1988. It discusses that while RIN sales grew in the early years after its 1984 launch, it never exceeded 700 tons annually in sales. A survey found that 65% of consumers were using RIN for dishwashing rather than laundry. The brand's blue color and packaging also did not clearly differentiate it from competitors' products on shelves. To address these problems, the document outlines a six-point action plan to revamp RIN's positioning, increase retailer engagement, expand distribution, boost in-store visibility, target non-users, and strengthen brand awareness advertising. The goal is to distinguish RIN as a fabric washing product and regain

1. Positioning - RIN
A mind game

2. Intro
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Lever is a conglomerate deals in multiple product line consisting huge
assortment. Deals in shampoos, skin and shaving creams, edible oils,
margarine, toilet soaps, scourers, and laundry detergents in powder and solid
bar forms.
Lever profit before tax in 1988 was Rs 277Mio, 9% against sales revenue
Lever launched a fabric washer named “RIN” in 1984 in form of solid, blue
NSD Bar.
Formulated & promoted RIN in the same context. The sales volume driven
reasonably till 1988 & increased market share vs LY with following facts:
a.
b.
c.
The laundry soap - 5%
NSD detergent - 12%
NSD bar - 29%

3. Market Analysis – DETERGENTS 1988
Category
Laundary Soap
Non Soap detergant
NSD Bar
Sales in 1988 (Tons)
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Vol (Tons)
247,000
14,500
1,550
Growth Price Per
Vs LY
KG
94%
5% 10_15
6%
12% 20_45
1%
29% 24_26
263,050
Vol Cont %
Lever had no entry in laundry soap segment, but its two brands of
NSD powder surf and sunlight had captured 50% of powder market.
Lever did not have any formal product entry in dishwashing market since
late 1987. It had introduced sunlight dish wash in 1985 but brand could
not establish itself.

4. RIN
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Blue non soap detergent Introduced in 1984, and was priced to sell at
retail for 2.95 per pack of 130 gm.
Rs 5 million promotion and advertising budget support the introduction
of the product in the market.
“ A little amount of RIN washes a large lot of clothes”. This is the main
theme of commercial.
Sale of RIN in the first three years disappointed never crossing
700tones per year. In march the price of 130 gram packaging raised to
3.15
Profit (before income tax) in 1988 was 2.5 Mio, 7% against the sales
revenue

5. Current PROBLEM
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RIN was primarily used for dishwashing & a survey confirmed that 65% of
surveyed were using it in the same context
Bar color Blue while competitor bar colors is bluish & packaging wasn‟t
matched to competition & looks odd in NSD shelf
Confusing ad with indistinct messaging in the past
No booster in retailer margin since launched
Unsuccessful consumer promotions:
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CPO @ Rs. 0.50 in 1984
Buy two bars at Rs 1 off by giving a newspaper coupon to retailer in 1985
Rs 0.70 off on purchase of bar in 1985

6. What is
Positioning….
Positioning is a marketing concept relating to a process of
creating an image of the product in the minds of the consumer
or in other words create a niche market for itself.
“Positioning the brand & regaining trust are all smart
things for us to do and those are all litmus tests for any
decision, we make”.
John Mckinley
„

7. Positioning – Win the battle in your mind
Ranking
1
2
3
4
5
6
Action Plan
Focus at
Key to Driver
Product
Revamping
Coloring &
Packaging
-To signify as a fabric washer
Bar
-To defuse image as a
dishwasher
Retail
Engagement
Initiate
activates to
stimulate
retailer
- Retailer margin
attractiveness,
- Trade Promos to emulate
product
Numeric
Expansion
Product
placement
Specific SEC Targeting
Determine Mind
Share
Dry outlets –
Selling laundry
soaps
In store Retail
Non User &
Potential User
Female - Consumer
Cost
Implications
Only advt &
packaging
Benefit/s
-Product distinction
-Image building
-Primary sales push
Cost of margin & -Increase stocks levels
promotion
-Retailer priority to your
product
-Collection of subjected outlet
data
-Target areas, markets & high vol
outlets selection
-Increase in
Operating
Expense at
distribution end
-Numeric expansion
-Fertile grey areas
-Vol drive
-Category shelving & facing
-Shelf locking,
-Price messaging
Planogram
-POP material
cost
-Locking rental
-Elevate sell out
-product prominence,
-To capitalize through the price to
those using detergent powders
-Projection through attributes
POP placement
Increase in consumer base
-Local language ads with renowned
BA
-Brand awareness through
-Expense on ads Benefit to
stakeholders
-Building image top of mind
-B2C communication

8. Thanks 