RIN detergent was introduced in 1984 but sales were low for the first 3 years as it was primarily positioned as a fabric washing detergent. However, a 1988 survey found that 65% of users were actually using it as a dishwashing detergent, likely due to its blue color. The document considers alternatives for repositioning RIN, including keeping its dual usage, separating it into distinct fabric softener and dishwashing products, focusing solely on one usage, or changing its primary usage. It ultimately recommends repositioning RIN as both a dishwashing and fabric softening product by introducing a new color for the fabric softening bar to attract non-users while allowing current dishwashing users to continue that

1. CASE STUDY SOLUTION
RIN DETERGENT:TO
POSITION OR REPOSITION
Group 8
Anshul Gupta
Supraja Reddy
Kunal Gandhi
Pratit Vajani
Shanmughanand
Vishal Adkar

2. Situation Analysis
 RIN was introduced in April 1984 at a price of INR 2.95 per
pack size of 130gm
 A thunder and lightning theme was used for ad campaigns
 For the first 3 years, sales of RIN were low at sub-700
tonnes/yr level
 Several consumer promotion schemes were tried during this
period but none of them could produce the desired results
 In 1987, a new media campaign was launched that targeted the
laundry soaps by emphasizing on the benefits of using RIN
over soaps:
 Superior fabric washing
 Abundant and instant lather
 Cleaner, brighter and more economical wash
1984:
INR 0.50 price-off campaign
Jan-March 1985:
INR 1 off on purchase of
2 bars
April-Jul 1985:
INR 0.70 price-off campaign
June 1986:
Package size reduced to 125gm @
INR 2.5 and a new 250gm size @
INR 4.75 was introduced

3. Situation Analysis
 A survey was conducted in 1988 and its results were:
 RIN was positioned as a fabric washing but still 65% of the
users used it as a dishwashing bar
 Consumers associated blue color with a dishwashing bar
which could have led them to perceive RIN as a dishwashing
bar
15%
65%
20%
RIN Usage
Breakdown
Fabric
Washing
Dish
Washing

4. ALTERNATIVES

5. Dish
Washer
& Fabric
softner
Dish
washer
+ Fabric
softener
Only
Fabric
Softener
Only
Dish
washer
Alternatives
 RIN as Dishwasher and Fabric softener both
 Focus on the Re-positioning of RIN as Fabric softener as well as
take the advantage of its usage as Dish washer.
 RIN as Dishwasher and RIN as Fabric softener
 Focus on the positioning RIN as Fabric softener as one product
and Dish washer as another in turn not compensating on revenue
 RIN as Fabric softener
 Focus on the initial positioning of RIN as Fabric softener
 RIN as Dishwasher
 Focus on launching RIN as Dish washer

6.  Details:
 Re-position the RIN brand to be used for both the purposes
 Will differentiate RIN from other competing brands which
cater to either fabric softeners or dish washers
 Will be able to leverage the customer base which is using the
same product for different uses
 Focus:
 Targeted at house wives and female population
 Get a female celebrity to endorse the uses of the product
 Implications:
 No change in the product mix
 Additional expenditure only in the form of advertisements
and sales promotional campaigns
Dish
Washer
& Fabric
softner
Dish
washer
+ Fabric
softener
Alternatives
Only
Fabric
Softener
Only
Dish
washer

7. Dish
Washer
& Fabric
softner
Dish
washer
+ Fabric
softener
Alternatives
Only
Fabric
Softener
Only
Dish
washer
 Details:
 RIN targets two different markets - fabric softeners and dish
washers
 Will be able to leverage the existing customer base and cater to the
entire mass without confusion as to what the product is meant for
 Focus:
 To differentiate both the products in terms of packaging and
promotion
 No blue color for fabric softener to avoid confusion
 Implications:
 New product mix involves additional cost of production and
packaging
 Heavy expenditure on advertisements and sales promotional
campaigns for introduction of new product

8. Dish
washer
& Fabric
softener
Dish
washer
+ Fabric
softener
Only
Fabric
softener
Only
Dish
washer
Alternatives
 Details:
 RIN is the only NSD bas in the market
 Continue with the existing strategy of marketing RIN as a fabric
softener
 Take advantage of the consumer perception of using it as dish
washer to generate additional revenue
 Focus:
 Differentiate the product with a different color or shade from
dishwasher bars
 Focus on the new features of the product through a female
celebrity to endorse the product
 Implications:
 New product mix involves additional cost of production and
packaging
 Heavy expenditure on advertisements and sales promotional
campaigns for introduction of new product

9. Dish
washer
& Fabric
softener
Dish
washer
+ Fabric
softener
Only
Fabric
Softener
Only
Dish
washer
Alternatives
 Details:
 Re-launch the product as a Dish washer
 Re-affirm the trust consumer has in the product as a dish washer
and tap the 65% consumers that use it as a dish washer
 Focus:
 Maintain the blue color of the product for consumers to associate
with the brand
 Focus on the new features of the product being a dish washer
through a female celebrity to endorse the product
 Implications:
 New product mix involves 33% lesser cost on elimination of fabric
softeners ingredients
 Heavy expenditure on advertisements and sales promotional
campaigns for introduction of new product

10. Recommendations
 We recommend to use RIN as Dish washer + Fabric softener in order
not to lose market and to attract new customers
 Should use the current bar and introduce as Dish Washer and change
the color of the bar and promote as Fabric Softener
 This way 65% population who use it as Dish Washer continue to do so
 Those who don’t use it for Fabric Softener because of the color would
be inclined to use it because of extensive promotion and change of
color
 The population of 15% who use it only for fabric washing will continue
to use it. So overall sales increases

11. Thank You