Surf Excel is a detergent powder launched in 1959 that is one of the oldest brands in India. It was initially positioned based on its cleaning power but later changed its communication strategy in line with Unilever's global "Dirt is Good" platform. Today, Surf Excel leads the premium fabric wash category in India. To understand HUL's strategy for regaining market share for Surf Excel, this case study examines the 4Ps of marketing mix - Product, Price, Place, and Promotion. For product, Surf Excel offers a wide range with its tagline being "Dirt is good". For price, HUL has adjusted pricing based on competitors and recently lowered prices. For place, HUL

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CASE STUDY ON
4 P’S OF
“SURF EXCEL”

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ABOUT SURF EXCEL
 Surf Excel, launched in 1959, is one of the oldest detergent powders in
India and Pakistan.
 Initially the brand was positioned on the clean proposition of “washes
whitest”. However, with the emergence of numerous local detergent
manufacturers and the entry of other global brands, Surf Excel underwent
various changes in its brand communication.
 This is in line with the global communication platform of ‘Dirt Is Good’,
which is a communication strategy of Unilever for its premium detergent
products, sold under various brand name.
 Today, Surf Excel leads the Premium Fabric Wash Category in India.
Some of the other major detergent products of Unilever in India are Rin
and Wheel. The latest entry into the segment is Comfort, a Fabric
Conditioner.
 MARKETING MIX
 In order to understand which strategy HUL has used to achieve its
objectives of regaining lost ground in the market, we will look at the
marketing mix of the company and its product SURF EXCEL.
 As marketing strategy shapes the marketing mix for the products, the
marketing mix will point to the strategic choice of the company.
 The marketing mix is a synonym for 4ps, which is constructed of the four
most important components of every product’s strategy - Product, Price,
Promotion and Place.

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MARKETING MIX: 4 P’S OF SURF EXCEL
1. PRODUCT
 Surf Excel came up with the idea of ‘Surfing along, par ‘Excellence!!It
has a wide productrange which includes-
 Surf Excel Blue
 Surf Excel Quick wash
 Surf Excel Bar
 Surf Excel Gentle wash
 Surf Excel Front Matic
 Surf Excel Top Matic
 Surf Excel is known for its famous tagline “Daag tou achay hotay hain”
/”Dirt is good”.
 But this is much more than just a tagline. It is a central philosophy that the
brand lives by, with an intrinsic passion to ensure child development
through tactile learning.

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2. PRICE
 The pricing Strategy for Surf Excel has always been in
accordance with its competitors.
 A change in pricing strategy for HUL’s Surf Excel brand,
which dominates the 5000 crore detergent powder
market,seems to be on the cards.
 The FMCG major conceded that its price reduction strategy has not
yielded any value gains for the brand and had,in fact, led to its
‘commoditisation’.
 HUL has announced a drastic reduction in price by Rs. 20 per kilo on surf
excel,its premium detergent brand, making it equal to competing brand
Ariel from P&G. Price cut from Rs 155 to Rs 135 per kg.
 HUL is now reworking its Surf Excel Strategy by moving away from
positioning the brand on functional benefits to building an emotional
connect.

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3. PLACE
 HUL distribution network – key strength (Which helps reach out its
productacross the length and width of the vastcountry)
 Direct coverage in over 1 million retail outlets
 7000 Stockist
 2000+ Suppliers & Associates.
4. PROMOTION
 Promotions of surf excel to various target audiences is a vital part of the
management function.
 Followings medium are used for promotion
 Print media
 Electronic media
 Live Demonstrations
 Social Events
 Dirt is good website