Q1) Analyze Deo market and Dry Ideas Place in it.

What drives
the category from the consumer behavior point of view?
From the early Egyptian, Greek and Roman periods through the
19th century perfumed oils and waters were used to mask body odors. First
commercially underarm product was marketed in 1888 which was cream
based.
By 1983, the US market for underarm products have grown to 506 million
units, representing over $1 billion in manufacturers sales.
Category included two types of products
1.
2.

Deodorants (25% of sales) provided only anti-odor protection

Antiperspirants (75% of sales) provided effective deodorancy
and protection against perspiration wetness and effective deodrancy

Main component of the product was its active ingredient which performed
the odor or wetness control function. Active ingredients were formulated
into final products by adding them with carrier system water, oils etc.
In 1983, the products were available in four major forms
1. Aerosols
2. Roll-ons
3. Sticks
4. Solids
Dry Idea

It was a roll-on anti-perspirant launched in 1970 in scented and

unscented fragrances

Consumer Benefits:

Improved dryness protection

Dry feeling application

Silicon suspension formulation instead of water based

Packed in individually plastic roll-on containers

Premium pricing supported by trade promotion and national

advertising

Packaging:

Plastic roll-on containers individually packed into stand-up cartons

for on-shelf display in retail outlets

Pricing:

Premium pricing
characteristics

strategy

to

reflect

superior

performance

Promotion:

Trade promotion

Consumer promotion

National advertising

Consumer trends in the market were

1950s cream was the dominant carrier system and women were
principal users.

1960s launch of Gillets Right Guard (aerosol based) product

resulted in marked increase in male usage.

By mid-1970s aerosol based products accounted for 79% of the

category unit volume.

Consumer shift from Aerosols

forms like primary roll-ons(non-aerosol)

1977, A US government action on environmentalists claim that

aerosol products destroy ozone layer, resulted in a consumer backlash
and there was a major shift to direct application products primarily rollons.

Roll-ons were the category leader in 1983, however there was a

trend towards sticks and solids.

By 1983, 93% American females and 87% American males used the
products from this category

Purchases were made in food stores, drug stores and mass

merchandise outlet.

Major purchase factors were product efficacy, aesthetics and form

choice (was dominant factor).

towards

Competitive Environment

Dominated by Six Manufacturers

Proctor and Gamble (Secret and Sure brands)

Gillette (Right Guard, Dry Idea, Soft & Dry)

direct

application

Carter Wallace (Arid)

Mennen (Mennen, Lady Speed Stick)

Bristol-Myers (ban)

Shulton (Old Spice, Ladys choice)

Key success factors for these companies included

Distinctive brand positioning

Strong Advertising

Promotion support of existing brands

Product line expansion into non-aerosol forms

2. Understand the Brand management (clientGillette) and

Account management (agencyBBDO) organizations based on the
case data, read and follow the interactions (scenes 3132, 6244
in video transcripts) and analyze/ compare the client and agency
perspectives on the Gillette marketing and advertising issues
faced during the period.
Marketing and Advertising issues faced

Roll-on subset is declining, signs were indicating movement towards

sticks and solids

Lack of impactful and pre-emptive creative advertising

The advertisement budget was low (at times one-third of the

competitors) and ineffective as perceived by BBDO

Lack of identifiable brand personality (no emotional end benefit to

consumers)

Dry Idea had low top of the mind recall as it wasnt associated to
something consumers can easily relate to

Recommendations from BBDO

Conduct a strategic test free of executional variables to identify the

correct strategy choosing from the tradeoffs
o Going against or supporting solids
o Communicating Efficacy or Aesthetics

Develop a strong brand personality by running an interim creative

for 6-12 months Start to Finish

Spokesperson advertisement communicates only the attribute (no

water), not the benefit
o cannot be applied to solid or aerosol
o was not shot with the intent of airing it but was meant to go to
the ASI to learn how the no water attribute could be translated
into an equivalent benefit
o is a short term solution

Recommendations from Gillette

Form extension program was need of the hour for long term to
rejuvenate declining sales of roll-ons. Signs were indicating the next
incoming things were sticks and solids.

Short term program should be - To do better advertising, Product

improvement, introducing new fragrances