Integrated Marketing Management

Assignment: The Gillette Company Dry Idea

Advertising (A)

Analyses of questions are in below mentioned pages:

Analyze Deo market and Dry Ideas place in it. What drive the category from the
consumer behavior point of view?.............................................................................. 2
Understand the Brand management (client-gillette) and Account management
(agency-BBDO) organization based on the case data, read and follow the
interactions (scenes 31-32, 62-44 in video transcripts) and analyze/ compare the
client and agency perspectives on the Gillette marketing and advertising issues
faced during the period.............................................................................................. 2
What really is the problem? What alternatives Carol has and what should she do?.............................3

Integrated Marketing Management

Analyze Deo market and Dry Ideas place in it. What drive
the category from the consumer behavior point of view?
Perfumed oils and waters were used to mask body odors till nineteenth
century. There were underarm products introduced in 19 th century. Marketing
of these commercial underarm products started in 1888 and by 1983, this
market of underarm products have grown to more than 500 million units
which shows over $1 billion in manufacturers sales. These products were
available in form of aerosols, roll-ons, sticks and solids in 1983. Also these
products were placed in two categories which were deodorants and
antiperspirants. 25% of sales volume was governed by deodorants and rest
75% were of antiperspirants. Antiperspirants were used for protection
against perspiration wetness and deodorancy on the other hand deodorants
is used for anti odor protection.
Dry Idea was a roll-on antiperspirant. It has silicon suspension formulation
instead of water based. It was launched in 1970 in scented and unscented
fragrances with improved dryness protection and dry feeling application. It
was packed in plastic roll-on containers.
Consumer trends in market were as following:
1. 1950s: Cream was the main product and mostly women were the
consumer
2. 1960s: Because of Gillette Right Guard consumption among Men
became higher
3. Mid 1970s: Aerosol based products were highly appreciated and
accounted for 79% of category unit volume
4. 1983: Product usage according to gender was Male (87%) and Females
(93%)
Also the products were purchased from food stores, drug stores and mass
merchandise outlets. The percentage of purchase was 52%, 27% and 21%
relatively for above mentioned stores. Form choice was the main purchase
factor. Apart from form choice, product efficacy and aesthetics(dry, nice
fragrance) were also major purchasing factors.

Integrated Marketing Management

Understand the Brand management (client-gillette) and

Account management (agency-BBDO) organization based
on the case data, read and follow the interactions (scenes
31-32, 62-44 in video transcripts) and analyze/ compare
the client and agency perspectives on the Gillette
marketing and advertising issues faced during the period.
BBDOs perspective:
1. To develop a strong brand personality by running an interim creative
for 6-12 months Start to Finish.
2. To go against solids or not?
3. To communicate efficacy or aesthetics?
4. Conducting a strategic test free of executional variables to identify the
correct strategy choosing from the tradeoffs.
5. Spokesperson advertisement communicates only the attribute (no
water), not the benefit and it could not be applied to solid or aerosol
which was also not a long term solution.
Gillettes perspective:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Move to the sticks and solids segment of products.

To do better advertising
Product improvement
Introducing new fragrances

Marketing and advertising issues faced:

1.
2.
3.
4.

Growth of Roll-on is declining

Customer inclination towards sticks and solids
Lack of creative and hard impact advertising
Advertisement commission of Gillette was lower than industry average,
hence it was a very de-motivating factor
5. No emotional end benefit to consumers was seen

What really is the problem? What alternatives Carol has and what should she
do?
Problems identified:

Integrated Marketing Management

Gillette planned two new advertisement campaigns New start to finish and
All you feel is dry. Neither of the test commercial had outperformed target
scores on recall. Because of a No go situation on these campaigns the
required breakthrough in advertising for the brand was not accomplished
also Gillette was not getting the required creative support from the BBDO
agency in case of Dry Idea.
Possible alternatives:
1. If it keep BBDO then:
1. Long term partnership exists between BBDO and Gillette
2. Any other agency will start from scratch and it will waste a lot of
time and resources
3. It is also a possible solution to involve BBDO along with a new
agency to develop new campaigns
2. If it fire BBDO then:
1. Continue with Spokesman advertisement, as it is ongoing it
might be more impactful
2. Hire a new agency to make new marketing campaign
3. Expansion of product range and to assign all these new
campaigns to the new agency