Unilever’s Lifebuoy in

India
 Protagonists : Paul Polman -CEO Unilever
Sameer Singh -Global Brand Vice President
Sudir Sitapati -HUL’s category manager
 Introduction :
Lifebuoy which was originated in North England in 1894.
In 1995, Lifebuoy celebrated its 100th year anniversary.
It is a Red colour carbolic soap.
 DILEMMA :
Sitapati has to decide which of the option three behaviour change project he
should include in Indian budget.
Polman’s problem was that the decision of three goals of USLP’s which he was
taken is reflected the shift in strategy.
Sameer Singh had to decide whether to intervene in the decision.
Life cycle
 1894-The Birth of iconic Lifebuoy Soap.
 1995-Lifebuoy completed 100th year in the Indian market.
 2000 – 2001 -Sales value declined by more than 20% in a single year between 2000
and 2001. Since most of this decline occurred in rural areas.
 2001-Market share fell from 15.4% in 1997 to12.1%. Lifebuoy was seen as a cheap
old­fashioned soap.
 2002- Swasthya Chetna begins
 Campaign message - Visibly clean is not really clean
 2005- Gained share of 18.4% in Indian personal soap market, and was again the
brand leader. Profit margins continued to decline. No sustained change in
handwashing habits. Program's cost significantly exceeded its returns.
 2005 to 2007- Repositioning and Relaunch Failures."Life without Fear" campaign
(emotionally engaging but failed to communicate product advantages to motivate
consumers to buy).Research connecting soap usage & school attendance
 2010- Lifebuoy Liquid Handwash was relaunched with a campaign highlighting its
germ-killing capability.
 COMPANY OBJECTIVE
To make lifebuoy the standard bearer of this last goal while simultaneously doubling
sales and meeting ambitious profit objective.
CRITERIA :
The 1st Option : The KKD Rural Outreach Initiative : It involved teams visiting
villages and hosting meetings where the sponsoring products were presented. It
focused on housewives rather than children.
The 2nd Option: The MP Partnership Initiative : An agreement between MP
government and HUL. The role of HUL is to create the materials, deliver training,
provide soap & manage the evaluation process. The Role of MP government is Provide
school access and support. UNICEF to print activity kits & link the partners. As a
condition of its support, the MP government insisted that the training and materials
could not be branded with Lifebuoy’s name.

 The 3rd Option: The Urban Schools Liquids Initiative : Its objective was to
increase the use of Lifebuoy Liquid Handwash Rather than Lifebuoy soap bars. It
focused solely on Lifebuoy rather than multiple products. It aimed at urban markets
rather than rural locations. It targeted children rather than housewives
Decision-
 Sitapati should go for 3rd option which is Urban school Liquids initiative and
targeting school students for the liquid hand wash variant because children
find fun in the use of pump and Children are always asked to wash their hand
after eating anything or after playing. So Children find this type of liquid
handwash attractive and they use it regularly.
 The Problem of Polman is that his decision of three goals of USLP’s is
reflecting the shift of strategy because now a days the problem related to
environment is a very major issue and targeting that thing by the lifebuoy in
its product surely a great strategic shift for the company.
 BEHAVIOUR CHANGE
Hand washing behaviour change in India had reached 17 million in 2012,
47 million since 2010, 450 million by 2015.
Soap consumption increased by 8%.

 RETURN ON INVESTMENT
Cost per contact had fallen to Rs. 6 (about$0.10)
 MARKETING MIX
PRODUCT PRICE PLACE PROMOTION
Lifebuoy Soap Economy Price Urban, Semi Urban, Swasthya cheytan
Lifebuoy Handwash Rural areas campaign.
Shakti Ammas.
Urban school liquids
program.
5C’s Analysis

CONTEX COMPANY COMPETITORS CONSUMER

• HYGIENE Unilever’s • DETTOL ANY INDIVIDUAL OF
• SOLUTION TO company • LUX 6-50+ YEARS.
THE DISEASES, • DOVE

 MP partnership
STP
SEGMENTATION TARGETING POSITIONING
 Geographic: Urban,  Middle and lower class. The soap market is divided
Semi urban, Rural. 6-50+ years into health, naturals,
 Demographic: Gender – anyone beauty, freshness.
Age – 6-50+ years Lower income Lifebuoy is been
Gender – Anyone positioned by its use and
Target area – lower application. It is been
income positioned by complete
 Psychographic: Middle family soap.
and lower class people
Outdoor oriented and
sports oriented lifestyle
 Behavioural: Total
protection antiseptic
soap. Regular user soap