Mortein Reflections
The dawn of vaporisers heralded a new dimension in the technology of mosquito repellents. They were odourless, smokeless and inconspicuously went about their task of getting rid of mosquitos and other such flying pests. Mortein was one such participant in this endeavour to make homes mosquito free.
Mortein was first manufactured as an insecticidal powder in 1870 and then moved to producing insect repellents. After changing hands it finally became part of the Reckitt Benckiser family, which is one of the fastest growing companies in India. It came to India in 1993 took 3 years for a national roll-out with mosquito repellent as product. It entered the coil market with just one competitor, Tortoise, and was able to easily overtake it. Its products presently include coils, mats, vaporisers and rat poison.
Mortein has advocated and positioned itself in the market as a provider of repellents that are not harmful to its users and contain natural ingredients that are both safe and effective. The mosquito repellent in India is one of tremendous potential as India is a tropical country that sees diseases like malaria, dengue fever, etc. on regular basis. The market is valued at Rs. 2200 crores with a CAGR of 15%. The more people are becoming aware of the dangers of mosquito borne diseases, the more has this market flourished.
Other major players in the repellent market are All Out, Good Knight, Maxo, Baygon, etc. Mortein vaporizers (vaps) were launched in the Indian market in 1999, and were re-launched in 2004 with better graphics and packaging. In spite of seeing the possibility for growth in the market, Mortein currently ranks 3rd in mosquito repellent market behind Good Knight and All Out. Some advertising agencies had recently described Mortein as a ‘negative’ product with its association with irritation, helplessness, worries and fear of diseases. This seemed to be causing an erosion of customer base.
Another problem faced by Mortein was its late arrival on the
Mortein was first manufactured as an insecticidal powder in 1870 and then moved to producing insect repellents. After changing hands it finally became part of the Reckitt Benckiser family, which is one of the fastest growing companies in India. It came to India in 1993 took 3 years for a national roll-out with mosquito repellent as product. It entered the coil market with just one competitor, Tortoise, and was able to easily overtake it. Its products presently include coils, mats, vaporisers and rat poison.
Mortein has advocated and positioned itself in the market as a provider of repellents that are not harmful to its users and contain natural ingredients that are both safe and effective. The mosquito repellent in India is one of tremendous potential as India is a tropical country that sees diseases like malaria, dengue fever, etc. on regular basis. The market is valued at Rs. 2200 crores with a CAGR of 15%. The more people are becoming aware of the dangers of mosquito borne diseases, the more has this market flourished.
Other major players in the repellent market are All Out, Good Knight, Maxo, Baygon, etc. Mortein vaporizers (vaps) were launched in the Indian market in 1999, and were re-launched in 2004 with better graphics and packaging. In spite of seeing the possibility for growth in the market, Mortein currently ranks 3rd in mosquito repellent market behind Good Knight and All Out. Some advertising agencies had recently described Mortein as a ‘negative’ product with its association with irritation, helplessness, worries and fear of diseases. This seemed to be causing an erosion of customer base.
Another problem faced by Mortein was its late arrival on the