Complan Success Story

COMPLAN SUCCESS STORY

INTRODUCTION
COMPLAN is one of the most popular milk food drinks available in India and is owned by Heinz foods. H.J.Heinz Company COMPLAN was first introduced by Glaxo in the United Kingdom, as an essential nutritional supplement for soldiers at the frontlines during the Second World War. It was introduced to India in 1964 by Glaxo Laboratories. With a heritage of over 30 years, the brand today stands as the gold standard in nutrition for children. It is coined from the words “COMplete” and “PLANned”.
ANALYSIS/STRATEGY
After a detailed analysis of the environment, it was found that Indian customers were health conscious and needed a nutritious drink for their children. So Glaxo came out with, COMPLAN with a combination of 23 vital nutrients, necessary for the overall development of growing children, The USP of , which was 100% milk protein. It was well marketed through doctors as a convalescence drink. In 1969, COMPLAN went OTC though image perceptions continued to be ethical. Hence, from 1969 to 1973 the product advertising was focused on the ‘Goodness of COMPLAN’ as a means to compensate dietary deficiencies.
The brand’s next major milestone occurred in 1975. In order to expand the user base, it was decided to establish COMPLAN as an ideal nutritional supplement for growing children. Thereafter, COMPLAN has gone on to become the most trusted brand for children’s nutrition in India. “I’m a COMPLAN Boy, I’m a COMPLAN Girl” remains one of the most well loved and instantly recalled jingles even today.
Glaxo found that the market potential was not fully tapped and hence changed its promotional strategy from targeting the existing users to attracting new users. The baseline was changed to “extra growing power" and ads were mainly targeting the non users of the product. Heinze took over COMPLAN in the year 1995.
Heinze changed its positioning for COMPLAN from children to young adults, due to increased focus of competitors like Horlicks and other GSK products in the adult segment. COMPLAN have also launched COMPLAN: Family, a variant aiming at all members of family as a part of expanding the target market. Another interesting strategy was the launch of COMPLAN sachet priced at Rs5 for 15gm COMPLAN. These smaller packs not only explore the bottom of pyramid by penetrating rural and emerging markets, it attracts aspirants who earlier wanted to use the products but couldn't afford them.
An internal analysis made COMPLAN to introduce a new Caramel-flavored variant to get more children to drink COMPLAN.
CONCLUSION
With the competition getting hot all the time the brand is reinventing itself and has showcased the fact that a successful marketing strategy compliments an efficient product.