Hul's Marketing Strategy for Nirma
Assignment:
Q 1. Based on the case study, critically examine HUL’s Marketing strategy (STP) for Wheel since its inception and the reasons for the success of the brand.
Solution:
Wheel Powder was launched by Hindustan Unilever Ltd. in 1987 in response to the success of Nirma detergent powder - a local Indian brand launched in 1977 by Karsanbhai Patel, a well known entrepreneur and philanthropist of Gujarat. Nirma was introduced at a price that attracted the cost-conscious Indian consumer. Prior to 1988, Wheel had existed, for about a decade, in the bar form before it was launched as a powder. In its new avatar, the principal task of Wheel was to arrest the growth of Nirma and exploit the emerging low-end market potential.This product was created specifically by Hindustan Lever to counter Nirma, the low cost detergent, which had taken the ground away from Surf, the top selling detergent at that time From HLL.
Earlier reaction of HUL towards Nirma was dismissive,saying,” That is not our market”,and “We need not be concerned." Their perspective was that Nirma was an inferior quality product being sold at Rs 7/kilo to people who weren't currently purchasing Surf(priced at Rs 21/kilo that time), and that their sales would be unaffected by any growth in Nirma's popularity.Stung by the falling market share,HUL recognized the disruptive threat posed by Nirma, and realized that although it was a undisputed leader in the FMCG sector as a whole, it catered only to the elite class of customers leaving the Bottom of pyramid open.Hence ,they adapted their own strategy to compete, launching Wheel detergent to try and stem the tide of Nirma into the low end of the market.
Today with sales of over Rs. 2,000 crore ,Wheel is ‘Brand No 1’ in the HUL portfolio and the world’s largest selling detergent in volume terms. The reason for the success of the brand Wheel lies in HUL’s Marketing Strategy of Segmentation,Targeting,Positioning(STP) since its inception.To cater to the
Q 1. Based on the case study, critically examine HUL’s Marketing strategy (STP) for Wheel since its inception and the reasons for the success of the brand.
Solution:
Wheel Powder was launched by Hindustan Unilever Ltd. in 1987 in response to the success of Nirma detergent powder - a local Indian brand launched in 1977 by Karsanbhai Patel, a well known entrepreneur and philanthropist of Gujarat. Nirma was introduced at a price that attracted the cost-conscious Indian consumer. Prior to 1988, Wheel had existed, for about a decade, in the bar form before it was launched as a powder. In its new avatar, the principal task of Wheel was to arrest the growth of Nirma and exploit the emerging low-end market potential.This product was created specifically by Hindustan Lever to counter Nirma, the low cost detergent, which had taken the ground away from Surf, the top selling detergent at that time From HLL.
Earlier reaction of HUL towards Nirma was dismissive,saying,” That is not our market”,and “We need not be concerned." Their perspective was that Nirma was an inferior quality product being sold at Rs 7/kilo to people who weren't currently purchasing Surf(priced at Rs 21/kilo that time), and that their sales would be unaffected by any growth in Nirma's popularity.Stung by the falling market share,HUL recognized the disruptive threat posed by Nirma, and realized that although it was a undisputed leader in the FMCG sector as a whole, it catered only to the elite class of customers leaving the Bottom of pyramid open.Hence ,they adapted their own strategy to compete, launching Wheel detergent to try and stem the tide of Nirma into the low end of the market.
Today with sales of over Rs. 2,000 crore ,Wheel is ‘Brand No 1’ in the HUL portfolio and the world’s largest selling detergent in volume terms. The reason for the success of the brand Wheel lies in HUL’s Marketing Strategy of Segmentation,Targeting,Positioning(STP) since its inception.To cater to the