Liril case study
1/15/14
Can Liril regain its equity? | Business Line
CASE ST UDY CHALLENGE
Can Liril regain its equity?
Vishwadeep Kuila
January 7, 2014:
The soap market in India is highly penetrated (98 per cent) with a multitude of brands. The market is estimated at Rs
10,000 crore in value. Lifebuoy is the number one soap brand in terms of marketshare, followed by Lux, Santoor,
Dettol and Godrej No.1 in that order. (Ref table: Leading the market)
The two major segments in the soap market are beauty and health. Beauty is the bigger segment at Rs 5,000 crore but the health soap market, valued at Rs 3,000 crore, is the faster growing segment. The other segments are herbal/ayurvedic soaps and medicated soaps.
In terms of prices, the soap segments are:
Mass: Lifebuoy, Godrej No.1
Popular: Hamam, Medimix, Vivel, Lux
Premium: Dove, Fiama Di Wills, Mysore Sandal
Super Premium: Mysore Sandal Millennium Soap
Liril’s journey
Liril as a brand is still quite prominent in the minds of the consumers in their 30s and 40s. The brand acquired celebrated status with pathbreaking advertising and public relations campaigns.
Launched in 1975, in its earlier years the soap was positioned on the platform of freshness from its lime ingredient.
The visual cues of a waterfall, a woman bathing under it and a signature tune, were used to set the soap apart. Over the years, while the setting changed, the positioning and the depiction of the protagonist playfully enjoying the bathing experience, escaping reality and forgetting everything else has been maintained. Consequently, Liril garnered
14 per cent of the market at its peak and was among the top three soaps, along with Lifebuoy and Lux.
Its journey since then has, however, been chequered and today, Liril does not claim much consumer equity.
In 2005, as a result of the loss in its market share, Liril was re-launched as Liril 2000, a skincare soap for the whole family. The positioning was drawn from an international
Can Liril regain its equity? | Business Line
CASE ST UDY CHALLENGE
Can Liril regain its equity?
Vishwadeep Kuila
January 7, 2014:
The soap market in India is highly penetrated (98 per cent) with a multitude of brands. The market is estimated at Rs
10,000 crore in value. Lifebuoy is the number one soap brand in terms of marketshare, followed by Lux, Santoor,
Dettol and Godrej No.1 in that order. (Ref table: Leading the market)
The two major segments in the soap market are beauty and health. Beauty is the bigger segment at Rs 5,000 crore but the health soap market, valued at Rs 3,000 crore, is the faster growing segment. The other segments are herbal/ayurvedic soaps and medicated soaps.
In terms of prices, the soap segments are:
Mass: Lifebuoy, Godrej No.1
Popular: Hamam, Medimix, Vivel, Lux
Premium: Dove, Fiama Di Wills, Mysore Sandal
Super Premium: Mysore Sandal Millennium Soap
Liril’s journey
Liril as a brand is still quite prominent in the minds of the consumers in their 30s and 40s. The brand acquired celebrated status with pathbreaking advertising and public relations campaigns.
Launched in 1975, in its earlier years the soap was positioned on the platform of freshness from its lime ingredient.
The visual cues of a waterfall, a woman bathing under it and a signature tune, were used to set the soap apart. Over the years, while the setting changed, the positioning and the depiction of the protagonist playfully enjoying the bathing experience, escaping reality and forgetting everything else has been maintained. Consequently, Liril garnered
14 per cent of the market at its peak and was among the top three soaps, along with Lifebuoy and Lux.
Its journey since then has, however, been chequered and today, Liril does not claim much consumer equity.
In 2005, as a result of the loss in its market share, Liril was re-launched as Liril 2000, a skincare soap for the whole family. The positioning was drawn from an international