Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Surf Excel V/s Ariel = Remove Toughest Stain

Today, brands are desire to become leader in its subsequent segment, and trying to come with either an innovative concepts (including unique promotional scheme also) or by taking re-position. Now a days majority brands are preferring to take reposition in market & then offering strategically in order to generate awareness, brand position & recover tap as well as untapped target market.

If we talk about Indian detergent powder market, two giant FMCG company’s brands are dominating in India in detergent powder market. As well, both company’s brands are competing very strongly. 

The brands are: - RIN detergent powder (Hindustan Unilever Ltd.) V/s Tide (P & G). Both are targeting middle class or lower middle class consumers, as well as for family. Other competitors are Ghari detergent, Nirma, Hipolin, Henko, Ujjala & many more local brands. However, major market has been dominated by RIN & Tide whereas Ghari detergent is followed by RIN & Tide.

Surf Excel (Hindustan Unilever Ltd.) V/s Ariel (P & G). Both are targeting especially children, as well as these are premium brands.

Especially, RIN & Tide are fighting very aggressively by offering competitive price & pack size, innovative campaign , consumers offer etc. Whereas Surf Excel & Ariel are more focus on product uniqueness or it can say that core competency of product along with its punch line. 

Every detergent brands having single goal i.e. “overcome stain from cloths”. It is most important that how brands are conveying message to consumers? How brands are showing its unique features, quality & result orientation?

Recently 2 weeks ago, Surf Excel & Ariel both brands are roped out with new television commercial campaign. On one side Surf Excel is being taking reposition for its brand “Surf Excel blue” whereas other side Ariel is being taking reposition by showing unique features in Ariel Family Tree.

Brand Analysis:-
(A) Surf Excel Family Tree: Sur excel Matic – for washing machine, Surf excel bar, Surf excel quick wash and Surf excel Easy wash (Surf Excel Blue is now Surf Excel Easy Wash).                                                                                                                

               
Surf Excel Blue
    Surf Excel Easy Wash
Tagline: - Daag Achche Hain (Stain are good). Tagline is very much effective and consumers are enabling to identify brand from tagline. Surf Excel having strong brand position & brand equity in Indian market.                                                    


Surf Excel has been released campaign in order to generate awareness about new packaging & change the brand name i.e. Surf Excel Blue is not Surf Excel Easy wash.  The ad film is shown that mother is saying to her son to bring “Same to Same pack” i.e. mother is showing Surf Excel Blue pack to son. And, son is reaching to shop, he is showing Surf Excel Blue pack & saying to lady that he wants “Same to Same pack. While lady is giving Surf Excel pack, suddenly boy is being refusing & again demand for “Same to same pack” which has been shown.

Lady is replying to boy that “Same to same pack but better”. At the end of campaign, boy is also conveying same message to his mother that Same to same but better. And, Voiceover is telling Surf Excel blue is now Surf Excel Easy wash which is overcoming toughest stain from cloths within few seconds.

Surf Excel Easy wash is showing feature: overcome toughest stain from cloths within few seconds.
Conclusion: - Overall campaign is good. But, we can easily identify one small weakness i.e. the word “Par better (But better)” which has been used in TVC campaign. It may give little negative impact in the mind of consumers that Surf Excel Blue was not better if Surf Excel Easy wash is claiming that about “but better’.  It can be show as simply way Surf Excel Blue is now Surf Excel Easy wash. Competitor brand i.e. Ariel has been taken a right time opportunity and it has also been released new television commercial.

(B) Ariel Family Tree: Ariel complete - shine like new, Ariel anti bac, Ariel 24 hour fresh, Ariel matic - for washing machine.

Tagline: - Chamak Rakhein Naye Jaisi (Keep Shining like new). Punch line is effective but consumers having know-how about Ariel brand & when they are going to buy Ariel detergent powder, they are clearly demand by using brand name “Ariel”.

U.S.P.:- Now, new Ariel brands range is covered up “Bar + Blue + Brush” that removes toughest stain from cloths and keep shining like new.  


Advertisement Link:-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUyJR29YN7c  (Ariel Matic detergent for washing machine)


Ariel has been released two campaigns Ariel Complete & Ariel Matic from its brands range. The Ariel Complete TVC has shown where brand is conveying message that now Ariel having energy of “Bar + Blue + Brush” that removes toughest stain like of mud, ice cream, tea etc.

Whereas Aril Matic has been tied up with LG washing machine as an expert & Ariel Matic is being using & established as washing machine detergent brand & performing well to remove stain. The TVC has shown that one ball has been made of fabric cotton cloth which is being passed through mass people. They are giving challenge to consumers that you can pass ball through the spot of ice cream, tea, mud & chocolates. Then after, they are being showing live demonstration of Ariel Matic & Normal / local brand.

During the demo, Ariel Matic has been shown directly competitors’ products whereas Sur Excel also having Surf Excel Matic brand as washing machine detergent powder. At the end of TVC, brand has been shown whole brands range which has been covered up by “Bar + Blue + Brush”.

Here, it can also say a small weakness is that TVC campaign shown LG as an expert for washing machine detergent category. Consumers may be understanding differently like Ariel Matic will be working well only whose having LG washing machine. Henceforth, it should be require changing as strategically point of view.

Now Ariel became “All in One” brand for detergent powder segment.

Let’s see which brand will remove toughest stain in Indian market.

Share your views…