Authors

1. Dr. Ashu Sharma
2. Mr. Ishu Tayal

Affiliation

• Assistant Professor JK Lakshmipat University Jaipur
• Investor Protection Fund Secretariat BSE New Delhi

Abstract

India is a vast country where different income levels use different brands. Household penetration of soaps as 98 percent makes it the second largest category in India. Personal Care Products were once considered as luxury items, but today with the availability of a wide range of products and increasing competition, personal care products have become items of daily use and are considered mandatory for a healthy life style. Till the early 90s, the Indian personal care industry was reeling under a closed economy where a few multinationals like Hindustan Lever, Ponds and Colgate competed with domestic players like Godrej and Balsara. Post-liberalization, the scene has changed. The industry has seen the entry of a number of multinationals like Henkel, Revlon and Gillette and also some new domestic players like Marico and Cavin Kare, leading to increased competition. Indian personal care industry is divided into soaps and detergents, skin care, hair care, oral care, coloured cosmetics , fragrances and men’s toiletries. The objectives of the study are to know the brand preferences of customers in personal care industry and the marketing strategies which gives a competitive advantage to the brand. The research also identifies brand positioning as a key success factor for soap manufacturers. A comparative study of the different soap brands in terms of consumption and penetration is also done. The researcher has made a detailed analysis of the major players marketing strategies and the key factors which drive the personal care industry and makes the brand successful. The Data Analysis describes the different attributes which customer seeks in a soap. Factor Analysis is applied to identify the key dimensions. Rational thinking and image of the company are the key factors for the personal care industry. The research also focused on the future trends of the industry, consumer trend and implications for various soap brands.

Keywords

personal care, brand positioning, marketing strategies, , consumer behavior

References

1. www.marketresearch.com
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amul
3. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/
4. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fast_moving_consumer_goods
5. http://www.sdahq.org/cleaning/history/. ‘
6. Pandya Bhavin and Jayswal Mitesh M (2009). “Leveraging Brand Asset By Understanding Brand Architecture - Imperatives For FMCG Sector For Competitive Edge In India”, Indian Journal of Marketing,Volume 39, Issue
7. Malhotra Naresh K (2010). “Marketing Research”, Pearson Education pp .586-606.
8. Kotler Philip, K. K. (2008). “Marketing Management”, New Jersey, Pearson Education Australia.
9. Bhattacharyya Pinaki Ranjan and Mazumdar Sitanath (2009). “Factor Responsible For Choice Of FMCG Products”, Indian Journal of Marketing, Volume 39, Number 8, August 2009.