MARKETING PLAN

HIMALAYA’s
SKIN CARE PRODUCTS

BY,
N.SAVITHRI(1042323)
N.SRUTHI SARANYA(1042335)
K.C.TAMILSELVI(1042340)
I MBA- B SECTION
Table of Contents

1. Executive Summary..........................................................................................01
1.1.The Product.............................................................................................01
 1.2.The Target Market...................................................................................01
1.3.Why the Target Market Needs This Product...........................................01

2. Company Background.....................................................................................02
2.1.Brief Company History...........................................................................02
2.2.Mission Statement...................................................................................03

3. Situation Analysis.............................................................................................04
3.1.Environmental Analysis..........................................................................04
3.1.1. Social Environment.............................................................................04
3.1.2. Economic Environment.......................................................................04
3.1.3. Demographic Environment.................................................................05
3.1.4. Technological Environment................................................................05
3.1.5. Competitive Environment...................................................................05
3.2.SWOT Analysis......................................................................................06
3.2.1. Strengths..............................................................................................06
3.2.2. Weaknesses.........................................................................................06
3.2.3. Opportunities.......................................................................................07
3.2.4. Threats.................................................................................................07

4. Segmentation Strategy.....................................................................................08
4.1.General Product Market Characteristics.................................................08
4.1.1. Product Life Cycle..............................................................................08
4.1.2. Type of product: convenience, shopping, specialty, etc ....................10
4.2.Possible Market Segments......................................................................10
4.2.1. Segment 1............................................................................................10
4.2.1.1. Geographic..................................................................................10
4.2.2. Segment 2............................................................................................10
4.2.2.1. Behavioral...................................................................................10
4.2.3. Segment 2............................................................................................10
4.2.2.1 Demographics..........................................................................11

4.3.Approach to Segmentation......................................................................12
4.3.1. Approach and Reasoning for It...........................................................12
4.3.2. Selection of Target Market(s).............................................................14

5. Strategic Focus and Plan..................................................................................15

5.1.Core Competencies.................................................................................15
5.2.Sustainable Competitive Advantage.......................................................15
 5.3.General Marketing Strategies..................................................................16

6. Market Research..............................................................................................17
6.1.Research Plan..........................................................................................17

7. Marketing Program..........................................................................................18
7.1.Positioning...............................................................................................18
7.2.Product Strategy......................................................................................18
7.2.1. Brand Name....................................................................................…19
7.2.2. Features and Benefits..........................................................................19
7.2.3. Points of Differentiation..................................................................…19
7.2.4. Product Life Cycle..........................................................................…20
7.3.Price Strategy..........................................................................................20
7.3.1. General Pricing Strategy.....................................................................20
7.3.2. Comparative Pricing...........................................................................21
7.3.3. Price Reactions....................................................................................22
7.4.Distribution Strategy...............................................................................22
7.4.1. Obtaining Materials.............................................................................23
7.4.2. Warehousing.......................................................................................23
7.4.3. Distribution to Customers...................................................................23
7.4.4. Intermediaries......................................................................................24
7.4.5. Transportation.....................................................................................24
7.4.6. Order Processing.................................................................................25
7.5.Promotion Strategy..................................................................................25
7.5.1. Communication Objectives.................................................................25
7.5.2. Advertising..........................................................................................25
7.5.2.1. Creative Strategy.........................................................................25
7.5.2.2. Appeals........................................................................................26
7.5.2.3. Competitive Efforts.....................................................................26
7.5.2.4. Media Vehicles............................................................................27
7.5.2.5. Print Ad.......................................................................................27
7.5.3. Personal Selling...................................................................................27
7.5.4. Sales Promotion..................................................................................27
7.5.5. Public Relations..................................................................................28
7.5.6. Publicity..............................................................................................28

8. Evaluation and Control....................................................................................28

8.1.Implementation.......................................................................................28
Supporting Documents

Appendix A – Perceptual Map

Appendix B – Sample Ad......................................................................................29

Appendix C – Gantt Chart

Appendix D – Market Research Forms...............................................................30

MARKETING PLAN
HIMALAYA – COSMETICS – SKIN CARE
1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
1.1 THE PRODUCT:

The product chosen for generating a marketing plan is from the company
“HIMALAYA (Herbal Healthcare)” classified under the skin care segment. The
skin care is an area which broadly covers products that are related towards the
teenagers such as skin nutrients, soaps, face packs, face washes, lip slaves and
fairness creams.

1.2 THE TARGET MARKET:

The Himalaya’s skin care production concentrates deep into the requirements of
the teenagers where they maintain a unique standard of producing the products
using herbal ingredients that does not affect the skin of the user.

1.3 WHY THE TARGET MARKET NEEDS THE PRODUCT:

The target market as stated before are the teenagers who expect the product to be
more of herbals rather than chemicals that spoils their skin. Himalaya thus
produces products that are more towards personal skin care that protect the
consumers from inside, air conditioning and central heating dehydrating skin,
Outside, a chemical cocktail with every breathe. Thus the products produced are
well satisfied with the consumers’ expectations thereby providing them with a
healthy nourishing skin.

2. COMPANY BACKGROUND
2.1 BRIEF COMPANY HISTORY
ABOUT THE COMPANY:
 The Himalaya Drug Company was founded in 1930 by Mr. Manal
with a clear vision to bring Ayurveda to society in a contemporary form
and to unravel the mystery behind 5000 years old system of medicine.
The company has focused on developing safe, natural and
innovative remedies that will help people lead richer & healthier lives.
Today Himalaya products have been endorsed by over 2, 50,000 doctors
around the globe and consumer in 59 countries rely on Himalaya for
their health and personal care needs.
HISTORY:

1930 - Mr. M Manal formed the Himalaya Drug company.

1934 - Launch of Serpina,the world’s first hypertensive drug.
1955- Liv 52, a hepatoprotective drug is launched and goes
on to become one of the world’s top selling drug.
1975- An advanced manufacturing facility is set up in Bangalore.
1996 - The company opens its US office at Houston, Texas.
1998-The animal health product range for commercial
livestock is launched.
2001 – The company adopts a new unified brand equity.
2005 – Himalaya celebrates 75 years.

2.2 MISSION STATEMENT:

  Establish Himalaya as a science-based,problem-solving,head-to-
heel brand,harnessed from nature’s wealth and characterized by
trust and healthy lives.
 Develop markets worldwide with an in-depth and long-term
approach,maintaining at each step the highest ethical standards.
 Ensure that each Himalaya employee strongly backs the Himalaya
promise to exceed the expectations of the consumer, each time and
every time. Nothing less is acceptable.

3.SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS:
3.1 ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS

3.1.1 SOCIAL & CULTURAL ENVIRONMENT:

Cultural factors might include the way people perceive the Drugs
should be for their family. The upper middle class population, i.e.
Himalaya Healthcare target segment is however relatively sensitive to
cultural factors as the people often have different demand of the
Drugs they purchase. However if Himalaya Healthcare is looking to
target other income population as well, then this factor would gain
a higher prominence.

3.1.2 ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT:

In addition, the uncertain exchange rate and a sudden increase in

dollar value against Indian rupee have contributed to the slowdown.
Increasing dollar value has raised the landed cost of imported machine
tools and even raw materials required for production by about 14%. To
make the matter worse, it is believed that pharma manufacturers across
the country are looking for re-imposition of custom duty on pharma.
Increased cost of raw materials directly affects the cost of the Drugs
rolled out, eventually tagging a particular Drugs model with a higher
price tag, hence Himalaya has to look towards tackling the cost to serve
the customers.

3.1.3 DEMOGRAPHIC ENVIRONMENT:

 This as a macro environmental factor has a very positive impact on
Himalaya Healthcare drugs as the upper middle class people believe in
purchasing the quality product that can suit their class. The target segment for
Himalaya Healthcare as identified earlier is primarily the upper middle or higher
class. This segment of the population has a high disposable income and prefers
high value in the product.

3.1.4 TECHNOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT:

The technological factors will play a very vital role in the future growth
of Himalaya Healthcare. The engineers from Himalaya Healthcare
worked at close quarters with their foreign counterparts in the
development of the Himalaya Healthcare drugs, much like that for
other competitors.

3.1.5 COMPETITIVE ENVIRONMENT:

Major competitors of Himalaya Health care includes Dabur,
CavinKare, Paras pharmaceuticals,etc., The manufacturing
costs & processing costs are high and also there is huge
competition from synthetic brands. So, Himalayas have to
overcome all these issues in making their products better than
the competitors.
3.2 SWOT ANALYSIS

3.2.1 STRENGTHS:

 Wide range of products- Pharmaceutical, Personal care,

Animal care.
 Strong brand image & global presence.
 Strong distribution channels, International consignment
delivery within 48 hours.
 R&D-Regulatory certifications USFDA Quality assurance
through GMP,GLP & GCP.
 First company to produce 100% herbal baby products.

3.2.2 WEAKNESS:

 Basic image of Himalaya as an herbal health care company.

 Limited no of botanical supplier and inappropriate methods
of collection and storage leading to sub optimal levels of
active constituents.
 Quality constraint.
3.2.3 OPPORTUNITIES:

 Huge demand of herbal and Ayurveda products in

International market.
 Untapped rural market.
 Next to IT & Biotechnology research in medicinal plants
should emerges as the most sustainable growth sector in the
years to come.
 Targeting diabetic patients.

3.2.4 THREATS:

 Major competitors-Dabur,Cavinkare,Jyothy
laboratories,Paras Pharmaceuticals,Zandu.
 Manufacturing costs & processing costs are high.
 Competition from synthetic brands.
4. SEGMENTATION STRATEGY
4.1 GENERAL PRODUCT MARKET STRATEGY:
4.1.1 LIFECYCLE OF THE PRODUCT:

The product life cycle goes through multiple phases, involves many professional
disciplines, and requires many skills, tools and processes. Product life cycle (PLC)
has to do with the life of a product in the market with respect to
business/commercial costs and sales measures. To say that a product has a life
cycle is to assert three things:

 Products have a limited life,

 Product sales pass through distinct stages, each posing different challenges,
opportunities, and problems to the seller,

 Products require different marketing, financing, manufacturing, purchasing,

and human resource strategies in each life cycle stage.
The four main stages of a product's life cycle and the accompanying characteristics are:

Stage Characteristics

1. costs are very high

2. slow sales volumes to start

3. little or no competition
1. Market
introduction stage 4. demand has to be created

5. customers have to be prompted to try the product

6. makes no money at this stage

1. costs reduced due to economies of scale

2. sales volume increases significantly

3. profitability begins to rise

2. Growth stage 4. public awareness increases

5. competition begins to increase with a few new players

in establishing market

6. increased competition leads to price decreases

3. Maturity stage 1. costs are lowered as a result of production volumes
increasing and experience curve effects

2. sales volume peaks and market saturation is reached

3. increase in competitors entering the market

4. prices tend to drop due to the proliferation of

competing products

5. brand differentiation and feature diversification is

emphasized to maintain or increase market share
 6. Industrial profits go down
1. costs become counter-optimal

2. sales volume decline or stabilize

4. Saturation and
decline stage 3. prices, profitability diminish

4. profit becomes more a challenge of

production/distribution efficiency than increased sales

4.1.2 TYPES OF THE PRODUCT:

The Consumer products are classified into 4 types as mentioned above. The
product of Himalaya’s can be classified into Convenience and Shopping
products where the demand for the product is high and there is a mass
advertising made for those products. There are many outlets present for the
purchase of the products.

4.2 POSSIBLE MARKET SEGMENTS

1. GEOGRAPHIC:
 Area: Metropolitan cities and towns
The company has targeted metropolitan cities and town because of
population and consumer knowledge about the product is considerable and
towns are upcoming business places. As the products from the company are
purely made of herbal the end users must be well educated in order to know
about the advantage of using a herbal skin care product.
2. BEHAVIORAL:
 Occasions: those who go to schools, colleges, offices
 User Status: Regular usage for better results
 Attitude towards the product: a necessary part of everyday skin care
treatment.
 Benefits: the products in the Himalaya skincare has used its wealth of
knowledge and research, in natural herbal remedies, to formulate a range of
personal care products that cater to your daily needs. The products are from
natural herbal ingredients that can be used daily and causes no side effects.
A gentle blend of herbal extracts that restores skin vitality re-hydrates the
skin and keeps the user to feel fresh all the day long.

3. DEMOGRAPHICS:

 Age: 16-26
The target customers are teenagers and those who give importance to their
skin and who are well aware of the herbal products and its importance.
 Education: Students or Graduates
As mentioned earlier the product entirely deals with the ingredients of herbal
and natural materials and thereby the end-users must be educated to know
about the importance of the products and its use.
 Sex: Unisex
The product was launched for usage of both male and female to protect
their skin from the polluted environment.
 Occupation: Students and office goers
The company has targeted these people because the objective is to target the
students and young office goers as they will be more concentrated towards
their beauty and skin care.
 Lifecycle: single and married male and female
Any one of the above mentioned target audience are those who will care for
their skin and those who don’t mind spending for their personal skin care
products that will give them a feel of esteem
 Social Class: Middle and Upper class people
 People having enough money to afford for the product are the upper and
middle class as the cost of extracting and manufacturing products of herbal
ingredients is high compared to other chemical skin care products.

4.2 APPROACH TO SEGMENTATION:

4.2.1 APPROACH AND REASONING FOR IT:

Variables can be determined by management
perception of business opportunities, because of the “world view” that
managers have of their business world. In its simplest form, this sometimes
leads to segmentation models that are based on a single criterion, such as
which product a customer purchases, or the region of the country where a
customer or prospect resides.
Alternatively, complex multivariate models can be
developed with this approach where project managers select measures based
on an a priori view of the factors perceived as most relevant in
differentiating customers and prospects. Determining the variables to use in
a segmentation model can also be done on the basis of statistical criteria.
Many different statistical techniques, as well as outcome measures, may be
used to determine the variables that are ultimately used in the segmentation
analysis. The steps involved in Customer Segmentation Approach are:

STEP 1 - Define core (defining) vs. non-core (fine-tuning) parameters:

Question is on what are the top line parameters, which will make a difference to
your strategy. The following could be among your defining segmentation
parameters:

 Income group (lower income groups will be higher potential customers),

 Usage patterns (a higher usage is expected as that will give you good
revenue on lower margins),
 Risk profile (you cannot have a high risk with low margins)

STEP 2- Customer Segmentation at single core parameter level

One can first identify the customer segments at a single parameter level. This
means that one should make multiple sets of customer segments:

 One set of segments for their risk profile. (high risk, medium risk, low risk..)
 One set of segments for product affinity. (Market basket analysis..)
 One set of segment for Existing/potential value/profitability. (High value,
medium value, low value..)

STEP 3- Customer segmentation across multiple core parameters:

You can now make next level groupings on combination of multiple parameters.
This will generate clusters of customer segments. A customer in this case will
belong to a single cluster, for a given combination parameters.

STEP 4- Validate the Segment clusters, and churning out the invalid OR
sparse combinations of core parameters

You can take out the combinations which are either invalid combination OR are
sparse combinations (with very few customer belonging to it)

STEP 5- validate your actions, to go through the re-iterations

Once you get the details on how many customers are lying in a given combinations
of parameters, you will do the following:

 Check if the numbers of customers in each cluster, are aligned to your

strategy Assumptions
 Check the possible actions on these segment are aligned to your SWOT:
 Let’s say that you have a cluster of customer, which will demand a major
change in the way your product is to be designed. If you feel that you that
product design is your weakness, you may like to nullify this cluster and
redefine your segmentation strategy.

STEP 6 - Repeat Step 1 to Step 5

4.3.2 SELECTION OF TARGET MARKET(S):

Target marketing tailors a marketing mix for one or more

segments identified by market segmentation. Target marketing contrasts with mass
marketing, which offers a single product to the entire market. Two important
factors to consider when selecting a target market segment are the attractiveness of
the segment and the fit between the segment and the firm's objectives, resources,
and capabilities.

The following are some examples of aspects that should be considered when
evaluating the attractiveness of a market segment:

 Size of the segment (number of customers and/or number of units)

 Growth rate of the segment
 Competition in the segment
 Brand loyalty of existing customers in the segment
 Attainable market share given promotional budget and competitors'
expenditures
  Required market share to break even
 Sales potential for the firm in the segment
 Expected profit margins in the segment

TARGET MARKET STRATEGIES:

There are several different target-market strategies that may be followed. Targeting
strategies usually can be categorized as one of the following:

 Single-segment 
 Selective specialization
 Product specialization
 Market specialization
 Full market coverage 

5. STRATEGIC FOCUS AND PLAN

5.1 CORE COMPETENCIES:

Core competencies are those capabilities that are critical to a business achieving
competitive advantage. The starting point for analyzing core competencies is
recognizing that competition between businesses is as much a race for
competence mastery as it is for market position and market power. Thus
establishing core competencies for a business product involves three main
strategies as follows:

1. Provides potential access to a wide variety of markets

2. Makes a significant contribution to the perceived customer benefits of
the end product
3. Difficult for competitors to imitate
 5.2 SUSTAINABLE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE:

The sustainable competitive advantage for HIMALAYA’S relies on its

HERBAL VALUES. Marketing strategy is a process that can allow an
organization to concentrate its limited resources on the greatest opportunities to
increase sales and achieve a sustainable competitive advantage.

 According to The Nielsen Co figures for April-June 2010, Himalaya face

washes had a 17.8 % market share in India, less than two percentage points
behind multinationals Hindustan Unilever Ltd and L'Oreal.
 Himalaya's individual products also face competition from firms that are
strong in one or just a few products, such as Colgate in toothpaste and Fair
& Lovely in face masks.
 Doctors have been Himalaya's biggest brand ambassadors in
pharmaceuticals
 By buying raw materials directly from growers, collectors and
nongovernmental organizations, Himalaya keeps costs under control.
 Recently, it signed an agreement with the Sikkim government to prepare
farmers in organic farming of herbs and sustainable collection.
 In pharmacy, Himalaya is stronger. "It has very sharply- positioned products
for the eyes, liver, bones and so on.

5.3GENERAL MARKETING STRATEGIES:

General marketing strategies are broad and are aimed at various specific business
objectives. Some of these goals could be targeted on

 THE MARKET SHARE,

 LONG-TERM PROFITABILITY,
 MARKET GROWTH,
 POSITIONING, and
 OTHER GOALS.

Thus HIMALAYA is aiming to attain its general marketing strategies by designing

various decision area marketing strategies. The core objective is thus attained by
performing small marketing goals under each segment.
6.MARKET RESEARCH
6.1 RESEARCH PLAN:
According to American Marketing Association (AMA)
"Marketing research is the function that links the consumer, customer, and public
to the marketer through information - information used to identify and define
marketing opportunities and problems; generate, refine, and evaluate marketing
actions; monitor marketing performance; and improve understanding of marketing
as a process. Marketing research specifies the information required to address
these issues, designs the methods for collecting information, manages and
implements the data collection process, analyzes, and communicates the findings
and their implications."

STEPS IN MARKETING RESEARCH PLAN:

STEP1: Definition of the problem.
STEP2: Statement of research objectives.
STEP3: List of needed information’s.
STEP4: Design of data collection Project.
STEP5: Selecting the sampling scheme and sample size.
STEP6: Organizing field work.
STEP7: Analysing the data.
STEP8: Findings and conclusions.

The Research instrument used in this research plan is online questionnaire which
was a tool in obtaining the data required for the research process. The results are
analysed through the respondent’s feedback for the questionnaire. The
questionnaire and the responses are the key elements in determining the
customer’s expectation and satisfaction.

7. MARKETING PROGRAM:
7.1 POSITIONING:
The brand, the company analyzed, is targeted at the modern
Indian consumer who is willing to pay a premium for good medicine, and for
those who believe in ayurveda but are not inclined to go traditional ayurveda
clinics. This is a good example of effective concept development. The company
adopted a new logo to contemporize the brand image. The labelling and the print
is bold, which makes it easy for customers to read them, even when placed in
displays at pharmacies.
The current Himalaya logo is a visual definition of the brand.
The leaf that forms the crossbar of the letter H evokes the company's focus on
herbal healthcare. The teal green represents proximity to nature, while the orange
is evocative of warmth, vibrancy and commitment to caring, associating the
Himalaya brand with the promise of good health and well-being. The positioning
is wide across the areas as mentioned below:
1) Pharmaceutical - health maintenance, eye, cardiac and skin care.

2) Personal Care - Health Care, Oral Care, Hair Care, Skin Care and Baby Care.

3) Naturals - Pure Herbs, Chavanprash, and Honey.

4) Animal Health – Livestock, Poultry, Aqua and companion

7.2 PRODUCT STRATEGY:

Their product strategy ranges from,

Baby care: Baby cream, baby wash, baby shampoo, baby gift series etc.,

Hair care: Anti-dandruff shampoo/oil/hair cream, protein shampoo etc.,

Skin care: Baby lotion, face packs, lip balm , skin nourishes etc.,

Oral care: Dental cream

Health care: Chyavanaprasha, foot care cream, honey, kajal etc.

7.2.1 Brand name:

A brand name is an identity for a company’s product. It must follow the

requirements like:

A good brand name should:

• Evoke positive associations

• Be easy to pronounce and remember
• Suggest product benefits
• Be distinctive
• Use numerals when emphasizing technological features
• Not infringe existing registered brand names

Thus Himalaya skincare has established a good brand name for its products.

The word “HIMALAYA” has been used to signify the inclusion of natural herbs in
all products they produce, in turn, it assures the product quality(i.e, it has no side
effects).
7.2.2 FEATURE AND BENEFITS:

Himalaya skincare products have wide range of products with distinct features.
Thus each product is unique in its application and benefits. The benefits that ahs
been derived from these products are converted as customer experience. The
customer experiences are shared in way of testimonials in the company website.
Thus , these testimonials adds more goodwill and reputation to the company’s
products.

7.2.3 POINTS OF DIFFERENTIATION:

The point of differentiation refers to the PRODUCT DIFFERENTIATION. As far

as Himalaya skincare products is concerned, they outwits the other products in the
market through their unique selling proposition, cost leadership, brand loyalty etc.,

7.2.4 PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE:

7.3 PRICE STRATEGY:

7.3.1 GENERAL PRICING STRATEGY:

Premium Pricing: Use a high price where there is uniqueness about the product or
service. This approach is used where a a substantial competitive advantage exists.
Thus Himalayas Skin Care uses premium pricing for products like “HIMALAYA
-ANTI HAIRLOSS CREAM”

Economy Pricing: This is a no frills low price. The cost of marketing and
manufacture are kept at a minimum. The products are “HIMALAYA-
NOURISHING CREAM AND HONEY SOAP, CUCUMBER SOAP.

7.3.2 COMPARATIVE PRICING:

Himalaya products size Amount

1. Fairness cream 25g R.30

2. Protein shampoo 100g Rs.55

3. Anti-hair fall shampoo 100g Rs.63

4. Deep cleansing milk 100ml Rs.65

5. Purifying Neem face wash 100g Rs.70

6. Intensive moisturizing body lotion 400ml Rs.450

7. Protective sunscreen lotion 100ml Rs.315

Other products

1. Garnier fructis shampoo 200ml Rs.99

2. Garnier light anti mark cream 100g Rs.125

3. Ponds gold radiance cream 100g Rs.265

4. Loreal Elvive serum 200ml Rs.470

5. Olay fairness cream 50g Rs.99

Thus by comparing the products and prices of HIMALAYA brand with various
other brands, Himalaya has got wide variety of products with reasonable prices.
The sizes of the products are also available in different ranges.

7.3.3.1 PRICE REACTIONS:

 Himalaya has recently reduced the price of its products and has introduced various
offers for the consumers. Thus consumers in market feel that the Himalaya offers
products at considerable prices.

 The products are good in their quality.

 The prices are compared with the ayurvedic significance of the product.

 The better results of the product give a high product performance. Therefore, the
consumers are ready to afford for the existing prices.

7.4 DISTRIBUTION STARTEGY

Thus the g.lobal presence of HIMALAYA Company has been shown

in the above mentioned map.Himalaya is located all over the world
covering the following countries like:
BELGIUM , CANADA, MALAYSIA, MAURITIUS, PAKISTAN, NEPAL, QATAR, RUSSIA, SAUDI
ARABIA, INDIA, SOUTH AFRICA, SRI LANKA, TURKEY, USA, UAE etc.,
 7.4.1 OBTAINING RAW MATERIALS:

 Himalaya has had an experimental herb farm in the foothills of the Himalayas,
since the early 1930s to grow rare herbs. Scientists on the farm constantly work to
improve yield of rare plants.
 Himalaya's R&D division conducts studies in Pharmacognosy (the science dealing
with the sources, physical characteristics, uses and doses of drugs) to establish the
authenticity of plant material.
 Himalaya has also set up an agrotech division in South India, where it is in the
process of growing geographically compatible endangered herbs.

7.4.2 WAREHOUSING:
The products are mostly distributed to the various locations through different
modes of transport. Moreover, these are further distributed to the potential
consumers through various store display. Thus need for warehousing for Himalaya
is very less when compared to other skin care companies.

7.4.3 DISTRIBUTION TO CUSTOMERS:

The distribution is done through various store displays. The stores are located in
different areas in India as follows

STORE LOCATIONS IN INDIA:

 Andhra Pradesh  Mizoram

 Chandigarh  Pondicherry
 Goa  Punjab
 Gujarat  Rajasthan
 Himachal Pradesh  Tamil Nadu
 Kerala  Uttar Pradesh
 Karnataka  Uttarakhand
 Maharashtra  West Benga
 7.4.4 INTERMEDIARIES:

The intermediaries for Himalaya products are:

 Producers
 Wholesalers
 Sales representatives
 Retailers
 Consumers
 7.4.5 TRANSPORTATION:

The improved transportation facilities have made the flow of

products easier. Thus the products can be circulates to the above
mentioned 71 countries by way of various modes of transports.
The transportation is made in such a way that the retail outlet,
who serves as a major distributor, gets the products on time. The
availability of Himalaya products is thus made easier.

7.4.6 ORDER PROCESSING:

The orders are processed by way of following modes:

 The Electronic purchase orders received by the company are

processed in such a way so that the product is dispatched to
consumers directly.
 The Electronic purchase orders from distributors are also
processed and the products are delivered.
 The Delivery orders confirmation has to be received from
consumers and distributors.
 The invoices and receipts proofs are generated for records in the
future.

7.5 PROMOTION STRATEGY:

7.5.1 COMMUNICATION OBJECTIVES:

The marketing communication objectives are determined by
problem that the target or product category may encounter and
how to overcome these problems. The various problems are
cleared out by availing the market opportunities.

Some common marketing communication objectives include:

1. Create a brand awareness for your company

2. Defining a need the product or service can fulfill
3. Encouraging action from the target

7.5.2 ADVERTISING:
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an
audience (viewers, readers or listeners) to take some action with
respect to products, ideas, or services.

7.5.2.1 Creative strategy:

In advertising, different creative strategies are used in order to

obtain consumer attention and provoke shoppers to purchase or
use a specific product. Advertisers use different ways of thinking
to create catchy slogans that capture consumer attention. Creative
strategies promote publicity, public relations, personal selling and
sales promotion.

 Himalaya advertises its products by creative strategy that

focuses on “natural and herbal ingredients “.
 The natural herbs are mostly highlighted for the skincare
products.
 Quality is assured through the ayurvedic contents.
 This in turn increases the reputation and brand loyalty for
the company’s products.

7.5.2.2 Appeals:

The general inclination of the people, today, is towards using

natural, herbal-based products, every shampoo or toothpaste has
an ayurvedic tag on it. In such a scenario, Himalaya chose to
carve a niche for itself among the many players competing in the
sphere.
 Himalaya skincare logo is a visual definition of our brand
identity. The leaf that forms the crossbar of the letter H evokes
our focus on herbal healthcare.
 The teal green of our logotype represents our proximity to
nature, while the orange is evocative of warmth, vibrancy and our
commitment to caring.
 Everything that carries the logo is accompanied by the high
quality that has always been the Himalaya hallmark.
 The Himalaya brand carries with it the promise of good
health and well-being. It is our endeavor to ensure that our logo
becomes the symbol of a promise delivered.

7.5.2.3 Competitive Efforts:

The competitive efforts of Himalaya skincare has been advertised

through introduction of wide range of products in the market. The
products that are introduced by Himalaya skincare were more
innovative and it made other competitors to follow their
strategies.

Himalaya skincare products such as “Clarifying mud pack,

Revitalizing Night Cream, Anti-Wrinkle Cream, Under Eye
Cream etc ., have become new innovative products in the market.

7.5.2.4 Media Vehicles:

Himalaya uses the following media vehicles to advertise its

products. They are as follows:

 Television
 Magazines
 Newspapers
 Internet etc.,

7.5.2.5 Print ads:

The print ads of Himalaya skincare mostly highlight its herbal
presence in the products. Thus they green logo with leaves
signifies the purity and natural ingredients in the product. These
aspects are printed in newspapers, magazines,etc.,

7.5.3 Personal selling:

Personal selling is one of the oldest forms of promotion. It
involves the use of a sales force to support a push strategy
(encouraging intermediaries to buy the product) or a pull strategy
(where the role of the sales force may be limited to supporting
retailers and providing after-sales service).

 Prospecting - trying to find new customers

 Communicating - with existing and potential customers
about the product range

 Selling - contact with the customer, answering questions

and trying to close the sale

 Servicing - providing support and service to the customer

in the period up to delivery and also post-sale

 Information gathering - obtaining information about the

market to feedback into the marketing planning process

 Allocating - in times of product shortage, the sales force

may have the power to decide how available stocks are allocated.

7.5.4 Sales promotion:

Himalaya skincare follows the following sales promotion
activities:

1. Giving free samples/trial packs

2. Introducing discounts and offers

3. Buy one get one free

4. Free after sales service

5. Free delivery etc.,

7.5.5 Public relations:
Himalaya skincare maintains public relations by responding to
customer queries through mails and other modes. They take
initiative in explaining their products through various modes of
communication. For further details, customers can write to their
websites, e-mail, phones etc.

7.5.6 Publicity:
The publicity is done through sharing customers experience and
existing customers’ feedbacks in their advertisements. Moreover,
Himalaya skincare products have a very good brand name which
further helps in increasing its publicity.

8. EVALUATION AND CONTROL:

Once we have done with Situation analysis, Marketing strategy
and Marketing mix, the final step in a marketing plan is to
evaluate the process and ensure control measures wherever
necessary.

8.1 IMPLEMENTATION:

At this point in the process, the marketing plan has been

developed and the product has been launched. Given that few
environments are static, the results of the marketing effort should
be monitored closely.

As the market changes, the marketing mix can be adjusted to

accommodate the changes. Often, small changes in consumer
wants can be addressed by changing the advertising message. As
the changes become more significant, a product redesign or an
entirely new product may be needed. Accordingly, the company
has to design for the change.

The marketing process does not end with implementation -

continual monitoring and adaptation is needed to fulfill customer
needs consistently over the long-term.

When they continuously update themselves with the customer

behavior towards their product and the competitors moves, they
can tackle the market by reading the entire market phenomena
efficiently.

APPENDIX II

SAMPLE AD:
Himalaya’s latest advertisement campaign, which went on air for
the first time in August previous year, was creating a buzz
amongst the youth.

The new ad for Himalaya Purifying Neem Face wash brings to

the fore the idea of ‘Himalaya sabse pehle’ or ‘Himalaya First’.

The messages are simple and clear- TRY HIMALAYA FIRST

AND SPARE YOURSELF THE AGONY OF GOING
THROUGH SEVERAL REMEDIES THAT DON’T
WORK!!!

The TV commercial has an extremely young look and feel- aimed

at capturing the interest of the youth. The music is distinctly
continental and the model’s look is very retro chic! The ad is
instantly endearing as it tells the story of the experiences of a girl-
next-door.

APPENDIX IV
 MARKETING RESEARCH FORM:
QUESTIONNAIRE
MARKETING RESEARCH ON HIMALAYA'S SKIN CARE
PRODUCTS

Dear respondents, We are the students of SSN. As a part of our

marketing plan we would like to perform a research on
Himalaya's skin care products. Your response to our survey
values a lot. we assure that your response will be taken
confidential.Thank you for your time and support for our project.
Regards,
Savithri N
Sruthi Saranya N
Tamil Selvi K C
1. Age group that you belong to: *
  <20
  20-25
  25-35
  >35

2. Monthy Income range : *

  <20,000
  20,000-30,000
  30,000-45,000
  >45,000

3. Do you prefer using skin care products? *

  Yes
  No
 4. How frequently do you use the product?
  Daily
  Weekly
  Monthly
  During occasions

5. Which brand do you use now? *     

6. Which features highlight your need for that product?

  Fairness
  Skin protection/ scrubbers
  Moisturizing & cleansing
  Anti- aging creams

7. How frequently do you switch over your product?

  Once in a month
  Once in 6 months
  New arrivals

8. Had you tried Himalaya’s skin care

products? *  

If yes, how you got to know about the product? *

  Advertisements
  Friends
  Beauticians
  Dermatologists
 9. Which feature best suits for the Himalaya’s products? *
  Affordability
  Availability
  Herbal ingredients
  Innovative products
  Others

10.Which pack size do you frequently use in Himalaya’s skin

products? *   

11.Which skin care product do you use in Himalayas? *

  Face packs
  Face wash and soaps
  Fairness cream
  Body Lotions

12.How likely will you recommend the product to others? *

  Strongly
  Fairly
  At times
  Never

13.Which brand do you feel having better features than

Himalayas? *

Submit