(1) REVIEW OF MARKETING PLAN

Lifebuoy at a glance.
Lifebuoy is Unilever’s oldest brand launched in 1894 as disinfectant soap in the UK to support
people in their quest for better personal hygiene. Lifebuoy is a brand that is truly “global” before
the term “global brand” was invented. Lifebuoy soap is found across the world, in some
countries such as India where it is the market leading brand. This report includes the strategic
marketing plan for the lifebuoy, which covers the strengths, weaknesses, opportunity and threats
of the lifebuoy. It reflects the internal and external environment, strategic marketing mix and it
ends with the recommended medium term strategy. Strategic marketing plan covers the goals and
strategies of the organization’s marketing effort and should be coordinated with companywide
planning.

(A) Objectives and goal of Lifebuoy.

The desire to be clean, active and healthy is intrinsic to everyone – irrespective of age or
economic status. We understand this and Lifebuoy soap has championed the cause for better
health through hygiene for more than a century. An inspiring vision for more hygienic, healthier
and ultimately more vital communities is the driving force behind the Lifebuoy brand. To realize
this vision, we look to consistently innovate and provide accessible Lifebuoy products to a wide
variety of consumers. The vision also commits the Lifebuoy brand team to visible action,
through inspiring projects that motivate consumers to improve their hygiene behavior.

Goal of the lifebuoy is to provide accessible hygiene and health solution with the affordable
price that enable people to lead a life without fear and hygiene anxieties and health
consequences. Lifebuoy is launched in 1894, consistent in lifebuoy is 110 plus year history has
been championing to support life through unbeatable protection is at the heart of the brand name
itself i.e. Lifebuoy, the guarantee of protection in threatened. In 1930’s campaign in US was
titled ‘clean hands help guard health’, encouraging the use of lifebuoy soap to kill the germs on
hands that can use health issues. A similar campaign is continues in today with lifebuoy hygiene
program in countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Vietnam
Lifebuoy aim to make a difference to those who need it most. Lifebuoy hand washing campaigns
are designed to reach people in countries where diarrhea disease is highest and where soap usage
is infrequent. One key focus is India, a country that has the highest number of children under five
– over 380,0002 a year – dying from diarrhea disease. That’s more than 1,000 children every
day.

To achieve its goal, a new Lifebuoy Hand washing Program was launched in 2010, and is now
one of the world’s largest hygiene behavior change initiatives. This program is central to
Lifebuoy plans in all countries and fully embedded across the brand’s business model. The
combination of proven programmers and wide reach means Lifebuoy has delivered impressive
results.

Lifebuoy has a mission to ensure the pure, safe and secured health. It keeps consumer’s health
free from germs. A person can be attacked by various disease like: Diarrhea, pneumonia,
Jaundice etc. lifebuoy protects people from these types of disease because their ultimate missions
to create consciousness about health issue of a person as well as to create a healthy environment.

Vision of Lifebuoy: Vision means long time statement. Lifebuoy soap has some

fruitful visions. These are:

 To create long term awareness about health issue among people

 Create a hygiene society
 Spread consciousness about a “hygiene life” to the people
 Create a sustainable position in the society
 Make themselves as a top leading soap brand
(B) Role of advertising and promotion of Lifebuoy.
Marketing Mix of Lifebuoy analyses the brand/company which covers 4Ps (Product, Price,
Place, Promotion) and explains the Lifebuoy marketing strategy. As of 2020, there are several
marketing strategies like product/service innovation, marketing investment, customer experience
etc. which have helped the brand grow.

Marketing strategy helps companies achieve business goals & objectives, and marketing mix
(4Ps) is the widely used framework to define the strategies. This article elaborates the product,
pricing, advertising & distribution strategies used by Lifebuoy.

Let us start the Lifebuoy Marketing Mix & Strategy:

Lifebuoy Product Strategy:

Lifebuoy is a leading disinfectant soap brand from the house of FMCG giant HUL. The product
initially launched as a carbolic disinfectant soap during the epidemics, created a strong brand
presence all thanks to its distinctive looks. The red color and unique shape of Lifebuoy made it a
memorable product. Soon it started discovering itself as a brand and introduced a wider product
portfolio in its marketing mix like liquid soaps, beauty and freshness soaps, hand sanitizer and
body wash. Its product range includes bar soaps of the following variants like total 10-germ
protection, mild care, cool fresh, betel leaf, total protect, Active fresh, Moisture plus, clear skin.
The liquid soap range has Lifebuoy total, Lifebuoy care, Lifebuoy nature, Lifebuoy Active fresh.
The body wash range has Lifebuoy total protect, mild care, nature pure, active fresh, vita protect
and moisture plus.

Lifebuoy Price/Pricing Strategy:

Lifebuoy is one of the most popular and used soap brands in India. In urban and rural markets,
the brand has gained a familiar and likable status due to its penetrating pricing. A 125 gm
lifebuoy soap costs about Rs26. Body wash costs around Rs175. Lifebuoy keeps its product
prices relatively lower than the prices of its competition. Hence the pricing strategy in its
marketing mix is mostly driven by competition. This has been an advantage for the brand and
has led to making it one of the most popular choices among Indians.
Lifebuoy Place & Distribution Strategy:

Lifebuoy occupies huge market share in India and various other countries. Its strategy is to make
its products available in every corner of the country, from urban areas to remotest cities.
Lifebuoy has used the strong network established by HUL and grown by leaps and bounds and
spread its products via a chain of wholesalers, dealers, and retailers. It has collaborated with
6000 suppliers, 4000 stockiest and has already reached more than 80,000 villages. Due to its
strong network, it has been able to penetrate even into rural areas.

Lifebuoy Promotion & Advertising Strategy:

Lifebuoy uses aggressive and creative marketing and promotional concept to capture the market.
It uses advertisement, taglines, and promotional campaigns. Some of its successful campaigns
are:

 Swasthya Chetna: It means heath awakening. Lifebuoy soaps were distributed in rural
areas and washing hands regularly was promoted in this campaign.
 It has also started the practice of Global Handwash Day on October 15 to bring
awareness about the benefits of washing hands with soap regularly in rural areas.
 Lifebuoy soaps were distributed in Gurudwaras. The campaign was held in around 138
small towns in Punjab, engaging over 36000 people.
 MahaKumbh Mela is a once in year phenomenon where more than 100 million people
come into the city of Allahabad to visit this holy mela. The infrastructure in the location
is unable to cater to the huge inflow of people. Sanitization and cleanliness is a big
problem and often causes spreading of infection and diseases. Lifebuoy with a motive to
help the people visiting the mela started their campaign in the venue. The venue was
decorated with hoardings, banners to remind people about benefits of washing hands
regularly.
 To re-establish itself as a leader in the sanitization segment Lifebuoy engaged in a
uniquely creative way to remind people about Lifebuoy. Lifebuoy decided to spread the
message across millions of people visiting the mela through food. They created a special
heat stamp message, ‘did you wash your hands with Lifebuoy?’.
  To promote Lifebuoy in rural areas, HUL has approached and collaborated with rural
bodies like gram panchayat, swasthyaParishad and spread awareness about good
practices to follow for being clean and tidy. Programmes like KrishiDarshan,
Aapkaswasthya have attracted a large number of people.

Apart from these, Lifebuoy has also launched an inspirational campaign “Help a Child Reach 5”
which promotes hand washing to save a life. Lifebuoy has undertaken several CSR activities.
This includes supplying soaps during natural calamities and crisis. Lifebuoy has adopted several
extensive marketing plans to promote its products in global markets. It has launched ad
campaigns on television, radio, magazines, newspapers, billboards and online media. This
completes the marketing mix of Lifebuoy.

(C) Competitive Analysis

Lifebuoy is one of the oldest products from Unilever. Lifebuoy was the first soap to have a
disinfectant chemical carbonic acid in it which gave it strong medicinal scent and red color.
Lifebuoy is amongst the top 15 brands in the world and is a billion dollar brand from many years
in the past.

Strengths in the SWOT Analysis of Lifebuoy :

Brand Credibility

Lifebuoy has been successful in gaining the trust of its customers have been in the market for
over 100 years. Its health-centric approach and communication have helped it gain credibility
and a loyal set of customers.

Medicinal approach

Lifebuoy has positioned itself as a product with a medicinal approach which could combat germs
and provide a healthy disinfectant bathing soap.

Affordable

Lifebuoy has been priced at a range in order to be affordable to all kinds of markets especially
rural markets.
Strong Distribution

Lifebuoy has a strong distribution channel worldwide which makes the product available in the
farthest corner of various countries. Lifebuoy has made special efforts to be present in the rural
markets where the demand for the product is really high.

Product Line Extension

Lifebuoy has been successfully able to extend its product line by bringing out successful
products like hand wash, body wash and hand sanitizer. This has helped Lifebuoy increase its
revenues.

Unilever Product

Lifebuoy has a competitive advantage coming from the armory of Unilever which provides it
support in distribution as well as in finances.

Awareness campaigns with a social message: Lifebuoy has come out with various awareness
campaigns meanwhile also giving a social message. Lifebuoy’s “hath dhoyekya?”mission
centered on proper hand washing during Kumbh Mela in India is a prime example of the same.

Weaknesses in the SWOT Analysis of Lifebuoy :

Perception of a male centric brand: Lifebuoy is perceived to be a male centric brand and even
after many efforts by Lifebuoy to project the brand as a family brand.Not popular in urban
markets: While the brand has priced the product in order to be available for all especially rural
markets, its urban market penetration is relatively low.Perception as an inferior product: Due to
its low prices and an image of “not being beauty soap”, Lifebuoy is considered as an inferior
product.

Opportunities in the SWOT Analysis of Lifebuoy :

Increasing disposable income

Disposable incomes of people around the world are increasing and thus it is also expected that
consumption in the FMCG industry is going to increase which will eventually increase sales.
Promote Lifebuoy with a message

Unilever has concentrated in providing social messages by promoting its products. Lifebuoy has
also been one of the many products which have been promoted with a social message. To add to
this Lifebuoy should take up on missions to fight global epidemics.

Increasing health awareness

There is an increase in health awareness globally which can provide Lifebuoy an advantage
considering its disinfectant composition.

Threats in the SWOT Analysis of Lifebuoy :

Intense competition

Lifebuoy is subjected to intense competition from various local as well as global products such
as Dettol and Savlon etc. Intense competition impacts market share.

Market Cannibalization

Unilever has many products in same category such as Lux, Dove etc. Although all the products
are positioned to different market segments but they cannibalize each other at a microscopic
level.

Increasing awareness of Herbal products

Awareness of herbal based products is increasing globally. This can affect Lifebuoy’s market
which is essentially a chemical based product.

(D) Assess Environmental Influence

A decade ago, the soap brand set out to make hand washing with soap a habit for more than 1
billion people by 2020. Here’s how it reached that goal, and why it’s still committed to making
an even bigger impact in the years to come.

Ten years ago lifebuoy launched the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP), a set of goals for
our global business designed to help make sustainable living commonplace around the world.
Our Lifebuoy soap brand set itself the ambitious target of improving the hand washing behaviors
of more than 1 billion people by 2020. By significantly scaling up its education programmed to
highlight the importance of hand washing with soap, it passed that milestone back in 2019 and
it’s not stopping there. Here’s the story behind the numbers.

Explaining the impact of soap

According to UNICEF, a child dies from pneumonia or diarrhea every 23 seconds somewhere in
the world. Hand washing with soap is one of the most effective ways of helping to reduce the
spread of such diseases, and teaching consumers about this life-saving fact has been Lifebuoy’s
mission for more than 100 years. Outreach education programmes have long been part of this
process, with Lifebuoy campaigns visiting schools and villages across its markets to remind
communities to wash their hands at key points during the day. Before eating, for example, or
after using the toilet. The approach worked well, but things would have to change to bring those
vital hand washing messages to vast new audiences.

Changing habits for a lifetime

In 2011, Lifebuoy teams from all over the world came together to re-think the strategy. Over the
years that followed, they focused on bringing the brand’s educational approach to consumers in
new ways to drive lasting behavior change, and forging partnerships to take outreach program to
new frontiers. Reflecting on how the strategy took shape, Global Sustainability Director Sarah
McDonald explains: “We started seeing enormous scaling up happening every year, and
unlocking some enormous strategic key partnerships with ministries of health and education
through governments, and with NGO partners, to deliver the program.

Innovation has played a part in extending Lifebuoy’s impact in recent years too, with Lifebuoy’s
Mobile Doctoring program delivering easily accessible health advice to parents straight through
their mobile phones – sometimes the only technology available in remote rural locations.
Lifebuoy also launched specific TV ads to share hand washing education with a mass audience,
again designed to remind viewers of soap’s ability to help remove germs. These commercials
have been independently proven to drive behavior change too.
“Humbled by the responsibility”

“I feel humbled by the responsibility,” says Global Brand Vice President Kati Chandrasekhar, of
Lifebuoy’s work so far. “But I feel optimistic about the fact that we will take our behavior-
change program and take our brand’s purpose and social mission, and deliver them with even
more scale than in the last ten years. This year, and for years to come.” With the world now in
the grip of the Covid-19 pandemic, making hand washing with soap a lifelong habit is as
important than ever. Until a vaccine is created, the humble bar of soap remains one of
humanity’s best hopes.
(2) ANALYSIS OF PROMOTIONAL PROGRAM SITUATION

Internal Analysis -

(A) Promotional department organization

Soap brand marketed by Unilever, Lifebuoy is working towards spreading hygiene awareness in
times of COVID-19. What started with a public service message via print now includes TVC's
and digital ads, to spread awareness amongst consumers. The ads focus on the ways t0 prevent
contracting the novel corona virus that causes COVID-19.
Throughout its communication, the brand has refrained from a sales call to action in the
traditional sense. It has maintained the stance that any soap will do, as long as one washes hands
thoroughly. In its first print ad, Lifebuoy even named some of its competitors in the copy, and
stressed that the ad was not for branding or promoting sales, but to spread awareness regarding
the protection against the disease.

The brand has also rolled out its TVC, focusing on washing hands. The TVC teaches viewers 'to
wash hands from hands', making a small chore of washing hands very interesting during this
pandemic.

The TVC shows hands with faces made on them. The brand asks viewers to take any soap and
water and make friendship, following with fighting, making crocodile, butterfly with hands to
reach out every corner of the hand, washing out and killing all the germs.

(B) Firms ability to implement promotional program

Lifebuoy started its campaign with a clutter breaking print ad at the start of the COVID-19 crisis.
The brand also shared a video of brand ambassador Kajol saying "until now people have seen me
promoting Lifebuoy, but now I request you to use whichever soap you have to wash hands,
because washing hands with soap can stop the spread of COVID-19.
Lifebuoy has also partnered with Saudi Arabian celebrity Yousef Al-Jarrah to kick off its schools
program, educating children and their families about the importance of hand washing with soap
at the 5 key occasions during the day. As part of the program, Lifebuoy is running a competition
giving children the chance to be involved in Lifebuoy’s little doctors camp – that teaches
children to be hand washing ambassadors.

(C) Agency evaluation & selection

1. New era of partnerships – The era of old-school partnerships - focused on one way
philanthropy and incremental successes - is over, explained PSI’s Karl Hofmann. We’re in a new
era where simple, interesting partnerships between companies and NGOs like this one can make
things happen.

I was curious about the role of business in this new era and asked Paul Polman what he sees as
Unilever’s most valuable contribution to this partnership. “The best contribution that we can
make is to level up this partnership and the transparency that comes with it, to build a trust, and
frankly use the scale of Unilever to have a bigger effect than the company alone,” he replied.

In addition, the participants mentioned Unilever’s expertise in behavior change and marketing as
key contributions the company brought to this partnership. Organizations and governments on
the other hand bring with them creditability and in some cases better access to the population that
companies lack. “By working together we can combine the expertise, resources and policy
needed to achieve real change,” Polman summarized.

2. Values drive innovation - one of the questions I’m frequently asked is if intention matters. In
other words, does it matter if a company becomes more sustainable because it really believes in
it or because it was forced to do so? I have to admit that for a while I thought that intention
doesn’t make much of a difference and that we should evaluate companies mainly on their
actions rather than the reasons behind them.

3. The challenge of scaling up - “No business, government or UN agency can achieve the
agreed reduction of child mortality alone,” writes Paul Polman. And he’s right. The problem is
that even an innovative partnership like this one will have a very difficult time achieving
systemic change and meeting the goal of significantly reducing child mortality.

The only way to do it is probably through a multi-stakeholder effort, where more companies and
organizations collaborate to promote the practice of proper hand washing with soap at critical
times. Such a partnership actually already exists – the global Public-Private Partnership for Hand
washing with Soap (PPPHW), a coalition of international stakeholders that was established in
2001.

In addition to Unilever, the partnership includes companies like Procter & Gamble and Colgate-
Palmolive and my hunch is that this framework will be able to scale up effective solutions if the
companies involved can find the way to collaborate and compete at the same time on this issue.
Otherwise we’ll be left with incremental changes that will change very little.

(D) Review of previous program

Through the Lifebuoy brand’s social mission program we aim to make a difference in people’s
day-to-day lives – spreading positive hygiene messages through hygiene promotion activities.
The projects instigated by our country teams are already making a difference and helping to save
lives. The resources we provide to complement those supplied by the public sector are vital to
ensure that we continue reaching people who need our help the most. Our commitment to the
Lifebuoy social mission is evident in the steps we have taken towards making hand washing with
soap central to the brand’s marketing efforts. This report gives an overview of the work Lifebuoy
has done in 2008 and 2009, partnering Lifebuoy together with public and private sector partners
around the world, who share the brand’s commitment to promoting health and hygiene. Without
these important partnerships it would not be possible to share our messages on such a large scale.

External Analysis-
(E) Market segmentation and target marketing
The segmentation can be divided another 4 sectors. These are:

Demographic segmentation Geographic segmentation

Geographic segmentation Behavioral segmentation

Demographic segmentation:
The age limit of this sector is usually counted from 6 to 50+. It means this range of area people
usually use this soap. Then the income rate of people approximately 10000+ people is generally
seen to use this soap.
Geographic segmentation:
They promote in Asia region. India, Pakistan, Bangladesh are their main geographic
segmentation area. Moreover, they target mainly in urban and semi-urban areas.
Physiographic segmentation:
In this segmentation, there are two sectors. One is social class another is a lifestyle. In lifestyle
segmentation, they refer to outdoor-oriented and sports-oriented. And in the social class, they
prefer their middle-class people and lower-class people.
Behavioral segmentation:
Benefits and user status are the main criteria of the behavioral segmentation of Lifebuoy. All we
know is a total protection antiseptic soap & it is for regular use.

Targeting of Lifebuoy:
It is known to almost everyone that Lifebuoy is a hygiene and healthy soap. Their main
consciousness about people's health care. So they mainly target those people who are health
sensitive. Their target is to create the soap which can protect people from the germ. Their main
goal or target is to arrange for reasonable and reachable cleanliness and health resolutions. They
also target to provide 100% anti-bacterial soap.
Positioning strategy of Lifebuoy:
Besides health consciousness, Lifebuoy soap also focuses on natural beauty and freshness which
is desirable by everyone. We know that we have to go outside for different tasks, necessities, etc.
almost daily. So are affected by dust, germs, fumes, etc. So we have to protect ourselves from
these unhygienic things. Lifebuoy exactly gives the surety of its consumers to get relief from
those germs and gives us healthy solutions to our body. Moreover, it gives consumers
refreshment. Thus Lifebuoy soap can easily attract its consumers and gains a strong position in
the market.
(F) Market positioning.
LIFEBUOY
Ways of positioning

Price
Lux and lifebuoy has a reasonable price everybody can buy it. Standard bar price 14 tk and 11 tk
but liquid soap has high price and its not reasonable price for all.Its rate 45 tk for lifebuoy and
lux 55 tk. Lux body was also not reasonable for cause it has high précis’s cost 85 tk.

Product Attributes
They provide different soap for different skin.
User : All people of all ages and gender class.
Usage: Daily use, Irrespective of which class they belong to almost everyone uses.

Competition
Lifebuoy has a lots of competitor in the market. Lifebuoy fight with keya, Meril,
Aromatic,Breeze,Tibbat. Lifebuoy provide max benefit than other competitors.

Lifebuoy
Only two competitors in our country. Lifebuoy fight with Dettol and sevlon.
Symbols: People can easily recognize see their symbol which is lux,which is lifebuoy.

PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE

The product life Cycle refers to the different stages a new product goes through in the market
place. The stages are:

Introduction
When a product is newly introduced in the market and consumers are not aware of the product as
yet, thus it does not face any competition.
Growing
When consumers are slowly becoming aware of the product and are starting to adopt it, leading
to the generation of sales of that product.
Maturity
This is when a product has been around for quite some time and everyone is aware of it and
appreciates it too. Most products experience very high sales when they reach the maturity stage.
Products at maturity stage face serious competition from other manufacturers of the same
product.
Decline
This is when a product which has been in the market for long is no longer appreciated by
consumers, until and unless any additional attributes are offered with it. At this stage the product
loses its popularity and experiences a decline in sales.