Lifebuoy, dictator of hygiene is famously known for its sanitized products. The company has introduced a huge portfolio of products for its customers that will suit their needs. The products are safe to use on all skin types because the company has maintained the production process ever since. This has aided the company’s ability to keep its customer base.
In this case study, we will be discussing the marketing mix of Lifebuoy by analyzing its product, price, place, and promotion strategy of the company.
Before diving into the main segment, let’s have a quick overview of Lifebuoy as a company.
About Lifebuoy
Lifebuoy is a personal care brand affiliated with the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry. Unilever, the company’s parent, markets and manufactures it. Unilever is famous and also a leader company in the home, personal care products, and food and beverage sector.
The founders of Lifebuoy, the Lever brothers, first offered the product to the public in 1895. Lifebuoy’s adventure began many years ago when it was a carbolic soap that contained phenol.
Soaps with medical scents were phased out in favour of minty refresher and coral-coloured Lifebuoy. It is now one of India’s most popular soaps, distinguished by its reddish-brown hard brick-like shape.
Lifebuoy is available in a variety of forms currently. Apart from soap, the company now produces a wide range of items. It now produces liquid hand soaps, sanitizers, liquid body washes, shower gel, talcum powder, and a variety of other items. It has a 117-year track record of prioritizing the satisfaction of over 5 million customers around the world by providing them with the best possible service.
Now we understood what Lifebuoy company is. Let’s go into the main segment of the case study – The Marketing Mix of Lifebuoy.
Marketing Mix of Lifebuoy
Marketing Mix of Lifebuoy analyses the 4Ps (Product, Price, Place & Promotion) of marketing strategy. This is a renowned and also widely used framework to explain the marketing strategy of a company.
Lifebuoy Marketing Mix will discuss the product line of the Lifebuoy, Lifebuoy advertisement, distribution channel of Lifebuoy soap, and pricing of Lifebuoy. Let’s start discussing the 4Ps marketing mix of Lifebuoy.
1. Lifebuoy Product Strategy
Starting with carbolic soap, now it has become a brand. Lifebuoy’s unique shaped and red coloured soap is a memorable item of this company. Now it has a wide range of products with better effectiveness .fragrant and feel. Lifebuoy’s product line includes-
- Lifebuoy Bars
- Lifebuoy Handwash ( available in refills and hand pumps)
- Lifebuoy Body wash
- Lifebuoy Sanitizer (Now in top-selling item)
These are the major product portfolios of Lifebuoy. Now, we have understood the product strategy of the company. So let’s turn our focus on the pricing strategy of Lifebuoy.
2. Lifebuoy Pricing Strategy
Lifebuoy has a brand value and also reliable soap in India. It gained familiar status due to its amazing pricing strategy. Lifebuoy keeps its product’s price relatively lower than competitors.
Its reasonable and inexpensive marketing pricing policy has helped to survive in both urban and rural markets. This led to huge sales and greater profit margins. Lifebuoy is a global brand that is one of the most popular and widely used soap brands in locations like India.
Because of its penetration policies, it has successfully infiltrated both the urban and rural markets. It also confronts competition from several brands, which it has addressed by instituting a competitive pricing policy. Lifebuoy’s product pricing is slightly lower than those of its competitors.
With this, the pricing strategy of Lifebuoy comes to an end. Lowering its price and distributing its products all over the world, is one of the fundamental essences of any business. So, now let’s look into the place and distribution strategy of Lifebuoy.
3. Lifebuoy Place & Distribution Strategy
Lifebuoy was first launched in England. Then became a popular brand in the United Kingdom and United States market. In 2003, it completely pulled out of the US market.
Now it produces products in India and Indonesia for Asian markets, Tobago and Trinidad for Caribbean markets, Cyprus for Brazil, EU, and UK markets. In India, it has sales offices in Chennai, Mumbai, and Kolkata and also a huge market in India now. Lifebuoy offers a robust and extensive distribution network that comprises retailers, wholesalers, distributors, warehouses, and transportation services to reach clients through discount stores, convenience stores, corner shops, and supermarkets.
Lifebuoy used Unilever’s network wisely to reach every corner of India. It also has a strong network that includes retailers, wholesalers, warehouses, and transport services which also helps to reach customers’ doors.
It has collaborated with 6000 suppliers and 4000 stockists to cover over 80,000 villages. Due to its powerful network, it has been able to enter even rural places.
Thus, the company leverages the possible ways of producing, distributing, and promoting its products to its target market that helps the brand to reach its peak in the market.
Now let’s tear it down and understand the promotional strategy of Lifebuoy in the coming section to know more about its special set of plans in terms of advertising.
4. Lifebuoy Promotional Strategy
Lifebuoy has worldwide recognition as a germ protection soap which reflects it as a safe and secure company. It has adopted intensive marketing plans also .it has launched promotional ads on magazines, billboards, newspapers, television, and also in online media like youtube and Facebook.
It has some well-known campaigns also .like-
- Swasthya Chetna – Through this campaign, it distributed Lifebuoy soaps in rural areas. Global Hand Wash Day on October 15- For motivating the practice of handwashing in rural areas.
- Distributed soaps in Gurudwara – engaged 36000 people.
- Campaign in Maha Kumbh Mela
- Programs like Krishi Darshan, Aap ka Swasthya
- “Did You Wash Your Hands with Lifebuoy ?” – Campaign
Some notable Advertisements of Lifebuoy
The advertisements contain some emotional keywords. We love our family and friends so that they attach family, friends, and country in their ads to attract our subconscious mind. This strategy of the advertisement has been creating too many new uses.
Conclusion
Finally, our marketing mix of Lifebuoy comes to an end with a knowledgeable idea of Lifebuoy. The brand is good enough with their renowned soap. They are spreading their business with variants of soaps with colour, smell, and usage. As it has a huge user base all over the world, I hope it will go along with its fame.
Lifebuoy has implemented some comprehensive marketing strategies to promote its products in international markets. It has run advertisements on TV, radio, magazines, newspapers, billboards, and the internet.
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