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. It is also a famous and leading name in the home, personal care products, and food and beverage sectors. 

The founders of Lifebuoy, the Lever brothers, first offered the product to the public in 1895. However, Lifebuoy’s adventure began many years prior when it was a carbolic soap that contained phenol. 

Today, Lifebuoy is one of India’s most popular soaps, distinguished by its reddish-brown hard brick-like soap. Apart from soap, the company now produces a wide range of items such as liquid hand soaps, sanitizers, liquid body washes, shower gel, talcum powder, and more. It also 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.

Current News about Lifebuoy

Lifebuoy’s ‘Spare the Nails’ Ad Blends Hygiene with Cricket Excitement

In the recent IND vs PAK match, Lifebuoy creatively reminded fans about maintaining good hygiene. They cleverly played on the tension of the match, suggesting fans “spare their nails.” It was a nod to the nail-biting nature of cricket where they subtly promoted hygiene practices. 

To promote hygiene through playful activities on Global Handwashing Day, October 15, 2023, Lifebuoy introduces the ‘H for Handwashing Games’ initiative

Lifebuoy has recently partnered with Imagimake, a toy design company to introduce the ‘H for Handwashing Games’. These games were made available to over 75,000 kids in Delhi, Punjab, and Haryana through government schools and NGO partners. They were designed to blend fun and hygiene education, engaging young minds in learning the importance of hand hygiene.

Lifebuoy Launches ‘Gift of the Ganga,’ A Virtual Hygiene Drive in the Metaverse

Lifebuoy has recently released ‘Gift of the Ganga,’ a Metaverse initiative where gamers are invited to remove virtual plastic pollution. Lifebuoy also pledges to clear a matching or greater amount of real-life pollution from the actual river.

Target Audience of Lifebuoy

Lifebuoy usually caters to a broad range of audiences but it mainly focuses on families and individuals who prioritize cleanliness and health. This includes parents with young children who want to protect their families from germs and illnesses. Its products, like antibacterial soaps, hand washes, and sanitizers are designed to appeal to health-conscious consumers. 

Apart from this, Lifebuoy also appeals to professionals in sectors like education and healthcare. It also caters to consumers in developing regions where access to reliable and affordable hygiene products is highly crucial. Here’s a detailed buyer persona for Lifebuoy:

Now that we understand what Lifebuoy is and who are its ideal customers, let’s delve into the main segment of the case study – The Marketing Mix of Lifebuoy. 

Marketing Mix of Lifebuoy

In Marketing Mix of Lifebuoy, we will analyze the 7Ps  (Product, Price, Place, Promotion, People, Process, and Physical Evidence) of marketing strategy. This is a renowned and widely used framework to explain the marketing strategy of a company. So lets get started

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 is 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 in magazines, billboards, newspapers, television, and also in online media like YouTube and Facebook.

It also has some well-known campaigns such as:

• Swasthya Chetna  – Through this campaign, it distributed Lifebuoy soaps in rural areas. Global Hand Wash Day on October 15- to motivate 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

• Bunty Tera Sabun Slow Hai Kya?
• Help a Child Reach 5
• Lifebuoy Banaye Healthy Hindustan

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.

5. Lifebuoy’s People Strategy

Lifebuoy focuses on creating effective and affordable health and hygiene products. Their strategy revolves around making products like soaps and sanitizers accessible to everyone, especially in developing regions where access to hygiene products is highly crucial. 

Lifebuoy also uses smart marketing to educate people about the importance of cleanliness. With colorful packaging and catchy ads, Lifebuoy makes learning about hygiene fun. They also put their efforts into making their products gentle on the skin while fighting germs effectively. This helps them reach more families, keeping everyone healthy and happy. All in all, Lifebuoy’s strategy is all about making cleanliness a simple and enjoyable habit for everyone.

6. Process Strategy

Lifebuoy’s process strategy is centered around creating hygiene products that are both effective and safe for everyday use. It involves a blend of scientific research, quality control, and thoughtful distribution, all of which are aimed at maintaining high standards of hygiene and health. Here’s a breakdown of Lifebuoy’s process strategy:

Innovative Research: Their journey begins in the lab, where Lifebuoy invests in developing germ-fighting formulas that are also skin-friendly.

Careful Ingredient Selection: Choosing the right ingredients is key in decision in the making of any product. Lifebuoy focuses on materials known for their efficacy in hygiene, ensuring a balance of safety and performance.

Efficient Manufacturing: In their production facilities, these ingredients are meticulously combined.  The method follows strict hygiene and quality standards, making sure that every product lives up to its high expectations.

Testing: Before any soap reaches the shelves, it undergoes extensive testing. This step is highly crucial for verifying effectiveness against germs and ensuring user safety.

Strategic Distribution: After passing quality checks, the soaps are packaged and distributed worldwide. 

This strategic approach underlines Lifebuoy’s dedication to delivering high-quality hygiene products while prioritizing consumer safety and global health standards.

7. Lifebuoy’s Physical Evidence Strategy

The Physical evidence strategy in marketing involves the tangible elements that customers can see, touch, and experience, helping them form an opinion about a brand. For Lifebuoy, this is crucial in reinforcing its message of safety and hygiene. Here’s how Lifebuoy excels in its physical evidence strategy:

Packaging: Lifebuoy’s packaging stands out with its bold red and white colors. These colors are not just eye-catching but also symbolize cleanliness and alertness, aligning with the brand’s health-focused ethos.

Design and Scent: The soap’s unique design and distinctive scent are also immediately recognizable. This consistency in design and fragrance ensures that customers can easily identify Lifebuoy among other products.

In-Store Visibility: Lifebuoy ensures prominent display in stores. Its strategic placement on shelves makes it easily accessible and noticeable, reassuring customers of its availability and reliability as a hygiene product.

Through these strategies, Lifebuoy effectively uses physical evidence to reinforce its brand promise, making it a trusted choice in personal hygiene products.

How does Lifebuoy use digital marketing in its strategy?

Lifebuoy uses many digital marketing strategies to spread its awareness effectively. Some of them are as follows:

1. Search Engine Optimisation (SEO)

Just like any other company, Lifebuoy also prioritizes its website to show up at the #1 position, especially when people search for hygiene-related topics. By using specific keywords, they ensure their vital hygiene messages are easily discoverable on SERP.

As per Ubersuggest data for December 2023, Lifebuoy ranks for 1,763 organic keywords in India and its organic traffic is 26,077 sessions per month. 

Source: Ubersuggest.com

Lifebuoy also gets backlinks from 1,022 unique domains. All this increases the Domain Authority of Lifebuoy’s domain and helps it rank higher in the search results.

2. Moment Marketing

To put it simply, moment marketing is when companies and brands try to grab the audience’s attention during big events. Lifebuoy recently did it during the India vs Pakistan cricket match.

With their “Spare the Nails” ad, Lifebuoy connected the nail-biting excitement of the match with the germs hiding under our nails. This was a clever way to remind people about the importance of keeping their hands clean without directly mentioning it.

3. Cause Marketing

Cause marketing is when a brand supports a social or environmental cause to make a positive impact while also promoting its products. Lifebuoy’s “Gift of Ganga” Campaign is a great example of cause marketing.

In this campaign, gamers were invited to a virtual hygiene drive in the Metaverse where they were tasked to clean up a virtual river. In exchange, Lifebuoy promised to clear an equivalent or more amount of plastic from the actual Ganga River. Moreover, they also promised to upcycle the collected plastic to build hand-washing stations for under-served schools. For this, they partnered with Swayambhu, a social enterprise, as well as the Central Government’s Namami Gange Programme. 

Overall, this campaign sets an excellent example of how modern trends like metaverse and cause marketing can work hand in hand to make a positive impact on society and the environment. With this campaign, Lifebuoy smartly promoted hygiene while also making a big impact by taking care of the environment. 

Top 5 Competitors of Lifebuoy

LUX

Lux was founded by the Unilever firm in 1899. Its products are made to provide customers with an extremely luxurious bathing experience. Its soaps are perfect for a pampering session after a long, tiring day. Check out our detailed blog marketing mix of Lux to learn more about it.

Dettol 

Dettol was launched in 1981 as an extension of the brand’s antiseptic liquid. It was founded by the Reckitt Benckiser group and its products are designed to help protect skin from germs, bacteria, and various other contaminants. You can check out our extensive case study on the marketing mix of Dettol to know more about the brand.

SANTOOR 

Santoor is a well-known brand that primarily specializes in beauty and personal care products. They are known for their range of skincare soaps and other beauty products.

GODREJ 

It is an Indian multinational conglomerate headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra which is managed and largely owned by the Godrej family. It has many products like aerospace, agriculture, consumer goods, home appliances etc. To learn more about Godrej check out our SWOT Analysis of Godrej Consumer Products.

Dove 

Dove is a well-known brand that offers a range of personal care products, including soap, body wash, shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, and skincare items. It is also owned by Unilever and is recognized for promoting a message of real beauty and self-acceptance in its marketing campaigns.

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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