Brand Yatra: Doing Well by Doing Good for Lifebuoy
Since its official inception in 1935, Lifebuoy has evolved and re-evolved to reach its current positioning of being a health essential. The brand’s custodians explain that the crusade to save lives has been hardwired into the brand’s DNA, and as a result, all initiatives, importantly the ones involved in Lifebuoy’s branding, go back to this basic premise. The context and tone may change; the intent, never, and perhaps this is one of the reasons that has made Lifebuoy the “largest selling health soap brand in the world”.
Brand:
Lifebuoy
Creative Agency:
Lowe Lintas
Previous Agency:
Same as above
The brand Lifebuoy was launched in the year 1895. Even though Lifebuoy was sold in India as early as that, it was officially launched and marketed from 1935. It was the largest selling soap brand in the world with sales of Rs 5 billion, and sold approximately 2 million soaps a day, as in 2002. Lifebuoy had a 21 per cent market share in the overall soap market, and was a category leader in the carbolic soap segment with a 95 per cent market share.
For over a century, since the brand first came to India, Lifebuoy was associated with health and well-being. Its communication reiterated the message that Lifebuoy washed away germs and kept one protected and healthy. The brand went through a major re-launch for the first time in 1964, with a change in product formulation, shape, and packaging.
For the man, and then his family too
Its famous advertising jingle, ‘tandurusti ki raksha karta hai lifebuoy’ sung by Preeti Sagar, was so popular that it enabled the brand ‘Lifebuoy’ to be perceived as a ‘red carbolic soap’ for several decades. The brand passed through prolonged stages of growth and maturity during most of the second half of 20th century.
The brand was initially positioned in the health and value platform. The campaigns showed football players and athletes using the soap, and the jingle reinforced the attempt to make the product skewed towards the man of the house. The soap was brick-red and had a carbolic ingredient with a unique smell (chryselic perfume) that distinguished itself from other feminine brands, and making it the largest selling health soap brand in the world.
In the year 2002, the company changed this positioning decision, and the brand was no longer a masculine brand. The brand was repositioned as a ‘family’ brand. The brand was no more carbolic, the perfume changed and a new ingredient ‘Active B’, that eliminated harmful germs, was introduced. The campaign now portrayed a pretty girl, who was teased for having a pimple, but didn’t care after using Lifebuoy Gold, was an instant hit. The company maintained the health platform but targeted at the family so that the brand usage goes up.
The year 2004 saw another repositioning for the brand. The target was the ‘discerning housewife’ and the positioning was ‘health protection for family and me’. The new campaign by Lowe was spot on without diluting the age old positioning of health and freedom from germs.
The brand with a cause
In a conversation with exchange4media, Joseph George, Executive Director, Lowe Lintas explained that Lifebuoy as a brand is “unique”, as it has historically seen itself not as selling soap, but on saving lives. He said, “It has always been a ‘brand with a cause’. Till as late as 2004, India ranked the highest in diarrhoea deaths in infants under five years old, according to WHO. More than half a million children die every year due to diarrhoea, and the easiest way to prevent diarrhoea is to maintain good personal hygiene. This crusade to save lives has been hardwired into the brand’s DNA and as a result, all initiatives go back to this basic premise.”
According to George, in India, Lifebuoy pioneered the connection of germs to illness and removed myths that common ailments like diarrhoea and dysentery are caused by bad food but by improper hygiene. “We transitioned to a more positive brand idea when we moved to ‘Life without Fear’. But even that was rooted in the need to empower the consumer with good health and protection. We also recognised that being in the personal products space, we would have to parallely and constantly exceed expectations on product quality, sensories and packaging as well. Executing well on these dual considerations has made Lifebuoy even more relevant and build even more consumer affinity,” he said.
And now the latest campaign, or the latest “cause”, the Healthy Hoga Hindustan, attempts to deliver benefits that consumers instinctively do not associate with soaps, thus re-positioning Lifebuoy as not merely ‘a soap’ but a health essential. In a way, this brand has and always will believe in Doing Well by Doing Good. George reiterated that while the context and tone may change, the intent wouldn’t.
“The current campaign was created to further reinforce our brand idea with an even more persuasive functional leg. We also recognised the fact, that as the world’s largest health soap, it was incumbent on us to provide evidence to our consumers that we perform in real life and not just in labs! Thus be able to honestly and confidently live up to our claim of enabling consumers to live life without fear,” said George.
An onlooker’s perspective
“An extension of the germ free premise, the new ad is refreshing as it takes a leap into a social platform. The brand has seen a progression from focusing on family to kids, which led to the thought of Healthy Hoga Hindustan. There has been a paradigm shift from encouraging the use of softer, mild soaps for kids to harsh but protective ones, Lifebouy reinforces that. The research aspect has been dealt with and shown interestingly,” said Rishabh Sharma, Senior Executive-Strategy Planning, PerceptH.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
TOP STORIES
E4M Our strategy is to target younger audiences through Sports: Rajiv Dubey, Dabur
The Head of Media at Dabur India spoke exclusively to exchange4media on the World Cup, associating with Indian Idol, the company’s digital spending and much more
With quirky campaigns, memes and moment marketing, timed with the ongoing World Cup and particularly the India-Pakistan matches, Dabur India has got considerable consumer attention for its popular brands – Red Paste, Cool King Hair Oil, Chyawanprash, Dabur Vita and the recently launched Bae Fresh Gel toothpaste.
The 140-year-old company is going big on key sporting events, World Television Premiere (WTP) movies and reality shows. It is now gearing up to become the title sponsor of popular talent show ‘Indian Idol’ on Sony TV for the first time, shared Rajiv Dubey, who leads the media strategy at Dabur.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
ShareSwapan Seth's new book 'COOL' is out
The book is a reflection of the author's 'eclectic taste across categories'
Advertising professional and art collector Swapan Seth has announced the launch of his new book COOL. The book is described as "a ready reckoner to the hip and the happening, of the known and the very unknown."
The book is a reflection of the author's "eclectic taste across categories: from boltholes to exotic hideaways."
COOL has been published by Simon & Schuster India and is available on Amazon.
Seth is an ad veteran with a long and illustrious career in the industry. He became the youngest-ever Creative Director at Clarion at age 24. He was VP at 26 at Trikaya Grey. Two years later, he started his agency Equus.
He writes for publications such as The Economic Times, Hindustan Times and India Today. This is his second book and he has previously published THIS IS ALL I HAVE TO SAY.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Disney Star signs 9 sponsors for Asia Cup PAK
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up come on board
e4m Staff Disney Star has signed nine broadcast and digital streaming sponsors for the upcoming Asia Cup.
Charged by Thums Up, Nerolac Paint+, Amazon Pay, Jindal Panther, My11Circle, MRF, Samsung Galaxy Z Flip5, Wild Stone and Thums Up have come on board for the upcoming tournament.
As reported earlier by exchange4media, Disney Star has sought Rs 26 crore for the co-presenting sponsorship on TV and Rs 30 crore for Disney+ Hotstar.
According to industry sources, the associate sponsorship on Star Sports has been priced at Rs 19.66 crore, whereas for the ‘powered by’ sponsorship on Disney+ Hotstar, the broadcaster is seeking Rs 18 crore.
As per the information available with exchange4media, Disney+ Hotstar has three sponsorship tiers-- co-presenting (Rs 30 crore), powered by (Rs 18 crore) and associate sponsorship (Rs 12 crore). The broadcaster is offering an estimated reach of 120-140 million for co-presenting sponsors, 90-100 million for powered by and 60-70 million for associate sponsorship.
A spot buy for 10 seconds has been priced at Rs 25 lakh for the India vs Pakistan matches, while for the non-India matches, the ad rate for 10 second is Rs 2.3 lakh. The India matches plus the final for ODIs has been priced at Rs 17 lakh per 10 seconds.
Asia Cup is scheduled to be held from 30 August, 2023, to September 17, 2023.
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
Sorted 360 wins creative & social media mandate of Reliance Mall
The agency will manage offline and online campaigns for Reliance Mall
Sorted 360, an integrated creative and social media agency, has won the mandate to providing brand solutions for Reliance Malls across India.
“Sorted 360 is set to enhance Reliance Malls' market presence with their unparalleled creative prowess and strategic thinking,” read a press release.
“Sorted 360's commitment to pushing the boundaries of creative communication aligns perfectly with Reliance Malls' ethos. With a pan-India presence spanning across 19 cities and growing, Reliance Malls has consistently captivated customers by offering an array of Reliance brands and third-party fashion & lifestyle brands. The mall has established an unparalleled connection with its patrons through superior quality, a remarkable value proposition, and an unmatched shopping experience,” it read further.
"We are thrilled to welcome Sorted 360 as our trusted partner in advancing our brand presence across the nation," said the Head of Marketing at Relaice Malls. "Their proven expertise in retail, shopping center management, and innovative creative strategies make them the perfect fit for our vision."
"Partnering with Reliance Malls is a testament to our commitment to shaping extraordinary brand experiences," remarked Prerana Anatharam, Co-founder of Sorted 360. "We are excited to leverage our strategic and creative acumen to further elevate Reliance Malls as the epitome of convenience, choice, and excellence."
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
test
test
test
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
test
test
test
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp
KlugKlug onboards Hemang Mehta as Country Manager for Indias
Mehta was most recently Head of Agency Relationships at Network 18 Media & Investments
KlugKlug has appointed Hemang Mehta as its Country Manager for India.
Mehta will play a pivotal role in driving KlugKlug's growth and expansion within the Indian market and be responsible for Sales & GTM Strategy
Prior to that, he has also represented organisations like Exponential (now VDX.tv), India Today Digital and Rediff.com. His expertise spans various domains including digital media sales, mobile marketing, media planning, and buying, social media marketing, and more.
Hemang Mehta expressed his enthusiasm about joining KlugKlug, saying, "I am thrilled to be a part of KlugKlug, a forward-thinking platform that is reshaping the influencer marketing landscape. As much as I look forward to collaborating with the exuberant team at KlugKlug, I am super excited to interact with the brands to deliver powerful data-backed Influencer solutions that will guarantee business outcomes."
Commenting on the appointment, Kalyan Kumar, Co-Founder and CEO of KlugKlug, stated, "We are excited to welcome Hemang Mehta to our team as the Country Manager for India. His extensive experience in digital media sales and marketing will be instrumental in driving our efforts to provide influencer marketing solutions to our clients. We believe Hemang's leadership will be key in scaling our operations and expanding our reach within the Indian market."
Read more news about (internet advertising India, internet advertising, advertising India, digital advertising India, media advertising India)
For more updates, be socially connected with us onInstagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook Youtube & Whatsapp