Market History to thermals and jackets.

Clothes have been washed for eons –
battered by washer men on stones,
beaten with wooden paddles and
washed with bare hands by
devoted housewives. Irrespective
of the method, a factor
common to all has been the
use of a detergent. In the
early days, the most
commonly used was the bar.
Not only was it the cheapest
option it was also ideally suited
to the type of washing that
clothes were subjected to. As
the markets changed the
concept of powders caught on.
Limited initially to urban centres,
powders, today, have overtaken
the bar in terms of both volume
as well as value.
Most of the detergents are
focused on daily wear and
stain removal – the typical
problem-solution strategy that
drives most detergent
communication. However,
increasing fabric sophistication
and greater awareness
amongst consuming publics is
making the fabric care market
a more complex one. In this
market, consumers see
powders and bars as being harsh
on new blends of textiles and natural wool and
silk fabric. A photo sort of common problems
shows up as shrinkage, loss of shape, bobbling
and colour fading.
In this market liquid detergents are seen as
superb alternatives offering a viable solution. At
the moment, however, they comprise the
smallest segment in cost-conscious India. The
Indian liquid detergent market is currently
valued at Rs. 64 crore (US$ 13.30 million) with
Ezee the market leader with an overwhelming
78% market share by value (Source: ACNielsen).
Ezee has had a somewhat chequered history.
Launched in 1983 into a market almost
waiting for a product that would deliver it
from the grasp of harsh detergents,
Ezee was transferred to a joint
venture between Godrej and
Procter & Gamble in 1993.
Five years later, it was
acquired by Cussons
India and brought back
into the Godrej fold in
1999. During these six
years of its migration new
market forces had emerged in
the form of competition from
several brands, offering compact
detergents which were more
affordable to consumers.
With Godrej now fully in
charge, it reviewed the changed
circumstances. Several things were
shaping the market – and along
with it, Ezee’s destiny.
One of the problems faced by
Ezee was its exclusive use in
woollen garments – to the
complete exclusion of cottons
and limited use in silks. This belief
confined its usage, in the main, to
winter months and restricted its
sales to the colder environs of
the North Zone with marginal
use in other parts of India. The
other was the fact that consumers were moving
from pure wool to woollen blends and the
clothing from sweaters, pullovers and cardigans
Ezee addressed these problems in two ways.
It repositioned Ezee from being
effective on woollens to being
ideal for winter wear. Its payoff
line, Garam Kapde Rakhe
Naye Ke Naye (Keeps winter
wear looking new) quickly
caught on. At the same
time, it developed a new
formulation that added to
Ezee the values of a fabric
conditioner. The enhanced
quality and repositioning
enabled Ezee to claim the ‘soft
and fluffy’ benefit, strengthen its
market leadership and increase its
share from 75.90% to 81.90%. (Source:
company data).
In 2002, Ezee became one of the
first brands to have a website of its own.
www.ezeefabcare.com created a web-based
community of Ezee users dedicated to
the brand.
Product
Before the introduction of Ezee, expensive and
delicate clothes were washed with either
powders and rinsed with several buckets of
water to remove all residual soap or, amongst
the less affluent families, with reetha boiled and
soaked overnight. Ezee eliminated the need
for both.
Ezee came with a very special pH (potential
hydrogen) balanced formula. This simply meant
that Ezee had neither dangerous acids nor a
skewed proportion of unsafe alkaline but a

Achievements
When it was launched Ezee was designed to fill
a need-gap to wash at home, special clothes and
delicate garments such as woollens, silks and
baby clothes. However, the need for a special
detergent was seen to be more relevant for
woollens and thus the entire tone and tenor of
the communication was directed towards it.
Ezee quickly occupied the slot of a detergent
which prevented shrinkage and loss of shape.
Today, despite the fact that it was the second
entrant in the market, the brand is a category
leader and has become generic to the segment.
Two other achievements distinguish Ezee. It is
the only detergent – in any form of delivery –
in India with a Woolmark certification which
reiterates the fact that Ezee is the only
guaranteed solution available for expert winter
wear care. The other fact is even more stunning:
Ezee is stocked and sold through 1.2 million
retailers versus just 90,000 for its nearest
competitor.

70 SUPERBRANDS

composition that was harmless and gentle on
both clothes and skin. This property ensured
that garments retained their original feel and
neither faded, shrank nor lost shape.
With the latest up gradation in its
formulation, Ezee has become even more
user- and clothes- friendly and is ideally suitable
for washing expensive woollens, baby clothes
and lingerie.
In 2003, Godrej extended the usage of Ezee
to include silks by introducing a formula
developed especially for this expensive, natural
fibre. With the launch of Ezee Silk Liquid the
brand has consolidated its primary position in
the detergents market and addressed the long-
felt need of the huge market in South India.
Recent Developments
From its position of leadership, Ezee is able to
get a bird’s eye view of the entire market. It
discovered that despite its effectiveness and
inherent qualities, Ezee liquid detergent was still
being viewed as expensive. This was actually
impeding growth and restricting the
development of a wider in the Jija-Saali (brother-in-law – sister-in-law)
consumer base. To obviate campaign and the underlying message
this negative, Ezee was disseminated through a compelling invitation to
launched in convenient, Garam Kapde Rakhe Naye Ke Naye.
single-use sachets at The brand website www.ezeefabcare.com has
affordable price points of an interactive character with a message board
Rs. 2, Rs. 4 and Rs. 10. that has linked women from across the country.
Ezee was also It also offers fabric care tips as well as games
subjected to two other and wall papers.
improvements. Since But Ezee’s great achievement has been to
much of Ezee’s usage take brand communication beyond mass-media
happened in the winter advertising by involving real-world consumers
months, the product through ground-level events, fashion shows
tended to freeze in and contests.
severe cold. As a consumer-driven product, Ezee took the
The brand initiative to heighten consumer engagement with
the category by appreciating their skills through
its Ezee Banao Sweater Bano Star (knit a sweater,
become a star) campaign launched in 2000.
Popular to this day, it requires contestants to
design a sweater and answer some simple
questions. All entries are judged by an
independent panel of experts. Winners receive
exciting prizes and gain recognition. In the
process their bonds with Ezee are renewed
each year.
Godrej Ezee Grihini (housewife) is another
initiative undertaken by Ezee which focuses on
housewives. Launched in 2004, it invites women
to enter a sweater designing contest. Each year,
several thousand entries are received. Initially
confined to Rajasthan, Godrej Ezee Grihini has
now been launched in Punjab as well.
Ezee is also associated with the Woolmark
Fashion Show. The association strengthens its
brand equity of being modern and progressive
and at the same time connecting with
was redeveloped consumers. At this event the Banao Sweater
with an anti-freeze Bano Star contest comes full circle.
formulation that The winners get to showcase their
prevented the liquid designs and receive appreciation in
from freezing at a larger forum.
temperatures up to -5ºC. The As part of its corporate social
other was a cosmetic change borne out of the responsibility, Ezee has been
knowledge that packaging played an important organising the Ezee Raahat
part in modern sales and marketing. The Ezee Abhiyaan (relief movement) in
bottle was redesigned with an ergonomic Delhi since 2006. This
shape, an easy-pour snout and contemporary endeavour encourages
new looks. people to donate their
In its most recent attempt to expand usage woollens which are, in turn,
the Ezee franchise has been extended with the distributed amongst the needy.
launch of Ezee Bright & Soft. This new daily-
wash liquid detergent has entered the high- Brand Values
potential premium segment. Launched in select Ezee stands for care and
markets it is intended to give consumers the concern. These are the two
distinct Ezee advantage. values housewives most want
to be associated with. By
Promotion providing a solution that helps
Godrej Ezee operates in a competitive, price- them enhance the life of
sensitive market caught between financial expensive clothes they earn
expediency and the proper maintenance of the respect and appreciation
expensive of the family – the one
clothes. The compliment which every
brand has Indian housewife craves.
trodden this
fine line by a www.ezeefabcare.com
series of
communication
activities which Things you didn’t know about
have attempted
to make light of Ezee
the issue. Ezee has been found to be used – with
Its Chaali Di excellent results – by diverse industries like
Chaati (Chest bicycle and silver where gentle cleansing is a
size 40) critical need
communication
for the largely Nine out of every ten units of liquid detergent
Punjabi-speaking sold in India are Ezee
North is still
fondly recalled Ezee was the first liquid detergent brand to be
by many. The advertised on TV
fun element of Ezee is the only detergent in India that
this commercial incorporates a fabric conditioner
was extended

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