A PROJECT

ON
A STUDY ON MARKETING STRATEGIES OF HINDUSTAN UNILEVER LIMITED

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 TABLE OF CONTENTS

SR NO. TOPIC PAGE NO.

1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5

2. INTRODUCTION 6

 ABOUT THE COMPANY

 HISTORY

 MARKETING MIX

 CORPORATE SOCIAL
RESPONSIBILITY

 ANALYSIS OF ITC AND HUL

 SWOT ANALYSIS OF HUL

3. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 34

4. AIMS AND OBJECTIVES 37

5. METHODOLOGY 39

6. RESULTS & DISCUSSIONS 41

 GRAPHS

7. SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION 48

8. RECOMMENDATIONS 51

9. REFERENCES 53

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 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Marketing is used by organizations in various ways. More than just advertising, marketing is the
procedure that answers the questions of what the needs, wants, fears, and desires of one’s target
consumers are. . Marketing involves various processes which include research of a targeted
consumer base and a product or service, initiation and development of a product or service,
distribution, promotion, advertising, sales, and customer follow up that is conducted ethically by
doing the right thing.

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India's largest Fast Moving Consumer Goods Company with
a heritage of over 80 years in India and touches the lives of two out of three Indians.

HUL works to create a better future every day and helps people feel good, look good and get more
out of life with brands and services that are good for them and good for others.

With over 35 brands spanning 20 distinct categories such as soaps, detergents, shampoos, skin
care, toothpastes, deodorants, cosmetics, tea, coffee, packaged foods, ice cream, and water
purifiers, the Company is a part of the everyday life of millions of consumers across India. Its
portfolio includes leading household brands such as Lux, Lifebuoy, Surf Excel, Rin, Wheel, Fair
& Lovely, Pond’s, Vaseline, Lakme, Dove, Clinic Plus, Sunsilk, Pepsodent, Closeup, Axe, Brooke
Bond, Bru, Knorr, Kissan, Kwality Wall’s and Pureit.

The Company has over 16,000 employees and has an annual turnover of INR 30,170 crores
(financial year 2014 – 15). HUL is a subsidiary of Unilever, one of the world’s leading suppliers
of fast moving consumer goods with strong local roots in more than 100 countries across the globe
with annual sales of €48.4 billion in 2014. Unilever has 67.25% shareholding in HUL.

The company has performed a lot of corporate social responsibility. The company has also taken
up a lot of various strategies in order to promote its products. The company over the years has tried
to come up with new strategies in order to make its products more popular among its consumers.

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INTRODUCTION

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 INTRODUCTION

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India's largest Fast Moving Consumer goods company,
touching the lives of two out of three Indians with over 20 distinct categories in House & Personal
Care Product and Food & Beverages. They endow the company with a scale of combined volumes
of about 4 million tones and sales of Rs. 14000 crores. They are manufactured over 53 factories
across India. The operations involve over 3700 suppliers and associates. HUL's distribution
network comprising about 6800 redistribution stockiest, covering 8.4 million retail outlets reaching
the entire urban population and about 390 million rural consumers. The main objective of this
study is to find what the steps of Hindustan Unilever Ltd. are is adopting to be market leader and
to differentiate itself from its competitors. The new Hindustan Lever see an exciting opportunity
for growth. They have 41 powerful brands covering all segments, with leading market positions in
most. Today, these are stronger and more relevant to the consumer than ever. The scale of the
business and operations give them the resources needed. They are delivering good services and the
changes they brought in the products are well taken by the customers, by this they are generating
sustainable profitable growth.

Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India’s largest Fast Moving Consumer goods company,
touching the lives of two out of three Indians with over 20 distinct categories in House & Personal
Care Product and Food & Beverages. HUL is also one of the country’s largest exporters; it has
been recognized as a Golden Super Star Trading House by the Government of India. HUL’s
brandslike Lifebuoy, Lux, Surf Excel, Rin, Wheel, Fair & Lovely, and Kissan – are household
names across the country and span many categories – soaps, detergents, tea and other products.
They are manufactured in over 53 factories across India. The operations involve over 3700
suppliers and associates. HUL’s distribution network comprising about 6800 redistribution
stockiest, covering 8.4 million retail outlets reaching the entire urban population and about 390
million rural consumers. HUL is not only focusing on health & hygiene education, women
empowerment and water management but also involved in education and rehabilitation of special
or underprivileged children, care for the destitute and HIV positive and rural development.

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 HISTORY

In the summer of 1888, visitors to the Kolkata harbour noticed crates full of Sunlight soap bars,
embossed with the words "Made in England by Lever Brothers". With it, began an era of marketing
branded Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG).

Soon after followed Lifebuoy in 1895 and other famous brands like Pears, Lux and Vim. Vanaspati
was launched in 1918 and the famous Dalda brand came to the market in 1937.

In 1931, Unilever set up its first Indian subsidiary, Hindustan Vanaspati Manufacturing Company,
followed by Lever Brothers India Limited (1933) and United Traders Limited (1935). These three
companies merged to form HUL in November 1956; HUL offered 10% of its equity to the Indian
public, being the first among the foreign subsidiaries to do so. Unilever now holds 67.25% equity
in the company. The rest of the shareholding is distributed among about three lakh individual
shareholders and financial institutions.

The erstwhile Brooke Bond's presence in India dates back to 1900. By 1903, the company had
launched Red Label tea in the country. In 1912, Brooke Bond & Co. India Limited was formed.
Brooke Bond joined the Unilever fold in 1984 through an international acquisition. The erstwhile
Lipton's links with India were forged in 1898. Unilever acquired Lipton in 1972, and in 1977
Lipton Tea (India) Limited was incorporated.

Pond's (India) Limited had been present in India since 1947. It joined the Unilever fold through an
international acquisition of Chesebrough Pond's USA in 1986.

The liberalisation of the Indian economy, started in 1991, clearly marked an inflexion in HUL's
and the Group's growth curve. Removal of the regulatory framework allowed the company to
explore every single product and opportunity segment, without any constraints on production
capacity.

Simultaneously, deregulation permitted alliances, acquisitions and mergers. In one of the most
visible and talked about events of India's corporate history, the erstwhile Tata Oil Mills Company
(TOMCO) merged with HUL, effective from April 1, 1993.

In 1996, HUL and yet another Tata company, Lakme Limited, formed a 50:50 joint venture, Lakme
Unilever Limited, to market Lakme's market-leading cosmetics and other appropriate products of

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both the companies. Subsequently in 1998, Lakme Limited sold its brands to HUL and divested
its 50% stake in the joint venture to the company.

HUL formed a 50:50 joint venture with the US-based Kimberly Clark Corporation in 1994,
Kimberly-Clark Lever Ltd, which markets Huggies Diapers and Kotex Sanitary Pads. HUL has
also set up a subsidiary in Nepal, Unilever Nepal Limited (UNL), and its factory represents the
largest manufacturing investment in the Himalayan kingdom. The UNL factory manufactures
HUL's products like Soaps, Detergents and Personal Products both for the domestic market and
exports to India.

The 1990s also witnessed a string of crucial mergers, acquisitions and alliances on the Foods and
Beverages front. In 1992, the erstwhile Brooke Bond acquired Kothari General Foods, with
significant interests in Instant Coffee. In 1993, it acquired the Kissan business from the UB Group
and the Dollops Ice-cream business from Cadbury India.

As a measure of backward integration, Tea Estates and Doom Dooma, two plantation companies
of Unilever, were merged with Brooke Bond. Then in 1994, Brooke Bond India and Lipton India
merged to form Brooke Bond Lipton India Limited (BBLIL), enabling greater focus and ensuring
synergy in the traditional Beverages business. 1994 witnessed BBLIL launching the Wall's range
of Frozen Desserts. By the end of the year, the company entered into a strategic alliance with the
Kwality Ice-cream Group families and in 1995 the Milkfood 100% Ice-cream marketing and
distribution rights too were acquired.

Finally, BBLIL merged with HUL, with effect from January 1, 1996. The internal restructuring
culminated in the merger of Pond's (India) Limited (PIL) with HUL in 1998. The two companies
had significant overlaps in Personal Products, Speciality Chemicals and Exports businesses,
besides a common distribution system since 1993 for Personal Products. The two also had a
common management pool and a technology base. The amalgamation was done to ensure for the
Group, benefits from scale economies both in domestic and export markets and enable it to fund
investments required for aggressively building new categories.

In January 2000, in a historic step, the government decided to award 74 per cent equity in Modern
Foods to HUL, thereby beginning the divestment of government equity in public sector
undertakings (PSU) to private sector partners. HUL's entry into Bread is a strategic extension of

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the company's wheat business. In 2002, HUL acquired the government's remaining stake in
Modern Foods.

In 2003, HUL acquired the Cooked Shrimp and Pasteurised Crabmeat business of the Amalgam
Group of Companies, a leader in value added Marine Products exports.

HUL launched a slew of new business initiatives in the early part of 2000’s. Project Shakti was
started in 2001. It is a rural initiative that targets small villages populated by less than 5000
individuals. It is a unique win-win initiative that catalyses rural affluence even as it benefits
business. Currently, there are over 45,000 Shakti entrepreneurs covering over 100,000 villages
across 15 states and reaching to over 3 million homes.

In 2002, HUL made its foray into Ayurvedic health & beauty centre category with the Ayush
product range and Ayush Therapy Centres. Hindustan Unilever Network, Direct to home business
was launched in 2003 and this was followed by the launch of ‘Pureit’ water purifier in 2004.

In 2007, the Company name was formally changed to Hindustan Unilever Limited after receiving
the approval of shareholders during the 74th AGM on 18 May 2007. Brooke Bond and Surf Excel
breached the Rs 1,000 crore sales mark the same year followed by Wheel which crossed the
Rs.2000 crore sales milestone in 2008.

On 17th October 2008, HUL completed 75 years of corporate existence in India. In January 2010,
the HUL head office shifted from the landmark Lever House, at Backbay Reclamation, Mumbai
to the new campus in Andheri (E), Mumbai.

On 15th November, 2010, the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan was officially launched in India
at New Delhi.

In March, 2012 HUL’s state of the art Learning Centre was inaugurated at the Hindustan Unilever
campus at Andheri, Mumbai.

In April, 2012, the Customer Insight & Innovation Centre (CiiC) was inaugurated at the Hindustan
Unilever campus at Andheri, Mumbai

HUL completed 80 years of corporate existence in India on October 17th, 2013.

MARKETING MIX

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PRODUCT

The company is the leader in consumer goods industry with many brands under its umbrella. Its
brand and product portfolio consists of-

I.FOOD BRANDS-

Magnum (ice cream)

Modern bread

Kwality Walls (frozen dessert)

Knorr soups

Lipton tea

Kissan jams, sauce, juices etc.

Brooke Bond tea

Bru coffee

Annapurna Atta and salt

II.HOMECARE BRANDS-

Magic – (water saver)

Vim dishwasher

Surf Excel washing powder

Sunlight washing powder

Rin detergent

Comfort softeners for fabrics

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Wheel detergent

III.BRANDS RELATED TO PERSONAL CARE -

Tresemme for hair care

Vaseline lotions, jelly for skin care

Sure anti-perspirant

Sunsilk shampoo

Rexona soap

Pond’s cream and talc

Pepsodent toothpaste

Pears soap

Lux body wash, soap and deodorant

Liril soap

Lifebuoy handwash and soap

Lakme beauty merchandises

Hamam soap

Fair& Lovely products for skin lightening

Denim products for shaving

Dove hair-care range and skin products

Close-up toothpaste

Clinic Plus oil and shampoo

Clear hair products

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Breeze soap

Lever personal care and health care products

Axe soap, deodorant and after-shaving lotion

Aviance

IV.WATER PURIFIER

Pureit water purifier

Recently, Hindustan Unilever has introduced some new products in the consumer market like
Easywash from Surf Excel, Eyeconic range from Lakme, Anti-Germ bar from Vim and Hair fall
rescue treatment from Dove.

• PAN PYRAMID PORTFOLIO: A product portfolio is comprised of all the products

which an organization has. A product portfolio may comprise of different categories of products,
different product lines and finally the individual product itself. .The brand pyramid is a model that
illustrates the steps by which a customer establishes loyalty to a particular brand. The model can
be visualized as an inverted pyramid with five levels. As one moves up the pyramid, from the
narrow point to the broad base, customer loyalty increases in direct proportion to revenue potential.
An organization is comprised of a number of different departments, all focused towards one goal
– the betterment of the organization. In the same manner, product portfolio should be such that
each and every product in the portfolio is focused towards one goal – Bringing the organization on
top by optimally using the resources available.

HUL- PYRAMID PORTFOLIO (increment in the revenue)

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SOURCE: Altius Shodh Journal of Management and Commerce

INTERPRETATION

It can be seen from the pie chart that HUL has been particularly aggressive in the soaps and
detergents segment that contributes 48% to its Rs 30,000-crore sales and more than half its
operating profit.

PLACE

Hindustan Unilever deals in various brands and has many products under its belt. To handle all
this products and brandssuccessfully it has a vast distribution network that includes at least two
million outlets directly and 7.7 million retail shops in every part of the country. The company also
has a direct selling network called Hindustan Unilever network (HUNL) and under this network,
Ayush Therapy markets health products, Aviance markets beauty products, Lever Home markets

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home products, D.I.Y. markets male grooming products. In order to retain its market hold the
company has pursued an innovative mechanism for distributing its products. In its zeal to reach
the innumerable potential consumers in urban regions and in rural areas, where there is little scope
for reaching and establishing a network, the company has simply gone forward with no-holds
barred policy and set up various networks.

The company realizes that it has an advantage over its competitors and so has adopted various
methods to reach the customers through independent wholesale and retail outlets with a minimum
of two thousand and nine hundred stockists. Local warehouses are set up at convenient places from
where the C & F agents dispatch the items to the retailers on the stockist’s orders.

In order to reach the rural market, Hindustan Unilever has a four-tier system of distribution in
place. The company under the Direct Coverage Scheme has a common stockist that provides for
every outlet under its zone. Under the Indirect Coverage Scheme, the company targets those
retailers in villages that are near urban markets. The stockist is instructed so that heserves all the
villages in its vicinity.

PRICE

Hindustan Unilever believes in products that are consumer friendly as this generates huge amount
of sales. For this purpose, they have kept a simple pricing policy of low cost products so that the
products could reach a wider market. They have not compromised with the quality of the product
but have simply cut down on costing because of its wide and far-reaching distribution policy. For
some of its products Hindustan Unilever has maintained a competitive pricing policy. As soon as
its competitors increases or decreases the prices of the products so does Hindustan Unilever.

It is to maintain the balance of the market in the name of various discounts or schemes like two
hundred gm. of a product free with one kg of that product. This automatically reduces the prices

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and as the consumers are eager to buy at discounted rates, it does generate excess sales volume
thus resulting in extra revenues.

Hindustan Unilever tries to offer various brands with variety of products at numerous price ranges.
This is so because the consumer will buy any one of the product according to his/her financial
capability. The prices are placed so that they are generally reasonable and at competitive rates. For
its premium quality of products it has kept a premium pricing policy as it caters to a different
section of the society, who are happy to buy branded and premium products.

PROMOTION

Hindustan Unilever is a very large company with lots of brands and products so its promotional
policies are varied and extensive. It has taken the help of advertisements to create consciousness
about its products. Sharing product knowledge through the print media like periodicals and various
newspapers is also a good promotional strategy.

Sometimes coupons are attached with local newspapers to advertise and promote the products.
Hindustan Unilever has utilized the electronic media for its promotions as the ads are on television
at regular intervals. It has also posted detailed information about its products along with
advertisements on the websites to maintain consumer awareness. Hindustan Unilever has
maintained attractive product appearances with detailed and complete information about the
product on its packaging in at least three languages.

Discounts are provided along with various schemes to attract the customers during off seasons and
during special occasions. Sales push is also possible through various contests, free samples, and
lowered prices of introductory products and endorsement of products by celebrities. Sakshi Tanwar
is associated with Vim, Yami Gautam in Kwality Walls, Actor Kareena Kapoor is associated with
Lakme, Actor Kajol is associated with Knorr soups, and Varun Dhawan in Ponds men’s range and

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Anushka Sharma is associated with Bru. In order to arouse the interest of the consumers various
staffs’ are hired who provide a live product demonstration through the stalls at particular public
places.

ADVERTISEMENT: HUL is acquiring momentum in its online and digital drive. In FY13, HUL
tripled its ad spends in those mediums, taking their share to 7% of its total ad spend, which was
Rs 2,635 crore in FY12, according to analyst estimates. In FY14, this expense crossed 10%.

In HUL's media spend, online is now number two, after TV. In 2012, HUL launched a massive
India-specific initiative, BE Digital, which draws up a complete digital roadmap for premium
brands such as Tresemme, Sunsilk, Lakme, Close-up and Surf, where the target audience online is
high. So, against the old approach of thinking about digital after exhausting TV spending on a
brand, HUL is integrating social media and mobile into the brand's marketing at the planning stage
itself, as it did with Tresemme, a hair care brand. HUL created Tresemme Style Studio, a digital-
styling website loaded with 100-odd videos on hair styling, a webcam mirror that lets women style
along in real-time, and a tool that lets women test new lengths and looks on their own hair virtually.

The company is also working on a semi-digital roadmap for its other brands, which will eventually
be scaled up depending on a brand's requirement. "For some brands, the time has already come
now, and others will catch up," says Hemant Bakshi, executive director-home & personal care,
HUL. "Fact is, no brand can today escape being digital." HUL, which has 35 brands in 20
categories, is pulling multiple levers in an attempt to catch up. It is training its brand managers. It
has set up a 'digital experimentation fund' to encourage employees to pitch ideas for the online
space, five of which have been rolled out. It is seeking partnerships outside the traditional
advertising agencies. Marketing consultant Suman Srivastava says HUL still has to master the art
of doing something unconventional to make an impression online.

PUSHING CONSUMER FOR MORE USAGE: The country's largest fast moving consumer
goods company, Hindustan Unilever, is using "out-of-home" aggressively to grow its foods
business. Out-of-home means initiatives undertaken beyond just selling products. The move, say
FMCG analysts, is to build traction for the brand on the ground. On packaged foods, while there
is no plan to do anything out-of-home, the company has been using experiential marketing tools
to increase awareness and improve sampling. As HUL attempts to push its foods business using

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out-of-home, analysts say the success of it will depend on how much business these outlets can
generate.

SALES PROMOTION

HUL SELLS LIFEBUOY BY STAMPING ROTIS AT KUMBH MELA

At Kumbh Mela, the largest congregation on earth where all big marketers are vying to sell their
wares and boost their brands, one promotion that stands out is Hindustan Unilever’s ‘Roti
Reminder’ for its Lifebuoy soap brand.

The country’s largest consumer products firm, along with creative agency Ogilvy, has partnered
more than 100 dhabas and hotels at the mela site to serve rotis that are stamped with “Lifebuoy se
haath dhoye kya?” (Have you washed your hand with Lifebuoy?) “The ‘Roti Reminder’ gets a
consumer’s attention at the exact time when hand washing is critical,” Sudhir Sitapati, general
manager, skin cleansing, at HUL, says. That is, right when she sits down to eat roti with her hand.

The company has made special heat stamps to make an impression of its message on rotis and
hired 100 promoters to stand in 100 kitchens across the mela. The campaign started on February 1
and will run for 30 days. The company hopes to put the hand wash reminder on 2.5 million rotis.

“The Maha Kumbh provides a unique opportunity to communicate this message to a large,
predominantly small-town and rural population,” Sitapati says. “In effect, this simple, clutter-
breaking idea will help us reach out to a massive audience, at a fraction of the cost.”

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 CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY

 DEVELOPING BACKWARD AREAS: HUL has been at the forefront of experimenting

with innovative methods to reach the rural consumer. Several HUL factories are situated in
backward areas. The company has consciously responded to the national policy of
development of backward areas by setting up manufacturing units in these places, which
provide several direct and indirect employment opportunities for these areas, and leads to
general economic development of these regions through industrialization. These include
factories in Khamgaon and Yavatmal (Maharashtra), Chhindwara (Madhya Pradesh), Orai,
Sumerpur and Khalilabad ( Uttar Pradesh), Haldia ( West Bengal), Silvassa ( Dadra & Nagar
Haveli), Pondicherry, Goa, Doom Dooma ( Assam), Haridwar (Uttaranchal) and Barotiwala (
Himachal Pradesh). Since 2001 itself, HUL has set up nine new factories in backward areas.

a. PROJECT STREAMLINE :
In 1998, HUL took its first tentative step to expand rural distribution. The target was to
reach inaccessible rural markets with high business potential. Through Project Streamline,
HUL created a hub and spoke system and appointed sub-dealers who had the opportunity
to serve villages in their vicinity. This project covered villages with population of 2000.
The pivot of Streamline is the Rural Distributor (RD), who has 15-20 rural sub-stockists
attached to him. Each of these sub-stockists is located in a rural market. The sub-stockists
then performs the role of driving distribution in neighbouring villages using
unconventional means of transport such as tractor, bullock cart, etc and transport suitable
to interconnecting roads, like cycles & scooters . The sub stockist is known as the Star
seller for that area. The star seller reaches the product to retailers in villages in his area and
collects the money from them as stocks are purchased by him on credit from the distributor.
Hindustan Lever is thus trying to circumvent the barrier of motor able roads. As a result,
the distribution network, as of now, directly covers about 50,000 villages, reaching about
250 million consumers. The company simultaneously uses the wholesale channel, suitably

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 incentivising them to distribute company’s products. The Streamline system has extended
direct HUL reach in rural markets to about 37% of India's rural population from 25% in
1995 and the number of HUL brands and SKUs stocked by village retailers has gone up
significantly.
HUL has in the recent past established a common distribution system in rural areas for all
its products. Given the number of brands and their packs the rural retailer usually requires,
one HUL representative can take all the products from the company portfolio that he needs.
This common distribution system is now fully operational, under one Regional Sales
Manager exclusively dedicated to rural markets of each region of the country. While the
model served the company well, HUL had little or no control over the distribution chain.
Smaller regional brands would come along, offer better mark ups and sell goods on credit
and take away a significant portion of business in a short span. Significantly, the
shopkeeper who stocked HUL products felt no loyalty to the company and could switch
sides overnight.

b. PROJECT SHAKTI :Changing lives in Rural India

Project Shakti was initiated to reach inaccessible rural markets with low potential with a
target to reach villages with population below 2000. It seeks to empower underprivileged
rural women by providing income-generating opportunities, health and hygiene education
through the Shakti Vani programme, and creating access to relevant information through
the iShakti community portal. iShakti, the Internet-based rural information service, has
been launched in Andhra Pradesh, in association with the Andhra Pradesh Government; s
Rajiv Internet Village Programme. Started in 50 villages of Nalgonda district of Andhra
Pradesh, HUL has been implementing Project Shakti since 2001. In general, rural women
in India are underprivileged and need a sustainable source of income. NGO’s,
governmental bodies and other institutions have been working to improve the status of rural
women. Shakti is a pioneering effort in creating livelihoods for rural women, organized in
Self Help Groups and improving living standards in rural India. Shakti provides critically
needed additional income to these women and their families, by equipping and training
them to become an extended arm of the company’s operation. SHG were offered the option
of distributing relevant products of the company as a sustainable income-generating

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 activity. The model hinges on a powerful win-win relationship where the SHG engages in
an activity which brings sustainable income while Hindustan Lever gets an interface to
interact and transact with the rural consumer. A member from a SHG is selected as a Shakti
entrepreneur, referred to as 'Shakti Amma', to become direct-to-home distributors of HUL
products in rural markets. HUL has invested resources to provide on the job training and
support to such Shakti Ammas. The Shakti Ammas receives goods from the HULs rural
distributor which is then sold directly to consumers and retailers in the village. Each Shakti
Amma usually services 6-10 villages.
HUL’s vision for Shakti is to scale it up across the country, covering 100000 villages and
touching the lives of 100 million rural consumers.

 INNOVATION AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY:An IT- empowered system has

been implemented to supply stocks to redistribution stockists on a continuous replenishment
basis. The objective is to catalyse HUL’s growth by ensuring that the right product is available
at the right place in right quantities, in the most cost effective manner. For this, stockists have
been connected with the company through an Internet based network, called RSNet, for online
interaction on orders, dispatches, information sharing and monitoring. Information Technology
(IT) is a truly integrated function that puts innovation at the heart of what we do to drive
competitive advantage. A role in IT provides diverse range of roles and projects. You could be
exploring emerging markets and new ways to work globally, partnering a major retailer to
develop web-enabled tools for promotions planning, or helping to support our brands’ digital
presence.

HUL use its knowledge and imagination to translate science into products that meet a range of
consumer needs. In this section you can find examples of this work.

Clean clothes, less water rinsing clothes is the most water- and time-consuming part of hand
washing. How is HUL helping?
Helping hand wash

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 Woman does washing using Persil Small and Mighty. In India, HUL’s laundry detergent Surf
Excel is used mostly for hand washing. When washing clothes by hand, it’s rinsing that often
takes most time and uses most water – water that is extremely scarce, especially if you live in
the dry, southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.

Understanding the problem

HUL was asked if they could improve Surf Excel so less rinsing is needed, while still getting
clothes as clean as before. This is the challenge HUL’s innovation team took up. First HUL
had to understand the hand wash process really well. Typically people keep rinsing till all the
lather has gone. That often takes four rinses, which means four buckets of water. HUL knew
that it could cut the number of rinses by adding one of a number of anti-foam ingredients
commonly used in machine-washing detergents. That would make the lather rinse more
quickly. But it also knew that people like the foam when they’re washing because it’s a sign
that things are getting clean.

Reduced rinsing

So HUL had to find just the right ingredient that doesn’t suppress lather significantly during
the main wash, yet aids significant foam reduction during the rinsing step. It tested several
until they found one that doesn’t kick in until the concentration of surfactant active is lower –
in other words when washing is complete and rinsing begins - then rebalanced the formulation
until they got it just right.

This is how new Surf Excel Quick Wash can deliver a good lather at the washing stage, and
reduce the need for the rinsing – saving two bucketful of water per wash.

HUL supported the launch of Surf Excel Quick Wash with an advertising campaign that
promotes the message that you can have cleaner clothes with less lather with the aim of helping
to reduce the water used in washing even more in the future.

 SWACHH ADAT SWACHH BHARAT : Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Swachh Bharat
Abhiyaan is turning out to be a great boon for brands as it gives them an opportunity to do

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good for the society and in-turn connect with their target audiences. In last one year, several
big and small industry players such as Hindustan Unilever (HUL), RB, Airtel, TCS, NALCO,
Eureka Forbes, Vedanta, and Apollo Tyres have pledged their support to this mission. These
giants have constructed toilets across several parts of the country in order to improve the
sanitation facilities.
For the record, Modi started this mission in 2014 to stop open defecation, build and maintain
quality toilets, eradicate manual scavenging, municipal solid waste management and bring
about a behavioral change in people. Over the years, people (especially children) have been
vulnerable to several fatal diseases as they are subjected to such unhygienic conditions.

In a most recent endeavour, HUL has launched a campaign titled 'Swachh Aadat,
Swachh Bharat' showcasing a bunch of kids teaching the people on good habits around
maintaining hygiene. The campaign has a catchy jingle 'Hath Munh aur Bum, Bimari
Hogi Kum'. The film showcases children pointing at the need to wash hands, defecate in clean
toilets and drink clean water. The campaign is designed and conceptualized by Lowe Lintas
and showcases three brands from HUL - Domex, Lifebuoy, and Pureit.

The campaign is in line with the belief that adoption of hygiene habits is as necessary as
development of hygiene and sanitation infrastructure to realize the Clean India Mission.
Speaking more on it, Deepa Geethakrishnan, NCD (HUL), Lowe Lintas shares
that HUL wanted to bring a behavorial change in people. "The objective was to create a happy
film that sticks with people and remembered for long. The idea behind going for a catchy jingle
was that people do not remember serious stuff for long. We wanted the children to be the agents
of change and wanted to convey our message via them," adds Geethakrishnan.She further
added that it was a corporate campaign for HUL where they showcased three champion brands
in the campaign that have an extremely strong support of the people.
Speaking more on this campaign, Sanjiv Mehta, Managing Director and CEO, HUL, said, "We
believe that companies like HUL have a key role in helping the country achieve 'Swachh Bharat
Abhiyan'. More than 90% of households in India use HUL products. This gives us both an
opportunity and responsibility to make a meaningful difference. Our expertise in behaviour
change programmes in the area of hand washing and sanitation and our experience in
developing and delivering innovative partnership models positions us uniquely in doing this."

21
HUL has piloted a behaviour change model in the slums of Mumbai and Delhi. This
programme encourages people to adopt three 'Swachh Aadat' or 'Clean Habits' - washing hands
5 times a day, using a toilet for defecation and adopting safe drinking water practices - three
simple habits that will go a long way in reducing illnesses in our country. The programme is
being undertaken with support of municipal corporations to reach out to students in municipal
schools where a four-week behaviour change programme was conducted through engaging
activities like skits, demos and jingles. This programme also covers mothers and other
stakeholders in the local community such as doctors and support groups to create awareness
and develop champions within schools and the community.

The entire campaign is in line with the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan global ambition of
helping more than a billion people take action to improve their health and well-being.

SPECIAL EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION

Under the Happy Homes Initiative, HUL supports special education and rehabilitation of
children with challenges.

ASHA DAAN:

The initiative began in 1976, when HUL supported Mother Teresa and the Missionaries of
Charity to set up Asha Daan, a home in Mumbai for abandoned, challenged children, and the
destitute. Subsequently, Asha Daan has also become a home to the HIV- positive.

Over the years, HUL has opened schools for challenged children with a sharper objective of
supporting families of such children, helping the children become self-reliant by learning
appropriate skills to be productive members of the household.

22
ANKUR:

In 1993, HUL’s Doom Dooma Plantation Division set up Ankur, a centre for special education
of challenged children. The centre takes care of children with challenges, aged between 5-15
years, Ankur provides educational, vocational and recreational activities to children with a
range of challenges, including sight or hearing impairment, polio related disabilities, cerebral
palsy and severe learning difficulties. These physically and mentally challenged children are
taught skills, such as cookery, painting, embroidery, bamboo crafts, weaving, stitching, etc.
depending upon their aptitudes.

23
 ANALYSIS OF HUL AND ITC

Competitive Strategy consists of move of companies in order to attract customers. With stand
competitive pressures and strengthen an organization’s market position. The main objective of
Competitive Strategy is to generate a competitive advantage, increase the loyalty of customers and
to beat competitors.

Competitive strategy varies from sector to sector and company to company. Thus, it is not easy to
predict a single or to find a single strategy for the whole sector. When we come on to FMCG Sector
main strategies lay behind market strategies, cost, and quality strategies.

ANALYSIS OF BOTH THE COMPANIES

HUL & ITC are major companies in FMCG market in India. When we look at the present segment
breakup for both of the companies then we come to know that their different products vary too
much in the market. Now let us take a comparative analysis of both the companies on the basis of
their strategies i.e. their competitive strategies in the present market:

HUL

Hindustan Unilever (HUL) is the largest pure-play FMCG Company in the country and has one of
the widest portfolio of products sold via a strong distribution channel. It owns and markets some
of the most popular brands in the country across various categories, including soaps, detergents,
shampoos, tea and face creams.

ITC

ITC is not a pure-play FMCG company, since cigarettes is its primary business. It is diversifying
into non-tobacco. FMCG segments like foods, personal care, paper products, hotels and agri-
business to reduce its exposure to cigarettes.

24
OVERALL STRATEGY

HUL

HUL always believes in customer friendly products with major emphasis on low cost overall
without compromising on the quality of the product. They are leveraging the capabilities and scale
of the parent company and focusing on the value of execution. The entire product portfolio is also
being tweaked to include premium offerings such as Pond’s Age Miracle and dove shampoo in
skin and hair care.

ITC

ITC is focusing on delivering value at competitive prices. Its tremendous reach through extensive
distribution chain has been a competitive advantage. Additionally, the company’s e-choupal

Model for direct procurement is well known under which ITC partners with over 100,000 farmers
for spices and wheat procurement and an even larger number for oilseeds. This kind of rural
pedigree is hard to beat.

GROWTH DRIVERS

HUL

The Company has been launching new products and brand extensions, with investments being
made towards brand-building and increasing its market share. HUL is also streamlining its various
business operations, in line with the One Unilever philosophy adopted by the Unilever group
worldwide. Introduction of premium products and addition of new consumers via market
expansion will be HUL’s growth drivers.

ITC

ITC’s backward integration to ensure that its products pass efficiently from the farms to consumers
has helped it to cut down supply and procurement costs. ITC’s non-cigarette FMCG business

25
leverages the large distribution network the company has developed by selling cigarettes over the
years. A rich product mix, along with ramp-up of investments in its new sectors, will be
instrumental in charting ITC’s growth path.

RISK

HUL

Being an MNC operating in India, HUL is more conservative in its strategies than its Indian
counterparts. Moreover, given increasing competition, it faces the risk of being overtaken by
domestic players in various categories. Prolonged inflation may lead to margin contraction, in case
HUL is not able to pass on this burden to consumers. The company’s large size also poses a
problem, since it does not give HUL the agility to address the competition it faces from national
and regional players.

ITC

Increased regulatory clamps on tobacco, along with rising tax burden. So, it has started an
ambitious diversification plan, which has its own set of risks. With its foray into the conventional
FMCG space, ITC has entered the high-clutter branded products market. This will burden its
resources in terms of ad spend and brand-building. Creating brand recall and building market

Share in new products are ITC’s key challenges. Export ban rising crop prices pose a threat for its
agri-business, taxing its margins.

TARGETING STRATEGIES

HUL

HUL divide the customers into three types of the customers striving, aspiring and affluent and
make targeting strategies accordingly. They are as follows:

 Personal Care: HUL targets different types of customers with different set of bath products.
For striving customers -Lifebuoy and Breeze,

26
For aspiring customers-Hamam and basic Lux variants
For affluent - Pears, Dove and superior range of Lux.

Key strategy- To straddle the pyramid and move consumers up to more aspiration brands. Grow
share by growing ahead of the Market

• Detergent: In case of detergents-

For striving customers-Wheel

For aspiring customers- Rin

For affluent customers-Surf Excel

Key Strategy: Work the pyramid; Grow profitably ahead of the market; regain profitability
through judicious price increases and cost effectiveness programs.

• Tooth Paste:

For striving customers-smaller packing

For aspiring customers Pepsodent

For affluent-Close Up

Key Strategy: Grow with market with the our brands Close Up on freshness platform and
Pepsodent on family & health platform

• Tea:

For the striving customers it has Taaza tea.

For aspiring customers it has Red Label.

For affluent customer it offers TajMahal and Lipton Yellow Label

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Key strategy: Presence across the pyramid; drive up trading of consumers; Convert loose tea
drinkers to packet tea consumers.

ITC

ITC also targets different types of customers with different set of bath

• Personal Care

For striving customers - Vivel, Superia

For aspiring customers-Fiama and its variants

For affluent - Essenza di wills

Key strategy-To target more and more customers and bring it in category of aspiring customers.

• Detergent: In case of detergents-

For striving customers-Henko, Mr. White, Ghadi

For aspiring customers- Tide

For affluent customers-Wheel, Ariel

Key Strategy: Profitability and large share in the market ITC

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 SWOT ANALYSIS

STRENGTH ENJOYED BY HUL

1) Brand visibility: From soap to mineral water, HUL is shaping the life of 1.3 billion people
daily. Being in consumer goods market with its 20 consumer categories such as soap, tea,
detergents, shampoo etc. & each having large assortments, helped HUL in occupying the large
shelf space of Grocery /departmental stores which itself explains the acceptance/demand of their
products in the market.

2) Market leader in consumer goods: According to Nielsen data two out of three Indian
consumers use HUL products. HUL used selective targeting strategy to emerge as a market leader
in the Indian market.

3) Innovative FMCG Company: Hindustan Unilever Research center (HURC),Mumbai &

Unilever Research India, Bangalore ,both research facilities were bought together in a single site
in Bangalore in 2006.Employees in this facility continuously working & developing innovations
in products & manufacturing processes which is helping the HUL to set it as front-runner in the
consumer goods market.

4) Extensive & integrated distribution system: HUL’s brands are now household name which
is only possible due to its 4 tier distribution system namely,

a) Direct Coverage through common stockist within a town of population under 50000 people.

b) Indirect coverage: Villages closer to larger urban markets have been targeted.

c) Streamline: Leveraging the rural wholesale market to reach markets inaccessible by road.

d) Project SHATKI AMMA: It targeted the very small villages (2000 population) & tapped into
pre-existing women’s SHG (self-help groups). Markets have been segmented based on their
accessibility & business potential.

5) High Brand awareness: By signing popular celebrities for the advertisements of their products
HUL has created positive word of mouth over the ages which helped them in social acceptance of
their products intelligently targeted & meant for different income groups.

29
6) Product line: It offers product categories namely oral care, personal care, household surface,
fabric care and pet nutrition etc. having deep assortments across the product categories.

7) Financial position: Having more than 80 years of experience in the consumer goods market &
backed by Unilever who owns 67% controlling share in HUL, It is financially strong.

8) Market share: Through high penetration in the market, HUL had managed to hold their high
market share in different product categories.

9) Share of Wallet: Whether one buys Surf /Wheel /Rin detergent it will go to HUL’s pockets.
HUL strategy to offer different products for different income groups (selective targeting) has been
successful in having share of wallet of a consumer.

WEAKNESS SUFFERED BY HUL

1) Decreasing Market share: Competitors focusing on a particular product & eating up HUL’s
share, like Ghadi & Nirma detergent eating up HUL’s wheel detergent market share.

2) Large number of brands in different product categories: Sometimes having broad brand
portfolio can lead to confused positioning. Price positioning in some categories allows for low
price competition like AMUL captured Kwality’s market share.

OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY ENVIRONMENT

1) Expanding market: By penetrating more in the rural markets through its project Shakti AMMA
and transition of unorganized business to organized one will lead to further expansion of the
consumer goods market.

2) Awareness in usage rate of consumer goods: People getting more aware and conscious about
the usage may be through advertising /word of mouth /doctor prescription ,is resulting in increase
in usage rate of the these products.

30
3) Increasing Income levels: Due to stable political scenario, improved literacy rate & controlled
inflation, disposable income of the people is increasing thereby resulting into upsurge in demand
& changing their lifestyle.

THREATS FACED BY HUL

1) Competition in the market: With increasing number of local & national players it’s becoming
very hard for the companies to differentiate themselves from others. There is also threat from
counterfeit products destroying its brand image in the market.

2) Price of commodities: Increasing price of commodities will result in further increase in the
price. Further increase in price will result in decrease in sales, margins & brand switching.

3) Buyers power: With highly diversified consumer goods market where there are lots of brands
claiming different sorts of benefits, it’s very difficult for consumers to stick to a particular brand
& hence results into brand switching where consumer got power to select a brand based on several
factors like availability, reference group recommendation, preference & price.

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 REVIEW OF
LITERATURE

32
 REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Source: International Journal of Management and Social Sciences Research (IJMSSR).

Kaur Manpreet (2013) attempted to find out the various initiatives taken by HUL to reach the rural
consumer. Hindustan Unilever is the pioneer and largest player in India’s FMCG market. HUL
was the first company to step into the Indian rural marketing. HUL started its first effort towards
going rural 1960’s onwards, through indirect coverage of accessible rural market through its urban
network stockists and distributors. HUL proactively engaged in rural development in 1976 with
Integrated Rural Development Programme in Etah district of Uttar Pradesh. In 1990, HUL
launched ‘Operation Streamline’ for distribution of products to inaccessible rural markets with
High potential using unconventional transport like bullock carts, tractors and bicycles and
appointed rural distributors and star sellers. In 2000, HUL started Project Shakti to reach
inaccessible low potential rural markets. This project has reached 100,000 villages. HUL embarked
upon Project Samuriddhi in 2003 to create sustainable villages in Dadra and Nagar Haveli. Today
HUL’s products touch the lives of two out of every three Indians.

Source: Business Standard

Dr.Singh S., (2012) concluded in his study that, H.U.L. has shown the way to other companies
producing fast moving consumer goods (F.M.C.G.) on how to penetrate the rural market.
Intensifying its reach in the rural markets, H.U.L. has decided to make its brands more
‘experiential’ in nature instead of merely making them available in these media dark markets. They
have carried out one of the largest sampling exercises for this purpose to overcome barriers like
lack of brand awareness, ignorance of product benefits and complete absence of any first-hand
experience of usage.

Kulkarni and Dr. Hundal B., (2011) concluded in his study that, the rural market in
India is quite fascinating and challenging in spite of all the difficulties existing. The
Potential is enormous. Even though, these markets have weaknesses, they also have
Tremendous opportunities which should be availed by the marketers. It is well known that

33
"Markets are created and not born". The market so created should be tapped effectively.
The rural consumers are different than the urban one. It is important for the rural
Marketers to understand the rural markets and consumers to be successful in the rural
Markets. There are companies like H.U.L., ITC and LG which are successful in the rural
Markets. The rural tiger is awaking the companies need to work on the controllable
Factors to face the challenge successfully.

34
 AIMS AND
OBJECTIVES

35
 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

 The study is to find out the steps Hindustan Unilever Ltd. has adopted in order to be market
leader and to differentiate itself from its competitors.

 To know the different products offered by HUL.

 To study the marketing strategies of HUL.

 To know the market share of HUL in FMCG sector in India.

 To know the market and competitors of HUL.

36
METHODOLOGY

37
 METHODOLOGY

Achieving accuracy in any research requires in depth study regarding the subject. The research

Methodology adopted is basically based on secondary data via which the most recent and

Accurate piece of information which could be collected.

Data Source

The data used is mainly secondary in nature. Secondary data comprises of information obtained
from annual reports, journals. It also includes organizational manuals and other important
documents maintained and published by HUL.
It also includes information collected from websites, business magazines, business newspapers, etc.

Data Methodology

Various appropriate statistical tools is used to analyze the secondary data.

The secondary data is represented using graph

38
RESULTS AND
DISCUSSIONS

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

39
 GROSS SALES OF HUL OVER 10 YEARS

Gross Sales (Rs. Crores)

35,000

30,000

25,000

20,000

15,000

10,000

5,000

SOURCE: Author’s compilation of data obtained from HUL ANNUAL REPORT 2015-16
INTERPRETATION: As HUL was improving its marketing strategies year by year, its sales
were also increasing gradually.

 STRATEGY USED BY HUL TO LAUNCH NEW PRODUCTS

90%
80%
80%

70%

60%

50%

40%

30%

20%
10% 10%
10%

0%
PUSH STRATEGY PULL STRATEGY DISCOUNT

 SOURCE: Author’s compilation of data obtained fromAltius Shodh Journal of Management

and Commerce

40
INTERPRETATION: For launch any new product company focus on pull strategy. A pull
strategy involves motivating customers to seek out your brand in an active process.

 BACKBONE TO FIGHT COMPETITION

60% 55%

50%

40%
30%
30%

20% 15%

10%

0%
LOW PRICE HIGH HIGH PRICE HIGH LOW PRICE HIGH
QUALITY QUALITY SATISFACTION

SOURCE: Author’s compilation of data obtained from Altius Shodh Journal of Management
and Commerce

INTERPRETATION:To face Competition Company HUL produce in large scale.

 BEST MEDIA FOR PROMOTION

41
40% 37%
35%
29%
30%
25% 22%
20%
15% 12%
10%
5%
0%

SOURCE: Author’s compilation of the data obtained from Altius Shodh Journal of Management
and Commerce

INTERPRETATION: Print Media is highest (37%) contributed for promotion of Product.

Times of India -87 % of the premium class population of India reads this newspaper the
advertisement should come on weekdays should basically be on the 2 page of the paper.

This gave surf excel bar visibility in more than 40lakh Indian house hold for 60 days.

 PRIMARY STRATEGY TO BECOME A MARKET LEADER

60%

50% 55%

40%

30%
30%
20%

10% 15%

0%
LOW PRICE HIIGH HIGH PRICE HIGH LOW PRICE HIGH
QUALITY QUALITY SATISFACTION

42
SOURCE: Author’s compilation of data obtained fromAltius Shodh Journal of Management and
Commerce

INTERPRETATION: To become a market leader, the policy of the company is to offer high
quality products at a low price.

SOURCE: HUL ANNUAL REPORT 2015-16

INTERPRETATION: Soaps & Detergents: Volume growth partially offset by price deflation
Skin Cleansing was driven by strong volume growth on Dove, Lifebuoy and Hamam. In
Laundry, growth was led by the premium segment, with Surf maintaining its strong double digit
growth momentum. Comfort Fabric Conditioner delivered another strong performance on the
back of sustained market development. Household Care performance was led by Vim liquids.

43
Personal Products: Healthy underlying performance
The reported growth for this segment was impacted by the phasing out of Excise Duty
incentives, a one-time credit for excise duty refund in the base quarter and the residual impact
from the re-alignment of channel spends.

Skin Care delivered broad based volume growth across Fair & Lovely, Pond’s and Vaseline.
The performance of Fair & Lovely was led by BB cream, whilst growth in Pond’s and Lakme
was driven by the premium portfolio.
Hair Care registered another quarter of volume led growth, with Dove and TRESemmé leading
the category performance.
In Oral Care, Close Up continued to do well, while Pepsodent core was relaunched in the
quarter.
Color Cosmetics sustained innovation led double digit growth with Lakme Absolute and 9 to 5
strengthening its position in premium make up.

Beverages: Consistent growth

Tea registered broad based growth, driven by market development and strengthened brand
equities across the portfolio. Lipton Green Tea maintained its strong growth momentum. Bru
Coffee delivered another quarter of double digit growth.

Packaged Foods: Double digit growth sustained

Market development continues to be a key driver of growth for this segment. Kissan delivered
another robust quarter on both ketchups and jams, while the solid growth on Knorr was led by
Instant Soups. Ice Creams registered double digit growth driven by sharper in-market execution
on Kwality Walls and the extension of Magnum to new cities.

44
45
CONCLUSION

46
 CONCLUSION

A look at the contemporary profit of the global industrial segment of household goods brings it
into clear focus that the situation prevailing in major markets is very much in favour of HUL. The
fact that should be acknowledged on the basis of current trends betrayed by this segment tells us
that HUL veritably stand out as an undisputable market leader in this field and is sure to surge way
ahead of other players in future.

The competitive strength, strategic acumen and ability to reach out for a considerably larger
consumer base that the company has been able to attain through the years since its inception also
point to this fact categorically.

An extremely pertinent view that emerges out of it amply suggests that it is the dominance of HUL
operating under the banner of Unilever in most of the countries that contribute in large measure to
the creation of a market situation in which consumers are nearly forced to purchase their ‘choice’
at prices that might not be in congruence with their speculations and calculative consideration of
affordability – something that largely determines the phenomenon called consumer behaviour. It
is absolutely doubtless that HUL are incomparable in term of their qualitative excellence.

Another very striking aspect of HUL’s global marketing strategy and operations, as it has been
dwelt upon in the present study, is its enormous ability to capitalize on the resources available to
it.

Four years into its ambitious and wide-ranging Sustainable Living Plan, Unilever says it is making
a growing and positive impact on its business in terms of growth, cost efficiency and resilience for
the future. At a time when more and more companies are talking about ‘brands with purpose’,
Unilever has put some definition and measurement behind what it calls ‘sustainable living brands’
– meaning brands that contribute to one or more of the Unilever Sustainable Living Plan (USLP)
goals and have a sustainable living purpose. From 2010 till date, HUL claims to have touched lives
of 120 million people through its health and wellbeing programmes in India. Hand washing
programmes by Lifebuoy have protected 63 million people, Pureit's safe drinking water
programme has touched 56 million and we have built over 3000 toilets through the Domex Toilet
Academy.

47
Many of Unilever’s brands that have led the way on sustainable living, such as Dove, Lifebuoy,
Ben & Jerry’s and Comfort, are achieving above average growth, with high single and double digit
sales over the past three years.

Paul Polman, Unilever CEO, said: “In a volatile world of growing social inequality, rising
population, development challenges and climate change, the need for businesses to adapt is clear,
as are the benefits and opportunities. This calls for a transformational approach across the whole
value chain if we are to continue to grow. Consumers are recognising this too, increasingly
demanding responsible business and responsible brands. Our experience is that brands whose
purpose and products respond to that demand – ‘sustainable living brands’ – are delivering stronger
and faster growth. These brands accounted for half the company’s growth in 2014 and grew at
twice the rate of the rest of the business.”

The business case also now extends to the investment community, which is becoming increasingly
aware of the risks and opportunities of managing in a new economic ecosystem where the
interdependencies are more complex and unpredictable. This is evidenced by the growing number
of institutions moving capital into businesses that will help realise a low-carbon future.
Governments too are responding to the forthcoming climate negotiations in Paris in December
with robust national plans to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

48
RECOMMENDATIONS

49
 RECOMMENDATIONS

As it is obvious from the study the products of HUL have approached the high water mark
of sale in the global consumer market. However, there are genuine reasons to observe that
they have yet to attain the cutting edge status on many counts. In this regard a few
suggestions can be made to give the required boost to the marketing prospects of HUL
products. These can be summed up as follows-

 An attempt should be made by HUL management to tap all the potentials offered by
the global market by devoting a more substantial, efficient and better equipped
resource base. This task can be accomplished in the first place by implementing a
stronger and more ending distribution channel for various products so that even those
section of consumers who are not accessible easily, can be covered with greater ease.
 Efficient infrastructural base coupled with better and more comprehensive advertising
strategies should be resorted to; though HUL is presently surfing ahead of others on
the path of taking some great initiatives, it should be more concerned about it for the
purpose of corporate image building
 Agricultural pursuits require to meet the demands of certain agro based and culinary
product segments should be more planned, systematized, and efficiently viable.
 The price structure for various products should be more within the limits of
affordability for consumers.
 Industrial manufacturing units of these products should be set-up at places lying
nearest to the places where sources and raw materials for different products could be
available in the easiest possible way.
 HUL should go for more planned and sensible marketing and advertising strategies
with a view to accomplish the task of global brand image building.

50
REFERENCES

51
 REFERENCES
BOOKS AND JOURNALS
 Kadshyap Pradeep , Raut Siddhartha (2005) “The Rural Marketing Book” by Dreamtech
Press
 Kotler Philip. Marketing Management, 15th edition, 2015
Pearson Publishers.
 Altius Shodh Journal of Management and Commerce ISSN 2348 – 8891
By Prof. Jain, Dr.Purohit Assistant Professor, Department of Commerce, IPS Academy,
Indore Professor, Department of Commerce, GACC, Indore.
 Kothari C.R. (2004), “Research Methodology Methods and Techniques”, Delhi, New Age
International Publication
 Sharma D.D. (2008), “Marketing Research: Principle Application & Cases” Delhi, Sultan
Chand & Sons
 Kotler P. (1999), “Marketing Management”, N. Delhi, Prentice-Hall of India.
 Bhatti K.K.“International Journal of Emerging Research in Management Studies.” June
2016, N.Delhi.
 HUL Annual Report 2015-16

WEBSITES
 www.hul.co.in
 www.thehindubusinessline.com
 www.academia.edu.com
 http://www.adageindia.in/marketing/news
 http://www.business-standard.com

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