RIN Detergent: To Position or

Reposition

Group – 8
Ambuj Choudhary – 14PGHR07
Bhavini Rai – 14PGHR18
Bhavya Vasan – 14PGHR19
Sahil Mehta – 14PGHR20
Kunal Sehra – 14PGHR33
Vishal Beotra – 14PGHR60
 Company Overview
• Level Brothers Pakistan Limited – a subsidiary of Level Brothers
International
• Marketed a diverse product line in Pakistan consisting of shampoos,
skin and shaving creams, edible oils, toilet soaps, laundry detergents
in powder and solid bar forms
• Market share in 1988 had grown by
 Laundry soap – 5%
 NSD detergent – 12%
 NSD bar markets – 29%
• RIN introduced in 1984 as a laundry detergent bar
• Only NSD bar in the market
 Market
Year Total Sales Sales(Component wise Growth Retail Sales price
(in tonnes) Breakup)
In tonnes
1988 263050 247000 – Laundry Soap 5 Rs. 10-15 /kg
14500 – NSD Powder 12 Rs. 20-48 /kg
1550 – NSD Bar 29 Rs. 3.25/125gms

Year Total Sales Sales(Component wise Growth Retail Sales price

DISHWASH Breakup) %
(in tonnes)
1988 60,000 Hard Soaps - 80 5 Rs. 20-40 /kg
Bars - 12 3 Rs. 25-40 /kg
160 Liquid dish wash
 Early promotional strategies

• Advertising and promotional budget estimated at 5.7 million

• Media advertising showed RIN being introduced from the heaven
by thunder and lightening
• Lightening emphasized the brightness attribute of RIN
 A 0.50 price off campaign – 1984
 Discount of Re.1 on two RIN bars on submitting
newspaper coupons – 1985
 A Rs.0.70 price off campaign - 1985
 Promotional shows were organized
• After 1985, no promotional schemes were introduced
 Relaunch

• Focus shifted to Media advertising and Trade discounts

• New media campaign introduced targeted against laundry soaps
• Brought in a movie star to endorse RIN as being a superior fabric
washing product
• Trade promotion - One free bar for every dozen bars
• Distribution of leaflets
• This led to successful relaunch of RIN in 1987
• Sales touched 1000 tonnes mark
• Distributors margin increased to 0.39%
 Dilemma

• Results of consumer survey conducted by DRB on consumer

perception of RIN:
 Used solely for fabric washing – 15%
 Used for dish washing – 65%
 Used for both fabric and dish washing – 20%

• Blue colour of the soap associated with dish washing bars

• Retailer did not shelf RIN in the laundry soap section
• RIN was positioned under the assumption that India’s and Pakistan’s
market structures were similar
 Alternatives
Option 1:

RIN as a Fabric Washer only

• Maintain and reinforce current brand position

• Capitalize on – RIN is the only NSD bar in the market
• Cost Implication –
 Change packaging
 Change soap bar colour
 Revamp advertising strategy
 Alternatives
Option 2:

RIN as a Dish Washer only

• Focus on this segment as it actually generates sales

• Repositioning of brand
• Cost Implication –
 Total variable cost reduced by 33%
 Expense on packaging and advertisement
 Trade promotions
 Alternatives
Option 3:

RIN as a Dish Washer and Fabric Washer

• Targets both utilities

• Reposition and differentiate RIN uniquely from competing
products
• Caters to full customer base
• Cost Implication –
 Least expense involved
 Expense only on packaging and advertisement
 Recommendations
Option 3
RIN as a Fabric Washer and Dish Washer

Positioning
 Reinforce the brand as a fabric washer

Repositioning
 Market the product as a dish washer