ASSIGNMENT COVER SHEET

STUDENT DETAILS

Student name: Nguyễn Đàm Mạnh Quân Student ID number: 31211023052

UNIT AND TUTORIAL DETAILS

Unit name: Principle of Marketing Unit number: PMK-DH47ISB-2

Tutorial/Lecture: Ngô Công Khánh Class day and time: Monday 15:30
Lecturer or Tutor name: Dư Phúc Mỹ Kim

ASSIGNMENT DETAILS

Title: A2-Business Analysis Report

Monday, 29
November 2021, Saturday, 27
Length: 1351 words Due date: 12:05 AM Date submitted: November 2021

DECLARATION

I hold a copy of this assignment if the original is lost or damaged.

I hereby certify that no part of this assignment or product has been copied from any other student’s work
or from any other source except where due acknowledgement is made in the assignment.
I hereby certify that no part of this assignment or product has been submitted by me in another
(previous or current) assessment, except where appropriately referenced, and with prior permission
from the Lecturer / Tutor / Unit Coordinator for this unit.
No part of the assignment/product has been written/ produced for me by any other person except
where collaboration has been authorised by the Lecturer / Tutor /Unit Coordinator concerned.
I am aware that this work may be reproduced and submitted to plagiarism detection software programs
for the purpose of detecting possible plagiarism (which may retain a copy on its database for future
plagiarism checking).

Student’s signature: Mạnh Quân Nguyễn Đàm

Note: An examiner or lecturer / tutor has the right to not mark this assignment if the above declaration has
not been signed.
TABLE OF CONTENTS page

A. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................... 2
1. Background.......................................................................................................... 2
2. Market analysis and the brand’s problem and challenge in the market............... 2
B. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS.......................................................................................... 3
1. Micro-environment............................................................................................... 3
2. Macro-environment.............................................................................................. 3
C. SWOT ANALYSIS.......................................................................................................... 4
1. Strength................................................................................................................. 4
2. Weakness.............................................................................................................. 4
3. Opportunities......................................................................................................... 4
4. Threat.................................................................................................................... 4
D. SUGGESTIONS TO MARKETING ISSUES................................................................. 5
E. REFERENCE.................................................................................................................... 6
F. APPENDIX....................................................................................................................... 9

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A. INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

1. Background
- About brand: P/S, which is currently owned by Unilever group, is a renowned brand on the top of the
market in producing oral care products (toothpaste, toothbrush, mouthwash,...) in Vietnam. The brand was
founded in 1975 by P/S Joint Stock Company which was merged by two famous toothpaste manufacturers,
Hynos and Kolperlon. Since 1997, P/S, under the management of Unilever, has succeeded in launching unique
and abundant products meeting customers’ demands, also created many socially successful programmes.
Despite suffering from harsh competitiveness in Vietnam, which results from the joining of many
distinguished brands like Colgate, Crest, Closeup, and Sensodyne etc…, P/S’s still managed to gain many
considerable achievements. Empathizing with concerns of mothers to the care of family oral hygiene, P/S has
worked hard to fulfil its mission to become the “Expertise in oral care in Vietnam”. Consistently innovating
the formula and package, P/S has ‘vietnam-lised’ its products, also has a product line covering all prices,
multifarious purposes and flavours, which completely satisfied Vietnamese people.

- About marketing performance: P/S has assembled a competent marketing team whose members are
indigenous in order to gain insight in custom, conventions and tendency of Vietnamese. The brand also focus
on securing the quality to deliver the best customer experience, and run customer-protection programs by
labeling their products with anti-counterfeiting stamps which creating customers security and pleasure.
The brand also operates their marketing strategy on two main sectors: “Above-the-line” and “Below-the-line”,
and two of them are effective in sticking their positive image to customers’ mind. Besides, the universal
distribution in Vietnam has utilized the channel to reinforce the ubiquitous presence of their products, it is
estimated that over 350 large distributors and roughly 150,000 retailing and wholesaling stores have joined in
this line which covers from metropolises to rural areas. As a result, P/S holds the lion share in the market,
which is up to 65%. And their strategies are considered simple yet effective in the real market.
2. Market analysis and the brand’s challenge/problem in the market
Just a small amount of Vietnamese population are accustomed to using mouthwash as a oral care product, they
usually use handmade brine for special occasions. In the sector of mouthwash, Listerine is leading the market
as they have introduced large and various products that fit many segmentations and requirements. Meanwhile,
the lower rank are crowded with many small brands who are trying to stand their positions. As the advent of

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P/S mouthwash, the brand has to overcome many challenge to approach to the customers. Specially, under the
spreading of COVID-19, the logistic system has been paralyzed, causing a lot of struggling toward P/S beside
aforementioned issues.

B. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS

1. Micro-environment
- Customer: P/S’ target customers is all Vietnamese population, especially families living in middle city and
countrysides, whose earn middle income and having children who are going to school. Besides, they’ve also
created diverse options for people whom have special care about oral hygiene. Generally, they endeavour to
focus on mothers as they are mainly responsible for the family welfare.

- The Company: 3 factors

+ Origin: Founded by two Vietnamese brand, then acquired by Unilever.
+ Sustainability: Holding the lion share in the market, generating considerable profit annually,
“vietnam-lising” products lines
+ Employers, employee, and the subsidiaries: Combination of Vietnamese and foreigners,
satisfying the Vietnamese people wants, needs, and demands upon oral care.
+ Mission: P/S pursuing their mission which is to protect Vietnam’s Smile

- Competitors: the largest rival is Colgate, following up are Close-up and Sensodyne, and many local
competitors and foreigner ones. In term of mouthwash, Listerine is the heaviest rival as it has already claim its
position globally.

- Intermediaries: 380 distributors and 150,000 retailing and wholesaling stores in Vietnam, several big names
to be listed are: “Vinmart, Co-op. Mart, AEON, Lotte Mart,....”, and generally outlets are provided with P/S’
CIP (corporation identify program) like label or modelling.

2. Macro-environment
- Demographic: Vietnam has a population of about 98.5 million people and is ranked 15th in the globe.
Almost population know and are accustomed to P/S.

- Economic: P/S have made up toothpaste products in all price levels, from 15,000 to 35,000 VNĐ, and
toothbrush, mouthwash are around 50,000 to 80,000 VNĐ. In addition, they also have higher options for
special requirements and products for children under 12 which have reasonable price.

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- Natural: Teeth and gum health of Vietnamese needs special care. Especially, in the context of COVID-19,
P/S has underpinned the care of oral hygiene.

- Technological: Since Unilever owned P/S, they have upgrade the machine and formula to vary the product
lines, which results in quality effectiveness, package, and verified products.

- Political: Obey to the governmental regulation in healthy way, collaborating with many health agency to
prove the effectiveness of products (NGO and GO), standardizing products quality to universal standards.

- Cultural: Vietnamese values the appearance and appreciate their teeth and hair. During its operations, P/S
has gain the position in Vietnamese checklist in term of products for health care.

C. SWOT ANALYSIS

Strength Weakness

- Appropriateness: designed for Vietnamese, no - Recognition: In the sector of mouthwash, P/S

alcohol, distinctive Active Zinc minerals formula,
anti-inflammatory, proven to protect mouth against
bacteria and bring back fresh breath, using under
form of liquid contained in pocket bottle for versatile
circumstances.
- Effectiveness: eliminate almost bacteria, cleanse
even the most stubborn issues, strengthen the teeth
and gum health, eliminate threats in children .
- Price: acceptable in the range of income of
Vietnamese people.
- Background: empowered by Unilever, bring the
highest level of oral protection with top-notch
technology, proven by authorized health agency, and
linked with various distribution channel, which will
appeals to Vietnamese customers’ mind.
Opportunities
haven’t overcome the dominance from Listerine.
- Competency: not as good as Listerine products,
some P/S mouthwash products can damage the weak
gum, the effective of teeth whitening is not high
enough, and the freshness after using hasn’t meet up
to expectations.
- Variety: the product hasn’t been well-developed
and exploited, there’s little of specific attributions.
- Expertise: this field is quite new to P/S, so it
demands special team to secure the growth and
further development
Threats

- The product can be enhanced in term of quality for - Need solid financial background in the race of
solely Vietnamese, creating a all-new sector to innovation with other brands, to secure the products
dominate a specific market positions in this ever-changing market.

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- Innovate the product to increase its ability to protect
consumers against COVID-19.
- Create bundles with other products of P/S to deliver
the complete protection.
- Under the spreading of COVID-19, P/S mouthwash
should be forcefully promoted to gain recognition of
customers, as they have time to try new products.
- Besides offline distribution channel, P/S has to
establish this product on online e-commerce to extend resources, not only toothpastes and toothbrush like
product’s coverage.
- Build the habit of Vietnamese using not only
toothpaste but also mouthwash and dental floss.
- Need to maintain expected performance otherwise it
can lose all its reputation
- As it’s growing popular, many fake products will
also appear, which confused the customers and
damage the brand image.
- Vietnamese people habit not frequently using
mouthwash, so the product can be ignored easily.
- P/S has to focus on the mouthwash, which requires
before.

D. SUGGESTIONS TO MARKETING ISSUES

Price: In the Vietnam market, the buying forces can be driven by low price only, so that P/S should announce
the lowest price as much as possible, create the enormous goodwill. The most suitable range of price is 25,000
to 40,000 VNĐ for entry-level products, and 100,000 VNĐ for higher class, and they could be used within
one month.

Position: P/S has gained a good reputation in delivery of oral care toothpastes. However, mouthwash is the
new field to both P/S and Vietnamese customers, so they have to pouring money in establishing this new
sector. In addition, try to capture larger market share of mouthwash by depleting the dominance of Listerine.
As well, stop the presence of fake products immediately.

Promotion: Conduct more campaign and program to promote P/S Expert Protection mouthwash, among the
damage of COVID-19, P/S should hold online webinar or advertise to build awareness of the products and
health care in the mind of customers. Also, P/S should complete an accompanied products identification for
the products. Collaborating with celebrities to have their endorsement, and authorized welfare agency to
propagandize about this product lines.

Place: Although the P/S Expert Protection mouthwash has appeared on e-commercial websites, and purchased
and received positive responses from the customers. However, the rural or some areas don’t have the
accessibility to these products line, so they need to expand their products coverage in convenience stores,
departments store, and supermarket of the local areas.

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E. Reference

Bai Thao luận Kem đánh rang PS. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.academia.edu/23929352/B%C3%A0i_th%E1%BA%A3o_lu%E1%BA%ADn_kem_%

C4%91%C3%A1nh_r%C4%83ng_PS

Co hoi – Thach thức đối với San Pham ps VA giải pháp marketing. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://text.xemtailieu.net/tai-lieu/co-hoi-thach-thuc-doi-voi-san-pham-ps-va-giai-phap-marketing-

148202.html

Facebook. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.facebook.com/baovenucuoivn/posts/903628386325918

Inc., A. P. (n.d.). Toothbrush and toothpaste usage in Vietnam. Retrieved from

https://qandme.net/en/report/Toothbrush-and-toothpaste-usage-in-vietnam.html

Inc., A. P. (n.d.). Toothpaste store share in Ho Chi Minh. Retrieved from

https://qandme.net/en/report/toothpaste-store-share-in-ho-chi-minh.html

MUC đích CUA Su mệnh. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.psvietnam.vn/su-menh-xa-hoi/ly-do-

hanh-dong.html

Nghiên cứu ban Le các loại Kem đánh rang PS. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://123docz.net//document/70365-nghien-cuu-ban-le-cac-loai-kem-danh-rang-ps.htm#p3

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Nghiên cứu ban Le các loại Kem đánh rang PS. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://text.123docz.net/document/70365-nghien-cuu-ban-le-cac-loai-kem-danh-rang-ps.html

Nghiên cứu toàn cầu tu P/S. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.psvietnam.vn/su-menh-xa-

hoi/nghien-cuu.html

Nước súc miệng sat khuẩn. (2021, November 2). Retrieved from https://www.psvietnam.vn/suc-

khoe-rang-mieng/san-pham-cham-soc-rang-mieng/ban-co-dang-hieu-sai-ve-nuoc-suc-mieng.html

P/S la gi? Chien lược marketing CUA P/S Tai thị Truong Viet Nam. (2020, October 22). Retrieved

from https://marketingai.vn/chien-luoc-marketing-cua-p-s-da-thanh-cong-nhu-nao-tai-viet-nam/

P/S – Wikipedia tiếng Viet. (2009, June 22). Retrieved from https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/P/S

P/S. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.unilever.com.vn/brands/beauty-personal-care/ps/

Phong dich Tai nhà cùng nuoc súc miệng diet khuẩn. (2021, November 2). Retrieved from

https://www.psvietnam.vn/suc-khoe-rang-mieng/loi-khuyen-ve-ve-sinh-rang-mieng-va-cach-danh-

rang/phong-dich-tai-nha-cung-nuoc-suc-mieng-diet-khuan.html

PHÂN KHÚC THỊ Truong (1). (n.d.). Retrieved from https://123docz.net//document/4327530-phan-

khuc-thi-truong-1.html

Trâm, N. (2020, October 15). Trieu gia đình Nam tron Bi Kip Bao vệ sức khỏe mùa dich. Retrieved

from https://thanhnien.vn/trieu-gia-dinh-nam-tron-bi-kip-bao-ve-suc-khoe-mua-dich-

post1002814.html

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Unilever Vietnam P/S, case study — mynkao. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://mynkao.com/unilever-

ps

Vietnam oral hygiene/Oral care market research reports & analysis page 1. (n.d.). Retrieved from

https://www.marketresearch.com/seek/Oral-Hygiene-Oral-Vietnam/1553/1249/1.html

Vietnam: Growth of hygiene products due to coronavirus 2020. (2020, March 7). Retrieved from

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1102870/vietnam-growth-of-hygiene-products-due-to-covid-19/

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F. Appendix