SYMBIOSIS INTERNATIONAL (DEEMED UNIVERSITY)

(Established under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956)

Re-accredited by NAAC with ‘A’ Grade (3.58/4) Awarded Category – I by UGC
Seat No.

Institute : (0212) SYMBIOSIS INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS MANAGEMENT, NAGPUR

Programme : (021241) MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
Batch : 2021 -23, 2020-2022
Semester : I (First)
Course Name : Consumer Behaviour and Insights
Course Code : 0212410116
Date : 25.10.2021 Maximum Marks : 40
Day : Monday Time : 10:00AM to 11:30 AM

SET- 1
Instructions:
1) Students are advised to read the instructions given in Section A & Section B.
2) Students should write the page number on the top-right-side of each page of answer sheets.
3) Students should write the Question Number at the middle- top of the attempted answer and in
the left column so that the examiner cannot miss out the evaluation of that attempted question.

Section – A (Attempt any 4 questions from 5 questions of Section A) Course

Q.
(Compulsory) Marks Outcomes
No.
4 Questions* 5 Marks = 20 Marks Mapped
5
Q1 Explain the consumer decision-making process with proper example CO1
Marks

5
Q2 Describe various consumer behavior roles CO2
Marks

5
Q3 Elaborate the stages of diffusion CO3
Marks

Explain family life cycle stages and consumers buying behavior in 5

Q4 CO4
different stages with proper examples Marks

5
Q5 Describe the consumer research process CO1
Marks

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 Section – B (Case Study) (Compulsory) 20 marks
Q6 Hamam is one of the oldest soap brands in India. The brand came into 20 CO1; CO2;
existence in 1934 and over these years has successfully built a space for marks CO3; CO4
itself in the consumer's mind. The brand has successfully fought the
competition and the changed environment. The brand was owned by Tata
Oil Mills (TOMCO) and later became the HLL brand when HLL acquired
TOMCO.

Hamam is a natural soap. Although many reports put this brand as an

herbal soap, Hamam is more of a natural soap than herbal. The brand has
a market share of about 9-10 percent of the Rs. 4000 crore Indian soap
market. The brand has a huge market share (more than 25%) in the
Tamilnadu market. When HUL implemented the Power Brand strategy,
Hamam survived the axe because of the strong equity it had among the
consumers. Hence the axe fell on Rexona which was also a natural soap
with the same positioning as Hamam.

Hamam was positioned initially as a complete natural family soap. The

brand was built on the Trust factor. The earlier ads typically showed
Mother and child with mother explaining the meaning of Trust using the
example of Hamam. The brand may have acquired this quality from its
original creators TATA. Although the brand was able to manage the PLC,
it had its share of problems.

At one point, HLL was facing the competition from Herbal/ayurvedic

soaps. HLL tried to position Hamam as an herbal soap by changing the
composition by adding Neem ingredient and reducing the total fatty
matter (TFM). But that reduction of TFM disqualified Hamam as a soap
and the brand lost many of their loyal customers. 2005 saw HUL
repositioning the brand by adding more ingredients. The brand now talks
about having a Perfect Balance of Neem, Tulsi and Alovera Extracts. The
packaging also has been made more contemporary and the shape of the
soap has been made oval. 2006-07 saw a change in the communication of
the brand. The brand no longer talks about trust but now positioning
itself as a beauty enhancing soap.

The brand has now come out with a variant that contains green gram,
turmeric and sandal. The color of the soap also has changed to sandal
from the traditional green color. This move is a marked deviation from
the age old positioning of the brand as a natural green soap. Hamam for
years has been able to sustain its market position because of the strong
brand loyal customers. The brand now wants to be relevant to some new
consumers (younger generation). The brand also faces stiff competition
from a plethora of brands offering the same ingredients and benefits. The
latest repositioning exercise is aimed to keep the brand relevant and also

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leverage the brand equity it had built up over these years.

Questions:

a) Do you think Hamam lost the race because it couldn't adapt itself to the
changing consumer values? (10 Marks)

b) As Hamam is getting tough competition from other brands, should they

reposition themselves as a natural soap again because consumers
nowadays are more oriented towards natural products? (10 Marks)

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