Ariel Case

Segment of Detergent : Ariel (Washing Powder) Selection of target Group for Ariel : Families Preference for Selection: Less competition, high customer base, resulting in high business opportunity and growth. In the following case of Ariel when the product was launched, there was a Perception amongst customers that the detergent cake would give better whiteness.

HUL and Nirma were the leading brands and competitors of Ariel. When Ariel entered the market the researchers believed that Ariel will be successful because of its extensive formula.

It is a low risk involvement product. But because of its competitors ariel had to advertise its product relating it to the Indian household. Consumer here behaves as a Value Maximize, not just a problem solver.

Various Problems that influenced the consumer buying behavior were : 1) The family values. 2) Habit of using a particular brand. 3) Dominance of mother in law . 4) Price of the product Product Differentiation: Consumer might feel buying the product that is unnecessarily differentiated, or its distinctive features do not add much value to consumer lifestyle or status.

Conspicuous: this is the risk related with social aspects.

What society might perceive is the risk of consumer. Psychological: this risk is associated with consumer’s own personality. Whether the detergent will be value for money. All these risks would lead the consumer seriously involved in Ariel buying decison. And thus, he would follow “Cautious Buying behavior” for buying Ariel. The decision making process would therefore involve all the necessary steps, emphasizing on each step separately.

Marketing strategies for each step are significant to ponder on. 1. NEED RECOGNITION:-

Need recognition for the TG selected for Ariel would be automatic. All families who want to see there clothes to be the most cleanly washed and without much effort. Therefore, the problems that Van would solve are: • The problem of white clothes getting pale. • The problem of extensive scrubbing of clothes.

• Status in the society. Marketing Strategy at this stage: • To advertise the product in a way that changes the perception of the consumer. • To advertise through a demo of a pale white shirt washed in Ariel and coming out to be bright out after a wash in ariel. To Give an act of the household involving the mother in law and daughter in law relation and the difference in choice. • To attach a catchy jingle to the product.

• To distribute free samples. • Mouth Publicity 2. INFORMATION SEARCH :- If we consider the time when Ariel was launched, we find that it was different from then prevailing detergents. Internal Information for consumers consisted of two brands: HUL,Nirma So, consumer was subjected to Double Information Processing Job when Ariel was launched. Consumer wanted to receive every kind of information about the product. Marketer Strategy at this stage: To provide all distinctive features of Ariel through print media advertising and emphasizing on its spacious quality that is perfect for a family to use.

• To let the TG know that ariel is value for money product, its advanced technology and better formula. Company should promote the brand through central route to persuasion i. e. it should give logic in its advertisement to amplify the superiority of its product over the other brands available. 3.

EVALUATION OF ALTERNATIVES:- Since buying Detergent is a low involvement decision making process therefore the consumer would try to thoroughly evaluate the brand on various parameters like Cost • Features • Fragrance • Quality 4. PURCHASE DECISION In executing a purchase intention, the consumer may make up to sub decisions like brand,Quality,Loyality towards the regular brand. Marketer Strategy at this stage: In the initial stages Ariel did not attract many customers. So it decided to advertise it’s product by showing a relationship between the old and new of working. So they made an add in which they focused on convincing the mother in law to change her perception of the product which she has been using and adopt new better technology.