Page 11 - HPIC E-Magazine (January-2021)

Indian News

WASHING DIRTY LINEN
Ad campaign by Germany’s Sebamed targets

‘high pH’ of HUL’s soaps

A war over soap bars has broken For HUL, India’s biggest FMCG Sarma, founder SSARMA Consults,
out between personal care firms – Ger- company, the soap business accounts calling it a focussed and factual cam-
many’s Sebamed and Hindustan Uni- for roughly a quarter of annual sales. paign. “More importantly, they have
lever Ltd. (HUL). It is the market leader in the Rs. got the market leader to react. For
22,000-crore soap segment with a 40% a challenger brand to make a claim
It started when the German skin- share, followed by Reckitt Benckiser that takes the leader head on and
care firm likened HUL’s beauty soaps and Godrej Consumer Products, which puts them on the back foot is half the
to their detergent bars in an advertise- each have about 12% share. Lux, battle won,” he said.
ment. “Did you know the pH of Lux is Pears and Dove together account for a
the same as Rin?” it asked in a print fifth of the entire skin-cleansing pro- Mr. Ambi Parameswaran, former
campaign. Later, it made scathing duct category. CEO of FCB-Ulka Advertising, identi-
claims against the Indian company’s fied Sebamed’s move as an effort to
soap brands like Dove and Pears in a Advertising experts said Sebamed expand the reach of the brand and in-
series of advertisements across main- has made a smart move to get the duce trials. “They have gone aggres-
stream and social media. Sebamed brand noticed, whilst pointing out sive. But price (Sebamed’s cleansing
claimed the pH level of its product is that both the companies’ target audi- bar is priced around Rs. 189) is a big
5.5, which is perfect for sensitive skin. ences vary. barrier. Also, the ad is not clear why
pH is so important. What about other
HUL promptly got into a lather, “Sebamed has been noticed and benefits like foaming, perfume, melt-
hitting back with an ad from Dove say- heard in one stroke,” said Mr. Sanjay ing, etc.?” he questioned.
ing it was strongly recommended by
dermatologists. Notably, it refrained Godrej Consumer enters home
from naming Sebamed.
cleaning segment
After HUL moved the Bombay High
Court, it restrained until further order FMCG maker Godrej Consumer
USV Pvt. Ltd., the distributor of Seba- Products Ltd. (GCPL) has ventured
Med’s products in the country, from into home cleaning products, a seg-
running the advertisements. HUL is ment which is witnessing fast growth
also seeking damage compensation of after the pandemic.
Rs. 150-crore from USV.
The firm will provide surface
“The comparison is not scientific, cleaning and disinfecting solution
but is completely misleading, to say under its newly-launched brand God-
the least. The effect of the product on rej ProClean, the company said in a demand for durable, new-age pro-
the skin, i.e., harshness or mildness statement. ducts as against the traditionally
or appropriateness is not governed by used cleaners like phenyl.
the pH level, but by the ingredients According to the marketing re-
contained in the soap,” argued search firm, AC Nielsen, the home Commenting on the development,
Mr. Hiren Kamod, advocate, for the cleaning products segment, which GCPL CEO India & SAARC, Mr. Sunil
HUL, in the court. “If pH were such includes branded floor, toilet and Kataria said, “Indian consumers are
a critical parameter for the safety of bathroom cleaners, is estimated to becoming more hygiene conscious.
product on skin, it would have been be around Rs. 2,600-crore. Due to in- Demand for cleaning products conti-
an explicit specification defined in the creased awareness about cleanliness nues to grow due to consumer alert-
mandatory Bureau of Indian Standards and hygiene, consumers are opting ness concerning the importance of
for toilet soaps, bathing bars and for home cleaning products and their hygiene and the spread of infectious
detergent bars,” he added. preferences have also shaped the diseases.”
Home, Personal & Institutional Care India January 2021 11