HOW DO LEADER BRANDS GROW THEIR CORE PRODUCT?

A mature leader legacy brand with a historical growth trajectory. Yet there have to be unmet needs, underserved segments, untapped consumption occasions. It’s about looking hard and long enough for INSIGHTS to unlock higher growth.

An example.

In 2007, Dabur amla hair oil, a premium priced Legacy Leader brand in Tier 2 towns of North India had created Scale basis a Nourishment platform delivering strong, thick, black hair.

– SOURCE OF BUSINESS.
There existed multiple Hair oil product segments. Historical advertising was anchored in the generic Category need of Nourishment supported by a celeb with a mass appeal. ALMOST LIKE THE LUX OF HAIR OILS.

It’s key source of business was users of Mustard oil.

Switch barriers were high, with Dabur Amla at a steep 400% price premium.

– BRAND IDEA.
It was decided to employ a single minded Superiority narrative vs Mustard oil targeting the aspiring young college going girl lifestage.

– ADVERTISING PRE TESTING. LINK RESEARCH.
2 Brand ideas were explored.
a. Superior Nourishment vs mustard oil
b. Superior Non stickiness vs mustard oil. The sizing of this unmet need was significantly lower.

But, the Non stickiness route was lending itself to an engaging narrative in the Desire/Romance space enabling emotional connect while being distinctive as well.

– TARGET AUDIENCE/BRAND IDEA.
The pen portrait target audience was defined as a young mustard oil user seeking a non sticky alternate with reassurance on its Nourishment credentials.

– TESTING THE STRENGTH OF IDEA/COMMUNICATION.
LINK testing gave us the confidence that Non stickiness as a proposition was driving New News and Persuasion while the Advertising idea of ‘Non sticky hair that allows you to express yourself’ was driving Distinctivity(Breaking through clutter), enjoyability and engagement.

Celeb Rani Mukerji was signed on. Advertising is processed as Narrative so she played a character of a young college girl in slice of life settings, not her celeb character.

– BRAND/ADVERTISING IDEA.
The campaign on the:
– Brand idea: Superior non stickiness vs mustard oil
– Advertising idea: Non sticky hair that allows you to express yourself[ Hair Expressions]
saw 3 executions in 3 years.

Execution ideas employed a device of celeb swinging her non sticky hair followed by her friends replicating it. This became a brand property driving recall and Branding.

To see the ads: