Liril soap was initially positioned along the lines of freshness and continued to be so for a long time. However its branding changed to a soap for skincare for the whole family a few years back. In doing so it moved from its core value proposition and broke its sustainable core proposition. There was no continuity in the two positions. This was one possible reason why consumers could no longer associate it with freshness or its Dove-like skincare image. Meanwhile, the other brands such as Lux came forward with aggressive marketing relying on celebrity power. They reinterpreted their original proposition according to changing times.

Looking at the brand’s trajectory, the launch of a shower gel by Liril was much ahead of its time and the variants were something that consumers could not relate to.

Consumer behaviour and brand relationship Consumers tend to be brand loyal. So motivating consumers to try a new brand of soap is tough.

So in the fast pace world shelf space and point of sale marketing becomes more important than brand equity. Once customers become loyal to your brand, it is tough to break the habit.

Brand Repositioning: Re-Inventing Freshness Consider the case of Santoor. The brand has constantly reinvented itself to stay relevant to the consumer. From a focus on ingredients, the brand moved to a benefit of younger looking skin and skin care. And since 1994 even though the setting for the ad has changed, at its heart, the communication hasn’t changed. The brand has tasted success by portraying the mood and aspirations of common Indian women.

Liril needs to go back to its roots to redefine freshness in order to refresh its image. Earlier, freshness was meant to break the boredom of everyday life. The brand was exciting and its branding reflected the same. Today, people have access to multiple sources of entertainment and excitement. Therefore, freshness as a concept and as a means has to be directed towards some other end. We have identified that social-recognition, acceptance, aspiration and upward mobility can serve that purpose.

Repositioning StrategySensory Branding: Liril should develop a smells, shape, sound, and packaging. It is well recognised by its color.

Market and Consumer: The soap market highly competitive and fragmented (Euromonitor). Its growth in the urban market is slowly converging with the global consumption levels. But rural markets have many miles to go. The per capita soap consumption in rural areas is still one-third that of the urban. Liril should target these markets, as they have high growth opportunity

Liril ReinventedPositioning

Freshness as the main offering

Freshness as means to social acceptance, recognition, aspiration, upward mobility

Targeting & Communication

Ads that show rural consumer/semi-urban consumer aspirations

Prime targets would be rural and semi-urban demographic between 16-45 years .

Ad setting

Freshness for different ends as conveyed by soaps with different taglines

Freshness is essential

Freshness is confidence

Freshness is amazing

Freshness is you

Freshness is seductive

( S. Sairam and Shivraj Singh Negi are pursuing Post Graduate Programme in Management at the Indian Institute of Management Bangalore.)

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