Failed Product : Pond's Toothpaste

Unilever Limited Unilever Limited earlier called as Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL), a subsidiary of the Anglo-Dutch conglomerate which owns 5 ! sta"e in it#Unilever has ac$uired a remar"able re%ute as one of best-managed com%anies in the country# Des%ite being the subsidiary of an &'(, Hindustan Lever Limited was %rofessed to be more of an )ndian cor%oration than a multinational one* because of the techni$ues by which it was managing its o%eration in )ndia# ) Unilever Limited Brand Extensions in early 2000. +y the early ,---.s HLL struggled to generate growth, and brand e/tension was the only viable o%tion for it# 0he com%any started wor"ing on e/tending its %o%ular brands# )ts %ortfolio of brands included 1Lu/., 1Lifebuoy., 1Liril., 12urf., 13ond4s., 15aseline., 15im., 1(linic All (lear. and 1A/e.# &ost of these brands remained mar"et leaders for several years in their res%ective %roduct categories 6 by early ,--7 HLL had launched a number of brand e/tensions with varying degree of success# )ts flagshi% brands 13ond4s. 6 1(linic All (lear. made a smooth transition from a cold cream to Age defying creams, soap, facewash, talc, towelettes & from anti-dandruff shampoo to hair oil category category res%ectively was somewhat successful# +ut the 13ond4s tooth%aste. e/tension 8failed miserably9# PONND' !ream Unilever Limited "nown for %roducts -2oa%s 6 Detergents mostly s"in care %roducts, %ositioned as an all %ur%ose s"in care %roducts# 3ond is one the %o%ular 8face cream9 %roduct in its %roduct %ortfolio# 3ond.s is always "nown for its feminine beauty and has its brand identity surrounded around the beauty# 3ond.s is associated with freshness, fragrance, and clean s"in# 3ond4s e/%and into the tooth%aste# )t launched 3ond4s tooth%aste# 3ond.s has done a blind test and %eo%le were ha%%y with the tooth%aste# +ut the %roduct failed miserably# POND' "oot#$aste: UL launched tooth%aste but attached the brand 3:'D42 to it# 3:'D42 0ooth%aste was %ositioned as delightfully refreshing to the taste and hygienically clean the teeth# )t was a $uality tooth%aste which cleans the mouth hygienically with a sense of freshness# POND' "oot#$aste o%%erin& : ;uality 0ooth%aste clean mouth with a sense of freshness 'easons %or %ailure : (. Undifferentiated toothpaste from Colgate )n a blind test environment, %eo%le were not able to differentiate 13ond4s. tooth%aste from that of 1(olgate.#3ond4s claim of blind test also failed# 2. Consumer perception about Pond's(mismatch between attribute of toothpaste and soap).

0he real %roblem was that 3ond4s label was attached to the tooth%aste* 3ond.s actually released the tooth%aste with the 3ond.s name (onsumers %erce%tion about the the brand was < a# 3ond4s was for fragrance, beauty and clear s"in# b# 3ond4s was a consumer %roduct used for e/ternal a%%lication only# 0his did wor" brilliantly with soa%s 6 creams however the attributes for tooth%aste are taste# (onsumer sus%icious to use 3ond4s tooth%aste for safety reasons# 0his mis-match between the attribute of tooth%aste 6 the soa% created a disillusionment in the mind of consumers thus when 3ond4s ventured into oral health care, it was ignored# ). Extension to di%%erent cate&ory a*ay %rom core 3:'D42 "nown for soa% category e/%anded to other category of 8tooth%aste9# )ts +rand identity was not com%atible with tooth%aste as the mismatch between attribute of two different category# +. Lac" of %ro%er &ar"et research and consumer behaviour#