BRM  Group  Assignment:  Dettol  

Marketing  Research  for  Understanding  Consumer  
Evaluations  of  Brand  Extensions  

Group  7  
 
 

Amit  Kumar  Singh:  2010PGP033  

Darpan  Mahajan:  2010PGP097  
Mahesh  Kumar  Meena:  2010PGP174  
Sankara  Srinivasan  M:  2010PGP337  
Shashikant  Lakhera:  2010PGP357  
Shishir  Thade:  2010PGP360  
Vaibhav  Sarode:  2010PGP410  
   Case:  Dettol    
  Group  7    

Managerial  Decision  Problem    

 
Ø Find   consumer   beliefs   about   parent   brand   Dettol   and   if   the   parent   brand  
strong  enough  to  carry  extension  brands?  
Ø Which  brand  extension  to  continue  and  which  to  discontinue.  What  factors  to  
focus  on  for  making  an  extension  brand  a  success?    
 
Research  Objectives  
Ø Consumers  belief  about  the  parent  brand  and  what  kind  of  extension  of  this  
brand  they  want  
Ø How   consumers   belief   about   parent   brand   affects   her   evaluation   of   brand  
extension  of  Dettol  
Ø How   consumers   perception   about   the   fit   in   the   product   class   of   the     parent  
brand  and  extension  affect  her  evaluation  of  brand  extension  
Ø How  factors  such  as  overall  quality  of  Dettol,  perception  about  the  difficulty  
of   manufacturing   the   product   class   of   extension   plays   a   role   in   consumer  
evolution  of  brand  extension    
 
Research  Model  
It  used  Aaker  and  Keller’s  model:  
Ø The   model   three   dimensions   to   measure   the   fit   of   extension   Complement  
Substitute  and    
Ø First   of   all,   the   “Complement”   is   that   consumer   takes   two   product   (extension  
and   parent   brand   product)   classes   as   complement   to   satisfy   their   specific  
needs.  
Ø “Substitute”   indicates   two   products   have   same   user   situation   and   satisfy  
their  same  needs  which  means  the  products  class  is  very  similar  so  that  can  
replace  each  other.    
Ø Transfer   is   the   relationship   between   extension   product   and   manufacturer  
which  “reflects  the  perceived  ability  of  any  firm  operating  in  the  first  product  
class  to  make  a  product  in  the  second  class”  
 
Research  Design  
Ø Qualitative  study,  Open  ended  associations    
Ø Quantitative  survey,  Seven  Point  Scale  
Ø 8  extensions  
• 6  (Bandage,  Lotion,  Shampoo,  Soap,  Cream  &  Cleaner)  
• 1  (Colgate  toothpaste)  &  1  (Rayban  sunglass)  
Ø Limited  by  age,  location  &  socioeconomic  class  
Ø Sample  size<  50  people(B  School)x  8  Extensions  

    2  
   BRM  Group  Assignment:  Dettol    
  Group  2    

Ø Aext=  B0+  B1  x  Quality  +  B2  x  Transfer  +  B3  x  Complement     +   B4   x  

Substitute  +  B5  x  Quality  x  Transfer  +  B6  x  Quality  x  Complement  +  B7  x  
Quality  x  Substitute  +  B8  x  Difficult  
 
 
Inferences  From  Research  
Ø Name  of  the  extension  associated  with  the  brand  image  of  Dettol  gives  higher  
rating  to  adhesive  bandage  and  floor  cleaner  
Ø Substitute   appears   relatively   less   important   and   the   degree   of   difficulty  
(associated   with   making   the   brand   extension   has   very   little   impact   on  
consumers'  attitude  towards  the  extension  
 
 
Conclusion  and  Possible  Improvements  in  Research  Methodology    
Ø Branding  does  not  always  follow  a  rational  line  (  brands  fail  even  if  they  are  a  
good  extension  parameter-­‐wise)  
Ø Aaker   and   Keller   model   finds   no   significant   evidence   that   brand   name   can   be  
diluted  by  unsuccessful  brand  extensions  .  
Ø  Subsequent   models   by   Loken   and   Roedder-­‐John   (1993)   indicate   that  
dilution  effect  do  occur  when  the  extension  happens  across  inconsistency  of  
product  category  and  brand  beliefs.  The  failure  of  extension  may  come  from  
difficulty   of   connecting   with   parent   brand,   a   lack   of   similarity   and   familiarity  
and  inconsistent  IMC  messages.  
Ø Dettol  should  try  and  extend  to  markets  which  are  highly  correlated  with  the  
parent  brands  core  values.  
Ø At  best  Dettol  brand  can  exist  as  a  niche  brand  extending  its  core  value  and  
creating  a  niche.  
 
 

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