ByCharuta Jagtap

The Indian FMCG sector is the fourth largest sector with a total market size in excess of US$ 13.1 billion. The FMCG market is expected to triple from US$ 11.6 billion in 2003 to US$ 33.4 billion by 2015. Within the FMCG industry in India, HUL and P&G are two of the major market players. Amongst themselves they have a lions share of the market segment.

 Product Strategy relates to product development policies and innovation generation as integral part of the business strategy of a company. Innovative and exceptional products are the result of product strategy adopted by a company during a methodical process. Branding can helps a company to stand out from its competitors, add value to the offer and engage with customers. Thus, product and brand strategies play a vital role in the marketing context.

 To compare HUL and P&G brands and monitor the level of competition in the market. To explore the perceptions/reactions of consumers to the products and brands To track the level of satisfaction of the consumers. To evaluate the companies promotional activities and effectiveness i.e. brand awareness.

The following hypothesis can be considered for the market research (considering the product shampoo of the two companies and Null Hypothesis is used): There is no significant difference between the shampoo preferences of men and women. There is no significant difference between the different types of shampoos. (ANOVA) There is no association between the level of satisfaction and brand preference. There is no association between the promotional activities and brand awareness.

Research type: Exploratory research (on Shampoos) Research Area : Mumbai-Pune Period: Two months Sample size: 100 or above Data Collection: Mail Questionnaires Analysis: Percentage method, statistical methods and hypothesis testing

 Both HUL and P&G share a major market share and have an intense competition amongst themselves and other companies. The type of product and its brand image plays a vital role in the consumer perception and attitude towards product. Consumers are largely satisfied with the current products. However, there is a possibility of emerging demand for natural products. The promotional activities and level of brand awareness are directly related to each other.

The following market research will assist the management in making appropriate marketing decisions at the right time. The major benefits of the Research include: It will highlight the intensity of competition in the market, the strengths and weaknesses of the competitors, the strategies employed etc. It will help in unfolding the consumers perceptions and reactions towards the product and brand. It will provide a benchmark to evaluate the companies promotional activities and the resultant brand awareness among the masses. It will assist in formulating product and brand strategies which will ultimately help in increasing the consumer satisfaction.

 Availability of true market/technical data at the start of the program Possible lack of true sample size for testing Capturing true market/performance behaviour Possible biases of respondents