August 29, 2013

MARKETING CONSUMER BEHAVIOR & BRAND IMAGE

PLANNING DETTOL ANTISEPTIC LIQUID

Group – 5, Section – A, PGPM 2013-15

Anirudh Krishnan 13P006
Deepak Sasikumar 13P019
Piyush Rathi 13P033
Sandeep Banthia 13P042
Suhail Sabharwal 13P049
Sunanda Mohanty 13P051
Words – 7483
 Acknowledgement

We would like to express our deepest gratitude to Dr. Avinash Kapoor for
enlightening us throughout our Marketing Planning course and for his patient
guidance and insight, enthusiastic encouragement and useful critiques throughout
this research work.

We would also like to extend our thanks to all respondents of our multiple surveys.
We share our special thanks to Dr. Amber Dubey for his help with medical
practitioner survey. We also thank Prof. Joydip Mitra for his help with the concepts
and various methodologies to conduct Hypothesis Testing.

1
 Executive Summary

Health and Safety are the most basic requirements in life. When we think of health and safety, we
immediately think of Dettol. Such is the level of trust that Reckitt Benckiser‟s flagship product, Dettol
has gained since its inception. Having come about in 1933, Dettol has, from Day 1, dominated the
liquid antiseptic market and its domination is evident even today as it holds a market share of just
under 85%. Although Dettol has diversified its product line and now offers a host of products including
the popular liquid hand wash, the bar soaps and even detergents and baby-care products in the UK,
its marquee offering has always been the Dettol antiseptic liquid.

The antiseptic liquid is primarily used for treating cuts and wounds but some consumers also use it for
shaving, bathing, cleaning and even dental care. Some of the aspects that contribute towards Dettol‟s
super power status in the antiseptic liquid segment are its brand image and quality. The largest
competitor to Dettol in this segment is Savlon, which holds a market share of around 13%. Savlon
made a few waves in the market as it entered with competitive pricing and also offered an antiseptic
liquid that did not create a burning sensation when applied. However in the grand scheme of things
Savlon could not reduce Dettol‟s stranglehold on this segment.

The aim of this study was to ascertain the perception of consumers regarding Dettol and also Savlon
and try to gauge the various factors involved in the consumer‟s final decision to purchase an
antiseptic liquid. We also intended to verify the effectiveness of Dettol and establish that it is not just a
big brand but it also delivers in terms of product quality. Finally we aimed to understand consumer
behaviour in the liquid antiseptic market and whether the brand image of Dettol plays a significant role
in attracting customers towards itself and away from Savlon.

This study involved secondary research as we studied case studies on Dettol conducted in the past
and also read journals and articles on the topic to conduct a literature review. We also developed and
distributed questionnaires and collected 230 responses, to get a first-hand understanding of
consumers‟ perceptions and preferences and therefore their behaviour.

Once our data was collected, we conducted hypothesis development where we identified the major
questions we aimed to answer through this study. With the help of statistical methods we then
determined with a high level of certainty the validity of the hypotheses. Finally, the results and
implications of our study were published and scope for future research was also recorded.

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 Table of Contents

S.No. Title Page No

Acknowledgement............................................................................. 01
Executive Summary…………………………………………………….. 02
Table of Contents……………………………………………………….. 03

1. Introduction....................................................................................... 05
1.1 Purpose………........................................................................... 05
1.2 Objective……………….............................................................. 05
1.3 Justification and significance..................................................... 06
2. Outline and flow of the project.......................................................... 07
3. SWOT Analysis................................................................................. 08
3.1.1 Strengths.............................................................................. 08
3.1.2 Weakness............................................................................. 09
3.1.3 Opportunities........................................................................ 10
3.1.4 Threats….............................................................................. 10
4. Literature Review.............................................................................. 13
5. Hypothesis Development.................................................................. 17
6. Market Research Methodology......................................................... 17
6.1 Data Collection........................................................................... 18
7. Analysis…….……………................................................................... 19
8. Results…………………….................................................................. 24
9. Implications........................................................................................ 24
10. Conclusions....................................................................................... 25
11. Limitation............................................................................................ 26
12. Future Research............................................................................... 26
13. References........................................................................................ 27
14. Appendices………………………….……………………………………. 29
14.1Internet Survey questionnaire……………………………………... 29
14.2 Data charts and graphs…………………………………………… 33

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Section - I

4
 Purpose

The intention of our project is to gather / collect data, analyze findings, and study the Consumer
Behavior and Brand Loyalty for „Dettol‟ liquid antiseptic and disinfectant, trademark product of FMCG
conglomerate „Reckitt Benckiser‟. We also intend to analyze the strategies incorporated by Reckitt
Benckiser India to continue growing and surviving as a leader in liquid antiseptic market for almost 80
years since its inception.

Objective

Our objective is to understand the impact and the outcome of strategies adopted by Reckitt Benckiser
India Ltd. to sustain the diverse consumer behavior offered by Indian Sub-Continent for its inception
product „Dettol‟ liquid antiseptic. By the end of our project, we wish to answer following questions:
 What are consumers‟ perception of Brand Dettol and its rivals in the liquid antiseptic segment?
 What are the key factors for a consumer in their purchasing decision – Brand Image vs. Quality
vs. Price?
 What type of brand loyalty does Dettol enjoy in the liquid antiseptic market?
 What is the impact of advertising in the consumers‟ decision to purchase Dettol?
 How did market competition impact Dettol and what was the effect of Dettol‟s brand image in
maintaining its market share?

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 Justification and Significance

In the ten years of Brand Equity's Most Trusted Brand survey (ref. 2010); one brand that has
consistently maintained its position in the Top 10 is Dettol. Reckitt Benckiser‟s flagship product Dettol has
dominated the Indian market of Antiseptic Liquids for almost 80 years with almost 85% market share, the
first fifty of which were with zero competition.

The brand therefore clearly has two attributes that make it the envy of every FMCG Company in India – a
legacy and a trusted consumer base. Dettol‟s unique green and white packaging, its amber color and
most importantly its distinctive smell (most commonly associated with the smell at a hospital) have all
been trademarks of its successful brand.

According to American Marketing Association, “brand” is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other
feature that identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. And “brand
loyalty” is the degree to which a consumer consistently purchases the same brand within a product class.
Dettol‟s strong brand loyalty has never allowed its competition to grow.

Its direct competitor Savlon, tried to pull the consumer base towards its product promise of non-sting. In
Feb 2005, it started with a new „70% doctors prefer Savlon‟s advertisement with heavy media support.
However, its brand share has more or less remained stagnant over the years. Since beginning of 2007,
Savlon has been off air.

This project aims to come to a conclusion as to how existing users and potential users see Dettol
Antiseptic Liquid. It would allow us to gauge „why they are loyal to the product‟ and „how likely they are to
defect to a competing brand‟. This, in turn will give us some insight on how similar products can be
launched in the market. Also, we will learn how Reckitt Benckiser uses brand Dettol as a franchise for
introducing a total product range in the market. On the academic front, it would also help us get an
understanding of how brand equity is measured and evaluated. Also, it would help us understand how
significant a role brand loyalty plays in the consumer behavior.

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 Outline/Flow

1. Defining the theme of the topic as the study of Consumer Behavior and Brand Loyalty
2. Conducting primary survey targeting:
a) Doctors –Interviewing a couple of doctors on their perspective of antiseptics and their idea of
Dettol and its competitors, using a self designed questionnaire
b) Students on campus – floating questionnaires to gauge their perception with regards to
Dettol as an antiseptic liquid vis.-a-vis. its competitor(s)
c) Medical stores – conducting a survey to identify the market demand of antiseptics for
particular Brands
3. Through the primary survey we aim to look at:
a) Consumer Perception – Evaluate the brand image of Dettol as perceived by users and to
what extent they connect with the brand
b) Performance of the product –How „Dettol‟ is perceived by consumer as a better product
c) Market Dominance – How Dettol has managed to dominate the Indian market since its
inception, despite the entry of various players over the years
d) Genericization – Dettol is so commonly used that people associate the brand name for every
product of that type

4. Through secondary survey (based on figures from the company‟s financial reports) we aim to
gauge:
a) Overall performance based on figures
b) 4 Ps (product, price, place, promotion) with respect to major competitor(s)

5. Using the above evaluation we shall prepare:

a) Marketing Mix for Dettol
b) Hypothesis Testing
c) Comparative study with „Savlon‟

6. By employing the above research methodologies we aim to reach an indicative conclusion about
consumer behavior and brand loyalty for Dettol.

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 SWOT Analysis

Strengths Weakness

 Renowned Brand  Toxicity

 Major Market Player  Irregular Use
 Cost Effective  Product feature
 Recommended by
IMA
 Generic Brand

Opportunities Threats

 Market Penetration  Counterfeit Products

 Brand Initiation and  Over diversification
Diversification  Potential Competition
 Tie-ups  Negative Publicity

Strengths

Established Brand

 Dettol is manufactured and marketed by Reckitt Benckiser, which was established in 1814. The
company has a net income of 1.833 billion GBP (Wikipedia).
 Dettol has been in sales in India for more than 75 years (rb.com)

Market Share

Dettol has a market share close to 85% in the anti-septic segment. Its largest competitor in the segment
is Savlon which has around 12%. (Business Standard)

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Brand Image

Dettol is a household name in India and is one of the most credible and reliable brands in the market. In
the „Brand Equity: Most trusted brands‟ survey conducted by The Economic Times, Dettol has
consistently featured in the top 10.

Generic Brand

Dettol is one of the most common „generic brands‟. The name is synonymous to antiseptics, like Xerox is
to photocopying machines. Dettol is considered a pioneer in the antiseptic liquids market and hence
enjoys the trust of the consumers.

Brand Recommendation

Dettol bears the recommendation of the Indian Medical Association which has a positive effect on the
brands credibility.

Brand Positioning

Dettol has positioned itself as an all-purpose antiseptic liquid, which can be used beyond cleaning
wounds and bruises. This has helped it to capture the market share over it rival brand Savlon which
positions itself as a wound cleansing antiseptic.

Cost Effectiveness

Dettol is cheaper than its competitors in all its size categories.

Weaknesses

Drawbacks of the segment

While Dettol maintains a dominant position in the antiseptic market, the nature of the segment is such that
the products are not used as regularly as those in other segments, say soaps. So, while many
households store Dettol, their repeat purchases are not very high

Product Features

Even though Dettol is a very effective antiseptic liquid, when applied on a wound, users feel a burning
sensation. This has reduced Dettol‟s popularity amongst the younger generation. Competitors such as
Savlon capitalized on this weakness and developed a product that does not sting.

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Product properties and Toxicity

 Dettol has been scientifically proven to kill White Blood Cells (WBCs), which is an undesirable effect.
 Ingestion or excessive inhalation of Dettol could have lethal consequences for human beings
 Dettol has been proved to be lethal to certain species of animals such as frogs, toads and fish.

Opportunities

Market Penetration

While Dettol enjoys a strong foothold in the urban sector, there is significant potential to be realized in the
rural sector where the frequency of injury is higher and scope for antiseptic usage is high.

Brand Extension and Diversification

Dettol has already made an impact in the health segment of the soap market where it already has a
market share of around 8%. It can also look to enter other markets such as house-hold disinfectants
(Kitchen, floor, bathroom etc.), Air fresheners, Laundry detergents and Baby-care products. Although
there are already established players, Dettol can use its brand image enter into and establish themselves
in these segments.

Initiating Tie-ups

Dettol can look to increase its market share by sponsoring first-aid kits or counters at schools, clinics and
parks.

Overcoming major weakness

As their major competitor has the distinct advantage of offering a similar product without the sting or the
burning sensation, Dettol can look to develop a painless antiseptic liquid to improve its brand image
amongst the younger demographic.

Threats

Counterfeit Products

There are several „fakes‟ in the market that cause major damage to users and therefore the brand‟s
reputation.

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Over Diversification

Dettol should not lose sight of their flagship product, the antiseptic liquid, in their promotion campaign. It
might lead to loss of market share as consumers might not be able to associate themselves with the
brand if the main product lacks visibility.

Potential Competition

Dettol has had a market share of 85%, mainly due to the main competitors not focusing on promoting
their products, in spite of being major players in the FMCG segment. Savlon, owned by Johnson &
Johnson and Lifebuoy from Hindustan Unilever have the potential of investing heavily in their marketing
and eating into Dettol‟s market.

Negative publicity

The Dettol brand was embroiled in controversy after negative publicity:

 A 42-year-old British man died due to overexposure of Dettol in May 2007 (Wikipedia)
 In Australia, Dettol spray has been shown to be lethal to cane toads. Spraying the disinfectant at
close range has been shown to cause fast-acting death. Due to concerns over potential harm to
other Australian wildlife species, the use of Dettol as pest control was banned in Western
Australia by the Department of Environment and Conservation in 2011 (Wikipedia)

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Section - II

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 Literature Review

Marketing mix has the following 4 mixes- Product, place, price and promotion. The last element of
marketing mix, namely promotional mix, brings about a new persona of the product. It helps extend the
awareness of the product to existent and potential consumers. It is mostly directed specifically to a
particular target segment. Hence it is essential to understand the purview and scope of the promotional
campaigns undertaken by the firm. The specific promotional mix should be continued or discontinued
based on scope and outreach. A major part of promotion focuses on keeping the existing consumers
happy, i.e., maintaining brand loyalty.

Companies, which have an established product, often bank more on the brand name of the product. They
create brand differentiation in the market and focus on establishing brand loyalty.

According to Jacoby and Chestnut (1978), brand loyalty is:

a. Biased,
b. Behavioral response,
c. Expressed over time,
d. By some decision making unit
e. With respect to one or more alternative brands out of a set of such brands,
f. And is a function of psychological processes.

Biased Behavioral Response:

People have a systematic tendency to buy a certain brand or group of brands. So, each brand that is
chosen by the customer has a certain dependence on their past choices.

Expressed Over Time:

However, incidental bias towards a product does not imply brand loyalty. The process of brand selection is
dynamic and consequently brand loyalty implies consistent preference of a brand over a certain period.

Decision Making Unit:

Brand loyalty is defined by the purchase pattern of a decision-making unit; it could be an individual, or a
firm or a household. But here it is important to understand that the purchaser may not be the actual
decision maker. In households sometimes kids or wives make decisions, but the actual purchaser is the
father or the spouse.

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Selection of Brands:

For low involvement goods, consumers don‟t evaluate products on a regular basis. They in fact segment
products in their psyche as acceptable or unacceptable. But if consumers are indifferent to multiple brands
then they might substitute one with the other arbitrarily. This creates a problem, as brand switching comes
into the picture and it becomes difficult to differentiate between the two. Also, when we talk of brand
loyalty, we have to give the consumer a chance to be DISLOYAL.

As in, a consumer can only be loyal to a brand by not choosing other brands. Brand loyalty cannot be a
factor in a monopoly market.

Function of Psychological Processes:

Brands are selected according to internal criteria, which results in commitment towards a particular brand,
which is an essential component of brand loyalty. We shouldn‟t confuse between repeat buying and brand
loyalty. A customer, due to inertia may not want to switch brands. A study of Hoyer (1984) found that
repeat buying behavior has different motives; different decision rules and requires different marketing
conditions that brand loyal customers. In contrast brand commitment is more likely to be influenced by
brand‟s distinguishing characteristics, images or design features of a brand.

To create brand loyalty, it is essential to focus on creating brand awareness.

According to American Marketing Association, Brand Awareness is the extent to which a brand is
recognized by potential customers and is correctly associated with a particular product.

Brand Awareness Plan:

The major components of a brand awareness plan are:

 Identify and understand your target market

 Create a company name, logo, and slogans
 Add value through packaging, location, service, special events, etc.
 Advertisement Management
 After-sale follow-up and customer relations management

Importance of Brand Awareness:

One might ask that why brand awareness is important when there are plenty of customers and sales are
decent. Answer to this is that brand awareness can play a major role in purchasing decisions. More aware
customers are of product and brand, more likely they are to buy.

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Brand awareness is considered as the essential step for the communication process to occur. As for the
consumer to buy a brand they must be aware of it in the first place. It plays the crucial role in determining
the consideration set.

The Goal:

It is very important to come up with a strategy that company wants to follow for creating brand awareness
about their product. This brand awareness strategy can be focused on the name of the company or the
color people associates with the company‟s product or it can be focused on the pricing of product or the
way in which company sells their product. It can be in any way but what matters most is that when people
hear of your brand they should be able to relate it with the message that you want to convey through your
brand awareness strategy.

Successful brand awareness takes time to develop as few customers might respond to it very fast but
major proportion would take time to hear about the product and the try them and then return for more.
Establishing customer loyalty requires long time as it requires extended experience with the product and
company.

How to begin creating brand awareness:

In creating brand awareness, initial impression is of utmost importance. After which how the customer
perceives your product value will further create brand awareness. If customers are not aware of the brand
they will not buy the product no matter how good it is.

Awareness can be created by messages, images, slogans and tag lines. Nowadays social media is
actively used to create brand awareness.

The message, images, slogans and taglines should be consistent in order to increase brand awareness.
The best social media strategies are not to rely on your customer finding you, but rather, on you bringing
your brand to the places they are already hanging out. The popular social networking site, Twitter, is
currently regarded as the premiere online location to build brand awareness.

Brand awareness can be further strengthened by working on four C‟s of the brand that is

 Clarity,
 Creativity
 Consistency
 Cohesiveness

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Clarity means what is company‟s vision? What does the business want customers to understand when
they see their logo? For that matter who are the customers? What do customers need from business? How
do they use the product?

After deciding what message does a business want to convey, one has to decide to convey the message.
What kind of logo will suit the message? Which color or font will suit? Design and setup of company‟s
booth at trade shows are also vital. All these things matter while conveying your message.

Most important C is consistency. A business should stick to its message and continue delivering what they
were delivering up to now. Being consistent actually enhances the business. When customers see they
can depend on you

Dettol is a one of the world‟s most well-known brands in the liquid antiseptic segment. According to
American Marketing Association, “brand” is a name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that
identifies one seller's good or service as distinct from those of other sellers. And “brand loyalty” is the
degree to which a consumer consistently purchases the same brand within a product class. Dettol‟s strong
brand loyalty has never allowed its competition to grow. It has dominated the Indian market of Antiseptic
Liquids for almost 80 years with almost 85% market share. In the ten years of Brand Equity's Most Trusted
Brand survey (ref. 2010); one brand that has consistently maintained its position in the Top 10 is Dettol.

The brand therefore clearly has two attributes that make it the envy of every FMCG Company in India – a
legacy and a trusted consumer base. Dettol‟s unique green and white packaging, its amber color and most
importantly its distinctive smell have all been trademarks of it successful brand.

Introduced in 1933, initially meant for treatment against cuts and wounds, Dettol soon found its way into
every Indian home. Families used Dettol wherever there was a need for disinfectants. This wide-ranging
usage of Dettol Antiseptic Liquid paved the way for the next generation of Dettol products.

Dettol has created a place for itself in the very psyche of the customers by using three fundamental brand
differentiators:

 Distinctive smell, we now associate with hospitals

 The white color it takes on dispersion in water
 Sting on application

They have campaigns called Dettol Surakshit Parivar and it association with Indian Medical Association,
aimed at spreading awareness about health and hygiene through the country. Since 2007, Dettol has also
brought the Global Hygiene Council to India and shared its learning's with media and consumers alike.

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 Hypothesis Development

We intend to perform a hypothesis testing based on the data collected by the responses to the
questionnaires. The hypothesis testing will help us validate our purpose of the project by a statistical
analysis of the primary survey. As per the project topic, purpose and the literature review in the related
field we propose the following hypothesis:

Hypothesis 1: Dettol as an Antiseptic Liquid is considered effective

Hypothesis 2: Brand Image, Quality and Pricing strategy are the key factors that influence Dettol‟s sales

Hypothesis 3: Consumers prefer to use Dettol over Savlon because of its Brand Image

Methodology

To begin towards evaluation of „Consumer Behavior and Brand Loyalty‟ for „Dettol – Liquid Antiseptic &
Disinfectant‟, we have considered both primary and secondary source of data gathering / collection for
our research. Data collection has been conducted in phases. We have tried to utilize the data in obtaining
following insights for „Dettol – Liquid Antiseptic & Disinfectant‟

1. Primary Data Collection

i) Survey – Consumers
a) Awareness of the product for existing and potential consumers
b) Demographics of existing consumers
c) „Brand Loyalty‟ evaluation based on consumers idea of trying competitors new products
in the same segment and Dettol‟s other products in different segment
d) Consumer‟s idea to keep using Dettol – Brand Image vs. Quality vs. Price
e) Dettol‟s promotion and brand visibility
f) Product reach and availability
g) Consumer satisfaction from product use (in terms of effectiveness)
h) Product requirement(quantity) and purchase frequency
i) Consumer‟s - Multi variety usage
j) Savlon stand vis-à-vis Dettol
k) Dettol – a necessity?
l) Consumers‟ perception and expectation

ii) Survey – Doctors

a) Effectiveness of the product – a true Germ Killer?

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 b) Where does „Dettol – Liquid Antiseptic & Disinfectant‟ as a product lack?
c) What makes Dettol a market leader, and why do people prefer Dettol over other
competitors‟ product?
d) Which liquid antiseptic / disinfectant would you recommend
e) „Dettol – Germ Killer‟ image, reality / perception?
iii) Survey – Medical & General Stores
a) Dettol‟s promotion policy adequate?
b) Product demand – Regular/Irregular?
c) What makes Dettol a market leader, and why do people prefer Dettol over other
competitors‟ product?
d) Consumer perception – Brand v/s Quality v/s Price
e) Which new products are coming to market, which are potential competitors?
f) Do people ask for a liquid antiseptic / disinfectant or do they ask directly for Dettol?
g) What are the impacts of a new advertisement / promotion / campaign of the product on its
sales over a period of time, and by approximately how much?
2. Secondary Data Collection
i) Balance Sheet – Dettol & Competitors
a) Sales trend over a given year – Monthly
b) Growth in volume over a couple of years
c) Profitability over a couple of years

The gathered data from surveys – Primary and Secondary, has been used to obtain insights post a
thorough analysis. The numbers and analysis is then used to come up with suitable statistical hypothesis
testing to evaluate the „Consumer Behavior and Brand Loyalty‟ for „Dettol – Liquid Antiseptic &
Disinfectant‟.

Data Collection

We conducted three surveys

a) Internet Survey(Consumers) – 230 respondents

b) Doctors Survey – 3 responses
c) Medical Stores Survey – 2 responses
For surveys‟ results / responses and analysis refer Appendix - 2.

Questionnaire for these surveys can be found in Appendix – 1.

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 Analysis

Hypothesis 1: Dettol as an Antiseptic Liquid is considered effective

Based on the data collected from our questionnaire, we noticed that 217 out of 230 people have used
Dettol. Thus the sample population we have considered is 217 users. We have segregated the 3
segments and assigned „weights‟ to each.

Sample population „n‟ = 217

Segments Weights Consumer Responses

Not that effective 1 3
Does its job 2 104
Very Effective 3 110

Sample Mean (µ) = 1/n * [∑Consumer responses * weights]

We have assumed the population‟s mean to be 2:

µo = 2
2
Sample Standard Deviation (SD) = √(∑ (µ- µo) / n)

µ calculated to be = 2.493

SD calculated to be = 0.5268791

We have decided to apply the „t distribution‟ method because the population mean is unknown

Ho (Null Hypothesis): The sample mean (Observed mean) is less than or equal to the approximate mean
of the population.

i.e. µ <= µo

H1 (Alternate Hypothesis): The sample mean (Observed mean) is greater than the approximate mean of
the population.

i.e. µ > µo

α = 1% (Type 1 Error rate)

tobs = (µ- µo)/ (SD / √n)

= 13.7837

tα = 2.326

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We observed that tobs> tα and hence we reject the Null hypothesis Ho.

From the above results we can say with 99% certainty that Dettol as an antiseptic is effective.

Customer Satisfaction
Not that effective
Does its job
Yes.Very Effective

0 50 100 150

Hypothesis 2: Brand Image, Quality and Pricing strategy are the key factors that influence Dettol‟s sales.

Evaluating the hypothesis by considering Brand Image, Quality and Pricing strategy to be the reasons for
consumers purchase and we are comparing it with the market share of Dettol in liquid antiseptic segment.

Sample population is considered to be the consumers who have used Dettol.

Sample population „n‟ = 217

Following are the distribution of key factors consumers chose for selecting Dettol

Price: 35

Advertisement: 44

Brand Image: 157

Effectiveness: 107

Doctor / Chemist Recommendation: 54

Overall 204 people have chosen Dettol because of any of the factors or their combination mentioned
above

Sample Proportion „P‟ = 204/217

= 0.94

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Market Share is chosen as the reference for population proportion of consumers choosing Dettol in liquid
antiseptic market.

Population Proportion „P0‟ = 0.85 (Market Share)

We have decided to apply the „Z distribution‟ method because we are using the population proportion.

α = 1% (Type 1 Error rate)

Ho (Null Hypothesis): The sample proportion (Observed value) is less than or equal to the population
proportion.

i.e. P <= Po

H1 (Alternate Hypothesis): The sample proportion (Observed value) is greater than the population
proportion.

i.e. P > Po

Zobs = (P-Po) / √(Po * (1 -Po) / n)

= 3.7129345

Zα = 2.3266

We observed that Zobs> Zα and hence we reject the Null hypothesis Ho.

Thus, we can say with 99% certainty that Brand Image, Pricing strategy, and quality are the key factors
influencing Dettol – liquid antiseptic sales.

Hypothesis 3: Consumers prefer to use Dettol over Savlon because of its Brand Image

We have considered the sample population to be the consumers who believe that both Dettol and Savlon
are effective.

Sample population „n‟ = 101

Out of the 230 people surveyed, 68% of them chose „Brand Image‟ as one of the factors for choosing
Dettol.

Considering this 68% to be the population proportion for this hypothesis:

Po = 0.68

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Out of the sample population n = 101, 80 people considered „Brand Image‟ as a key factor in choosing
Dettol over Savlon

P = 80 / 101

= 0.792

We have decided to apply the „Z distribution‟ method because we are using the population proportion.

α = 1% (Type 1 Error rate)

Ho (Null Hypothesis): The sample proportion (Observed value) is less than or equal to the population
proportion.

i.e. P <= Po

H1 (Alternate Hypothesis): The sample proportion (Observed value) is greater than the population
proportion.

i.e. P > Po

Zobs =(P-Po) / √(Po * (1 -Po) / n)

= 2.4129

Zα = 2.3266

We observed that Zobs> Zα and hence we reject the Null hypothesis Ho.

Thus, we can say with 99% certainty that Dettol is preferred by consumers over Savlon because of its
brand image.

Why 'Dettol'?
Advertisements
The Brand Name
Recommendation from…
Effectiveness
The characteristic smell
Price effective

0 50 100 150 200

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Section - III

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 Results

As a result of the questionnaire, we were able to attain information about the consumers‟ choices when it
comes to liquid antiseptics. We were also able to understand their perception about the effectiveness of
Dettol, the key factors that influence their decision to purchase Dettol and why they choose Dettol over its
main competitor Savlon. The complete statistical analysis and calculations have been shown in the
Hypothesis testing section above.

With the help of the information gained from 230 survey subjects, we used the „T-statistics‟ method and
calculated with a 99% certainty that Dettol users found the product effective or very effective. This gave
us an idea about the consumers‟ perception about the quality of the product and explains why Dettol as a
brand has unrivalled trust in the industry.

We also collected information from the consumers to ascertain the key factors involved in their decision to
purchase Dettol and therefore the main factors that influence the Dettol‟s sales. We found that Brand
Image, Quality, Price and doctors‟ recommendation were factors involved in the decision-making process
for consumers. We further found that 94% of the sample population chose to buy Dettol because of its
quality, price effectiveness and brand image. This was backed up by statistical analysis using the Z
distribution method and we can state with 99% certainty that Price, quality and brand image are key
factors that influence Dettol‟s sales.

We also used the data collected to understand what the consumers‟ perception was about Dettol‟s main
competitor Savlon and their choices regarding both products. We found that consumers who considered
both products effective, 79% of them chose Dettol because of its brand image. We used the Z distribution
method to confirm this hypothesis with a certainty of 99%.

Implications

The data collected through our primary research and the subsequent analysis of the data allowed us to
attain a better understanding of consumers‟ perception of Dettol as a product and a brand and also the
consumer behavior in the liquid antiseptic market. Brand Image was an extremely important factor when it
comes to selecting an antiseptic liquid and Dettol was found to have a great advantage over its
competitors in that sense. 68% of surveyed consumers chose Dettol over its consumers due to its brand
name but less than 20% of the customers felt that advertisements were important.

Another interesting observation that was made was, more customers found the characteristic smell of
Dettol more important for their decision to buy than doctor‟s recommendation. This was a surprising
finding as given the fact that Dettol is an antiseptic liquid. The natural belief would be that doctors had a
large impact on the buying decision of customers

Another telling implication of the study was that an overwhelming 96% of the surveyed consumers felt
that Dettol was effective but around 44% of them when asked if they would use any other brand of
antiseptic liquid answered “Yes”. This brings into question the brand loyalty that Dettol enjoys from its
consumers. While this has not affected Dettol‟s enormous market share of 85% it is possibly an area
where Dettol can look to improve.

24
 Conclusions

We surveyed a sample of 230 people and collected a wide variety of data regarding consumers‟
perception and attitude towards Dettol and the consumer behavior in the liquid antiseptic market. 62% of
the people surveyed were of the age group 15-25.

The population was also spread out with regards to their location, with 23% hailing from Delhi NCR, 28%
from the Metros, 43% from other cities and 6% from towns and villages.

We reached a conclusion that Dettol has immense brand awareness as a whopping 99% of the surveyed
consumers were aware of brand Dettol. An interesting fact was that even though 99% of the consumers
had heard of Dettol, only 94% of them had used it before.

Dettol also has a wide range of accessibility as 60% of the surveyed population said that they could find
the product within 500 meters of their location.

As expected we also found that a majority of the consumers, 88%, used Dettol for the purpose of cleaning
wounds and cuts. Also, such is the powerful brand image that Dettol has developed, that 67% of the
sample population was willing to try out a new range of Dettol products such as air fresheners, laundry
detergents and baby care products. We were able to conclude that Dettol through years of dependability
has built a level of trust within the customer and are in prime position to utilize that trust.

We used the Hypothesis testing method to confirm or reject certain beliefs or expectations of consumer
behavior. The Hypotheses used are mentioned below.

Hypothesis 1: Dettol as an Antiseptic Liquid is considered effective

An immense majority, 96% of the surveyed sample who had used Dettol before, felt that it was effective.
We used the T-test and we could confirm with 99% certainty that Dettol as an antiseptic was effective.

Hypothesis 2: Brand Image, Quality and Pricing strategy are the key factors that influence Dettol‟s sales

We evaluated the various factors that the consumers felt were important in their decision-making process
to buy an antiseptic liquid and we observed that Brand Image, Quality and Pricing strategy were the key
factors. This was confirmed with 99% certainty using the Z statistical method.

Hypothesis 3: Consumers prefer to use Dettol over Savlon because of its Brand Image

We considered the sample population who have used both Savlon and Dettol and found them both
effective. Using the data collected from the questionnaire where we asked the sample population what
impressed them about Dettol, we were able to confirm with 99% certainty, using the Z statistical method,
that consumers who found both products effective, chose Dettol over Savlon due to Dettol‟s brand image

Thus we could conclude based on our findings that Dettol not only dominates the antiseptic liquid market
with its large market share of around 85% right now, but is also in a comfortable position to continue to
grow and gain an even larger market share. The consumer behavior of the customers can be studied and
Dettol can come up with certain strategies and policies to target those users who are currently using

25
Savlon, using their enhanced brand image. They should also take steps towards addressing the relatively
low level of brand loyalty that was observed.

Limitations

98% of the surveyed population was in the age group of 15-35. Due to this we were unable to get an idea
about the consumer behavior and perception of the middle aged and older consumers. The survey would
have been a more accurate tool if the ages of the population were uniformly spread out across all age
groups.

The data of the survey was not validated by an external agency and there is a possibility that there was
some bad data present in the sample.

Only 6% of the surveyed population was from towns and villages and hence we were unable to collect
any substantial data to observe the consumer perception and behavior from the lower tier cities and the
rural areas.

We used the hypothesis testing method which has the basic limitation that if we do not reject the null
hypothesis, it does not mean that we accept the null hypothesis. Only the alternate hypothesis can be
accepted.

Future Research

Dettol is the leader in the antiseptic liquid market and its dominance in the segment has been a long-
standing one. However some of the key implications and consequently, potential areas for future research
from our study include the low level of importance consumers gave to the advertisements of the product.
Research could be conducted on why this is the case and strategies could be developed for Dettol to
improve the effectiveness of its advertisements.

Also even though almost the entire sample population agreed that Dettol was effective, only a small
number of people based their decision to buy Dettol on their doctor‟s advice. In fact it was seen that more
people rated Dettol‟s characteristic smell as a more important factor in their purchase. As Dettol has an
image of being a product synonymous with safety and health, it could look into improving the level of
influence medical professionals have in the consumers‟ buying decisions. From the doctors that we
consulted in our study, all of them recommended Dettol over its competitors. Some research in this area
could be carried out to try and make the most of Dettol‟s high standing amongst doctors.

Perhaps the most important area that can be focused on is the brand loyalty displayed by the consumers.
While 96% of the sample population found Dettol effective, 44% of the population said they were willing to
try other brands of antiseptics. This is a worryingly large number and brings into question the level of
brand loyalty Dettol inspires in its customers. More exhaustive research could be conducted to attain a
better picture of this aspect in a large scale and steps necessary to make sure Dettol holds on to its
customer base can be recommended.

26
 References

Marketing Management, A South Asian Perspective, 14e, Philip Kotler, Kevin Lane Keller, Abraham
Koshy, MithileshwarJha, 2012

Complete Business Statistics, Amir D Aczel, JayavelSounderpandian, PalanisamySaravanan, Rohit

Joshi, 7e, 2012

Chemist & Druggist newspaper, EBSCO publishing, December 2002

Dettol Case Study, NCI Case study series, Data Monitor, June 2011

Marketing Week newspaper, Centaur Communications, October 2007

Daily Mail Newspaper, Associated Newspapers Ltd., October 2004

Dettol: Managing brand extensions, Asian Case Research Journal, Vol 13, Issue 1, 2009

Campaign UK Newspaper, Haymart Business Publications Ltd, February 2010

Hindustan Times Newspaper, McClatchy-Tribune Information Services, 2011

The Economic Times, Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News, 2006

75 Years of Dettol, A case analysis, MarQuity, Management Development Institute, 2009

Chemist & Druggist newspaper, CMP Information Ltd, July 2010

Marketing, Haymart Business Publications Ltd, April 2010

WEB SITES

http://www.dettol.co.in/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dettol

http://www.dettol.co.uk/

http://www.dettol.co.za/

http://www.bdlive.co.za/business/retail/2013/07/23/imported-dettol-recalled-as-regulator-raises-red-flag

http://missionforhealth.com.au/

http://ehis.ebscohost.com/ehost/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/southafrica/10199946/Dettol-
disinfectant-recalled-in-South-Africa-for-being-unsafe.html

http://www.scribd.com/doc/38695231/Market-Survey-Report-On

http://www.scribd.com/doc/16945040/dettol

http://www.scribd.com/doc/20926177/Project-on-Dettol-Soap-Reckitt-and-Benckiser

27
http://www.scribd.com/doc/20121454/Dettol-Case-Study

http://metro.co.uk/2007/08/30/contamination-claim-sparks-recall-94507/

http://www.marketingmagazine.co.uk

http://www.allkindofessays.com

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com

http://www.marketingweek.co.uk

http://www.prnewswire.com

28
 Appendix – 1

Questionnaire for all the three surveys conducted have been shown below

1. Consumer Survey

How old are you? *

15-25

26-35

35-45

Above 45

Where are you from? *

Delhi and NCR

Metros

Other cities

Towns/Villages

Have you heard of 'Dettol - Antiseptic Liquid'? *

Yes

No

Have you used 'Dettol - Antiseptic Liquid'? *

Yes

No

Do you think it is effective? *

Yes. Very Effective

29
 Does its job

No that effective

Will you try any other Antiseptic liquids available in the market? *

Yes

No

Maybe

Have you ever tried Savlon Antiseptic liquid? *

Yes. It is effective

Yes. But it was not that effective

No. Not tried yet.

Never heard of it.

Why do you prefer to use Dettol? *

Price effective

The characteristic smell

Effectiveness

Recommendation from Doctor/Chemist

The Brand Name

Advertisements

Do you keep a bottle of 'Dettol - Antiseptic Liquid' handy? *

Yes

No

For what purpose do you use 'Dettol - Antiseptic liquid'? *

30
 Cleaning Wounds/Cuts

Bathing (In bath water)

Cleaning (House/Office buildings)

Shaving (Cleaning razor)

Washing laundry

Oral infection control

Other:

When was the last time you heard about 'Dettol - Antiseptic liquid'? *

Last one week

Last fortnight

Last month

Not anytime recently

How far do you have to go to buy 'Dettol - Antiseptic Liquid' *

500 meters

Within 2 kms

Within 5 kms

More than 5 kms

If Dettol were to come out with other new products like Air Fresheners, Babycare
products, Laundry Detergents etc, would you buy it? *

Yes

No

31
 Do you think Dettol is promoting its soaps and hand wash more than its anti-septic
liquid? *

Yes

No

Any Suggestions / Improvements / Complaints you have about 'Dettol - Antiseptic Liquid'?

2. Doctors Survey

Survey Questions

a) Effectiveness of the product – a true Germ Killer?

b) Where does „Dettol – Liquid Antiseptic & Disinfectant‟ as a product lack?

c) What makes Dettol a market leader, and why do people prefer Dettol over other
competitors‟ product?

d) Which liquid antiseptic / disinfectant would you recommend

e) „Dettol – Germ Killer‟ image, reality / perception?

3. Medical Store Survey

Survey Questions

a) Dettol‟s promotion policy adequate?

b) Product demand – Regular/Irregular?

c) What makes Dettol a market leader, and why do people prefer Dettol over other
competitors‟ product?

d) Consumer perception – Brand v/s Quality v/s Price

e) Which new products are coming to market, which are potential competitors?

f) Do people ask for a liquid antiseptic / disinfectant or do they ask directly for Dettol?

g) What are the impacts of a new advertisement / promotion / campaign of the product on its
sales over a period of time, and by approximately how much?

32
 Appendix – 2

1. Demographics of consumers

The age of the consumer in the sample space was mostly between and 35.

2% Age
0%
15-25
36%
26-35
62%
35-45
Above 45

The respondents of the survey were distributed between the Metros, Delhi and NCR, and other
cities and Delhi.

Location
6%
Delhi and NCR
23%
Metros
43%
28%
Other cities
Towns/Villages

2. Awareness of the product

More than 99% of the consumers were aware of the product „Dettol – Antiseptic liquid‟.

Product Awareness
1%

Yes
99% No

33
 Although the number of consumers aware of the product was 99%, only 94% of them have
actually used the product.

Product Usage
6%

Yes
94% No

3. ‘Brand Loyalty’ evaluation

44% of the consumers of „Dettol – Antiseptic Liquid‟ were ready to try other alternatives. A further
37% were unsure whether they wanted to try another product. Only 19% were sure that they will
continue using the same.

Brand Loyalty

37% 44% Yes

No
19%
Maybe

A look at customer satisfaction suggests that the customers are divided in their opinion about the
effectiveness of the product. Although, most agree that the product is not ineffective, 50% feel
that „Dettol – Antiseptic Liquid‟ is effective, while 46% think that it just does its job.

Customer Satisfaction
Not that effective
Does its job
Yes.Very Effective

0 50 100 150

34
4. Why ‘Dettol – Antiseptic Liquid?’
It is interesting to note that 68% of the respondents opt for „Dettol – Antiseptic Liquid‟ because of
the Brand Name. Effectiveness of the product comes second only.
Also, consumers rate the characteristic smell of the product more important than
recommendations from doctors.

Why 'Dettol'?
Advertisements
The Brand Name
Recommendation from…
Effectiveness
The characteristic smell
Price effective

0 50 100 150 200

Why 'Dettol'?

Price effective
200
150
The characteristic
Advertisements 100 smell
50
0

The Brand Name Effectiveness

Recommendation
from
Doctor/Chemist

35
5. Dettol’s promotion and brand visibility
33% of the customers say that they have heard about the product in the last week. Although, 45%
say they have not heard anything recently. It is interesting to note that in the previous point, it is
observed that the customers do not find the advertisements important.

Brand Visibility
150
100
50
0
Last one Last Last month Not
week fortnight anytime
recently

6. Product reach and availability

60% of the respondents find „Dettol – Antiseptic Liquid‟ within half a kilometer, and a further 32%
within 2 kilometers. This suggests that it is quick to reach the product and that it is readily
available.

Product Availability
150

100

50

0
500 Within 2 Within 5 More than
metres kms kms 5 kms

36
7. Consumer Usage

88% if the consumers use „Dettol – Antiseptic Liquid‟ for cleaning wounds and cuts. Around 25% use
it for general purpose cleaning or for cleansing shaving razors. Also, 35% of the users say that they
add the product to their bathing water.

Usage Analysis
Oral infection control
Washing laundry
Shaving (Cleaning razor)
Cleaning (House/Office buildings)
Bathing (In bath water)
Cleaning Wounds/Cuts

0 50 100 150 200 250

Usage Analysis
Cleaning
Wounds/Cuts
250
200
Oral infection 150 Bathing (In bath
control 100 water)
50
0

Cleaning
Washing laundry (House/Office
buildings)

Shaving
(Cleaning razor)

37
8. Savlon stand vis-à-vis Dettol
It is interesting to note that 45% of the users find Savlon effective and only 14% believe that it is
not effective. 37% were not willing to use the product, in spite of knowing about it. Only 4% say
that they have not heard about it.

Savlon Product
4% Yes. It is effective

37% 45%
Yes. But it was not
that effective
14% No. Not tried yet.

Never heard of it.

9. Dettol – a necessity?

The customers were almost split when asked if they keep a bottle of „Dettol – Antiseptic Liquid‟ at
home.

10. Consumer Perception and Expectation

75% of the consumers feel that Dettol is promoting its other products like soaps, hand wash and hand
sanitizer more than the antiseptic liquid. Also, 67% of them are ready to try out newer products from
Dettol like air fresheners, laundry detergents, and baby care products.

No
Perception

Yes Expectation

0 50 100 150 200

38