Академический Документы
Профессиональный Документы
Культура Документы
3 SWOT Analysis 6
3.1 Strengths 10
3.2 Weakness 14
3.3 Opportunities 16
3.4 Threats 18
4 Conclusion 20
Surf Excel, launched in 1954, is one of the oldest detergent powders in India. Initially, the brand
was positioned on the clean proposition of “washes whitest”. However, with the emergence of
numerous local detergent manufacturers and the entry of other global brands, Surf Excel
underwent various changes in its Brand Communication; from 'lalitaji' to 'dhoondte reh jaaoge' to
'jaise bhi daag ho, surf excel hai na', and is today communicated on the platform of 'Dhaag
achcha hai'. This is in line with the global communication platform of Dirt Is Good, which is a
communication strategy of Unilever for its premium detergent products, sold under various brand
names; such as Omo in Brazil and Persil in UK and France. Today, Surf Excel leads the Premium
Fabric Wash Category in India. Some of the other major detergent products of Unilever in India
are Rin and Wheel. The latest entry into the segment is Comfort, a Fabric Conditioner.
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HLL On 18 May 2003 has introduced an innovative low foam detergent. The New Surf Excel has
been specially developed with technology to conserve water, making it the first of its kind in the
country. The innovation keeps in mind the current water scarcity scenario in India.
About the product and the different varieties of Surf Excel are explained the following pages.
Mission
Unilever’s mission is to add Vitality to life. We meet everyday needs for nutrition; hygiene and
personal care with brands that help people feel good, look good and get more out of life.
Our people
Our long term success requires a total commitment to exceptional standards of performance and
productivity, to working together effectively, to a willingness to embrace new ideas and learn
continuously.
Corporate responsibility
To succeed also requires, we believe, the highest standards of corporate behavior towards
everyone we work with, the communities we touch, and the environment on which we have an
impact.
Value creation
This is our road to sustainable, profitable growth, creating long-term value for our shareholders,
our people, and our business partners.
Legal Structure
Unilever operates as a single business entity. NV and PLC are the two parent companies of the
Unilever Group, having separate legal identities and separate stock exchange listings for their
shares. To ensure unity of governance and management, they have the same Directors and are
linked by agreements. The Equalization Agreement regulates the mutual rights of the two sets of
shareholders, including dividends. There is a one-for-one equivalence between the shares.
Management
Categories President is responsible for Category strategies, brand development and innovation.
Regional Presidents are responsible for managing the business, deploying brands and
innovations effectively and winning with customers. They are supported by the Finance and HR
functions.
Personal Wash - Lux, Lifeboy, Liril, Hamam, Breeze, Dove, Pears& Rexona
Laundry - Surf Excel, Rin & Wheel
Skin Care - Fair & Lovely, Pond’s, Vaseline & Aviance
Hair Care - Sunsilk Natural & Clinic
Oral Care - Pepsodent & Closeup
Deodorants - Axe & Rexona
Colour Cosmetics – Lakme
Health Care - Ayush
Good
Opportunities Threats
Surf Excel is available in Indian markets for the last five decades. It has been getting sold
successfully in more than 20 countries including Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh Etc. Surf
Excel has got an excellent Brand Communication; with 'lalitaji', 'dhoondte reh jaaoge', 'jaise bhi
daag ho, surf excel hai na', and is today communicated on the platform of 'Dhaag achcha hai'.
These all helped to retain the Brand name in everyone’s mind.
The product is available in different quantities, and in different varieties. The varieties of the
product are well described in the section of “About the Product”. The price and quantity of the
products are as follows,
HUL (Hindustan Unilever Limited) has a solid base all over the world. Some of the features of the
company are listed below.
4) Innovative Aspects
By time by time the Company has implemented different innovative aspects and have introduced
different varieties of products in the markets.
The company has introduced Surf Excel Blue, which can be used for Fabric and calour care.
The company has introduced Surf Excel Matic, a detergent powder designed specially for
Washing Machines as it has a low lather formula.
Quick Wash is a product that saves up to 2 buckets of water introduced for a concept of
reducing the water consumption.
Surf Excel Bar, which is a nil mineral detergent bar.
The detergent which is in the market for the last five decades,
The Company has got high quality Manpower which is playing a fabulous role in ensuring the
growth of the company. The below are the short profile of the key personnel’s,
As per the studies made in Indian Detergent market, HUL is holding a market share of 40%
(detergent cakes + powder). In that Surf Excel is holding 10 to 12% of the total market.
The distribution chain followed by HUL is, Manufacturer-> regional stockiest-> retailer->
customer. Hence it assures the reach of the product in all the Urban & Rural areas.
HUL is involved in lot of Social and Cultural activities now a day. It will automatically increase the
image of the company and subsequently it will help in increasing its Brand Image.
The Slogan ‘’Stains Are Good’’ is playing a good role in getting the Publicity among the people for
Surf Excel products. The company is conducting lot of Seminars and Cultural Activities with the
Theme of ‘’Stains Are Good’’. It has helped a lot in increasing the Demand for the product.
While comparing with the other Detergents products in the market the price of the Surf Excel is
very high. Infact some of the products (for Example Tide, Nirma etc...) are available in the half
price of the surf Excel.
3) Substitute Products
For Detergent Powders there are lots of substitute products available in the market. Like
detergent cakes, liquid detergents etc. This will reduce the market demand for the detergent
powders.
The company spends a lot for Cultural & Other Activities in the public other than spending for
product development and research activities. It may result in reducing the growth of the product
and may the product will become outdated in the market.
As per the interim financials the company has obtained 20 % growth in the turnover comparing
As we see the Distribution channel followed by the company is Manufacturer-> regional stockiest-
> retailer-> Customer. As per this it is clear that the Regional Stockiest is having all the powers of
a Huge Region. If conflict arises between HUL & the Regional Stockiest may result in losing the
whole region market for the product.
Since the Market for the product is too large and it is spread over lot of countries, it is not possible
to get the reliable data about the market, demand, and other data which will help in market
development, planning. This will reduce the predictability power of the company.
The Surf Excel Products have the following defects which are reducing the Competitive Strength
of the product.
• No deep knowledge about the local markets.
• Local Manufacturers are more known to the people
• High price of Surf Excel Products.
• No famous Brand Ambassadors are there for the company
• Lack of control in the supply chain of the product.
The Company can utilize the changing life style of the people for increasing the demand of the
product. By concentrating on customer needs and by giving different kinds of detergents the
company can widen the scope and can increase the demand of the Surf Excel brand products.
Even though the product reaches almost every markets there are lot of untouchable market areas
for the product. It is possible to outsource the distribution channel and increase the reach of
product in the countries. By outsourcing the distribution channel, the company can concentrate in
product development.
The company can concentrate in increasing the volume of production and can try to acquire a
high market share for the product. By increasing the production and market share it is possible to
achieve high demand and a small reduction in price of the product. It will ensure customer
satisfaction.
The fashion in our country is changing day by day. The seasonal weather also have a great
influence in the fashion. By change in fashion change in cloth types also will occur automatically.
Surf excel should be made effectively which will suit the changing cloth material and which will
help the people to use the detergent accordingly with the changing fashion and seasonal
weather.
Niche markets are the small market which the other companies are not concentrating very much.
It is possible to explore the small market areas to market Surf Excel brand and try to achieve a
monopoly like situation. By this the product can get more demand even without making any
change in the price of the product.
The company can think about the business development and the product development of Surf
Excel brands by and for exploiting the increasing population increasing consumption and other
changes in the global market.
Technology Development’s can be introduced and experimented for decreasing the cost of
production and for increasing the quality of the product. New innovations can be introduced for
manufacturing the Surf Excel brands in environmental friendly which will increase the brand
image of Surf Excel
The present market trend is introducing a new product with a different tactics. It is usally seen that
a real effort is taken to attract the prospective customers and give them a new surprice while
introducing a new product in the market. The Surf Excel can also follow this marketing tactics
while introducing a new variety in the market and can get a sudden boost in the demand of the
product at the time of introduction in the market.
Since the margin of a CONSUMABLE PRODUCT is very law. A very minute change in the price
also may effect in a terrific manner. If the government introduces any sort of changes in tax or if it
introduces any new CES, it will not be possible for the company to sell out the products in the
market. They will have no other way than to increase the price of the product. As because the
price is already high, further increase in price will affect the product in a larger way.
2) Legislative Effect
The chemicals used for the production of Detergents are harmful for the human body & natural
environment. Indian government till today has not taken any steps to address these issues. If a
mandatory legislation get introduced it will be really hard for the company to produce the product
as per legislation and it will be hard to survive that.
3) Environmental effects
Detergent contains chemicals that can be harmful the human being & natural resources. If the
company does not work out something for making the product environmental friendly and
produce the product with natural resources instead of chemicals in the coming years it will be
hard for the company to sell out the products in a better way.
4) Economic Crisis
We all know that the whole world is totally affected because of the sudden collapse in the banking
sector in US. It has affected the countries all over the world. The people become very
conservative in spending the money. In this like a situation in the coming years it will be hard for
the company to retain the products which have a higher price. Even though it has high quality in
the stage of economic crisis the people will look only in the price more than the quality.
The life style of the people; mainly working class people are changing day by day. Because of the
concept of outsourcing, they have started giving the clothes for washing in the laundry shops and
other shops. Some of the professional laundry shops are keeping there own chemicals for
cleaning the clothes.
The local products are getting introduced in the detergent market. As because the size of the
local companies will be small they can easily concentrate in marketing and distribution which will
may reduce the demand for Surf Excel.
7) Obstacles faced
The production cost and the labour cost is increasing in a massive way all over the world. But by
the increase in cost, it is not possible to increase the price for Surf Excel like a consumable
product. By a slight change, it may result in a huge reduction in demand.
The primary goal of every Manufacturer will be to increase the demand for their productions. Only
if there is sufficient demand for the products then only the company can survive in this
competitive market. For this reason if the company tries to reduce the price of the Surf Excel
brands, it may result in Price War in the market. By this the product may went to loss for the
company.
By the detailed study on the product and market of Surf Excel it was able to get a clear
picture of the Past & Present of the products and was able to get in to the assumptions
about the future of the product. The SWOT analysis can be concluded with the following
findings / observations.
The Brand “Surf Excel” has a good and successful past and present in all the markets.
It has been sold successfully and has created a good demand all the time. It is also
holding a good place in the detergent market with a share of around 10% - 15%.
As like for all other products Surf Excel is also facing a tight Competition in the Detergent
Market. Since the Competition is too strong the company has to keep on watching the
market closely for avoiding any sudden collapse for the product.
For surviving in the Competitive Market in the coming years HUL has to take lot of steps
in developing the Surf Excel Products by doing Researches and Analysis, Introducing
Innovations and new Technologies, Producing different varieties of products according
to the taste of the consumers etc.
Finally, it should note that the company may have to face lot of threats in the coming
years like, Political Threats, Legislation Threats, on going Economic Crisis, Changing life
style of the people etc. If the company is able to overcome all the Threats and can
prepare themselves for facing the problems in advance, it can achieve a good growth for
“Surf Excel”