SUPER SHAMPOO PRODUCTS AND THE INDIAN MASS MARKET

What are the category beliefs among the non-users of shampoo?

Characteristics of Target Population used for survey by Venkatraman:Females aged 18 to 50, belonging to rural or semi-urban household Basis: income classification (annual household income of less than Rs 75,000 and Rs 150,000)- Around 101.1 million Deprived + 91.3 million AspirersCategory non-users or low frequency users, yet aware of the top three shampoo brands in the marketSignificant television media consumption and enjoys watching advertisements

Who are non-users of Shampoo?In the Indian mass market, it was found that among non-users of shampoo, most do not engage in washing their hair very often, with the majority of respondents washing their hair only once (48%) or twice (43%) per weekIn those instances, most persons indicated that they didnt use Shampoo to wash their hair, but rather alternative products such as Shikakai or soap; only 24% of the respondents used shampoo

Category beliefs of non users of Shampoo based on the surveyAgreeThere is sufficient evidence to conclude that non-users of shampoo believe that using shampoo will make their hair healthy and strongIt is also believed that shampoo should only be used on occasion to wash oil from the hair as it cleans the hair better than soapAppearance is also a key factor for the Indian consumer as it is believed that there is a boost in confidence whenever the hair has been washed with shampoo as opposed to using any of the alternative productsDespite these beliefs, the Indian mass-market displays a general unwillingness to purchase large amounts of this product at any one time and have only purchased shampoo sachets

DisagreeThe purchase patterns are not directly related to the somewhat adverse socio-economic conditions of the Indian mass-market, as the price for shampoo does not influence its purchase or frequency of useIt is not believed that shampoo is expensive nor that shampoo is a luxury item, only to be used on special occasions

Neither Agree nor disagree:chemicals in shampoo are not good for the hair and will damage itShampoo can be used for the occasional wash but not for the daily wash Try shampoo based on the recommendation of a friend of family memberStatementsMean Value1. Washing with shampoo makes hair look beautiful4.12. Always buy shampoo in Sachet4.13. Use shampoo only when need to wash oil from hairs4.04. Shampoo makes hair strong and healthy4.05.Shampoo cleans hairs better than soap3.96. Feels confident when use shampoo3.97. Shampoo is very expensive2.58. Shampoo is a luxury that is used on special occasions2.6Strongly agree-5, Agree-4, Neither Agree nor Disagree-3, Disagree-2 Strongly Disagree-1

What are the cognitive beliefs on the three brands of shampoos? (What are those advertising elements that match with the cognitive beliefs?)

CLINIC PLUS A cosmetic brand targeted to low income users thus ideal for the consumers in rural India who were predominantly of the lesser income levelsPositioned as a "Family Value and Health Foundation" which helps to solve the largest hair problem in India i.e. hair fall while providing lustre, shine and strength

Advertising elements that match with the cognitive beliefs :It prevents from dirt and split endsPrevents hair fall

Reasons for a score of 3.9 on question about probability of next time purchase:The Clinic Plus advertisements have an aspirational appeal particularly to Indians in the rural areas who strive to achieve their social needs of self-actualization, achievement and affiliationIt shows the mother as the chief decision maker when purchasing for the family; other women can relate to this as most rural Indian women would be in similar positions based on the culture and societal normsFocus on Familys haircare rather than showcasing individual haircare benifits

Head & Shoulders

Head & Shoulders is an anti-dandruff brand of shampoo approved by dermatologists and endorsed by celebritiesThe brand is a part of the fastest growing segment (anti-dandruff) of the market and is priced in the premium tier

Advertising elements that match with the cognitive beliefs:The corresponding advertisements provide assurance through science; uses high percentage to support the claim of reduced hair fall and believability due to 9/10 dermatologists recommending the brandValue for money : The claim of one versus three washes which appeals to the conservative and cautious nature of Indian rural consumers and helps to reduce dissonance related to purchasing this premium productThe product includes intensive Solutions, such as VitaZinc designed to treat itching, flaking, dryness, irritation and redness, it also helps protect hair from falling out

Reasons for a low score of 2.7 on question about probability of next time purchase:Do not motivate rural Indians to purchase because of following reasons:the price of the brand Difficulty in rationalizing the purchase because the product they have been using for years (Shikakai) provides the same benefitBesides solving their dandruff problem and being more appealing to the opposite sex, the ads do not pull on any of the aspiration based appeals which are extremely important especially in the rural Indian culture

Chik ShampooChik is a cosmetic shampoo, which is the second most recognizable and used brand of shampoo which is priced and targeted to semi-urban and rural consumersIt is in the popular/economy tierChik promises the confident Indian woman soft, nourished beautiful hair

Advertising elements that match with the cognitive beliefs:Chik keeps hair soft, nourished and beautiful all the timeDo not have to worry about tangling of hair

Reasons for a neutral score of 3 on question about probability of next time purchase:Fail to tap into the core beliefs of the decision maker i.e. strong family bonds, earning societal respect, need for affiliation, goal achievement through hard workThe ad is weak, does not have a strong aspiration base, and failed to address the key problem of hair fall The risk averse nature of rural Indians who may not see the need for simply looking beautiful as enough motivation to purchase

What are the affective aspects reflected by advertisements of the three brands of shampoos? (What are those advertising elements that match with the affective aspects?)

Affective AspectsClinic PlusThe influencer is the mother; mothers are nurturing and provide what is best for their children; therefore they would select the best shampoo for nurturing their childrens hair as well. Clinic Plus promises to help them to do thatIt instils confidence in the mothers who may give themselves credit for giving their daughters the freedom to experiment with her hair, without having to worry about their daughters hair fall

Head and Shoulders The endorsements may lead consumers to externalize the benefits experienced from using H&S through sharing experiences with friends giving all the distinctive praises to the shampoo The H&S influencers such as Kareena Kapoor and Saif Ali Khan makes consumer believe that after using the shampoo they would look like them (stylish and centre of attraction)

ChikChik has used beautiful young urban women who are independent and ready to conquer the world. This depicts the minds of the modern Indian women and that is how the target market can relate with itChic leads consumers to discover a new and beautiful side to themselves and along with it, the confirmation that no goal is too far or unachievable

Are there differences between the cognitive and affective beliefs reflected by the respondents based on their exposure to the ads of the three brands? Why are these differences being observed ?

There is a difference between the cognitive and affective beliefs

Following are the reasons for these differences:

How strong are the conative beliefs of respondents after they are motivated by the cognitive and affective aspects of the three brands?

Conative belief : the likelihood or tendency that an individual will undertake a specific action or behave in a particular way with regard to the attitude object

The conative belief among the customer after they are motivated by the cognitive and affective aspect of the three brands are as follows: strong for Clinic plus(3.9)moderate for Chick (3)weak for head and shoulders(2.7) after they are motivated by the cognitive and affective aspect of the three brands.

What is the implication of some brands being rated high on conative aspects after consumers are convinced about the respective cognitive and affective aspects of the brand(s)?

ImplicationsConative it the last stage in all three aspect where the action takes place

So being rated high on conative aspect will increase the purchase intention

Expensive product will decrease the purchase intention as given in the case

The perception that the shampoo contains harmful chemicals will also result in low purchase intention

How does each brand score on the cognitive, affective andconativeaspects ?

BRANDCOGNITIVEAFFECTIVECONATIVEClinic plusLOW (2.8)MEDIUM (3.52)HIGH (3.9)Head & ShouldersMEDIUM (2.97)MEDIUM (3.30)LOW (2.7)ChicMEDIUM (2.95)MEDIUM (3.3)MEDIUM (3)

How does each brand score on attitude towards the brand?

According to the tri component model of attitude consists of three major components:Cognitive componentAffective componentConative component

BRANDATTITUDE SCORECLINIC PLUS3.42HEAD & SHOULDERS2.99CHIC3.06

Based on the analysis and the application of concepts, how can a new brand be launched?

4 Ps of Marketing PRODUCTThe shampoo should have anti-dandruff properties The product should have shikakai as a component.The shampoo should be available in sachets of two sizes-small and medium size.The shampoo should generate visibly larger foam.

PRICEThe price should be lower than the sachets of branded shampoos to appeal to every consumer .There should be bundle pricing where buying multiple sachets provide you with a discount on the purchase. PLACEIt should be available at every retailer located in the village.Shops located on the main road and not exactly within the villageSemi urban market close to the villages

PROMOTIONHeavy TV advertising in regional language with high emphasis on the word SUPER.Local Celebrities should be used in the advertisementFree sachets should be provided at village melas and fairs through stalls.Some entertainment program could be arranged at the house of the village influencers like sarpanch