Surf Excel: HLL goes for new initiatives  ( September '5,2001, FE)

Having recently relaunched its flagship detergent brand Surf Excel through a new advertsing campaign, Hindustan Lever Ltd (HLL) is now evaluating and developing a host of below-the-line activities in a bid to create awareness for the new avataar of Surf Excel. This is being co-strategised by its advertising agency, Lowes Lintas

As part of the communication strategy, Lowe Lintas plans to highlight the fact that the New Surf Excel has now an advanced formulation — smart sensors which know the difference between stains and colour, therefore, the detergent works on stain and not colour.

According to Mr Sabyasachi Mishra, vice-president, Lowe Lintas & Partners, the relaunch of Surf Excel is anchored on a whole new proposition — “Daag hataye rang nahin” (removes tough stains not colours). Explains Mr Mishra: “The brand goes one step forward in further fortifying its superior ‘stain removal’ credentials, thereby, aiming to grow faster and consolidating its leadership position in the concentrate segment.”

Earlier, Surf Excel had sought to strengthen its stain removal credentials through the various ‘Surf Excel hai na’ executions. “Now our creative strategy is to set up a mother-of-stain situation in the context of a coloured garment and use the end result as proof of the new ‘Daag hataye, rang nahin’ pay-off,” adds Mr Mishra.

Deviating from the traditional “wife-husband-mother-in-law” relationship routes for it’s campaign, the agency has chosen a different route involving young people in its theme television commercial.”The challenge was to drive home the message in a noticeably different way within the ‘Surf Excel hai na’ format. However, the bigger challenge was to do all this in an unconventional way to be able standout in the detergent clutter. And most importantly, to add a degree of youthfulness to the brand,” says Mr Mishra.

Sums up Mr Mishra: “Research among consumers showed that concern about colour damage is significant at the top-end consumer, and therefore the new proposition was found to be extremely relevant.”

In July, HLL relaunched Surf Excel at a higher price of Rs 155 for one kg. Surf Excel commands a higher marketshare over Ariel Power Compact. According to ORG, Surf Excel’s marketshare, in the concentrates segment, by value in the period January to May 2001 is 52 per cent. Its marketshare in the total powders segment is 7.5 per cent. Compacts form nine per cent of the overall detergents market in volume, and 19 per cent in value. Ariel’s volume share stands at around 38 per cent and value at 40 per cent.