Consumer Buying Behavior Case Study

Submitted by-1) Gaurav Kamat2) Swapnil Kawalkar3) Shreya Pradhan4) Aniket Sawant5) Swapnil Lilke6) Avinash Srivastava

Case Analysis

• Changing hands Started by Boots in 1948 Sold to Reckitt Piramal in 1997 for Rs 12.5 crores Sold to Dr. Morepen in 2001 for Rs 8.95 crores

• Strengths Strong brand recall No competitor in the burns segment Years of experience Entrenched in Indian minds as the best solution to domestic burns

• The ‘Burns’ Image Started as a cream to ‘soothe and heal skin burns’ Started showing ‘Haath Jal Gaya?’ TVCs in 1974 For 98% respondents solution to any burn was Burnol in 1988 Burns market currently at Rs 39 crore

• Change in image – an attempt Failed attempt in 1967 as antiseptic Launched in 1994 as Antiseptic Burnol 3-in-1 Launched as Burnol Plus – first aid cream in 1997

• Weaknesses Unable to come out of the ‘burns’ rut Turmeric seen as a staining agent Consumers not ready to accept other uses Constant change of ownership Low purchase rates despite huge recall

Level of consumer involvement

What strategies would you recommend to change consumer attitude towards the brand ?

Adding benefits Offer the consumer multiple benefits Increase perceived value Stress on alternative uses: non burn wounds, non burn blisters

Promote itself as a must have in every household

Changing product Introduce newer variants: splashes, gels etc May introduce herbal variants/ additives Make it lighter and non staining for modern consumers

Changing package Change colours to blue (cooling) or green(soothing) to associate with the relief Sachets/ smaller tubes Easy to use spray bottles for liquids

Why have attempts to reposition the brand failed? Has it anything to do with consumer attitudes or appropriateness of

communication messages? 

Only a burns specialist

The Affective component is very high leading to 90% of respondents thinking

of it as the immediate burns solution

Did not change original feeling, could not displace Boroline, Dettol

Only 20% people actually own it

Safer cooking techniques