Bru Instant Coffee

Bru instant coffee was entering the rural market to create a new segment into beverage industry. They were somewhat successful. As a student of marketing identify, what communication challenges did bru faced. They have used innovative media vehicles for reaching the target group. Why they have chosen those vehicles and what else could be used for marketing or improving i mproving the champagne.

Answer: Bru is a power brand from HUL. A brand which pioneered the instant coffee category in Indian market in 1969 is also an example of many successful marketing practices. Prior to 2004, HUL had many brands in the coffee category. It had Deluxe Green Label and Bru instant as the main brands and small brands like Dilkush, Cafe and Cafe Gold. In 2004, as a part of the power brand strategy, HLL decided to phase out Dilkush and Cafe brands . It then consolidated the coffee brands under the Masterbrand Bru. Bru before becoming the family brand was positioned as a coffee that tasted just like filter coffee. But after the elevation to master brand, Bru took the positioning around happiness. Bru was synonymous for instant coffee and had an astounding 21% market share in the first year of launch itself. All these years, the brand has been fighting for the numero uno position with Nestle whose iconic Nescafe brand was the market leader. But in 2008, the brand  pushed Nescafe to the second position. Much of the success of Bru can be attributed att ributed to following factors   

Innovation in new products Innovation in packaging Aggressive campaigns

Bru was able to give new offerings to customers on a regular basis. One of the recent successful new product was the cappuccino packs. The new flavor gave the brand a new thrust in the market. The new flavors even prompted hardcore tea lovers like me to try out these flavors. The best part was that these cappuccino was available in single serve sachets which prompted consumers to test the flavors. Bru is positioned on the theme of happiness. The brand has the tagline “Happiness  “Happiness  begins with Bru ". The positioning and communication has been consistent with the brand's promise of kick-starting one's day with a Bru. Another critical factor that aided Bru's success was the innovation in packaging. The brand made the entry barrier low by launching small affordable SKUs. There are single serve and large packs at different price points making the brand affordable .The brand although is  positioned as an aspirational brand is priced affordable thus making it a perfect example of a Masstige brand. The brand has also came out with a customer centric innovation in the form of a flavor lock. Most of the customers worry about losing the flavor of coffee powder once the pack is cut

open. The flavor lock is a plastic clip which will lock the flavor from escaping. More than actually locking the flavor, the lock gives a psychological belief that the flavor will not the lost. Bru is a brand which has reached the commanding position following methodologically all the critical elements for marketing success:   

Customer centric innovation Aggression  New product development.

The Challenge Coffee has an image in the mind of the people as a drink to be had on special occasions. The marketing challenge, thus was to convert these special occasions to bru instant coffee occasions. As the people were a mix of tea and coffee drinkers, conveying the right message across the segment was the key challenge for the company. With multiple communicators of differing individual capabilities, delivering a standardized yet customized message consistently was an even bigger challenge for bru. The most target consumers have a not so welcoming attitude to door-to-door salesman. Bru marketing strategy involved innovative media vehicles which helped it to reach large number of customers. HUL's coffee brand Bru, bagged 2 gold awards at the third edition of the Rural Marketing Association of India (RMAI) The brand won two gold awards for its instant coffee connect campaign. One, in the category of Best Innovative Rural Marketing Initiative and another for Innovative Communication. The winning campaign was conducted across Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh with the main aim of increasing penetration of Bru instant coffee. The campaign was activated through a promoter going home-to-home with a body mounted DVD player and showing AV of beverages to homemakers. After showing the AV, simple questions based on the AV were asked and a Bru Instant coffee sachet sample was given, thus completing the process of awareness, interest & trial. Through this activity, 2.4 million households have been contacted in 2010.

Promotion strategies that could be used:    

Wall painting that are used to capture the attention of the audience and is an economic medium. HUL uses wall paintings for its products as Wheel, Lifebuoy etc. Cinema theatre’s as rural consumers fascinated by cinema and it has great impact on them and a wider reach. Puppet shows where the puppets are used to communicate the ideas and values to rural consumer and is an inexpensive medium. Folk theatre is used for informing and educating people about some products through Tamasha’s, skits and plays.

References  Rural Marketing - Pradeep Kashyap - Google Books. [ONLINE] Available at:http://books.google.co.in/books?id=8XE8BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA107&lpg=PA107&dq=bru +rural+marketing&source=bl&ots=HoqaKiHXIQ&sig=KzzekZpHfTx22jI6D2btL2tz5RY&h l=en&sa=X&ei=hBdqVJKEGdOwuASq54KIBg&ved=0CCoQ6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=bru %20rural%20marketing&f=false. [Accessed on 16 November 2014].  HUL's Bru brews up a catchy marketing activity. [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.afaqs.com/news/story/27936_HULs-Bru-brews-up-a-catchy-marketingactivity. [Accessed on 16 November 2014].  Marketing Practice: Bru : Happiness Begins with Bru. [ONLINE] Available at:http://marketingpractice.blogspot.in/2008/11/bru-happiness-begins-with-bru.html. [Accessed on 16 November 2014]. Hindustan Unilever ltd. 2014. Hindustan Unilever ltd . [ONLINE] Available at:http://www.slideshare.net/rasharo/hindustan-unilever-ltd.  [Accessed on 16 November 2014].  Brands in action | India. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.hul.co.in/brands-inaction/detail/Bru/303748/. [Accessed on 16 November 2014].