13 MKT 201 " Section: 06 "
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Dove Soap Marketing Plan
1. Introduction
Dove today is in 80 countries making women beautiful everyday and enabling them to enjoy their own brand of beauty by providing a wide range of personal care, hair care, and skin care products. Dove launched first in the US in 1957. Dove is one of the leading brands of Unilever globally. Dove is known to be a keeper of promises and has given real products to women all over the world. Dove believes that beauty - feeling and looking your personal best - is the result of proper care. Dove always aims to deliver products which tangibly improve the condition of skin or hair and give a pleasurable experience of care, because when you look and feel beautiful, it makes you feel happier. It's a feeling every woman should experience every day. From the beginning Dove has always celebrated real women at the heart of everything the brand does and believes. Real beauty embraces diversity - no woman is or should feel excluded from the world of beauty that the brand represents. Real women are the brand's true inspiration.
Dove got women to experience the 'real' Dove difference, with the Face Test campaign. Thousands of women across the country put their soap, and Dove, to the test. They all had the same answer – Dove made their skin soft. Irrespective of seasons, our skin needs moisturizing. With 1/4th moisturizing cream, Dove bars washes provide a complete moisture care. With 1/4th moisturizing cream blended with cleansers, Dove Bar cleanses your skin without drying it, which no soap can promise.
2. Current Market Situation
Dove is a moisturizing soap by Unilever Bangladesh Limited. Dove's brand growth is increasing day by day. Now it is being most popular bathing bar for women in the whole country. Dove is an international brand and available in more than 80 countries. Dove has recently been voted as UK women's favorite personal care brand, with over a third of British women purchasing its products. Currently its market share is growing. Marketing mix strategies i.e. Four P's of marketing strategies are describing below.
2.1 Product
Irrespective of seasons, our skin needs moisturizing. With 1/4th moisturizing cream, Dove Bars provides a complete moisture care. Dove makes skin softer. In Bangladesh Dove beauty bars are available in three variants in two sizes, 90 ml and 135 ml.
Dove White Beauty Bar: Contains 1/4th moisturizing cream and mild cleansers that leave skin clean, soft and smooth.
Dove Pink Beauty Bar: Contains1/4thmoisturizing cream richly blended with its mildest cleansers, no other beauty bar has more skin-natural moisturizers than Dove. Everyday moisture is the key to beautiful skin.
Dove Fresh Moisture Beauty Bar: Contains an ultra-light hydrating formula and the crisp, soothing scent of cucumber and green tea. Provides a refreshing, uplifting sensation for once skin.
2.2 Price
Price is only one P among 4P's that genrate some revenue for the cpmpany and rest all incurred some cost of the company. Unilever usually practised value-based pricing strategy for the products. Dove soap's 90ml bar's price 75 taka and 135ml bar's price is 98 taka. Dove soap's target consumers are middle to upper-income women.
2.3 Promotion
For the brand recognization and sales promotion Dove use different types of media for promotion and advertisement such as Print Media, Broadcasting Media, Display Media and Internet Media. Dove telecast advertisement in Radio, Television, Billboards, Newspapers, Magazines, Facebook, Twitter etc. In the Television ads Dove shows "Dove is better than soap. And you can prove it. Wash one side of your face with soap. Use Dove on the other. Feel the moisturizing, softer, smoother Dove difference. You'll never wash with soap again." So Dove told us that Dove is a better than a soap. It's not an ordinary soap. It's totally different than others. Sometimes dove give various sales promotions to the customer via Facebook, Twitter, Television and Radio. They give discounts and other free items with every purchase or bundle purchase of Dove soap.
2.4 Placement
Dove soap follows common distribution system. That means company to wholesaler to retailer to consumer. It has made his strategy like that in every small or big shop customer will be able to find out the product. Unilever has mass distribution channel whole over the country. So in every small or big shop, super shop has Dove soap is available. This distribution network directly covers cities million consumers.
3. Competitive Analysis
There are very few competitors of Dove soap are available in the market. Dove is a higher quality and costly than other local soaps. Dove soap's competitors are Lux, Sandalina, Olay and Nivea. Lux is Dove's internal competitor which is also owned by Unilever Bangladesh Limited. Sandalina is a local soap which can be a tough competitor for Dove. Now-a-days Olay and Nivea give a tough competition. Olay and Nivea is imported soap.
4. SWOT Analysis
The SWOT (Strength, Weakness, Opportunity and Threat) analysis is a useful tool for an industry. An internal survey is required for strength and weakness and an external survey is required for opportunity and threat. Dove soap's SWOT analyses are summarizes.
4.1 Strengths
1. Brand wisdom and widespread distribution.
2. Competitive Price.
3. Growth in cascade product.
4. Brand devotion.
5. Adequate to encourage consumer to feel and look their best.
6. Wide range of crossroads that finish appeal to every last (predicate) ages.
7. Effective advertising, free publicity.
4.2 Weaknesses
1. High level of competition.
2 .High levels of expensive advertising needed and maintained.
3. Special offers counter vigorous on growth.
4. Soap bars undergo from ageing image.
5. Some products are seen as a compassion product not essential use.
6. Widespread distribution and snitch loyalty means that market growth is difficult.
7. Some consumers are let down on performance.
4.3 Opportunities
1. Target markets not yet capitalized – teens.
2. Continuous innovation.
3. Eco-friendly market segment/natural products.
4. Target teen specific concerns (medicated flake off opportunities)
5. Target male customers.
6. Long pending opportunity of tapping into the market developing beauty products for men.
7. Unified advertising technique used by Dove.
4.4 Threats
1. New launch of other brands with similar products.
2. Recent recession (less available income)
3. Consumer allergies.
4. Decline in Bath products.
5. Environmental awareness.
6. Dove faces tough competition from Olay, Nivea, and Lux.
7. Olay, Nivea both are getting stronger as they grow and their market is also expanding.
5. Objective and Issues
Dove develops its marketing objectives very carefully as it is devoted to expand the definition of beauty for all women for the reason that they believe real beauty comes from your inner self. All successful marketing strategies were basically due to wisely planned marketing objectives of Dove which we are going to discuss here. Our main target customers are women. Now we will target male consumers also. The main objectives are:
New target segment: male.
To be a focus for nationwide TV and print media reporting.
To increase sales by 30 percent in upcoming 6 months.
To increase brand awareness among people.
Increasing the distribution channels in more than 80 percent retailers shop and supermarkets.
Increase more advertisement campaigns.
Maintain a good public relationship.
Maintain the brand image by providing good product and service.
6. Marketing Strategy
Dove Campaign for Real Beauty, including Evolution. Dove's marketing strategy is based on positioning of product differentiation. Dove is better quality soap. Unilever usually practice value-based pricing. Dove soap's price is higher than other brands soap and competitors. So our target consumers are middle to upper-income women who need a better quality soap for both body and face. Usually other brands soaps are not good enough for our face as our face skins are very sensitive. Dove is a right choice for our face and also for our body.
Positioning
We are positioning dove as the high quality, moisturizing soap which can be used anywhere in body and face. Everyone can use dove soap easily even if they have very sensitive skin. This differentiates dove soap by other brands soap.
Marketing communication strategy
Dove has a strong brand image whole over the world. Everyone knows about the Dove. For creating awareness among people and sales promotions we will use all kind of media such as Print media (Newspapers, Magazines), Display media (Bill Board, Signs), Broadcasting media (Radio, Television), and Online media (Company Websites, Facebook, Twitter, Google ad-sense) etc. for advertisement. We also use short time sale promotions like buy 3 get 1 free bundle offer, 10-25 % extra free, 5-10 taka discounts, free other Unilever products such as mini packs of Sunsilk shampoo, vaseline etc. We start Dove campaign for women. We use door to door marketing, free sampling and feedback and arrange several seminars in various places and colleges and universities. We also try to sponsor some reality shows where women will be highlighted. At last, we are planning to make Bangladeshi model and actress Joya Ahsan as our brand ambassador. We are making agreement on it. These attempts will help us to achieve our goals and objectives.
7. Action Program
Dove soap is a renewed soap and most popular in the world. Dove soap launch many years ago in our country. Everyone knows about it very well. For reorganization and set up in our consumer minds we will start our promotional activities. For year 2014, we divide the year by 6 steps and take step for 2 months. The action programs we will use over the year to achieve our goals are summaries below.
January-February
We will start door-to-door campaign for Dove soap. We will visit a particular area for advertisement of dove. We also visit some colleges and universities. We will create buzz marketing by giving free samples to product user, opinion leaders in the society.
March-April
We will start an integrated Print/Media/Online marketing targeting our women consumers. We will telecast ads in all kind of media such as in Radio, Television, Newspaper and Bill boards.
May-June
As our multimedia advertisement continuous, we will add consumer sales promotion such as free same product or alternative product, extra product, discount offer, various types of contest, raffle draws, scratch cards, coupon etc.
July-August
We reduced the amount of multimedia advertisements and sales promotions as we will be well recognized brand in the country.
September-October
We will sponsor a reality show or some short films and drama serials. Sponsor a show can be a great and big advertisement for our product.
November-December
At the end of the year we will sign Joya Ahsan as our brand ambassador. We will make some new television ads where Joya will be shown on those ads telling our consumers to buy Dove soap because she also uses it.
8. Budgets
Based on the assumption Dove soap's budgets are created. Break even analysis and 2 years income statements are given in this section.
8.1 Break Even Analysis
Here we have tried to analyze several price figures to determine the price that best suits our product and the company. Break-even volume = Fixed/ (Price-Variable cost)
= 800000/ (1800-1632)
= 3333 units.
Price
Break-even volume
Expected sales units
Total revenue
Total cost
Profit
Tk. 1800
3333
10000
18000000
17120000
880000
Tk. 2352
2564
18000
42336000
37520000
4816000
2 3 4 5 Fixed CostTaka(Lakh)3025201510508Total CostProfit: Tk. 4816000Total RevenueSales Volume in Unit (Thousand)2564 Fig: Break Even Analysis
2 3 4 5
Fixed Cost
Taka
(Lakh)
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
8
Total Cost
Profit: Tk. 4816000
Total Revenue
Sales Volume in Unit (Thousand)
2564
8.2 Income Statement
Year 2011 2012
Revenue from Operations 24,500,000 20,900,000
Less: Excise Duty (1,000,000) (900,000)
Net Revenue from Operations 26,500,000 20,000,000
Other Income 250,000 260,000
Total Revenue 26,750,000 20,260,000
Expenses
Cost of materials 9,480,000 7,790,000
Purchase of stock-in-trade 2,485,000 2,690,000
Changes in inventory 95,000 (307,000)
Employee benefits expenses 1,200,000 1,010,000
Finance costs 16,000 11,000
Depreciation 233,500 229,000
Other expenses 6,250,000 6,110,000
Total Expenses 19,759,500 17,533,000
Profit before tax 6,990,500 2,727,000
Tax Expenses
Current Tax (832,000) (404,000)
Deferred Tax 2,600 (41,100)
Tax adjustment of previous year 8,070 (2,880)
Profit for the Year 6,169,170 2,279,020
9. Controls
Controls help management access result after the plan is implemented identity any problems or performance variations and initiate corrective action. We are planning tight control measure to closely monitor quality and customer satisfaction and relationship. We will take some survey about our product and also take customers feedback. By customer's feedback and survey we can know about our current market position and how can we improve our product or any other problem the customer may face. By customers feedback we can take some step for eliminating our problems and improving our product.
10. References
http://www.unilever.com.bd/brands/personalcarebrands/dove.aspx
http://www.hul.co.in/brands-in-action/detail/Dove/303749/
http://www.scribd.com/doc/53673615/Marketing-Plan-Unilever
http://www.assignmentpoint.com/business/project-report-on-unilever.html
Principles of Marketing- A south Asian Perspective 13th Edition- Appendix 1 A1- A10
11. Appendix
According to TotalBeauty.com website Dove soap is no 1 in the US. Dove soap gets 9.8 out of 10 ratings by Dove users.
No. 1: Dove Soap Bar
Why: The No. 1 soap that tops all is Dove. While readers generally love all the Dove soap products, readers say this one takes the cake: "This is an amazing bar! It's very moisturizing and safe to use ANYWHERE on your body because it's unscented and formulated for sensitive skin. Dove makes this high quality soap for such a cheap price it just has to be one of my faves!" Another says, no matter what she tries, she "always comes back to this." Considering how many "started using this after my doctor recommended it," readers say, "hats off to Dove for creating such an incredible product!"
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