Abstract:

Ariel High Suds Detergent in Egypt enjoys very high awareness, a continually growing user base and an excellent image. In fact, three years after launch, the brand has become the leader in its category. However, the brand did not have a smooth start. Introduced on the Egyptian market in January 1989 Ariel hugely underperformed its volume objective and overshot its budget several folds in its first year. Analysis of the situation indicated four areas which we needed to work on to get the brand out of its quagmire First, improve the price/value equation to the consumer. Our initial price was more than double that of competition because state-produced products are subsidized. The second task was to penetrate the thousands of small grocery outlets. We needed new tools to do that. We also had to show these small stores that consumers are asking for the brand. Third, we needed to understand better the consumer and come up with consumer insight based copy. Finally we had to come up with breakthrough ideas to effectively expand the Ariel franchise into rural areas--an almost foreign territory for us given that our other brands in Egypt are mainly targeted at the urban middle/upper class. This paper chronicals the research that Procter & Gamble conducted prior to and following the Ariel launch. It also describes the action taken based on the research findings and the marketing plan that our Company in Egypt undertook to put Ariel on track to achieve market leadership.