MARKETING CASE STUDY U.S.P
Munim, Marketing Manager of MGF FoodsLtd,,along with his
product management team was preparing for launch of REVIVE a milk based beverage.He thought if the product is positioned as a milk
drink it will be accpteed along with Bournvita,Boost,Milo,Maltova the competitors brandds in the same category which the children and convalescent adult can have
.
His product management team also coined product definitions like breakfast booster,compelte milk food and energy drink but finalaly decided to go in for the No1 drink for the No 1 feeling.
Munim on going thro the competitors brands did not find any differentiator except the color of the lid,yellow in Bournvita,green in Milo,orange in Maltova and brown in Complan. Revive like all other prevailing brands was an energy drink containing milk solids fortified with vitamins and did not have any strong differentiator.Hence it could not stand out to attract the attention of the consumer`s preference.
He shared his apprehension with his team saying there was not a single reason for a
consumer to buy Revive.
The team was ready with posters,danglers,consumer sampling was on in major Towns,and ad campaign was about to start soon.He felt that these are all usual pre launch activities associated with any brand normally to create awareaness and initiate trial purchasaes.He wondered whether Revive will become a regular habit.
Munim had a discussion with Basu his one time boss. During the meeting he gave various insights and inferences and said that Revive should have something that similar products in the same categoty do not have.He also said beaverages are broadly classified into supplements and stimulants the former consumed for noutrishment and
tea and coffeae fall under the latter category.
He wanted Munim to find four things viz why a consumer needs a drink,when the consumer wants a drink,how often he wants it, and how by the drink he derives satisfaction.
Basu furthertold that Revive`s communication line No 1 drink for No1 feeling was not relevant.as there was no data to authenticate the same.He pointed out contradiction s in
consumption pattaern.For instance a mother buys Horlicks for her children but she also drinks the same.Similarly wife drinks coffee whereas husband in the same age group drinks tea in the evening.He wanted Munim to understand the difference the former drink is a supplement and the latter is a stimulant.
Basu also pointed out that if Revive was positioned like Bournvita,Boost,Milo which will definitely attract their attention resulting in costly marketing war.If Munim could not manage competition will hit back strongly.
Research reports with Munim,mentioned the need for extra energy for people at all age groups and that gap was filled up by a
stimulant like tea.But he thought as a milk based beverage children and convalescaent adults can be targeted.
Basu added a stimulant is an
impulse drink and is not a planned consumption drink like a supplement and suggested Revive be converted as a product of impulse driven consumption.This meant distribution should be like that of peppermints and potato chips and not like pasta.Positioning to be shifted from the children`s drink platform to that of an impulse driven drink.Communication line also has to be altered to increase Revive`s share in a daily drinking habit.For ex a consumer drinking 5 cups ogf tea can be maade to drink 3 cups of tea nd 2 cups of Revive.Mithun has to find out the reason for the impulse that drives a consumer to drink tea which should result in introduction of smaller packs of Revive 100g or even 30g to encourage more trial purchases. Any product of impulse buying should be in a convenient packaging for immediate consumption.Tea bags were introduced to make tea consumption easier and quickera in meeting the urge to drink tea.So
Revive must be such that it could be taken hot or cold.
Munim identified the need gap for a suppplement for grown ups as all well known brands are perceived as children`s drink and seldom find a place in an adult`s menu.So Revive had the opportunity of fiitting into that slot.
According to Basu,when a new brand entered the market it influenced habits about the use of the product category. If it found a vacant slot it fills the need gap and sometimes brands fall into the same by default
.
To sum up Revive could stand alone in the crowd as a combination of a stimulant and a supplement.It could either be a SUPPLEMENT WITH STIMULANT OR A STIMULANT WITH A SUPPLEMEANT.
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