MARKETING SUSTAINABILITY WITH REFERENCE TO LAKME INDUSTRY

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MARKETING SUSTAINABILITY WITH REFERENCE TO LAKME INDUSTRY
APJEM
                             Arth PrabandK: A Journal of Economics and Management
                             Vol. 3 Issue 9 September 2014, ISSN 2278-0629, pp. 175-183

                                  MARKETING SUSTAINABILITY WITH REFERENCE TO LAKME
                                                      INDUSTRY
                              LIJI PANDA*, SNIGDHA RANI PANDA** and LUCINA PRIYADARSHINI ROUT***
                                                                  *,**,***Lecturer In Commerce, Kiss, Bhubaneswar
                                     ________________________________________________________________________________

                             ABSTRACT
                             . It’s a heritage that women love to be beautiful. People are more open and are not shy of using make-up and are
                             open with the idea of taking care of their appearance. Lakme has acquired the market share due to its brand value
                             .This paper gives a clear idea about the global beauty and sustainability of the cosmetic industry at the beginning of
                             the 21st century. It also provides a basic understanding of the nascent relationship between marketing and
                             sustainability. In this paper the authors tried to focus on the marketing sustainability of Lakme by studying the
                             marketing strategy adopted by Lakme through SWOT analysis and porter’s five forces, model.
                             Keywords: Lakme, sustainability, Marketing Strategy.

                             Introduction
                             Now a days in India cosmetic industry is growing enormously. The industry has highly competitive sprit on recent
                             marketing strategies. It depends upon the ability to introduce rapidly innovative products into the market without
                             any delays. Sustainability has long been on the agenda at many companies, but for decade their environment, social
                             and governance activities have been disconnected from core strategies. Association of chamber of commerce and
                             industry (ASSOCHHAM) prepared a report in 2012 on India’s cosmetic market and showed that it has been growing
                             at an annual pace of 20 %. In 2013, the Indian cosmetic industry in valued at 29000 crores. From the various
                             cosmetic industries, I have taken the latest cosmetic industry, which is LAKME. Lakme is a reputed Indian brand
                             which is owned by Unilever. The company is headed by Mr.Anil Chopra who is the CEO of the company. It was
                             founded in the year 1952 by JRD Tata. In 1996 the Tata group decided to sell off its stake in Lakme to Hindustan
                             lever limited. Lakme was also ranked at 47th as one of the most trusted brands in India, according to the brand trust
                             report in 2011.This brand also sponsors the Lakme fashion week twice a year. In the financial year 202, Hindustan
                             Unilever Limited had a rise in profit before tax and interest of about 23%. This brand deals with manufacturing and
                             selling of various kinds of cosmetics. The list includes face cleansers, sunscreens, winter care, hair oils, and
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                             shampoos. They believe in making their product devoid of chemical-based, synthetic cosmetics. The ingredients
                             used are extracted naturally from herbs. Moreover the herbs/plants used for extracting raw material are also
                             monitored from its nascent stage hence the end product is organic.
                             Objective:
                                   To know the marketing sustainability of LAKME industry by using SWOT technique and porter’s five
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                                      forces model of Lakme.
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                                   To study the strategy adopted by Lakme industry for sustainability in the market.

                             Research Methodology:
                                  In the present study data was formed on the basis of age, sex and occupation of the respondents for the
                                    collection of primary data. Sample was taken in the area of Bhubaneswar to determine the attitude of
                                    customer towards the modern marketing.
                                  Sample size was taken of 50 respondents and sample techniques were convenience because of time and
                                    cost constraints.
APJEM
                             Arth PrabandK: A Journal of Economics and Management
                             Vol. 3 Issue 9 September 2014, ISSN 2278-0629, pp. 175-183

                                      This study is based on the analysis of the sustainability system of the Indian cosmetic industry with the
                                      help of secondary data collection. The secondary sources of data are books, journals, annual reports of
                                      cosmetic industry, internet (websites) and research papers etc.

                             Significance of porter five force models: The Porter's five force method is a simple but powerful tool for
                             understanding where power lies in a business condition. Porter explains that there are five forces that determine
                             industry attractiveness and long run industry profitability. Five force analyses help to decide the long run business
                             activity. This is useful, because it helps company to comprehend both the strength of current competitive
                             situation, and the strength of a position considering moving into. With a clear understanding of where power lies,
                             company can take fair advantage of a situation of strength, improve a situation of weakness, and avoid taking
                             wrong steps. Conventionally, the tool is used to find whether new products, services or businesses have the potential
                             to be profitable.
                             Significance of 4P’s:
                             While marketing the products, firm need to create a successful marketing mix the right product sold at the right price
                             in the right place and using the most suitable promotion. To create the right marketing mix, businesses have to meet
                             the following conditions:
                             Product:
                             The product has to have the right features with broader choice and should Satisfy consumer needs- such as; it
                             must look well and work well.
                             Price:
                             The price must be right. The price of an item is clearly an important cause of the Value of sales made. Price decides
                             success of product in market.
                             Place:
                             The goods must be in the right place at the right time. Making sure that the goods arrive when and where, as they are
                             wanted an important operation.
                             Promotion:
                             Promotion is the business of communicating with customers. It will provide information that will help company in
                             making a decision to buy a product or service. However, successful promotion increases sales, so that advertising
                             and other costs are spread over a larger output.
                             Significance of SWOT Analysis
                             SWOT analysis stands for strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats which are method of analysis for auditing
                             an organization and its environment. SWOT analysis applies to all corporate level, all business which simplify in
                             marketing plans. The SWOT analysis allows analyzing a company, their goals, business plans and decisions.
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                             It also implies reviewing the positives and negatives of the industry and the company itself.
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APJEM
                             Arth PrabandK: A Journal of Economics and Management
                             Vol. 3 Issue 9 September 2014, ISSN 2278-0629, pp. 175-183

                                                                                Figure-1
                                                                             SWOT ANALYSIS

                             Source:hrmadvice.com
                             Strengths and weakness are internal factors that create value or destroy value. They include assets and human
                             skills compared to its competitors. They can be measured using internal assessments or external benchmarks.
                             Opportunities and threats are external factors that create value or destroy value. A company cannot control them. It
                             includes demographic, economic, political, technical, social, legal factors. Any organization must try to create a fit
                             with its external environment.
                             Analysis:
                             Porter’s five forces:
                             There are five forces that influence the level of competition within a particular market. These forces were
                             studied with the help of Michael E Porter theory. Michael E Porter a professor of Harvard Business School
                             in 1979 developed a framework for the industry analysis and business. The theory determines the competitive
                             intensity and attractiveness of a market called as Porter’ s five forces .The Porter’s five forces include:
                                   The threat of substitute products
                                   The threat of established rivals
                                   The threat of new entrants
                                   The bargaining power of suppliers
                                   Bargaining powers of customers
                                                                                          Figure-2
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                                                                                   Porters Five Forces
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                             Source:      Cosmetics      Industry.    [Cited       2010       October      25].              Available       from:
                             http://www.bignerds.com/papers/15575/Cosmectic-Industry-5Forces/Cosmectic Industry
APJEM
                             Arth PrabandK: A Journal of Economics and Management
                             Vol. 3 Issue 9 September 2014, ISSN 2278-0629, pp. 175-183

                             The threat of established rivals: The internal rivalry in Lakme industry is very high. There is a presence of
                             domestic players and International players in the market. The Indian cosmetic industry is marked by presence of few
                             companies with global presence, which has the larger share in cosmetic market. The few rivalries are Revlon,
                             L’oreal, Lotus, Olay, etc.
                             The threat of new entrants: A new entry into this industry is not an easy trade. New entrants have to compete with
                             large giant cosmetic companies. Most of the multinational companies invest good amount of capital for research
                             and development and marketing expenditures. For new entrant a capital required for business is huge. The funds are
                             required for investment in R&D, production, distribution and marketing which covers advertising cost which is
                             crucial in this competitive industry. A major challenge for new entrants are advertising and positioning of product in
                             the minds of consumers, as market is flooded with many national and international brands. Another issue is price
                             sensitive market. The new entrants have had to work out innovative strategies to satisfy Indian preferences and
                             budgets to establish a hold in the market. Many cosmetic companies launch their products in smaller pack sizes
                             to make them more affordable. An opportunity for new entrant is to build a product under a synergy and
                             collaboration with giant’ s cosmetic companies.
                             The threat of substitute products: In Porter’s theory threat of substitutes exists when a product’s demand is
                             affected by the price change of substitute product. The consumers have a lot of brand choice as cosmetic market is
                             flooded with many brands. Due to this demand, product becomes more elastic. But Lakme is successful in creating a
                             place in every woman’s heart. So by seeing the preference of Indian women its shows that the threat of substitute of
                             Lakme is low.
                             Buyer power: Consumer buying power is very high. To retain consumers is very challenging task. In cosmetic
                             industry consumers do not always stick to one brand of skincare or hair care because the switching costs are
                             very low. This means that buyer power is high and demand for favourable prices. Brand awareness is more in
                             urban India, but brand loyalty is less towards the products, whereas brand awareness is less in rural India and
                             brand loyalty is more.
                             Bargaining supplier power: Supplier’s bargaining power is moderate. Suppliers in cosmetic industries are
                             fragmented. They are interlinked together. Suppliers are often insignificant in scale compared to major cosmetic
                             manufacturers. Chemical producers have wide variety of sources to earn revenues; they are not completely
                             dependent on cosmetic manufacturers. Overall the role supplier in cosmetic industry is adequate.
                             Marketing Strategy:
                             Marketing mix analysis:
                             4P’s:
                             Product, Price, Place, Promotion To understand the competition in the Indian cosmeceutical market for various
                             brands, the product of main competitors were examined.
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                             1. Product
                             The Unilever brands have the main competitors of L’Oreal, Himalaya herbal healthcare Ayur,Zydus Wellness,
                             Lotus herbals and VLCC .The high growth in cosmeceuticals market is mainly because of various companies trying
                             to incorporate same attributes and features in their product. Further we noted that competitions in the skin care
                             products are high. Product analysis of cosmeceutical brands are discussed below.
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                             Among International cosmeceutical brands Less to moderate competition is observed in
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                                   .Anti -acne products

                                 Moderate to high competition is seen in
                                  Moisturizing products
                                  Anti-aging products
                                  Sun care products
                                  Skin whitening products

                             Among Indian cosmeceutical brands:
APJEM
                             Arth PrabandK: A Journal of Economics and Management
                             Vol. 3 Issue 9 September 2014, ISSN 2278-0629, pp. 175-183

                             Less to moderate competition is for:
                                  Skin whitening products
                                  Anti-aging products

                             Moderate to high competition is evident in
                                 Moisturizing products
                                 Sun care products
                                 Anti-acne products

                             Price: The more similarity in pricing strategy, Lakme industry has the higher market competitiveness. Skin
                             care products are categorized for analysis as:
                             Low price segment (45 to 200 INR)
                             Numbers of available products are more in moisturizing, sun care and whitening categories,so intense competition
                             observed in these categories. In anti-acne category only few products are available, so less competition is observed.
                             No company is offering anti-aging products in low price range. Except Estee Lauder all major companies are
                             following mass marketing.
                             Moderate price segment (200 to 800 INR)
                             More products are available in sun care and anti-aging categories but not as that of low price segment, so
                             somewhat more competition in this category. In moisturizing, anti-acne and skin whitening categories very few
                             products are available, so less competition in this category.
                             High end price segment (800-5000 INR)
                             Only two cosmetic companies are focused on this segment. They are L’Oreal and Estee Lauder, that too not in all
                             categories. No product is available in anti-acne category, so less competition in this category. Where as in other
                             categories products are available but not as that of low price segment, so moderate to low competition is seen in this
                             category.
                             Overall price analysis: In India most of the cosmetic companies launch their products at low price. Some
                             companies like L’Oreal are not only focusing on low price market but also focused on premium market and
                             companies like Estee Lauder are mainly focusing on premium market. As India is price sensitive market, so
                             companies should price their products accordingly.
                             Promotion: More the cosmetic companies are the same distribution channel, the higher the competition in the
                             market. The competition between Lakme, L’oreal, Lotus etc.is high because they adopt the same distribution
                             channels. Various methods of product promotion adopted by Lakme.This Company promote or advertise their
                             products through special magazines and through websites. For magazine advertisement it prefer special magazines
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                             compared to television advertisement. That’s why this company as to retain the exclusive image of the product since
                             they are high end brands.
                             SWOT ANALYSIS:
                             Strengths
                             1. Lakme is the most trustable Brand of HUL.
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                             2. Due to Good brand and recognition, Lakme has been in beauty and cosmetics Segment since long duration so
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                             people are aware of its existence.
                             3. Inspite of all brands People will rely and feel good by using Lakme, as Indian brand is good in terms of its
                             qualities, price, range of products and service.

                             Weaknesses
                             1. Like other brands, Lakme has no different range of hair care products, which makes them aware as well as
                             reluctant to use the brand products.
                             2. People have a misconception and pre assumption that Lakme services are highly priced.
                             3. Lakme has advertised its products very well but there is no visibility through media, so it lacks awareness.
APJEM
                             Arth Prabandh: A Journal of Economics and Management
                             Vol. 3 Issue 9 September 2014, ISSN 2278-0629, pp. 175-183

                             Opportunities
                             1. Lakme has established and very renowned brand towards elites, now we are also targeting the middle and upper
                             middle class people.
                             Threats
                             1.Our competitors include various brand names lotus,Revlon,garnier etc.and enrich which also offer same services
                             in the market.
                             2. We have commoners as our brand ambassador, no prominent face:-Due to having common faces, it may act as a
                             threat as there would not be any prominent face to look upon and the continuity of recognition would be lost.
                             Regarding the choice of this product the researchers tried to analyse it with the help of questionnaire among 50
                             respondents in Bhubaneswar.
                             Questionnaire:
                             1. Do you use Lakme Products?

                                                                                  Usage

                                                                                                                                     Yes 80%
                                                                                                                                     No 20%

                             Out of 50 respondents it will be going to know that 80 % of respondent use Lakme product and 20% are not using
                             this product.
                             2. For what purpose you use Lakme product?

                                                                                 Series 1
                              60%

                              50%

                              40%
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                              30%
                                                                                                                                     Series 1
                              20%

                              10%
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                               0%
                                            Eyes 25%            Lip colour 10%            Nail enamel 15%      Face 50%
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                              Most of the respondents are using Lakme’s face product rather than all of the other the products. 25% of customers
                             use Lakme’s eye product and very less i.e. 10% of customers are using lip colour of Lakme.
                             3. Do Lakme provides quality products?
APJEM
                             Arth Prabandh: A Journal of Economics and Management
                             Vol. 3 Issue 9 September 2014, ISSN 2278-0629, pp. 175-183

                                                                                   Sales

                                                                                                                                  Yes 90%
                                                                                                                                  N0 10 %

                             Out of 100%, 80% of customers have said that Lakme has provided quality Products. For this reason Lakme’s
                             product have more demandable in the market.
                             4. What do you think about the price level of Lakme product?

                                                                             Price Level

                                                                                                                            High 15%
                                                                                                                            Medium 80%
                                                                                                                            Low 5%

                             Lakme’s price will not be more than other companies. It has medium price that’s why all class of people use that
                             product. 80 % customer has accepted it. So it has been sustaining in the market since a long period of time.
                             5. Are you satisfied with Lakme product?

                                                                             Satisfaction
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                                                                                                                                  Yes 75%
                                                                                                                                  No 25%
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                             75% of respondents have told that they are satisfied with this Lakme product and 25% are not satisfied with this
                             product. Due to quality, quantity and price purpose they are satisfied with that product.
                             6. What changes you would like to see in the Lakme product?
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                             Arth Prabandh: A Journal of Economics and Management
                             Vol. 3 Issue 9 September 2014, ISSN 2278-0629, pp. 175-183

                                                                            Expectation

                                      60%

                                      40%
                                                                                                                                Expectation
                                      20%

                                        0%
                                              More Product     More shades Better Package       all of the
                                                 Range                                           above

                             For the betterment of this product the customer suggested that Lakme has to improve and more conscious about the
                             better quality of variety product with medium range.

                             Suggestions:

                                  Promotion by local advertisement can also help the company for sales promotion of the product.
                                  More promotional schemes should apply for the customers for better sales.
                                  For customer satisfaction the company should reveal all the complaints of the customer.
                                  Timely feedback should be taken so that all problem should be vanished.
                              Conclusion:
                             The increase in the use of cosmetics by Indian women has created more competitors in the market. To sustain in the
                             market the effective communication requires effective strategy which is a coherent plan of action. From the above
                             study it has been found that the marketing strategies adopted by Lakme made the company to sustain in the market.
                             Lakme has sustained economically, socially and environmentally since 20 years. Lakme is more successful in
                             making a place in every women’s make up box.
                             References:
                                 1. Barbalova I. (2011). Global beauty and personal care: the year in review and winning strategies for the
                                       future. In-cosmetics. Milan. Retrieved from: http://www.in-cosmetics.com/ RXUK/RXUK InCosmetics/
                                       documents/IC11 EuromonitorInt GlobalBeautyAndPersonalCare
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                                 2. Booming Cosmetics market in China. (2005), CNCIC, Li&Fung Research Centre, Bejing-Hong Kong.
                                 3. Brazil: key player in global beauty and personal care growth.(2010). Euromonitor International. Retrieved
                                       from: http://nme2010-2.wikispaces.com/file/view/Brazil_Key Player
                                 4. Bucalo A. (1999). State of the industry. The emerging markets march forward. Global Cosmetics Industry.
                                 5. China’s         cosmetics    market.     2011.    (2012,    February).    Li&Fung      Research     Centre.
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                                       Retrievedfrom:http://www.funggroup.com/eng/knowledge/research/industry_series20
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                                 6. China’s retail industry development prospects (2011, March), My Decker Capital.
                                 7. Colour cosmetics and fragrances in China. (2011). Euromonitor International. Retrieved from:
                                       www.euromonitor.com
                                 8. Bernstein Research. (2009). Cosmetics & fragrances: Analyzing sales growth prospects within the global
                                       beauty industry, LVMH: King of the Luxury Jungle, 139-153.
                                 9. Cosmetics and toiletries market in China (2010), A market analysis, retrieved from: www.accessasia.co.uk
                                 10. Dutton, G. (1999). A Changing landscape for cosmetics and personal care.
                                 11. Porter’s five forces assessing the Balance of Power in a Business Situation. [cited 2010 December
                                       15]. Available from: http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTMC_08.htm 4. What is SWOT
APJEM
                             Arth Prabandh: A Journal of Economics and Management
                             Vol. 3 Issue 9 September 2014, ISSN 2278-0629, pp. 175-183

                                     analysis?       Description.[cited         2011        June         5].        Available        from:
                                     http://www.12manage.com/methods_swot_analysis.html
                                 12. Marketing mix. Product, Price, Place, Promotion. The 4ps of Marketing.
                                 13. Cosmetic industry.    [Cited 2010 October 25].         Available    from:    http://www.bignerds.com/
                                     papers/15575/Cosmetics-Industry-5-Forces/Cosmetics Industry
                                 14. Cosmetics        SWOT            Analysis.[cited      2011         September         15]    .Available
                                     from:http://www.wikiswot.com/SWOT/4_User_Generated/cosmetics.html
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