At the park, in the playground or away on holiday, accidents can happen.

Carry a pack of Savlon Antiseptic Wipes in the car or your handbag and you’ll always be
prepared if you need to cleanse and protect the skin against any nasty germs.
Individually wrapped, for maximum convenience and hygiene, they’re perfect for cleansing,
disinfecting and protecting on the go in one easy wipe.
Range Includes:
Savlon Antiseptic Wipes 10s
Cleanse: With effective antiseptic action, Savlon Antiseptic Wipes are one of the ‘Cleanse’
products in our range. Find Out More...

NO-TOUCH. NO-STING. NO TEARS.

‘This might sting a bit...’ How often have you said those words and dreaded what’s to come?
Well, thankfully, this product could offer a solution.
Savlon Antiseptic Wound Wash is a pump-action spray that allows you to wash dirt and grime
from cuts, grazes, stings and burns, and protects against infection by cleaning and killing bacteria
- without touching or aggravating the wound.
Because it doesn’t sting it’s ideal if you’ve got very young children... or even slightly bigger
babies who really should be braver than they are!
Contains Chlorhexidine Gluconate. Always read the label.
Range Includes:
Savlon Antiseptic Wound Wash 100ml
Cleanse: With its touch-free, effective formulation, Savlon Antiseptic Wound Wash is one of the
‘Cleanse’ products in our range. Find Out More...

Savlon Antiseptic Wound Wash

NO-TOUCH. NO-STING. NO TEARS.
‘This might sting a bit...’ How often have you said those words and dreaded what’s to come?
Well, thankfully, this product could offer a solution.
Savlon Antiseptic Wound Wash is a pump-action spray that allows you to wash dirt and grime
from cuts, grazes, stings and burns, and protects against infection by cleaning and killing bacteria
- without touching or aggravating the wound.
Because it doesn’t sting it’s ideal if you’ve got very young children... or even slightly bigger
babies who really should be braver than they are!
Contains Chlorhexidine Gluconate. Always read the label.
Range Includes:
Savlon Antiseptic Wound Wash 100ml
Cleanse: With its touch-free, effective formulation, Savlon Antiseptic Wound Wash is one of the
‘Cleanse’ products in our range. Find Out More...

Buy Now
Also available from: Boots, supermarkets and pharmacies nationwide.

Savlon Antiseptic Wipes

PORTABLE PROTECTION FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY
At the park, in the playground or away on holiday, accidents can happen.
Carry a pack of Savlon Antiseptic Wipes in the car or your handbag and you’ll always be
prepared if you need to cleanse and protect the skin against any nasty germs.
Individually wrapped, for maximum convenience and hygiene, they’re perfect for cleansing,
disinfecting and protecting on the go in one easy wipe.
Range Includes:
Savlon Antiseptic Wipes 10s
Cleanse: With effective antiseptic action, Savlon Antiseptic Wipes are one of the ‘Cleanse’
products in our range. Find Out More...
Buy Now
Also available from: Supermarkets and pharmacies nationwide

Savlon Antiseptic Liquid

THE CLEANER, THE BETTER
Even if it’s just a scrape on the knee or an insect bite, cleaning a wound properly is vital to avoid
the risk of infection. With a bottle of Savlon Antiseptic Liquid in the house, it couldn’t be easier.
Because of its antiseptic action, it helps protect your family by gently cleansing and helping to
prevent infection.
Use Savlon Antiseptic Liquid on cuts and grazes, insect bites and stings, minor burns and scalds -
even for personal care in the bath or for midwifery.
Dilute before use.
Always read the label
Range Includes:
Savlon Antiseptic Liquid 125ml
Savlon Antiseptic Liquid 250ml
Savlon Antiseptic Liquid 500ml
Cleanse: With its effective antiseptic action, Savlon Antiseptic Liquid is one of the ‘Cleanse’
products in our range. Find Out More...
Buy Now
Also available from: Supermarkets and pharmacies nationwide.

Products
• Cleanse
○ Savlon Antiseptic Wipes
More Info | Buy Now
 ○ Savlon Antiseptic Wound Wash
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon Antiseptic Liquid
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon Antiseptic Wound Wash contains chlorhexidine gluconate.
○ Always read the label.
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon Dry Antiseptic Spray
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon Bites and Stings Pain Relief Gel
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon Dry Antiseptic Spray contains povidone iodine.
○ Always read the label.
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon
Dressings
More Info | Buy Now
• Protect
○ Savlon Fabric Plasters
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon Waterproof Plasters
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon Advanced Plasters
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon Blister Plasters
More Info | Buy Now
• Others
○ Savlon Aftersun Foam Spray – NEW
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon Barrier Cream
More Info | Buy Now
○ Savlon Disinfectant Liquid
More Info | Buy Now
Injuries
• Allergies
• Bites & Stings
• Broken Bones
• Bruises
• Choking
• Cuts & Grazes
• Eye Injuries
• Fainting & Unconsciousness
• Heat Stroke
• Minor Burns & Scalds
• Nosebleeds
• Severe Bleeding
• Splinters & Foreign Bodies
• Sprains & Strains
• Sunburn and Heat Rash
• Swallowing Foreign Objects
• Poisoning

Savlon
Savlon's original antiseptic cream is bought and trusted by more people than
any other brand in Britain. It's range of sizes make it ideal for first aid kits and
travel and will keep you prepared for whatever little accidents may be just
around the corner.

What are you looking for? Click the links below to assist:
Savlon antiseptic cleansers?
Savlon cream?
Savlon plasters and dressings?
Savlon Aftersun?
Savlon Barrier Cream?
Have you tried the new Savlon Advanced Healing Gel? Click here...

Savlon Creams:
Savlon Antiseptic Cream 15g: Heal, Price: £1.23 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or
soothe and prevent infection • For all more Savlon Products and save
types of lesions • Handy travel size. 10%)
Treat symptoms and wounds, ranging from add
minor skin disorders, blisters and nappy
rash to minor burns and small wounds...
More >>> 2634

Savlon Antiseptic Cream 30g: Heal, Price: £1.62 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or
soothe and prevent infection • For all more Savlon Products and save
types of lesions • Small and light for the 10%)
hand bag. add
Treat symptoms and wounds, ranging from
minor skin disorders, blisters and nappy
rash to minor burns and small wounds... 2633

More >>>

Savlon Antiseptic Cream 60g: Heal, Price: £2.60 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or
soothe and prevent infection • For all more Savlon Products and save
types of lesions. 10%)
Treat symptoms and wounds, ranging from add
minor skin disorders, blisters and nappy
rash to minor burns and small wounds...
More >>> 2636

1
 Savlon Antiseptic Cream 100g: Heal,Price: £3.77 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or
soothe and prevent infection • For all more Savlon Products and save
types of lesions • Large & family sized. 10%)
Treat symptoms and wounds, ranging from add
minor skin disorders, blisters and nappy
rash to minor burns and small wounds...
2635
More >>>

Savlon Bites & Stings Pain Relief Price: £3.91 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or more
Gel 20g: For the relief of bites and Savlon Products and save 10%)
stings, and skin reactions. add
More >>>

11204

Savlon Antiseptic Cleansing:

Savlon Antiseptic Wound Wash 100mlPrice:

: £2.44 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3
For the cleansing and disinfection of minor or more Savlon Products and
wounds, cuts and grazes and minor abrasions save 10%)
including insect bites and stings, and minor add
burns and scalds. More >>>

2640

1
Savlon Dry Antiseptic 50ml: An Price: £3.68 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or
antiseptic powder for the first-aid more Savlon Products and save 10%)
treatment of cuts, grazes, minor burns and add
scalds. More >>>

2641

Savlon Antiseptic Wipes x 10: Price: £1.95 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or more
Savlon Antiseptic Wipes - Helps protect Savlon Products and save 10%)
against germs. More >>> add

11209

Savlon Antiseptic Liquid Price: £1.85 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or more Savlon
500ml: General antiseptic for Products and save 10%)
external first-aid use. More >>> Sorry, this item is currently unavailable.

Savlon Antiseptic Liquid 250mlPrice:

: £1.33 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or more
General antiseptic for external first-aid Savlon Products and save 10%)
use. More >>> add

2638

1
 Savlon Antiseptic Liquid 125mlPrice:
: £1.07 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or more
General antiseptic for external first-aid Savlon Products and save 10%)
use. More >>> add

2639

Protect & Heal:

Savlon Advanced Healing Gel 50g: Price: £3.91 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or
New! more Savlon Products and save
Savlon Healing Gel contains a hydrocolloid 10%)
which is designed to create a moist add
environment for faster healing and reduced
scarring... More >>>
46281

Savlon Barrier Cream 60g: Savlon Price: £2.44 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or
Barrier Cream is designed to protect hard more Savlon Products and save
working hands from irritants, such as 10%)
chemicals, grease, oil, dust, dirt and grime. add
More >>>

46278

1
 Savlon Aftersun Foam Spray 150ml:Price: £6.85 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or
An easy to use foam spray that cools and more Savlon Products and save
relieves the skin. The foamy formula is 10%)
absorbed quickly so there's no need to rub it add
in. More >>>

46280

Savlon Disinfectant Liquid 500ml: Price: £1.82 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3
Protect the family from bacteria with Savlon or more Savlon Products and
Disinfectant Liquid. Can be used to clean save 10%)
surfaces, sinks, toilets, floors and in the add
laundry. More >>>

46288

Savlon Plasters & Dressings:

Savlon Sterile Alginate Dressings x Price: £4.20 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or
5: A clear flexible dressing with an alginate more Savlon Products and save
pad to help control bleeding from wounds. 10%)
More >>> add

11207

1
Savlon Sterile Hydrocolloid Dressings Price: £4.20 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or
x 5: A clear flexible dressing with a more Savlon Products and save
hydrocolloid island which helps to relieve 10%)
pain by cushioning the wound. More >>> add

11208

Savlon Advanced Price: £1.76 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or more Savlon
Plasters (10): More >>> Products and save 10%)
add

8688

Savlon Advanced Price: £2.64 (incl VAT) (Buy any 3 or more Savlon
Plasters (20): More >>> Products and save 10%)
add

8799

1
 Savlon Blister Plasters x5: 5 hydrocolloid Price: £3.52 (incl VAT) (Buy
plasters with tea tree oil, designed to soothe and any 3 or more Savlon
quickly heal blisters. Sore blisters are cushioned. Products and save 10%)
Hypoallergenic and latex free. More >>>

Wound Care

Read Band Aid- A Case Study

Band-Aid®
BAND-AID® is the world’s first medicated dressing. It contains Benzakonium Chloride,
which kills prevents re-growth of germs, acts as a cleansing agent and is gentle on the
skin. BAND-AID® is the only sterilized medicated dressing in India and has a delnet to
prevent the medicated pad from sticking to the wound. It is available in regular, and wash
proof forms

Savlon®
SAVLON® antiseptic helps heal without hurting. It contains a powerful combination of
chlorhexidine gluconate and cetrimide, which together not only kill germs but also prevent
their re-growth.

JohnsonPlast®
JOHNSONPLAST® is a non-medicated adhesive tape plaster used to stick surgical
dressings on boils, burns and large wounds that cannot be covered by medicated
dressings such as BAND-AID®. It is used in dispensaries, small hospitals and households
 MARKETING PRACTICE
WORLD'S LARGEST ONLINE RESOURCE ON INDIAN BRANDS.

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Tuesday, January 06, 2009

Savlon : Heals Without Hurting
Brand : Savlon
Company : Johnson & Johnson
Agency : Lowe Lintas

Brand Analysis Count : 369

Can a brand ,which was proved by laboratory tests as better than its competitor, backed by one
of the most reputed business houses in the world, having many product advantages over its
competitor, have any chance of failing in the market ?

If your answer is no , then think again ....

Savlon which was clinically proven to be a better antiseptic than Dettol ,backed by Johnson &
Johnson ,having advantages like better scent and non-stinging properties miserably failed in the
Indian market.

Why ?

Frankly I am also clueless. That is why Marketing as a subject is so intriguing... it is full of

surprises. Philip Kotler once said " Marketing is a subject that is easy to (pretend to )unders
tand but difficult to practice ".

Looking at Savlon, I wonder whether the success of a brand is depended on sheer luck... Is luck
the only reason why out of 100 brands launched, only 5 succeed ?

Is Savlon an unlucky brand ? or Did Johnson & Johnson failed in building this brand ?

Savlon was a brand owned by a pharmaceutical MNC ICI ltd. Later ICI's OTC brands was
acquired by Johnson &Johnson . Savlon was relaunched in Indian market in 1993. The brand
was expected to give the market leader Dettol, a run for its money. But even after millions of
rupees spent , Dettol still rules the antiseptic lotion market.

Savlon had lot of advantages over Dettol. According to media reports, some lab tests indicated
that Savlon is an effective germ killer than Dettol . Savlon is effective against both Gram Positive
and Gram Negative germs.

Another advantage about Savlon was that it does not sting while being applied on wounds.
Dettol used to give a stinging sensation while applied on wounds. Savlon also had a better scent
compared to the more clinical smell of Dettol.

Armed with these properties, Savlon went into a direct attack on Dettol . The product was
positioned as an antiseptic that does not hurt while healing. The main differentiators for the
brand was its no-sting property and better smell. According to media reports, during the
relaunch, J&J spent heavily on promoting the brand.
The relaunch was a success and consumers tried out the new product . But the story did not
continue like that.

Dettol confronted the frontal attack from Savlon in a different manner. It tried to attack one of
the most valuable brand of J&J - Band -Aid by launching Dettol plasters.

This move got J&J defensive. It never expected Dettol to attack another brand in retaliation.
Dettol plasters had the potential to attract consumers because of the brand equity commanded
by Dettol Antiseptic.

J&J scrambled to protect Band-Aid by launching a series of variants in the medicated plaster
segment. In doing so, resources was spent on defending Band-Aid rather than in advancing
Savlon.

Savlon suffered heavily because it lost the support interms of investment in brand building.
Dettol had a brand equity built over more than 50 years (at that period of time) and it is not an
easy task to break into that equity. It needed painful long term sustained investment.

How ever Savlon was pushed to a back burner after Dettol introduced the plaster. Savlon never
re-emerged.

During 1998, a funny incident happened. I deliberately used the word funny because it is funny.
In 1998 HLL acquired the rights to launch Savlon Soaps from J&J. While the rights for
antiseptic lotion remained with J&J, the marketing alliance was for soaps.

HLL was worried at the success of Dettol soaps. Armed with a strong association with antiseptic
property , Dettol soap became a huge success and cornered a significant chunk of the premium
medicated soap category. HLL, who wanted to rule the entire soap category ,wanted to arrest the
rise of Dettol soap.

Instead of trying to develop its own brand of soap, HLL looked for an easy solution. Thus came
the idea of marketing alliance with Savlon. With much fanfare, Savlon antiseptic soap was
launched. J&J was happy because it got some cashflow by giving the rights of Savlon.The
marketing alliance lasted only for 4 years.

According to reports, HLL put Savlon soap in dustbin in 2003 and repositioned its Lifebuoy
brand to fight against Dettol.

So where did Savlon went wrong ?

There are marketing experts who say that the positioning of Savlon was not correct. No-stinging
and sweet scent are not important for a consumer looking for an antiseptic lotion. What they
look for is effectiveness. Hence Savlon was trying to differentiate on attributes which are not
considered to be important by the consumers.

More over, consumers tend to believe that the stinging sensation is a side-effect of the
effectiveness of the antiseptic.So if it does not hurt , it is not effective. Dettol has taught them
that way.

I believe that Savlon did not achieve its desired success because J&J was not able to support it
interms of investment. Somewhere along the way, the company disowned the brand. One reason
can be that antiseptic lotion is a small market that does not warrant such heavy investment. But
if that is so, the the company shouldn't have introduced a brand in such a category.

Savlon now occupies a negligible part of the market. It is a popular brand in the institutional
market but in the consumer market, it is a no-brand.

Related brand
Dettol

Labels: failed brands, FMCG, johnson and johnson, medical

Save to del.icio.us • Digg This! • Stumble It!

P O S T E D B Y H A R I S H B AT 9:56 AM
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6 COMMENTS:

Robin said...

It is surprising that you don't talk here about a brand getting associated with the
category... For a lot of Indians like me, while 'antiseptics' is a foreign term... Dettol
stands for antiseptics... So How ever good Savlon's ads are i am still going to ask Dettol
in the chemist shop... The Only way Savlon could have worked would have been using
push strategies like providing very high margins to Dettol..

7:29 PM

Pratz said...

Excellent Blog

11:19 PM
BGI said...

Mr. Harish

I have really enjoyed reading your entry on Savlon and belive me for the first time i
actually compared the constituents of dettol to savlon...

I personally always never looked at anythin other than dettol. Your article made me want
to give Savlon a try.

As an end user the reason i never opted for savlon was exactly de two reason you had
mentioned.

One- Smell and the other the nil stinging effect which made me feel dat the antiseptic
aint workin.....

6:23 PM

Jayded said...

I loved the blog... But I beg to differ on the "smell of Savlon" being superior to that of
Dettol.

Is that a survey opinion? I believe Dettol's unique smell is its USP. It is addictive.
Personally, I have never liked Savlon since a) It doesnt smell b) It doesnt sting!!!
(Consumer behaviour reflects that an antiseptic is effective only if it stings.. or so I was
given to believe! )

Great read!

11:51 AM

Lavanya@Bored in life said...

 This debate is very common, and still unusual everytime you talk about it.
My take on it is this... There are certain differences:
1. Savalon is a rich man's antiseptic, when launched, the prices difference was huge as
compared to Dettol.

2. Indians associate physical attributes like smell, color, and stinging sensation with
antiseptic. You will often see a red cream/color on a wound which schools still use in first
aid. We belive the more it hurts, the better it works... Savalon's sophesticated attributes
were undesirable, and might have actually worked against it.

3. Savalon is doing better than before in the handwash category. That is primarliy
because after eating non-veg when you wash hands, the idea is to clean, and not to smell
like you came out of a hospital. Hence if Savalon capitalizes on this, it will work.

4. Dettol is also used in many indian homes to dis-infect. We add it to the regular phenyl,
detergents once in a while.. Savalon seems to sopehsticated for that...That need to
change.

5. Edcuate the customer Savalon, and put in the effort to have a different market than
Dettol, that is the only way it will work.

12:31 PM

Sanjay Kumar said...

What I feel is the punchline itself "Heals without Hearting" has become disadvantage for
Savlon. In India customer have mindset that antiseptic is effectinve only if it stings. J&J
sould educate ppl about this.

People of other countries doesn't know about Dettol brand, but in India Dettol brand has
 become powerful than category. When people go to a chemist shop they directly asks for
Dettol not for antiseptic.

Savlon is available as antiseptic lequid only, but Dettol has wide range of back up i.e.
antiseptic lequid, soap, cream, shaving cream, hand wash.

Even price of Savlon is comparatively higher than Dettol.

But, I have seen in a magzine that Savlon works better than Dettol on wounds because
Dettol kills white blood cells (WBC-White Blood Cells fight against infection)), and
according to the report Savlon is very safe in open wounds.

1:47 AM

Tuesday, December 27, 2005

Dettol : 100% protection, Is the brand protected?

Brand :Dettol
Company :Reckitt and Benckiser
Agency: JWT

The brand has been well known for years. Dettol is Rs 300 crore brand of Reckitt and Benckiser
formerly Reckitt and Coleman. Dettol is a 70 year old brand . Launched in 1936 as an antiseptic
lotion, the brand became a generic name for antiseptic lotion similar to Xerox in
Photocopiers.From its launch to 1980's the brand had a dream run with virtually no
competitors. Having no competition is a problem, the growth will be stagnant.
During 1980's Dettol found that the sales are remaining stagnant, the reason being that the
brand has its presence in most of the households but are seldom used . Hence the repeat

purchases are not there.

Dettol had to expand the usage beyond cuts and bruises. Hence Reckitt and Coleman unleashed
a campaign aiming to expand the usage of the brand to an all purpose antiseptic that can be used
for shaving,rinsing, and as a general disinfectant.
Dettol have always been positioned as a 100% germ fighter with germ fighting and protection as
the core value.
Since the antiseptic lotion market was stagnant Reckitt wanted to leverage the brand to other
categories . Dettol saw over these years plenty of brand extentions. The first launch was the soap
in 1990's. The initial launch was unsuccessful because the brand moved from core value of
protection to love and care. Since the brand faltered in its positioning, failure was imminent.
The soap was again relaunched with positioning as " 100 % protection" and now have a

reasonable market share of 12% in the premium category.

The next extention was in the form of liquid soap.The liquid soap category is only 12 crore worth
but the hand wash category is expected to grow to 100 crore.
The brand also tried to extend to talc, band aid, and shaving gel but failed miserably in those
categories.
Even as the brand is extending, Reckitt failed to strengthen the mother brand and faced
competition in that category from Savlon.
Now Dettol is trying to make a foothold in the soap market with the launch of Dettol with
moisturizer and glycerin variants. It has also launched a body wash recently.

This brand is a classic case for brand extention failures.We can see a brand struggling to find its
place in the market. Some time success can be very disturbing. Xerox wanted to extend to com

puters but failed miserably. Similarly Dettol wants to do some thing with the
brand because it was successful . Now after all these failures, still Dettol is trying with variants
forgetting the core brand. I am not saying that you should not extend the brand, But don't do it
at the expense of the mother brand . When an antiseptic brand tries to extend to a segment
which is essentially cosmetic, it cannot compete with the major players on the cosmetic platform
, what at best can happen is that the brand can exist as a niche brand extending its core value
and creating a niche