Q1.

P&G believes that if accompanied by the right marketing efforts a brand can
virtually live forever. Yet, in Principles of Marketing you learned that products have a
life-cycle they mature and eventually become obsolete. Which viewpoint is correct?
Answer
Brand is "name, term, design, symbol, or any other feature that identifies one seller's
product distinct from those of other sellers" while a product is that can be offered to a
market that might satisfy a want or need or it is bundle of benefits provided to
customer. Moreover products can be imitated and brands cannot be. P&G has more
than70 brands all over the world out of which some have discontinued with changing
environment but the brand and brand equity has never gone for a toss for P&G.
Brand is established at each and every point of contact while P&G with right
marketing efforts has always kept their brands alive .So we can say that products
can die with changing needs of customer but the brand or brand equity which is
associated with an organization like P&G or its product can live/remain forever. P&G
followed the concept that brand remain similar in consumers mind. The
communication of and about brand was consistent and similar. Hence they were able
to maintain their brand and hence able to maintain brand P&G.
3=

P&G always tried to understand the consumer behaviour and innovate as per the
changing needs of consumers. To understand these changing needs of consumer
P&G regularly goes for intensive market research to understand deeper need of the
customer.
1)
Defining objectives and problem:
The major objective of research is to explore how various personal care products
play significant role in peoples everyday life. Also this study can be extended to
know the awareness about P&G product and which needs do P&G product caters to
and what are satisfaction level. We can also explore the functional benefits and
emotional benefits which consumer perceive for various products.
2)
Determine Research Design:
The research will be exploratory as it will help in gaining broad insights, narrow our
focus, and learn the basic necessary to go deeper i.e. to understand deeper needs if
customer and consumer behaviour. The instruments mainly used in research are
focus group and interviews with open ended question.
3)
Design and prepare research instruments

Interview and focus groups were the main instrument used in research. Also
questionnaire was designed to gain certain insights.
4)
Sampling and data collection:
Convenience sampling is used. 15 responses were taken and sampling was non
probabilistic sampling, respondents were chosen on the basis of convenience.
Generally interview of respondents ranged from 15-20 minutes.
5)
Analyse data:
Demographics: Out of 15 responses 73%(11 responses) were from males and 27%
from females. The majority of respondents knew the 3 categories of personal care
i.e. oral care, hair care and _______ and also products related to it. And monthly
expenditure towards personal care generally ranged around Rs. 500 to Rs. 1000.
Personal care played important role in their everyday life whether in terms of hygine,
cosmetic or hair care. Personal care products are the basic necessity for maintaining
and living a hygienic good life. The people agreed that they are knowleddgeable
about the personal care products they use, also agreed there are health risk
associated with personal care products like cosmetics and hence many of them
emphasised on the functional benefits of the products. All categories were given
importance oral care, health care etc. HUL and P&G were major companies which
has presence with products like Tide, Oral B, Head & Sholuders, Gittete, Pantene.
Other products like Parachute, chick shampoo etc. was also known. And mainly all
favoured P&G and HUL.