Reckitt Benckiser
1 Introduction
Although you may not instantly recognise the name Reckitt Benckiser (RB) as
one of the world’s leading manufacturers of household, health and personal
care products, mention a few of their leading brands and the picture becomes
clear. RB is a global corporation, home to such household brands as Clearasil,
Dettol, Finish, Strepsils, Nurofen and Airwick. These iconic brands form part
of what RB refers to as its powerbrands – 17 of their most profitable products
and the focus of their corporate strategy for innovation and growth.
This Case Study takes a closer look at one of RB’s leading brands – Clearasil
– and their current marketing and advertising strategy designed to maintain
and build on their position as the second largest producer of acne treatment
products worldwide. Since its inception in 1950, the Clearasil product range
has evolved to become a popular product in both daily skin care routine and
acne treatment creams.
With the average consumer being exposed to some 500 marketing strategies
every day, it is vital that a business targets its message to the right
people. Simply inventing a new product or improving an existing one does
not guarantee that customers will buy it. Without a clear marketing and
advertising strategy your customers may not even be aware of your product,
regardless of how ‘new and improved’ it may be.
Consumer expenditure in the skin care market has experienced significant
growth in recent years. To stay competitive, RB recognised the need to
develop a marketing campaign that allowed them to have a positive impact
in three key areas:
• Engagement – to allow Clearasil to interact with its customers at a level far
superior than it has previously, and to that of the competition
• Brand momentum – to capitalise on the positive experience the brand
delivers and turn this into future sales
• Sales – to increase market share and future sales.
After significant market research, RB decided that an online strategy would
best meet the three key business objectives, targeting an audience whose
online consumption is greater than television or any other medium. With that
in mind the company launched a new website called “Be Yourself [For Real]”,
an interactive experience encouraging Clearasil’s target market of young
adults to confidently develop their own
identity, not only online, but in real life.
2 The brand footprint
Successful marketing of any product
can often be measured by how well
their brand is remembered by the
target audience when they shop.
However, the brand footprint is more
than just the name or logo that
identifies and differentiates a product.
The brand footprint encompasses the
brand’s meaning, personality and its
reputation – the impression it makes
on the consumer landscape. In any
market where there are only a few
large businesses, market positioning
of a brand is a key objective. Clearasil’s
brand footprint has helped strengthen
its market position through creating a
clear identity for its products. The key
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Taking a brand online Diagram 1: SWOT analysis with each other. The dialogue reiterates Clearasil’s Brand essence “clear skin
confidence”, teaching that the only way to gain confidence is by participating in
Strengths Weaknesses life to the fullest, not just chatting about it online.
• Strong brand health • Brand seen as stale, lacking momentum
• Strong brand • Not seen as premium or up-market 4 Conclusion
awareness • Weaker performance with females and older
• Used most often by audience The “Be Yourself [For Real]” campaign has allowed Clearasil to engage and interact
males 11-15 years old with its core audience on a far superior level than in the past. It is a program that
• TV campaign not enhancing the brand
supports the key business objectives by not only reaching the ‘digital kids’ but
Opportunities Threats engaging their interest and appealing to the issues that matter to them most.
The Australian Financial Review and ©Australian Business Case Studies Pty Ltd. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure accuracy of information, neither the publisher nor the client can be held responsible for errors or omissions in this Case Study.
• Seen as a brand leader • Key competitor outspending Clearasil on As part of the review process all businesses must monitor and evaluate the
marketing/advertising success of any advertising campaign using Key Performance Indicators (KPIs).
• Recognised as a product
that actually works • High cost to reach target audience via TV This allows them to take corrective action if the forecasted indicators of
performance (such as sales or production figures) vary significantly from the
actual results. Additionally, to ensure that Clearasil continues to grow, the brand
of life, and not to hide behind online profiles of inflated status updates and
must develop with its target market and consumers – while online advertising is
retouched photos. The plan was to take their audience on a journey with the goal
appropriate today, who knows what new challenges tomorrow will bring?
of helping them achieve real world confidence.
GLOSSARY
The website www.beyourselfforreal.com was launched with this key message
in mind and was designed to address the business’s four core areas. To engage
with and reach a larger share of the intended audience, the website uses
several features including the Real Voices, Shout Box and People’s Paparazzi
encouraging interaction with real teenagers. The website also includes Advertising Bringing a brand, product or service to the attention of
potential and current customers. Advertising is typically done with signage,
promotions and quizzes to highlight the prominent features of the Clearasil
brand and give the brand momentum, in the pursuit of increasing sales. brochures, radio or TV commercials, direct mailings or websites, personal
component of Clearasil’s brand footprint is around “clear skin confidence”, contact and the like.
which targets the youth market. The online program allowed RB to increase the depth of the conversation with its Brand/s The trading name of a product that has a high level of recognition
customers. It was initiated in response to the research, indicating the importance in the market place. Successful development of the brand and ‘brand
In keeping with the brand footprint the company has developed the Clearasil
to young adults of fitting in with their peers, yet taking steps to discover their mark’ (identifying symbols and design) is a considerable marketing tool.
Pillars. The Pillars aim to match the personalities and needs of the typical
own voice and identity. The campaign was initiated by encouraging real world Focus group/s A qualitative market research technique in which a group
consumer with the appropriate products from the Clearasil range. For example,
interaction with all materials developed by the users and not by RB. of participants (approximately 10) of common demographics, attitudes, or
customers who experience “High occurrence and high anxiety “with regards
to their skin care needs are best suited to the fast acting, high performance To build reach and retain interest in the campaign, the website features an purchase patterns are led through a discussion of a particular topic by a
products from Clearasil’s Ultra range. ongoing conversation centred on understanding the value of kids being real trained moderator.
Marketing The range of activities that relate to identifying, anticipating
and satisfying customer needs (profitably) by means of standard tools
Diagram 2: The Be Yourself [For Real] website
3 Developing an online strategy such as market research and promotion.
Market positioning The technique by which marketers try to create an
Developing an online presence as a marketing strategy is essential in the age of
the pulse image or identity for a product, brand, or organisation. It is the ‘place’ a
the ‘digital kids’. Supported by quantitative research indicating that the internet Relevant poll
product occupies in a given market as perceived by the target market.
is the only information medium experiencing growth (and now accounting for 30 Shout Box question. Ability
percent of all media consumption), together with the high relative cost of using Focal question to gain stats/data. Market research Finding out information about the characteristics
which encourages of potential customers to solve marketing problems and to support
television advertising, an online campaign seemed a natural fit. response. Video
marketing decisions.
generated.
However, before deciding on an appropriate marketing strategy, businesses clearasil spot
Qualitative market research Research based on anecdotal feedback
Question updated
often use a SWOT analysis to identify the brand’s strengths and weaknesses, 2 x every week.
Rotating banner
from clients providing information on how and why people make the
including:
opportunities and threats (see Diagram 1). The results for Clearasil clearly • Product of the purchasing decisions they do. Information can usually be collected through
identified challenges that needed to be addressed. Most significant was the Real Voice month surveys, interviews and focus groups.
opinion that the brand needed to be revamped to reflect the changing needs of 6 REAL teen • Fun questions
Quantitative research A market research technique that attempts to obtain
champions – will linking to brand
its customers and to explore alternative ways to deliver their message as the contribute, share website. measurable findings from a sample of consumers. The research focuses on
target market is moving away from watching television. opinions and
measuring and counting facts and the relationships among variables, and
provide advice. quiz
RB also carried out extensive qualitative market research using focus Basically keep it New every month, seeks to describe observations through statistical analysis of data.
groups to categorise their target market into age and gender brackets and to REAL! fun & interactive.
identify the key characteristics of each. The findings summarised personality Will include “what
Clearasil Clearasil product
traits, patterns of social interaction, goals and aspirations and gave a clear
understanding of the target audience.
Promotions are you?” quiz with
link through to brand
Questions and Extension Activities for Reckitt
To have strong
To maintain the focus on using the Clearasil brand footprint as a link to its
presence in
relevant months.
website.
peoples
Benckiser are on www.afrbiz.com.au
audience, RB needed to design a campaign that was relevant and provided a paparazzi
high level of appeal and interest. In keeping with Clearasil’s brand personality,
the “Be Yourself [For Real]” campaign encourages young people to be ‘daring’,
REAL life shots of
REAL teens out in the
You will also find links to the Reckitt
‘authentic’ and ‘passionate’, to gain confidence through real world experiences
REAL world!
Benckiser website www.rb.com
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