By Princewill Ekwujuru
Pressure on consum-ers’ disposable income has forced laundry detergent producers to reformulate their products for improved performance in a bid to attract more patronage and increase market share.
The three contending brands for more market shares are Sunlight from Unilever Nigeria Plc, Ariel manufactured by Procter and Gamble (P&G), and Soklin, produced by Eko Supreme Resources Nigeria Limited.
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Investigation conducted by Vanguard Companies and Markets, C&M shows product repackaging, re-designing and segmentation initiatives by these companies in a bid to make their products more pocket- friendly in recognition of the reduced purchasing power of consumers.
The manufacturers are also infusing new washing technology via stain removing chemicals for added value.
For example, Ariel launched The Stain Challenge campaign and claimed the brand contains an upgraded and more effective enzyme cocktail that gently removes tough stains in one wash. In addition, the manufacturer added fragrances and redesigned the wrapper.
Likewise, Sokline on its part introduced the stain remover technology that removes stains from clothes hence the consumer does not need to scrub hard. It also added fragrance and introduced a redesigned wrapper.
On its part, Sunlight introduced a new stylish design for its wrappers, while reformulating its washing technology with the introduction of deep wash campaign, that explains the deep wash mechanism imbedded into the product.
Manufacturers speak
Marketing Manager of the company, Mrs. Abimbola Alabi said: “Eko Supreme will continually strive to incorporate advanced manufacturing technologies in the production of our brands as recently demonstrated with SoKlin’s reformulation, imbued with new stain magnet technology, a combination of broad spectrum enzymes that release and remove all dirt faster from cloth fiber giving brighter and cleaner wash. SoKlin now adorns a new pack upgrade with glossier and trendier look and feel, in tandem with its premium status and for maximum shelf appeal.”
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Speaking on condition of anonymity, a Senior Manager in P&G, said: “One of the major differentiators for Ariel is its promotion strategy. To differentiate itself from competitors, Ariel is always focused on the latest and has always maintained that ‘seeing is believing” and therefore has created campaigns to make its product visible in the eyes of the consumers.
Like a typical FMCG company with mass marketing, the ads are placed on television, radio, newspapers, billboards and magazines. “Ariel has also utilised the internet medium and all the ads along with the product information can be viewed at the various sites.
Ariel is popularized as a detergent that has enzymes for the removal of stains without harming the clothes.”
Unilever could not reply to the questions sent to them on the Sunlight brand.
Consumers’ response
Commenting, Mrs. Amarachi Ude, a housewife, described efforts by detergent manufacturers to garner more market share as “manufacturers’ sensibility to consumers’ quest for a more satisfying product for washing.”
A laundry operator at Old Ojo road, in Lagos, Mr. Adeniyi Adeleke, said most of the detergents are doing well in the market but he prefers Ariel.
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“Some of them have infused other washing technologies into their brands to enhance their acceptance in the market.”
He went on to say, “most times I use two different detergents for my washing, Soklin or Sunlight; Soklin for its stain removing mechanism and colour guard technology, Sunlight for its freshness and perfume.”
Another laundry operator, Alhaji Ahmed Gidado, who plies his trade at Amukoko- oja, Ajeromi Ifelodun LGA, Lagos, says he prefers Ariel, but uses Soklin as last resort.
A teacher with a private school in Isasi, Lagos, Mrs.Rose Iwuagwu said: “What attracted me to Ariel was its strong stain removing power and the cleanliness it gives to my clothes especially white clothes.”
Distributors
On market leadership, a distributor at Ereko market, Lagos Island, who refused to give his company’s name, but simply referred to himself as Alhaji Agba, observed that the limitation of bar soaps is what the detergent manufacturers are utilising to pull customers to their brands, by improving on their brand quality.
He stated further that “most of the brands are doing well, but pointed out that the leadership tussle is between Sunlight, Ariel and Sokline. He said he sells more of Soklin, even though some brands are making incursion into the market.”
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Mazi Bonnyface Obigwe of Josh Enterprises, Alaba-suru market, Lagos said: “The battle line is drawn between Sunlight, Ariel and Soklin, “sometimes you are made to make impulsive buying because it appears one brand is making more progress in the market than the other. It is a serious war between the trio.”
