Case Study On Dhara

Background Refined Vegetable oil was the first variant launched under the brand name Dhara in 1988. From the beginning Dhara’s image has been built around purity and taste. Sunflower oil, the fifth variant to be launched under the umbrella brand Dhara, in 1992 was also seen in the same light by the consumers. By 1996, the sunflower oil category showed tremendous growth potential. A research conducted in the same year brought up three significant pointers: –

Health was an important consideration while buying edible oil.

DHARA HEALTH Refined Sunflower Oil –

Consumers perceived sunflower oil as healthy oil.

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Despite this, Dhara Sunflower Oil was not in the consideration of such consumers.

In light of this, it was clear that Dhara Sunflower Oil would need to be positioned on the ‘good health’ platform, as different from the Dhara image of purity. A decision was taken to relaunch the sunflower oil variant as a sub-brand to help it maintain a distinct identity from the mother brand Dhara. Consumer Insight: Consumers’ expectation of health from an edible oil was a better quality of everyday life, (rather than strength or fitness). Health in this day-to-day context is more relatable to a wider audience.

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Press ad

Communication strategy Refining Raw Sunflower Oil

Refined Sunflower Oil

Lesser oil retention in food.

Dewaxing

Translates to feeling lighter and energetic all day long.

The strategy was to communicate a compelling health proposition.

The proposition Communication objective To extend the franchise of Dhara to the health conscious sunflower oil consumer.

The product benefit of feeling lighter was delivered through an emotional promise.

Creative approach Target audience The core target audience identified were housewives in SEC A, B and C, 25+.

Branding The branding was kept simple and the key benefit was in the name itself – Dhara Health.

The emotional core for the campaign is ‘Pride in Dad’. Kids value the quality time spent with their Dads. The communication was built around how Dads can feel more energetic even after a complete days work and still have the energy to play with the kids. It was articulated in the phrase - ‘My Daddy Strongest’. 5

My Daddy Strongest - 40 secs.

Film opens on middle-aged people and a question is asked in the Voice Over on the quality of good dads. VO, ‘How can you say who is a good Daddy?’

‘New Dhara Health is refined, light and dewaxed. The dewaxing process removes all the traces of stickiness and less oil is retained in the food’.

‘He is our biggest supporter’.

‘Because of lesser oil, one feels light and more energetic’.

‘A good batsman’. Product Window

‘Doesn’t tire easily’. Housewife endorsing the quality of oil. VO, ‘ Better life, stronger Dads’.

Close up of food shots. Quality of the new Dhara Health being mentioned in the Voice Over.

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VO of child testifying, ‘My Daddy Strongest’.

Media strategy •

The launch was announced across all leading national dailies & TV channels so as to maximise target reach.

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To ensure outdoor visibility, POPs, Shop boards and Hoardings were taken in key centres.

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With an aim to make it the flagship brand, and ensure high trial rates there were some special initiatives like Father’s Day Promotion, Medal Scheme & Small Town Press Campaigns.

Press ad

Dhara Health vs. Competitive brand Trials Dh Hlth Comp. Brand

450 Cumulative HH in 000s

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Results The launch of Dhara Health was very successful and resulted in trial rates and repeat purchases which were much higher than any of the competitive brands launched during the same time period. (see graph)

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Months IMRB Six city total Mth 1: Dhara Health - Jan '98 Comp. Brand - July '98

Repeat Purchase Dh Hlth

210

Comp. Brand

180 Cumulative HH in 000s

The offer was a free Dhara Health T-Shirt printed with the photograph of father and child for the first 5000 entrants who sent in their photographs. A single release in daily press fetched 25,000 responses.

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Father’s Day Promotion To strengthen Dhara Health’s platform of ‘Pride in Dad’, in June 1998, Dhara Health celebrated Father’s Day with a unique promotion.

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Months IMRB Six city total Mth 1: Dhara Health - Jan '98 Comp. Brand - July '98

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Article in the Femina Girl (Vol.No. 1, Issue No.5), dated June 2002.

NEWS DIGEST

Esha exclaims in the Hindi film ‘Kya Dil Ne Kaha’ - “My Daddy Strongest!”

MY DADDY STRONGEST: England’s Peter Waterfield shows son Lewis his gold for the men’s 10-metre diving event at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester on Saturday.

News report in The Times of India, Ahmedabad dated 29 July, 2002.

Dhara Today The communication strategy has been very successful till date. The launch TVC is running unchanged effectively even today albeit with a different mix – one that is more skewed towards satellite channels. The brand line ‘My Daddy Strongest’ has seeped into local parlance.

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