ISSUES & CASE RESOLUTION

THE MOSQUITO REPELLENT INDUSTRY

Due to a relatively large market size, attractive margins and expected growth rates, marketing of repellents in India is relatively well organized, with a number of national brands. Some of the main players are as follows:

• KAPL, with its vaporizer-based All Out
• Godrej Sara Lee, with its products such as Good Night (for mosquitoes in particular) and Hit (targeted mainly at cockroaches)
• Reckitt Benckiser, with its brand Mortein
• Bombay Chemicals, with its anti-mosquito coil called 'Tortoise'
• Dabur-Balsara, with its cream-based product called 'Odomos'
• Bayer, with its 'Baygon' spray, 'Baygon' power mats etc.
• Jyothi Laboratories, with its Maxo

THE ISSUES

The Indian market is, thus, clearly quite competitive with a range of players and products. In addition to the players aforementioned, it is also necessary to keep in mind that a number of local brands were also available, with their offerings priced lower than that of the larger players. In fact, some estimates put the number of brands in the market at as much as 72, being produced by as many as 54 manufacturers.

It is in this scenario that Karamchand Appliances' All Out vaporizer operates.

CASE RESOLUTION

All Out did succeed in stemming the previously-rapid growth of Good Knight and stave off other challenges. This is best exemplified that from about 40 per cent of the vaporizer market, Good Knight's market share decreased to just more than 20 per cent after a few years.

How was this done? Many believe that All Out's success was based primarily on good marketing and, in particular, good advertising. This perception was strengthened when three promoters of Karamchand Appliances were awarded the 'Marketing Persons of the Year' award at the Advertising and Marketing awards. In their citation, A&M stated that the All Out case provided a fine 'tale for budding entrepreneurs and marketers of the new millennium'.