Principles of Marketing: Head & Shoulders vs Pantene

This report provides a comparative analysis of the marketing strategies and effectiveness of Head & Shoulders and Pantene shampoos. It discusses their target markets, product offerings, pricing strategies, distribution channels, and promotional activities. The report concludes that Head & Shoulders has a more effective marketing mix, utilizing both traditional and modern techniques to reach a wider audience.

Principles of
Marketing

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
FINDINGS.......................................................................................................................................1
Target Market..............................................................................................................................1
Product/Brand.............................................................................................................................2
Price.............................................................................................................................................3
Place............................................................................................................................................3
Promotion....................................................................................................................................3
CONCLUSION................................................................................................................................4
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................5

INTRODUCTION
Marketing can be referred to as the procedure aimed at communication of message of
company within public so as to influence their purchase behavioural pattern in a positive manner.
In this regard, this provides assistance to organisation in effectively appealing to people. The aim
of the report is to carry out in-depth secondary researching of the 2 brands, namely, Head and
Shoulders Shampoo and Pantene Lady's Shampoo and also, identifying the effectiveness of
marketing mix for them.
Head & Shoulders (H&S) is a top notch multinational brand of anti-dandruff shampoos
which is headquartered in USA and belongs to the parent organisation P&G.
Pantene is a Swiss generated brand of hair care items (shampoo) having its headquarters
situated within the confines of USA and pertaining to the parent company named Procter &
Gambler.
At the present time, Pantene holds a market share of 14% whereas Head & Shoulders
possess a share of 9%.
FINDINGS
Target Market
Head & Shoulders Shampoo and Pantene Lady's Shampoo are 2 of the most renowned
brands across the globe within the confines of shampoo sector. Both have their own target
markets according to which marketing strategies are devised by them.
Head & Shoulders Shampoo mainly targets people who are brand conscious such as elite
class and upper middle class sections of society. These are targetted owing to the fact that both
the groups consists of individuals who are concerned about their hair and are acknowledged to be
early adopters. Further, the main focus of the brand is upon targeting men of age group 22-36
years as it is usually seen that they are the most affected by dandruff. With the passage of time,
the product portfolio has undergone innovation by incorporation of unique as well as significant
features like hair fall therapy and volume boost for the people pertaining to younger age
segment.
As opposed to Head & Shoulders Shampoo, it is acknowledged that the leading hair care
brand named Pantene Lady's Shampoo is centred upon women pertaining to the age group of
mid-to-early 40s. This group has been especially targetted looking upon their activeness
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regarding ensuring that they lead healthy lifestyles by instilling a sense of confidence within
them as their hair look nice. Most of the commercials of this brand are focussed upon women as
men is conceptualised by the brand not to be so aggressively using hair care products. Looking
upon this, Pantene especially appeal to women who are facing hair issues and seek for solutions
to make their beauty last longer.
Product/Brand
Head & Shoulders Shampoo offer a wide variety of hair care products across the globe.
Such offerings of the respective brand are aimed at providing solutions to customers for
problems being faced by them in relation to hair fall, dry scalps, itching scalps etc. There are a
number of categories of shampoos that are provided by this brand such as Smooth & Silky, Anti
Dandruff Lemon Fresh, Cool Menthol, Anti Dandruff Lemon Fresh and Silky Black Anti
Dandruff etc. Owing to this, the brand has extensive base of loyal customers. The focal point of
this brand has always been on removal of dandruff. In this regard, a recent product that has been
launched by this brand is regarded to be recyclable shampoo bottle made up of beach plastic. The
major belief of Head & Shoulders Shampoo over the course of years has been that packaging has
an important part to play in persuading the customers to buy the offerings. Looking upon this,
Head & Shoulders Shampoo has decided to reduce the weight of its package by 30%. As per
Aaker's Model, this brand holds most of the dimensions which make it honest, updated,
flourishing and sophisticate.
Pantene Lady's Shampoo is a well renowned brand that is worldwide endorsed by
famous celebrities and personalities. The shampoos are provided in a number of categories such
as Pro-V Hair Fall Control, Pro-V Silky Smooth Care, Pro-V Total Damage Care, Pro-V Daily
Moisture Renewal, Pro-V Lively Clean, Pro-V Anti-Dandruff, Pro-V Long Black, Pro-V Nature
Fusion Smoothing etc. Having such a wide brand portfolio, Pantene Lady's Shampoo appeals to
a large base of audience who do not intend to shift to other alternate brands. Recently, a new
product has been added to its portfolio, namely, waterless collection. The most important
ingredient of this brand is vitamin pro-v which persists in all organisational offerings. Pantene is
looking forward to overhaul its merchandise as well as packaging so that the containers look
brighter, shinier and much more flashy. The shape of bottles has also been altered to effectively
appeal to people. In accordance with the 5 dimensions of Aaker's Personality Model, it has been
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determined that all of the dimensions are present within this brand which tends to make it down-
to-earth, imaginative, intelligent, charming and tough.
Price
Head and Shoulders Shampoo makes use of a penetrative price strategy with a view to
gain the attention of all sections of society. The economic pricing feature of products of this
brand appeals to the customers in an effective manner and they get persuaded to get an
experience of trying the products sold by this brand. Further, the availability of merchandise in a
different types of sizes provide customers with the scope to select the size as per their budget and
need.
On the contrary, Pantene Lady's Shampoo applies competitive price strategy and thereby
adapts the prices of products as per the price charged by rival firms. By providing products at
prices similar to that of rival firms, Pantene Lady's Shampoo is able to gain the attention of a
pool of customers. The entity even provides discount offers and free sachets of shampoo with big
sized contains of shampoo. This has worked in the favour of this brand and it has been able to
inflate its sales as well as profits at international scale.
Place
Head and Shoulders Shampoo operates in a number of nations across the globe and uses
a distribution channel following traditional way to FMCG marketing. Its offerings can be
accessed by customers in local retail shop as well as large scale supermarket. The products of
this brand are also available on a number of e-commerce website which inflates the reach of
merchandise among people across the world.
Pantene Lady's Shampoo also follows the same distribution system like that of H&S.
Pantene uses an omni channel distribution system whereby it integrates brick and mortar style
operations with offline operations. This provides assistance to the brand in ensuring that the
offerings can be availed by people whenever they demand the same.
Promotion
Head & Shoulders Shampoo relies upon its marketing department for execution of
advertising and promotional strategies. This brand makes use of traditional as well as modern
ways of carrying out marketing to appeal to customers. It launches modern marketing
campaigns, advertisements and also apply traditional channels such as television, radio,
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billboards, pamphlets and posters. This assists in reaching to a large base of audience and
gaining an edge over rival firms such as Pantene.
Pantene Lady's Shampoo uses trade exhibitions, marketing campaigns, promotional
events and personal selling to develop healthy relations with customers across the globe and
thereby influence their purchase behaviour in a positive manner. This implies that this brand is
centred upon the exploitation of modern marketing techniques to inflate its reach in outer world.
Further, both brands also use social media marketing and influencers to reach out to
people worldwide and thereby inflate their profits.
CONCLUSION
On the basis of above comparative analysis, it can be said that both the brands are
recognised names within the confines of shampoo sector. In this regard, the product portfolio of
both the brands is quite diverse which is the reason behind their leading position at market place.
It has been acknowledged that the most effective marketing mix is of Head & Shoulders
Shampoo. Almost all of the elements of marketing mix are similarly applied in both companies.
However, it is recognised that Head & Shoulders Shampoo has an edge over the other brand as it
realises the significance of carrying out marketing by traditional as well as modern techniques.
This inflates the reach of this brand at international scale, thereby enhancing the scope of
increment in revenues as well as profits.
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