Introduction
Sunlight soap is an iconic brand and one of the most enduring products around today. Originally
created by the Lever Brothers Corporation in 1884, Sunlight soap was the first household soap to be
cut, wrapped and sold in a carton. The product arose from William Hesketh Lever’s determination to
revolutionize Victorian England's standards of cleanliness and hygiene (Unilever 2010). Sunlight soap
went on to be one of the first internationally marketed products and dominated the early soap
market throughout the British Empire (Stephen 1991).
Sunlight Soap also has a long history in Australia, which began when the entrepreneurial William
Lever began producing sunlight soap in Sydney in 1895. The early success of sunlight soap in the
Australian market was due mainly to intensive advertising campaigns that proved to be very
successful and managed to position the product as a metaphor of value (Stephen 1991). Remnants
of former signs, slogans and advertising initiatives and memorabilia are popular today among
collectors.
Sunlight soap is made and distributed in Australia today by the Australian owned company Pental,
who has been providing the Australian and New Zealand markets with household products for over
fifty years, including familiar brands such as Lux, Aim toothpaste and Marther Gardner’s wool wash
(Pental 2010).
Situational Analysis
Market analysis
In recent decades’ sales of not only Sunlight Soap, but also the whole ‘bar soap’ market has been in
decline, as traditional products are being replaced by newer technology such as shower gels and
liquid cleaners. Market share is being eroded as consumers’ move towards more advanced products
that offer benefits such as additional minerals and moisturisers, a range of fragrances and pump
action dispensers. (need reference, xxxx).
Despite recent advertising and pricing efforts to boost sales and retain market share that is being
lost to the influx of new products, consumers are seemingly unresponsive with a 5.5% drop in sales
for 2002 (Retail World, 2003).
Sunlight Soap stands in an advantageous position with regards to the economic choice between
Sunlight Soap and its more expensive shower gel competitors. Sunlight soap can also promote the
pure and simple make up of the product since it contains no heavy perfumes or strong colours that
are characteristics of the more advanced products. According to Pental, Sunlight soap still sells over
1 million packs of soap annually, and given the 100 year history, this speaks highly of the quality of
the product (Pental 2010).
Economic Environment
The recent global economic downturn has led to consumers looking to reduce discretionary
spending (reference); this opens up opportunities for low cost necessities to reclaim some of the
market share lost to the more expensive substitutes.
Political and Legal environment
The ACCC has regulations in place to ensure correct labelling and product information is accessible
to all customers through text on the packaging. Further, recent outbreaks of the potentially life
threatening influenza strains has resulted in legislation emphasising the importance of basic hygiene.
Social and cultural environment
The recent trend towards more environmentally sustainable products (reference) could be exploited
by Sunlight soap, as it is a simple product packaged in cardboard. Australians also typically personify
the ‘Tall Poppy Syndrome’; given the long, tough track-record Sunlight Soap has acquired perhaps an
underdog status may prove marketable.
Technological environment
The recent technological advance in the industry has place pressure on the more traditional soap
products. The benefits of low technology soaps, such as low risk from long term use and portability
should be emphasised.
Competitor analysis
Sunlight Soap is a product most readily associated with the Bar-Soap market, an older segment of
the Cleaning Products Industry. Recently we’ve seen a rising interest (reference) in newer segments
of this industry such as liquid soaps, powder detergents and alcohol-based sanitisers. Along with
these substitute products there is also a large range of bar-soap products already on the market as
large firms like Palmolive, Dove and Neutrogena fight for market control.
Customer analysis
SWOT analysis
Strengths
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Sunlight soap has a long history of
success
It is relatively cheap
It is simple and portable
Minimal packaging
Well recognised brand
Pure soap
Australian made and owned
Weaknesses
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Opportunities
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Necessity
Large market share of close substitutes
Slower economic conditions
Technologically inferior to new products
Low product awareness in younger
generations
Low novelty appeal
Communal use form
Threats
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Competitive market
New technological advancements
Lots of close substitutes
Objectives
The goal of Sunlight Soap is to improve the products positioning as a trusted and iconic brand in the
personal and household cleaning markets. The increasing popularity of shower gels, household
cleaning sprays and powders reflects the decreasing popularity of bar soaps for its intended
functions. Indirectly this shows that marketing directors were unresponsive to the threats of
competitors who were targeting customers segments after additional benefits which were not
delivered by Sunlight Soap.
The perceived benefit of Sunlight Soap is similar to its competitors in the sense that people
purchasing these products are after the same basic need of personal hygiene and as a cleaning
utensil. Therefore, it is important that a target market be indentified and Sunlight Soap be sold as a
niche item within a larger heterogeneous market base. Through exposure to several target markets
of different sizes and demographics we intend to improve the product positioning for long-term
standing as the consumer choice within the market.
With Sunlight Soap retaining a long history of brand choice within the Australian soap market we
intend to reinforce the heritage of the product to the marketable segments. Further, with Australian
tourism reaching numbers of 1.6 million a year we feel this would be the perfect time to advertise
the “Real Australian Experience” provided by Sunlight Soap. Spreading viral iconic advertisements
over Facebook and Youtube may lead to a global phenomenon of product realization similar to the
success of products such as ‘Old Spice Body Wash’. Using these products as an example we intend to
replicate similar viral feeds with Sunlight Soap. In addition, we will also be strategically targeting
pensioners, young mothers and a variety of other segments through advertising the economically
beneficial properties of the product relative to substitute products on the market.
Our goal is to increase market share of the bar-soap market by 30% within an 18 month stretch.
Similarly we intend to increase market share within the entirety of the ‘Soaps and Hygiene’ market
by 15% over the same period. However, throughout the period weekly feedback and modifications
to the marketing approach should be undertaken based on consumer feedback to ensure the
intended message is being broadcast as strongly as possible. These market gains will be achieved
through the fore-mentioned advertising avenues and the innovative modifications to the products
branding. Rough estimates on industry averages put each viral cast at a cost of around $20,000 and a
further $50,000 for each advertisement aired on Television. However, given the profitability of a
strong viral campaign an emphasis will be placed on quality over quantity with each viral broadcast
intended to leave a humorous and long-lasting message.
Consumer Market Segmentation
1. Geographical Segmentation
Sunlight soap is focused mainly in the Australian market which is sold in retail outlets all
over the country. While in a warm temperate climate consumers have a need for soap and
body products for personal hygiene. In addition to Australia’s hot conditions there is a large
population of locals, tourists and other individuals who use hygiene products which provide
a dense market opportunity.
2. Demographical Segmentation
Most individuals have a need for soap and older generations of soap users are aware of
sunlight soap’s history in the market as well its presence as well known brand. Also young
consumers value hygiene and the environment and so look to more natural products to
support being ‘green’. Sunlight bar soap is affordable to consumers with any set of income
or education as it is a necessity.
3. Psychographic Segmentation
Sunlight soap would appeal to all lifestyles including families, back backers, adventurists,
young adults, etc. Individuals with attitudes for more natural products and for Australian
owned soap are a key segment of consumers. The soap brand Sunlight provides the
consumer with good-quality soap and the brand itself is appealing to a range of consumers.
4. Behavioural Segmentation
Benefits received by purchasing sunlight bar soap are its multiple uses, relatively cheap,
natural ingredients, effective hygiene use which provide the expectations for consumers as
well as their needs. Additionally the ‘Sunlight’ brand is known in the soap market which
customers would remain loyal to the brand because of its reliability the past decades. There
is a medium volume usage as soap is bought as a necessity however it stands in competition
with shower gels and other products.
Target Market
In order to achieve the goals of improving market share, sales and
Sunlight Soap needs to be positioned and promoted as:
- an economic choice in the soap range for personal and household cleaning purposes.
- as a plain bar soap (no frills option) with a history in the Australian home
- a environmentally friendly option in regards to packaging (In comparison with shower gels, who
use plastic bottles, Sunlight Soaps packaging is paper of a substantially less size)
Targeted to:
- Families/Singles with low income
- Consumers not interested in the associated benefits with other products, that offer fragrances and
flavours.
- Consumers who will understand and appreciate the historic relevance of the product.
- Environmentally conscious consumers.
References
Pental. (n.d.). Retreived September 1, 2010, from http://www.pental.com.au/home
Unilever. (2010). Sunlight. Retrieved September 1, 2010, from
http://www.unilever.com/brands/homecarebrands/sunlight/index.aspx
Stephen, Ann. (1991). Selling Soap: Domestic Work and consumerism. Labour History, 61,
pp. 57-69.