Product details

Unilever's INR55 billion (USD1.36 billion) brand - Rexona, internationally spans across 90 markets worldwide commanding a 14.5% share of the global deodorant market. In India, as one of the pioneer brands of Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL), Rexona was worth 1.78 billion rupees in 2006. With an annual growth rate of 28%, Rexona continued to compete as one of the core brands in HUL's brand portfolio. Launched as a soap brand, Rexona's journey through the Indian fast moving consumer goods market has been a dramatic one. At the end of 2006, the brand managed to emerge as a mass deodorant brand, albeit with some hiccups. The case discusses the challenges faced by the popular brand, despite creating a market which was virtually non-existent in India. The case also discusses the Indian consumers' perception towards body odour and the challenges for Rexona in changing the consumer outlook towards deodorants. The case inculcates various dimensions of brand positioning and the challenges of repositioning a deodorant brand.