The Hindu Business Line : HLL targets family with its new Pears variant `germ shield'

TARGETING the family with kids, HLL is stretching the equity of its heritage brand of Pears into a `germ shield' variant. This would be the third variant within the Pears soap franchise apart from its existing Classic and Oil Control variants and would be pegged on par with them at Rs 19.50 for 75 gms.

The equity of `trust' associated with the glycerine brand will also get extended to the new variant, which is being targeted at a new set of consumers — the family.

Speaking to Business Line, Mr Vivek Rampal, Business Head, Skincare, said, "Germ shield is an area of concern for young mothers and a lot of families. Pears is now able to offer them a product which is not just about fighting germs, which other brands also do in the market, but also has the gentleness and trust attributed to the brand."

With its new pale-green variant, Pear expects to cover the family and position its new offering on the `germ shield' platform.

Added Mr Rampal, "We have taking the natural, sparkling and effervescent brand of Pears and extending its usage as being more of a family product."

While there are other brands such as Dettol and Lifebuoy with this positioning, Pears is bringing it as a price value equation for consumers where the gentleness of Pears is being associated with fighting germs as well, according to the company.

"Pears has traditionally operated in the skin repair and maintenance segment, and within that, it has been primarily in the moisturising area where glycerine leaves the silk soft. We are looking at extending the Pears equity to new people, those concerned about germs and the level of cleansing," says Mr Rampal.

Carrying the baseline, `Innocent Beauty', Pears changed its advertising agency from JWT to Mc Cann Erickson last year. "The new commercial will be based on the usage of the brand within a family with kids, who tend to collect germs," says Mr Rampal.

Apart from soap, Pears also exists in the form of a face wash. While India continues to be the sourcing hub for the brand for most of Unilever's subsidiaries, its variants such as oil control and the latest germ shield are meant primarily for the Indian market.

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