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Launching A Household Cleaning Range
Posted By: wave on 8/22/2005 3:10 PM (CST) 250 Points
I'm launching a new household cleaning range -
a general degreaser spray cleaner, and also laundry products both cleaning and softening. Terrific products with great (and original) "French theme" fragrance. I have no real advertising spend, so
I need grab attention and interest on the shelf with a short yet brilliant strap line on a header card fixed to the bottles. Can you guys help me? Also any general marketing advice appreciated. Can a rookie take on Lever Bros?

Posted by: vic Accepted Answer
8/22/2005 3:26 PM (CST)
"Your nose knows" (a good thing)

"Your nose can tell because of the smell" (it's fresh)
 
Posted by: jstiles* Accepted Answer
8/22/2005 5:03 PM (CST)
Study how tiny California based Simple Green broke into the market circa 1983 (if memory serves) and is now an international brand (US, Canada, Mexico, others?). It can be done, but you need to define your niche and exploit it with creative, if low cost, marketing and promotions.

Sopmetimes, you may benefit from being "under the radar" for a while. Shelf space against the big brands will be your greatest challenge.

Best of Luck!
 
Posted by: d_crawford* Accepted Answer
8/22/2005 5:29 PM (CST)
Jstiles is right--it would cost huge bucks to compete one to one against the big boys. Consider by-passing supermarkets and big chain stores and going for smaller markets--higher-end neighborhood and specialty boutiques, stores who don't want to sell Tide, perhaps like Restoration Hardware.

You could also try to send samples to "cleaning experts" to get endorsements, but most of them charge huge amounts for that now, because if they recommend something it goes through the roof. But, smaller experts (like online websites or blogs) might be possible.

Alternately, you might sell products to a cleaning company first (like Merry Maids) and use that to spread the word to the public.

Good Luck!
Deborah
 
Posted by: BrianL* Accepted Answer
8/23/2005 12:32 PM (CST)
wave,

Possible strap lines:

-- Nouvelle Clean [a little play on words]
-- The Fragrance Tells You It's Clean
-- The Scent of Clean
-- Clean as a French Country Morning [yikes - not sure if that really works!]

I don't speak French, so here's one more but I'm using a machine translation, so please forgive if it is incorrect:

-- Parfumez qui Nettoie...The Perfume That Cleans

I like this last one because it plays on a classier brand image than typical cleaning products, and would lend itself well to an initial boutique/exclusive distribution approach such as Deborah suggested (which, by the way, is a brilliant idea).

Best wishes,

Brian
 
Posted by: chrisbchrisb* Accepted Answer
8/23/2005 1:57 PM (CST)
- Oui madam!

as in
looking for clean clothes ...?
after a fresh smell ...?
got something better to do with your time ... ?

- Who says cleaning isn't chic?

- Add a little romance to you cleaning ... (with picture of Paris)

Other than that agree with the under the radar comment - if you can afford to wait and try out different ideas in different ideas for results then even better.

Good luck

Chris
 
Posted by: ladams Accepted Answer
8/23/2005 5:38 PM (CST)
Here's a few ideas . . .

Wrap yourself in a French country meadow

A loaf of bread, a bottle of wine, and (your brand here)

Haute Couture, Haute Cuisine, Haute CLEAN

From the secret gardens of France . . .

Make a clean escape

Good luck . . .




 
Posted by: mgoodman Accepted Answer
8/25/2005 6:44 PM (CST)
You've set yourself a particularly difficult task. Taking on Procter & Gamble, Lever Brothers, Colgate, et al. with anything less than $25 million in your war chest is looking for trouble. It will cost you almost half of that just for slotting fees to get your product on the shelf in major supermarkets across the United States. (I assume you're in the US.)

And once you're on the shelves, if you don't show decent sell-through, they'll de-list you and the game is over. (No refunds on slotting fees. Sorry.)

How do you get the sell-through? You advertise and promote to consumers -- using television, print, radio, outdoor, whatever you can and whatever it takes to generate awareness and motivate initial trial.

And once you have initial trial, unless the product is so remarkably good that everyone recognizes it immediately, you'll need to be sure they repeat purchase. That takes more money. And the store won't put you in their advertising flier without some allowance money from you.

This really is a tough game. If you can't find a back door into this market, you're probably better off saving yourself the considerable time and expense it will take to learn a rough lesson.

I wish there were some better news I could deliver, but I would be doing you a disservice if I sugar-coated this pill, you took it, and it didn't work.

Good luck.

P.S. I spent almost 6 years of my life working in the household cleaner category in brand management at Procter & Gamble -- on Spic 'n' Span, Top Job and Mr. Clean -- so I know the category and the game pretty well.
 
Posted by: eliana azyze Accepted Answer
8/29/2005 12:26 AM (CST)
Wave, this is really tough.

Nobody puts their product on the racks and expects them to get wide-reaching attention the month after - much less the chunk of money other worldwide leading brands achieves. These companies took decades to be where they are now.

What you want is not impossible, but it's crazy hard work plus more. I think you should concentrate on trying to outsell all smale scale rivals first. Once you’ve accomplish that, there will be options and opportunities to advance.

I think mgoodman is right - either find a back door into the market (although if you're pursuing this, you should already have one.), or risk having your product shelved with the dust bunnies.

I wish you all the luck, and hope you find the solution to what you're looking for. As for the taglines, I think the ones given above should already get the ball rolling.
 
Posted by: Keypoint Accepted Answer
9/1/2005 7:47 PM (CST)
I would certainly think that like any other small and medium sized enterprises, you are going to start small. Remember that great things start from small beginnings! Hence, the back door is definitely your avenue for your new product.
The point of purshase is where the real action is. Advertising in traditional mass media may condition your giant competitors' target audience and buyers... but until such time they are at the supermarket aisles and facing the detergent shelves, that's the point when you try to grab their pre-conditioned brainwashed consumers and titillate her most sensitive senses... after all, your product is ultra sensory triggered, eh? Smell is a unique selling shelf stopper. However, it is still your point of purchase materials that will determine the amount of "shout" you create at the point of sale.

Suggest to use the short one liners suggested earlier. Just make sure though that your shoppers would understand the "Frenchy" tag lines... Keep it simple and obvious... an idiot proof description of your product. I am also assuming that your pricing strategy is that of a less premium than the giants... you can also highlight this... what with the absurdly high prices of petrol these days, any lower priced good laundry product will definitely help!

Hope these help... Good luck! and tell us what happens too!

KP
 
Posted by: Whet* Accepted Answer
9/5/2005 7:37 PM (CST)
You've got some great advice here. I particularly like Deborah's idea.

The key here is to position your product in a unique way. If it's french than the boutique approach would certainly work. I can only add that your packaging will make all the difference in the world within that market. Probably more than the tag.

I've seen a cleaning product sold at a price of $ 10 -15 per liter in apothecary type store her in NYC. The bottles were unique for the category, and attention getting - they almost didn't look like a cleaning product, but I have to tell you even at that price I was tempted.

While it may be difficult to take on the big boys head on there is a way to penetrate markets by focusing your marketing to a small niche (buzz oriented) group of folks. The success of many underdog products can be attributed to doing just that.

Like the wheely suitcases - they were originally developed for airline attendants. BUT... .folk saw them wheeling around the airports and viola everyone wanted one. Okay.. granted no one will be wheeling your cleansers around, but if the product is unusual people will talk.

Of course, you'll still need to advertise, and give some free samples, but even that will be made easier by focusing on a single target.

Oh, and about that tag... if you need one, get a bunch of your associates (and/or friends) and have a brainstorm session. Just jot everything down that's said, and keep it light and fun (sugar or booze will help there) Keep a dictionary and thesaurus handy and let the words flow. Get as many as you can jotted down and then start to narrow it. Play with the words, mix em up, and you may be surprised what will come out. Just keep it very short and sweet. Remember, people don't remember anything longer than just a few words.

Best luck,
Cheryl Waters
 
Posted by: carrie77 Moderator Response
9/13/2005 6:20 AM (CST)
Hello all,

I am closing this question since it's more than 2 weeks old. We do this to reward the contributions of participants in a timely manner + to give increased visibility to the newer questions.

Thanks for participating!
Carrie (Production Editor)
 


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