Professional Documents
Culture Documents
September 2009
Table of Contents
1 Introduction .............................................................................................................................. 1 1.1 1.2 Baskin Robbins ................................................................................................................... 1 Ice Cream Industry in India ................................................................................................. 1 Segmentation and branding........................................................................................ 2 New Segments ........................................................................................................... 3 MNC in India:.............................................................................................................. 3 Infrastructure worries:................................................................................................ 4 Consumption Pattern: ................................................................................................ 4 Ice Cream Flavours: .................................................................................................... 4 Distribution channel: .................................................................................................. 5
Competitor Analysis ................................................................................................................... 6 2.1 2.2 2.3 Competitors: ...................................................................................................................... 6 Competition in Parlours: .................................................................................................... 7 Changing Times: ................................................................................................................. 7
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Customer Analysis ..................................................................................................................... 8 Communication Strategy ......................................................................................................... 10 4.1 Promotions: ..................................................................................................................... 10 The Spiderman 3 campaign:...................................................................................... 10 The Paanchvi Pass campaign:.................................................................................... 10 The Drona campaign:................................................................................................ 11 MTV Roadies 6.0:...................................................................................................... 11 The Love Story 2050 campaign: ................................................................................ 11 Other Promos: .......................................................................................................... 12
Brand Baskin Robbins .............................................................................................................. 14 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 Brand Strategy: ................................................................................................................ 14 Brand Positioning: ............................................................................................................ 14 Brand Personality: ............................................................................................................ 14 Brand Identity: ................................................................................................................. 14 Value Proposition: ............................................................................................................ 15 Brand Logo Evolution: ...................................................................................................... 15 Table of Contents
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1 Introduction
1.1 Baskin Robbins
Baskin-Robbins is a global chain of ice cream parlours founded by Burt Baskin and Irv Robbins in 1953, from the merging of their respective ice cream parlours, in Glendale, California. Headquartered in Canton, Mass., Baskin-Robbins is part of the Dunkin Brands Inc. family of companies. It claims to be the world's largest ice cream franchise, with more than 5,800 locations, 2,800 of which are located in the United States. Baskin-Robbins sells ice cream in 34 countries, including Canada, Japan, Mexico, Bahrain, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Australia, the Philippines, Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia, China, Bangladesh, South Korea, India, Pakistan, Panama, Taiwan and the United Arab Emirates. The Baskin Robbins story in India began in 1993, when the first store opened in Mumbai. Today it is spread across the country with more than 300 outlets in 61 cities. Baskin Robbins also caters to other premium channels like star hotels, leading airlines, malls, multiplexes and top retail chains across India. Baskin Robbins is one of the diverse businesses of the Graviss Foods Pvt. Ltd. It has an exclusive franchise for the SAARC region. Our brand analysis is subjected to strategies of Baskin Robbins in India only. But the brand has a global presence where it maintains a similar brand strategy, yet with some small differences.
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In India the ice cream industry is dominated by a few players. This has made the global giants look at India to drive their growth. American ice-cream retailer Snowberry has announced that it would invest $50 million by 2010 to start its business in India to be known as Snowberry India Private Limited. The sale of ice cream in India is seasonal and the ice cream makers always bet on the summer sales. For Amul the summer season contributing about 40 per cent of the company's overall sales. Furthermore, to take advantage of the demand during summer the Ice cream makers increase the price of the products marginally .Most of the companies are adding that new and innovative products that keep the consumers excited.
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Also, in terms of leveraging the brand through ice-cream parlours and vending machines, there is the need to communicate the propositions through neon posters and vinyl signage, especially at specific consumer eating spots. It is believed that some of the players may use such communication exercises outside the parlours. But the need is to strategically evaluate consumer congregation points. The retail material should communicate the brand proposition through these materials at strategically evaluated points since it can capture the consumers eye more than the usual exteriors of retail shops and ice-cream outlets.Even in these avenues there are a host of other products that are jostling for consumer attention. Hence, the need is to move away from these crowded venues in parlours and retail shelves and specifically communicate the brand proposition in the spots where there is less fragmentation yet a lot of consumer activity. That's why, like Kwality Wall's, Amul too wants to take its frozen and ambient platter on the road through push carts and smaller outlets. It plans to supply freezers to bakeries and chemists to momand-pop shops and even STD booths. Even HLL has been trying hard to create excitement around its brands. Its Kwality Wall's Max, for children, was relaunched with offerings, like Rainbow and Twister, supported by a new look Max lion.
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Chapter: Introduction
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2 Competitor Analysis
2.1 Competitors:
On a telephonic conversation, the Zonal Manager-South of Baskin Robbins, Mr. Muthukumar told us that Baskin Robbins doesnt have any direct competition as they are a premium player. He also told us that theirs is not a volume based business. But he also accepted the fact that there is indirect competition from domestic brands and other local parlours. Let us have a look at the competition in India for Baskin Robbins. Hindustan Unilever, which is owned 51 per cent by Unilever, has a 14 per cent share of the 100million litres and Rs 1,200-crore per annum ice cream market, which makes it the second largest player after Amul (38 per cent market share). The gap is no less than 24 percentage points.
Chart: Market Share of Ice Cream Brands in India Market leader Amul has a huge emotional connection with Indian consumers as it was the nerve centre of the White Revolution in India. Its ice cream is available in no less than 70,000 stores across the country a number it plans to raise to 100,000 in the next one year. Its growth target for the year is 20 per cent. (The market has grown at 15 per cent per annum in the last five years.) Vadilal, the third largest player in the ice cream market with a share of 12 per cent and a strong Chapter: Competitor Analysis player in western India (Maharashtra, Goa and Gujarat), has drawn up aggressive growth plans Mother Dairy (market share: eight per cent) has fanned out from its stronghold of North India to the eastern and western parts of the country in the last few years. Its strength is the 4,000 pushcarts out on the streets of the country at all times. As a large category of consumers buy ice cream on impulse, this fleet has helped Mother Dairy grow 35 per cent this summer. Mother Dairy, by the
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way, has developed a strong portfolio of local flavours which could work well in the upcountry markets.
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3 Customer Analysis
Baskin Robbins is one of the premium ice cream brands in the world. Its differentiating strategy from other ice cream brands or their brand identity is providing customers with 31 different varieties of flavour and its premium quality. But how the customers perceive the brand is different and was evaluated by an interview process. Around Thirty customers were interviewed who had already experienced or come across the brand. Also two US customers were included in these twenty
customers. We went for an interview process because we found that many had only an aided recollection of the brand when asked about it. The questions asked during the interview are a) How often do you have ice cream in a month? b) How do you experience having ice cream in Baskin Robbins store? c) In your opinion what attribute is differentiating Baskin Robbins from other ice cream brands? d) Did you ever come across the brand name in some promotions or ads or any other communication medium? e) What will come to your mind immediately if you hear the name Baskin Robbins?
Some of the inferences and key opinions extracted from this process are: Most of the customers want ice cream parlour or store to be a better hang out place. They would like to have ice creams with different flavours during chat with their colleagues or girl friends and spend some time in a high end sophisticated premium parlours. They consider tasting a variety of ice creams as a great experience. The key insight derived from probing the customers is, I want to taste unique treats in a premium ambience Baskin Robbins proposition fits into this customer insight. But after the analysis we found that, they provide premium offerings with different world class flavours but not the experience. Customers who go there for repeat purchase is due to the addiction to the flavour taste. But, in providing Chapter: Customer Analysis experience of having ice cream in their parlour is really pathetic. Most of the custom ers dont value the store as a premium store which Baskin Robbins claims. Some of the attributes which customers think of Baskin Robbins are premium, young, feminine (an influence from Pink colours they project), soft, tender and different flavours. Customers would like to take young colleagues or girlfriends who are very peppy to this ice cream store. Even though this brand lives for more than sixty years, they maintain youthfulness in the brand which is amazing. The
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essence which customers expect from the brand is that different premium offerings daily. Customers want to show or communicate to the world that they are different and premium. Communication happens when the customer meets the brand. It came out that there is not frequent communication in the form of TV ads or print ads or any other promotions. Its mostly by word of mouth and the purchasing point /store where the customers come across this brand. Before coming to the store customers make up their mind to try different taste daily and hang out in the store which is premium. They communicate that they are different but store is lacking a premium ambience. This goes in a negative way of communication to the customer. Most of the store is located in high class residential area. Customers think Baskin Robbins did not leverage in terms of store ambience as most of the stores are so cramped and do not have a place to sit and have the ice cream. This is a sort of negative communication, which should be immediately addressed since other ice cream brands have started eyeing the modern retail format.
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4 Communication Strategy
Baskin Robbins is a youthful, dynamic brand and they are open to good ideas. If there's a property or event or opportunity that has the potential to capture the fancy of today's generation they are ready to advertise/sponsor. The outlets sport a funky and vibrant look to attract young people. In India, apart from the sales of ice creams, Baskin Robbins enjoys great patronage among high end institutional clients ranging from the best five-star hotels in the country, to the premier airlines, high end retailers, corporate parks and campuses, cruise companies, the best restaurants and clubs, and of late, all the multiplexes, which is fast becoming a separate business channel in this country. Around 35% of their sales are from institutional sales. In the coming years, the brand plans to aggressively penetrate into the smaller towns apart from consolidating its present market in the major cities and metros.
4.1 Promotions:
4.1.1 The Spiderman 3 campaign:
The summer of 2007 witnessed an innovative tie-up of Baskin Robbins with Spiderman 3 movie in India. Baskin Robbins promoted Spiderman 3 by means of a creative promotion. This not only added visibility but also enhanced customer interactivity with the brand. The highlight of the promotion was the co-branded TVC which was aired on key kids channels. The promotion extended to creating three new trendy flavours keeping in tune with the characters of the movie- Web Slinger, Sand Storm, and Green Gobbler. The elements of the promotion included poster, standee, cup design, bags, t-shirts, tags, shelf talker and a Spiderman 3 comic free with every single scoop of ice cream.
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danglers, posters, t-shirts, cups, shelf talkers and a quiz book. Besides, it got good publicity and generated enthusiasm among the kids.
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Customer Motivations: The customer motivations that could support the growth of the brand are, Flavours unique to Baskin Robbins I want to be seen as a premium consumer I need variety in my life
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6 Conclusion
Baskin Robbins is doing well with excellent quality offerings. All that has to be changed is the communication strategy.Baskin Robbins has to create more touch-points for the prospective customers to interact with the brand. But caution has to be taken that the premium brand doesnt get depicted as a mass market brand. Selective advertisements in premium magazines, lifestyle television channels, malls, airports etc would do well. The brand can position itself as a premium alternative to other mass market brands like Kwality Walls, Vadilal, Amul etc. Also more visibility can be created by maintaining premium ice cream parlours with excellent ambience that would generate Word-of-Mouth, the most powerful form of positioning the brand.
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Chapter: Conclusion
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7 References
1. Mr. Muthukumar, Zonal Manager-South, Baskin Robbins, Graviss Foods Pvt Ltd (master franchisee), Chennai. 2. www.beta.hindu.com 3. www.business-standard.com/india/ 4. www.baskinrobbins.com 5. http://br31.in
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Chapter: References