The Marketing mix of Pears analyses the 4Ps of Pears, including the Product, Price, Place, and Promotions. Pears Soap is a subsidiary brand of its parent company, Hindustan Unilever. It is a personal care product associated with the FMCG sector. Pears is the first registered brand in continuous use since its inception in the world market. It was introduced in 1807 by its founder, Andrew Pears, and has maintained its popularity in the consumer market even after over two hundred years. It faces stiff competition from several rival companies, and some of its competitors are as follows-
- Doy care Aloe Vera
- Dettol
- Savlon
- Lux
- Dove
- Lifebuoy
About Pears
- Type: Soap
- Industry: Soap manufacturing
- Founded: 1807
- Founders: Sir Andrew Pears
- Headquarters: Mumbai, India
- Area served: Worldwide
- Current CEO: Mr. Sanjiv Mehta
- Number of employees: Over 21,000
- Major Products: Pears soap
Table of Contents
Pears Product Strategy
Pears is considered a unique soap brand because it retains glycerine content to offer softness and gentleness as two varieties of its main features. It was the first transparent soap in the world, and its transparency was considered a sign of purity.
Brand Pears is projected as a gentle skin delicate soap with a sweet fragrance. Its traditional soap is amber, but the company later launched two new colors, green and blue, for oil control and germ fighting.
Pears is well-known for its range of gentle and nourishing products. The brand has a history of providing quality skin care products focusing on purity and moisturizing benefits.
The new Product Mix of Pears in 2023 is as follows (Source).
- Soap Bars: Pears is famous for its transparent soap bars, which are glycerin-based and designed to be mild and gentle on the skin. These soap bars are often amber-colored and have a unique see-through appearance, a hallmark of the Pears brand.
- Body Washes: Beyond traditional soaps, Pears offers a range of body washes. These products maintain the brand’s focus on gentle cleansing and are formulated to be hypoallergenic and non-comedogenic, making them suitable for all skin types.
- Facial Cleansers: Pears provides facial cleansing products, including face washes and facial cleansing bars. These are specifically designed for delicate facial skin, ensuring gentle yet effective cleansing without stripping the skin of its natural oils.
- Hand Washes: Recognizing the importance of hand hygiene, Pears has developed a line of liquid hand washes. These products are designed to be mild on the skin, preventing dryness even with frequent use, and are often enriched with moisturizing agents.
- Shower Gels: The brand also offers shower gels similar to body washes but often come with different fragrances and formulations. These gels are designed for a luxurious and refreshing shower experience while maintaining skin’s moisture.
- Baby Products: Pears has a range of products specifically formulated for babies, including baby washes and soaps. These products are extra gentle and hypoallergenic, ensuring they are safe and soothing for a baby’s sensitive skin.
- Lotions and Creams: In addition to cleansing products, Pears offers a range of skin lotions and creams. These products are designed to complement the cleansing products by providing hydration and nourishment to the skin.
- Special Editions and Variants: Periodically, Pears releases special editions or variants of their core products. These may include different scents or formulations with added ingredients for specific skin needs.
Pears Place Strategy
Manufacturing Pears soap operations started from a factory in London in the United Kingdom. In 1862, the production facility was moved to Isleworth and, in the 1960s, to Port Sunlight. Pears brand has spread its international presence to include distribution strategies in most countries. Pears created a niche market for its products in the United States in the nineteenth century.
Its products were launched in the Indian market in 1902 and are still among the most popular brands. It has a robust distribution system because it utilizes the distribution channel of its parent company, HUL, and includes services of distributors, wholesalers, and retailers to reach the consumer market in every nook and corner of the country via supermarkets, markets, convenience stores, discount stores, and grocery stores.
Pears’ place strategy, focusing on accessibility, convenience shops, and visibility, is crucial to its market success. Here’s an overview:
- Wide Retail Distribution: Pears products are widely available in various retail outlets, including supermarkets, department stores, and drugstores. This extensive distribution ensures that Pears products are easily accessible to a broad consumer base.
- Online Marketplaces and E-commerce: Recognizing the growing trend of online shopping, Pears has made its products available on major e-commerce platforms. This online presence caters to tech-savvy consumers and expands the brand’s reach beyond traditional brick-and-mortar stores.
- Pharmacies and Health Stores: Given the gentle and hypoallergenic nature of Pears products, they are also strategically placed in pharmacies and health stores. This positioning aligns with the brand’s image of offering gentle and skin-friendly products.
- International Presence: Pears has established a global presence, with availability in numerous countries. This international distribution strategy taps into diverse markets, catering to consumer preferences and skincare needs.
- Strategic Shelf Placement in Stores: Pears products are often strategically placed at eye level or in areas with high foot traffic in physical retail outlets. This placement ensures higher visibility and can influence purchase decisions, especially for consumers seeking trusted and established skincare brands.
Pears Pricing Strategy
Pears has been projected as a premium brand, with its target customers being middle and upper-middle-class sections of society. It has been recommended by pediatricians and doctors worldwide because it keeps skin soft and gentle. It is why the brand Pears has adopted a mid-premium pricing and marketing strategy for its products. It has kept prices affordable and reasonable for its target customers. Pears has also implemented a promotional pricing policy and offers incentives at regular intervals to tone down its prices. It has a two-fold effect, resulting in greater sales volume and, ultimately, more significant revenues.
Pears’ pricing strategy showcases a masterful blend of market understanding, cosmetics products, and brand positioning, ensuring accessibility while upholding its value proposition. Here’s an insight into their approach:
- Competitive Pricing in the Skincare Segment: Pears adopts a competitive pricing model, positioning its products in an affordable range yet reflecting their quality. This strategy enables the brand to compete effectively in the diverse and crowded skincare market, appealing to cost-conscious consumers who do not wish to compromise on quality.
- Value-Based Pricing: The brand leverages its legacy of purity and gentleness, employing a value-based pricing strategy. This means that the prices are set considering the perceived value of the products – their gentle formulation and suitability for sensitive skin – rather than solely on production costs.
- Psychological Pricing Techniques: Pears often employs psychological pricing strategies, like pricing products just below a whole number (e.g., $4.99 instead of $5.00). This approach makes the products seem more affordable and can increase consumer appeal and sales.
- Promotional Offers and Discounts: To stimulate demand and attract customers, Pears occasionally runs promotional campaigns offering discounts or bundled products. These offers are particularly effective in encouraging trial among new customers and maintaining loyalty among existing ones.
- Tiered Product Range for Different Segments: Pears offers products at various price points within its range, catering to different market segments. This tiered approach allows the brand to attract a wide demographic, from budget buyers to those seeking higher-end skincare solutions, from essential soaps to premium skincare items.
- Strategic Pricing Adjustments in Different Markets: Understanding global market dynamics, Pears adjusts its prices according to different regions’ economic conditions and competitive landscapes. This flexibility ensures the brand remains competitive and accessible in various international markets.
Pears Promotion Strategy
Pears is an iconic brand with great heritage and brand value. It has always believed in the power of advertising. The first ad was an original painting in 1866 titled Bubbles by Sir John Everett Millais. Famous actress Lillie Langtry was roped in to appear in its ad campaigns. Since then, the company has utilized every available digital, electronic, and print medium to launch its whole product line via ad campaigns on popular television channels, radio, billboards, magazines, and newspapers.
Pears has created brand awareness via social media platforms like Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. Famous television actress Shweta Tiwari is associated with the Pears brand in India. Pure and Gentle is the slogan of Pears, and it describes the product fittingly. As part of its promotional activities, brand Pears’ marketing strategy has offered incentives like one free soap at the purchase of three and discounted pricing.
Some Recent Video ads and Print ads of Pears are:
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