Hindustan Unilever (HUL) announced on Friday that its laundry detergent brand, Surf Excel, had crossed the $1-billion turnover mark, becoming the first brand from its stable to achieve the milestone. With this, Surf excel joins an exclusive club of Indian consumer brands. Its success has been attributed to the fact that it never talked down to the consumer but reflected the aspirations of housewives.
The country’s first detergent powder, it was originally just Surf. HUL positioned the brand as a non-soapy detergent powder and an alternative to the soap bar. Hitting shop shelves in 1959, the brand targeted the middle-class housewife.
Though more effective than the soap bar, Surf necessitated a new habit – that of soaking clothes before the actual process of washing. HUL launched a door-to-door campaign to persuade the cynic that solution washing yielded better results and also cut out the scrubbing.
In the seventies, Nirma gave Surf a run for its money. But in the mid-eighties, HUL fought back with the iconic Laliaji campaign. In her spotless white saree, a low bun and an oversized bindi, Lalitaji drove home the difference between “sasti” and “acchi”. With the “Surf ki kharidari mein hi samajhdari hai” tag line, Surf became the first detergent brand to appear on a television screen.
When, in 1991, P&G launched Ariel at a higher price point, Surf responded by reimagining both the product and its communication. Surf Excel arrived in 1996 to meet the evolving demands of the Indian customer. Appearing first in 2005, Surf Excel’s “Daag acche hai” or stains are good slogan completely redefined category communication.
Says Meenakshi Menon, communications specialist & founder, Spatial Access, “There are three things that have made the brand what it is. First, it has extremely strong foundations, which allowed it to weather many storms. There have been many challengers who tried to disrupt the brand, but its foundations have stayed strong. Second, Surf has always reflected the voice of the people. It’s not a brand that talks down to the consumer but one that speaks in the consumer’s voice, whether it was the ‘Lalitaji’ campaign or ‘daag achhe hain’, it has maintained a consumer-friendly language. The third reason it has done well is because of its legacy and rich heritage.”
Today, Surf Excel is the market leader in India’s detergent industry with total sales of `8,200 crore. Together with HUL’s two other brands – Rin and Sunlight – , Surf Excel has a 43% share of India’s detergent market. Says Naresh Gupta, co-founder & CSO, Bang In The Middle, “Every D2C brand that thinks they are changing the world should look at Surf Excel. They can learn lessons from the brand on how to be consistent, how to connect with consumers and be omnipresent.”
(With inputs from Christina Moniz)