The anglonéerlandais especially has no other choice

It has always been in the genes of the Group: "vitality" chosen by the giant of the consumer as the axis of development was already one of the unifying themes of William Lever, one of the founders in the 19th century. That is, if it should go it like a glove. The anglo-néerlandais especially has no other choice. With more aggressive than ever, competitors to a decoding expert consumer and very present signs with their distributors marks and a very low price offer, Unilever must regain energy in its markets.

Down by Procter & Gamble with including the integration of Gillette, the owner of the trademark Dove, Knorr, Skip or Omo had to prune its bloated portfolio for stabilizing 400 marks. Unveiling Tuesday its global marketing strategy, "Vitality for Growth", to a floor of 120 journalists, the multinational has wanted to get the message that it intended to resume the hand in its market and erase the failure of the previous "Path to growth" plan (path to growth). "We want to assess the role of our marks in their life to consumers by providing them with more intense experiences." "Hot soups when they feel weak, sensuous SOAP to feel beautiful, each of our products is in itself a certain idea of vitality", as indicated by way of introduction Ralph Kugler, Chairman of the Home and Personal Care industry.

Especially, in the great tradition of the giants of the mass market, it has given the tone of the marketing around seven thematic trends: "feeling good every day", "to do more", "give the children a good start", "feeling from health problems", "to be in good shape for a long time", "adopt a kitchen full of vitality", "have the most beautiful air". In short, well-being and especially the support of the consumer in its daily actions examined with a magnifying glass by a group of employees seconded in the program "Foresight". Result: the need for "coaching" permeates all product lines. The marketing promises left the sphere of the product to another level, more subtle, the basic needs of individuals.

Witness the "self-esteem Fund" launched by Dove in the United States is happening in France June 20. It helps girls to better manage the turn of their puberty by providing books to share between moms and girls women's anxieties. By never leaving a consumer alone and without response to its questions, mark returned by the window, when yesterday many had thrown it out the door.

Fight against obesity

Goal: to be provider of solutions and reassure parents rather than targeting the children except to say that getting dirty it is, like Skip that proclaims "dirt is good" (translated by "free from getting dirty") since the mark is to provide the appropriate remedy. Essential: the experience of the product. Tournament for children at the Brazil launched the movement by proclaiming "no dirt, sport no." (no task, step of sport). In France, a partnership with rugby clubs continued it. OMO and Skip are associated with a program "Be my coach," engaging parents and children to practise the sport. A strategy which is suddenly double since it débanalise the laundry category and enrolled in fight against obesity.

In the vein of the commitments, Unilever has also adopted a Charter of marketing "responsible" in which he decides does not target children under six years, to give the consumer a direct access to the content of its products, including through the Internet, and finally provide comprehensive nutrition information on its packs. A logo will accompany products positioned as the most efficient light of the objectives of health and welfare the Nestlé competitor has already launched "health Capital". It is in addition to the already bloated list of benchmarks proposed consumer disoriented at the wheel of his truck. This colourful patch indicating "my choice", already present in Holland with the support of the Government, has eighteen months to make its entry in the linear. The France said to be a time of reflection, but especially in consultation with the health authorities.

Simply knitting the strings of air time cannot to much to ensure a leading position. The group will probably score a few points with its policy of R & D at a rate of EUR 1 billion per year including 60 for food centered mainly on taste. In two years, it has been reformulated 16,000 products by removing the fat, sodium and sugar. In the Knorr soups, salt content has been reduced by 50. What to register as a good student of the class in all global plans against obesity. And find path a gold mine in terms of innovation, such as Knorr life. These small vials of vegetables or fruit soup landed this summer to the fresh Department in France after seven other European countries. Since the first launches a year in Belgium and Holland, more than 80 million of these "shots" were sold, at a price of 2 euros the pack of three. "Concentrated 200 grams of fruit and vegetables in a 100 ml bottle, Knorr life helps to increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables", indicates the French packaging when one of its European neighbours indicates that this juice "covers 50 of the daily fruit and vegetable needs." Competitors would already be in the starting blocks.

Finished, on the other hand, the large expensive institutional communication programs. Place a strengthened field presence. Thus an arrival of Dove Street through "Dove Spa" in London for a month with 39 references of care products top of range. "The consumer does not express all the promises of the mark", said Angela Nelissen, Director Europe Dove. It provides for the opening of five places by the end of the year on the English capital, at the time where Beiersdorff installs his "Nivea House" in Hamburg.

Hygiene rules

But the place where the growth is mainly for the group in developing countries that it invests through programmes such as the "World Food Programme of the United Nations and the international Dental Federation. Objective: Learn how children and adults the basic hygiene rules. In India, a program teaches people to wash their hands. "This is not a philanthropic initiative but a marketing with social benefits program." In 2005 sales increased by 10 with strong growth in the eight States where this program was conducted. "In 2006 it was extended to 10,000 additional villages", says Vindi Bangha, President of the food industry world over the past year but this program initiative when he was previously President of the Home and Personal Care in Asia Branch. In Niger, Signal initiated 2 million people to the brushing of the teeth and seen sales leap by 35 in one year.

The rationalization of the portfolio of brands like marketing investments turn therefore to the Mastodon. Today, 12 brands realize more than $ 1 billion of net sales, against 4 in 1999. As sales declined since 2001, they increased by 3 in 2005. A growth which remains however two times less than that of its competitors Nestle and Danone already present on the same marketing positioning. As in textiles, it would seem that growth is now a reactivity and globalization collections and methods. In this field, the Anglo-Dutch group will have to make efforts. Its ice with yoghurt and fruit, Frusi, launched only in Ireland and Belgium, creates a rupture on the lacklustre segment of the ice cream where he is to elbow-to-elbow with Nestlé, but appears in no program launch in France two years before.