Description
Research Reports for Prospects and Challenges for Soft Drinks Industry:- In certain systems for object-oriented programming such as the Common Lisp Object System[1] and Dylan, a generic function is an entity made up of all methods having the same name.
Research Reports for Prospects and Challenges for Soft Drinks Industry
ABSTRACT
The aim of this research was to determine the health of Rooh Afza as a brand and determine the effectiveness of the brand's marketing programs. The study used qualitative and quantitative research methods to develop an understanding of the consumer's perception regarding Rooh Afza. Also, a perspective from the brand's management was included by meeting the Marketing Director and Chairman of Hamdard foundation, the parent company of Rooh Afza.
As far as the health of the brand is concerned, consumer responses revealed that due to Rooh Afza's 100 year presence in our part of the world, it has been the childhood drink for most of the consumers. But since the brand has had a very minimal presence on the ATL and
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the BTL front, consumers have lost their recall for the brand vis a vis competition (both direct and indirect)which not only advertises heavily but has also come up with extensions and modifications to the product. Rooh Afza has been at a standstill since it was established and so it has lost on maintaining the same relevance with the newer generations which have been attracted and tapped by the Nestles and Pepsis of the world.
The management is of the view that they do not want Rooh Afza to change in the way it has been. Though they are looking into some extensions, the approach in that area is not very aggressive.
Based on our analysis, we feel that the brand still ahs very strong roots and consumers still have a very strong association with the brand. It is just that these associations have gone at the back of the consumers' mind. We recommend strategies to the management for both brand extension as well as brand development. These recommendations have been based on both the consumer insights that we gathered as well as the management's perspective on the brand.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
Rooh Afza is one of the oldest local brands of our country. Each one of us has grown up with this brand and we still use it with varying degrees. We conducted this study to determine the brand perception of Rooh Afza amongst consumers and based on this to determine a future way forward for the brand. The analysis conducted includes not only the consumers' perception but also the management's perspective on the brand and its future strategies, followed by how we, as brand students see the brand should move.
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1.2 Need Of Study
The reason we chose Rooh Afza as the brand to conduct our study was because this is one brand that all of us have consumed, experienced and have a certain level of attachment with it. It is the oldest local brand but there has been no formal study done on this brand in so many years. We tried to come up with an analysis which can analyze the brand's past and present to recommend a future for the brand that has deep roots in our culture and has been a part of our lives since generations.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The target audience of our report is not only the students of our class and the instructor but also the management of Rooh Afza and Hamdard group. Also, the report can be useful for people who are planning to work on local brands in the future.
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
2.1. Introduction
The study incorporated both primary and secondary research to understand more about the brand 'Rooh Afza'. Secondary research was done using the official website of Rooh Afza. Primary research used different tools that would help in gathering data directly from the consumers.
The research can be classified as an Exploratory Research as the research helped in exploring 'Rooh Afza' as a brand. Moreover it also provided new information and insight
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into the current standing of Rooh Afza and it's perception in the minds of the consumers. A definitive conclusion was drawn from our research regarding how the brand image can be further enhanced.
We also incorporated elements of a Constructive Research in our project, where after the problems that existed with 'Rooh Afza' brand were identified, we suggested solutions accordingly.
2.2. Research Questions
Following questions were addressed by our research: Brand Perception: Brand perceptions are shaped by functional as well as emotional the customer associates with the product and company.1 Through the help of this study, we tried to find out the various perceptions the consumers have associated with Rooh Afza over the years. Brand Recall: It incorporates the brand recall by the consumer in a particular product and service category. We have used unaided recall methods in our questionnaire to find out the brand recall of Rooh Afza. Brand Loyalty: The concept is defined as consumer's commitment and continued usage of the product by making repeat purchases. The research also helped in finding out the extent of loyalty consumers have developed towards Rooh Afza. Brand Associations: The study also discovered the different associations or linkages the consumers have deep seated in his/her mind about the brand. Usage: The research also studied the consumption and buying patterns of consumers for Rooh Afza.
1
Brand Perception and Decision Making - Infotrends
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2.3. Research Methodology
The research methodology as mentioned before incorporated both primary and secondary research.
2.3.1. Primary Research The primary research with be both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Details of each are as follows:
2.3.1.1 Qualitative Research The qualitative research method used open ended questions and was based on focus groups. Two focus groups were conducted for the completion of the research. Each focus group had 7 to 10 members. The topic of the first focus group was the 'perception of Rooh Afza' that is there in the minds of the consumer. The second focus group revolved around the 'perception of the consumers that use Rooh Afza'.
2.3.1.2 Quantitative Research A survey was conducted using a questionnaire to analyze different aspects of the brand like its awareness, recall and perception. We also had a few mall intercept interviews with housewives who usually make the main buying decision for Rooh Afza in the households. We also made use of observation by selecting three housewives and asked them to prepare a jug of Rooh Afza serving five people. The intent of this observation was to gauge the thickness (number of tablespoons of the syrup used to prepare the juice) and sweetness (amount of sugar used in preparation) of the brand.
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2.3.2. Secondary Research Secondary research used the official website of Hamdard containing detailed information about the brand.
2.4. Sampling Design The sampling design was made keeping in view the intent of the study and convenience in conduction the research.
2.4.1. Target Population The target population for the research has been selected as follows Socio-Economic Class: The target population for the survey consisted of SEC A, B and C. Gender: Males and females will both be a part of the study. However, as females (housewives) make the main buying decision for the brand, they made up a larger proportion of the study. Residential Area: We also tried to ensure that the sample population was taken from all over Karachi. Age Cohorts: The sample target population was a mixture of youth and adults. The reason for this was that the brand in our opinion is consumed by all age cohorts. For the purpose of the study and keeping in view the complexity of the questionnaire, the age range of the target population was 16 and above.
2.4.2. Sample Selection Karachi was selected in terms of convenience sample for the purpose of the study. This is a type of Non-probability sample. However, within Karachi, we have made use of a Probability sample technique for the purpose of our research. This technique was stratified
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random sample where we divided the total population into three mutually exclusive groups based on SEC classification mentioned above. Random samples were drawn from each group. We ensured that we had sufficient proportion of each gender (with more focus on females) and age cohort.
2.4.3. Sample Size The total sample size for our research is 250 which was later reduced due to 238 because of incomplete and illegible questionnaires.
DETAILS OF THE SAMPLE ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 1
Table 1: Sample Size according to Gender, Marital and Employment Status Male Married & Employed Married & Unemployed Single & Employed Single & Unemployed Total 40 0 21 24 85 Female 41 43 29 40 153
The sample target audience was a mixture of retailers, students, teachers, bankers, housewives, maids etc to ensure that we captured respondents from the all the above mentioned Socio-economic classes.
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2.5. Research Instruments
2.5.1. Research Instrument Construction
Focus Group The focus group was another instrument that was the qualitative research method for the study. There were two focus groups with different topics which have been mentioned earlier. The outlines (Appendix X) were used by the moderators during each focus group. Projective techniques and open ended questions dominated the outline of the discussion.
Survey Questionnaire The main research instrument used for the purpose of the study was a questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of twenty eight questions that addressed the research questions mentioned in the earlier part of the report.
Projective techniques The research instrument has questions that made use of unaided recall as well as certain projective techniques. Unaided recall helped in finding out the strength of the imprint the brand has made over the years on the minds of the consumers. Projective techniques were designed to yield information about respondent's personality on the basis of their unrestricted response to ambiguous objects or situations2.
2
Farlex Dictionary
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The Projective Techniques Used In The Questionnaire Are
Sentence Completion The respondents were presented with phrases and were required to complete them. This helped in developing a better understanding of the inner feelings and perceptions about the product.
Picture Association The respondents were shown pictures of people in different social settings and were asked to choose the picture of typical consumer of Rooh Afza. This helped in developing perception of the type of people that consume Rooh Afza.
The questionnaire consisted of both open and closed ended questions. The open ended questions gave consumers the freedom to express their true feelings and sentiments about the product. The closed ended questions made use of several attitude scales. These are as follows:
Likert Scale It is the most commonly used scale in the construction of questionnaires. The scale aimed to find the extent of agreement or disagreement to a certain statement.
Behavior Intention Scale It measured the likelihood that consumers will act in a certain way in the future, such as buying Rooh Afza again or recommending it to their family or friends. The questionnaire is attached in Appendix X
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2.5.2. Instrument Reliability and Validity
An instrument is said to be reliable if the instrument gives results that are consistent each time. The questionnaire has helped us in gathering information about the different aspects of Rooh Afza and the results have been consistent for different clusters of the target audience. The consistency in the responses has helped us in reaching a conclusion on the above mentioned research questions.
The instrument is said to be valid if it measures what it is supposed to check. The questionnaire has also helped in gaining insight into the several research questions mentioned earlier.
Moreover, the focus group outline also helped the discussion to stay focused and we were able to draw conclusions on the basis of the discussion that took place. Hence, the instruments demonstrated both reliability and validity.
2.6. Procedures
The Data Collection and analyzing procedure was a lengthy one and took several days.
2.6.1. Data Collection & Screening Procedures
For the focus groups, mall intercept interviews and observations; all the data was recorded and maintained for later analysis.
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The data collection for the survey was done by making use of paper survey forms that were circulated in various geographical segments of Karachi in the above mentioned target audience. The collection of data was done by personal interaction with the respondents. Out of the initial 250 questionnaires, 12 were rejected due to unclear and illegible responses. As a result, the actual study was based on 238 questionnaires.
2.6.2. Data Entry & Re-checking Procedures
The screening of the questionnaire was done manually and MS Excel was used for the data tabulation. The data was entered for fifty questionnaires at once and then another team mate validated the worksheet. The process was repeated till all the data in the 238 questionnaires was entered into the Excel sheet.
2.7. Summary
The research methodology made use of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The instruments were constructed keeping in view the research objectives so that the study would result in developing a better understanding of Rooh Afza as a brand and its various aspects.
3. BRAND AUDIT
3.1 Introduction
3.1.1 Objectives of Brand Audit
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Rooh Afza is one of the leading brands of Hamdard and it is a well-known in the beverages industry. The objective of our Brand Audit is to find out all the elements that gives the brand its current position in the market. This is basically a product tracking study which has been conducted based on primary and secondary data.
Through this tracking study, we aim to understand consumer needs and trends, competitor analysis, studying the brand elements, assessing brand perception, image, awareness, and the PoP's and PoD's of Rooh Afza. After a thorough analysis of these elements, we explored the sources of Rooh Afza's brand equity. Lastly, we have devised a strategy to improve and leverage the brand's equity.
3.1.2 Scope of Brand Audit The scope of this study has been limited to Karachi only. The target populations in this study include children aged 10+, youth and housewives. Samples have been drawn on a random basis using the probability sampling technique.
3.1.3 Approach used for Brand Audit This audit has been conducted using primary and secondary data. Secondary data was used initially to understand the industry background and get a general idea. Later on, the primary data was used to build up on the information further and get a complete and more current view regarding Rooh Afza.
3.1.4 Social and Cultural Issues One cultural issue that arose while conducting this research was when focus groups were being conducted of females. Their responses were being recorded but they were not very
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comfortable in video recording, therefore a major chunk of the focus group had to be done without it.
Another hindrance came in the form of travelling. Due to security concerns and being females, we could not personally go and visit the SEC C areas though we did not totally neglect the sample belonging to those areas. We made sure we could send over our questionnaire to them through personal contacts and friends.
3.1.5 Ethical Issues A few ethical issues that we encountered and kept in mind while conducting this research were: Voluntary Participation : In most cases, the respondents were recruited on the basis of voluntary participation but in very few and rare instances, the participants had to be coerced a little to get the information out of them Informed Consent: The participants were told clearly about the scope of the research and what purposes the information they disclose will be used for. Their consent was taken and then we would begin our queries. Confidentiality: All data that was collected maintained the utmost level of confidentiality and no personal information that we gathered during the survey has been disclosed, respecting the privacy rights of participants. Anonymity: the participants were always given a free choice if they wanted to disclose their name and other personal information. They were not forced into providing such information and it was ensured that the principle of anonymity is adhered to.
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3.2 Brand
3.2.1 Brand (self-analysis) A sharbat like Rooh Afza has never been produced, nor ever shall be."- Sa'il Dehlavi, poet Rooh Afza, also known as the 'Drink of the East' is a well-known brand in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. The brand has a strong heritage of being connected to Hamdard and has been around for more than 100 years. Rooh Afza is positioned in the market as a refreshing drink. It is available in red syrup form which is a blend of pure crystalline sugar, distilled extracts of citrus flowers, aquas of fruits, vegetables and cooling herbal ingredients processed to impart the stimulating taste and unparallel quality3. There are three reasons that Rooh Afza was considered as Raahat-e-Jan. It has Sugar - gives an instant rush Rose water - gives a fresh feeling
3.2.2 Industry Review Market Structure: Rooh Afza, red syrup, is part of the Beverages Industry. All the players in the Beverages Industry are competing for the share of throat which shows both the direct and indirect competitors for Rooh Afza. The categories in the beverages industry include (i) Non Carbonated Fruit Flavored Beverages; ii) Hot Beverages; iii) Water; and iv) Carbonated Soft Drinks.
3
Hamdard - Official Website
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Our focus is the NCFFB category as red syrups fall under this category. Red Syrups are distinct in the South East Asia region, and have their cultural roots in the tradition of hospitality and the weather of the subcontinent. This region experiences hot summers and hence the origin of the red syrups lies in consuming a sweet, cold and refreshing drink to curb the heat of summers.
Our focus is the NCFFB category as red syrups fall under this category. Red Syrups are distinct in the South East Asia region, and have their cultural roots in the tradition of hospitality and the weather of the subcontinent. This region experiences hot summers and hence the origin of the red syrups lies in consuming a sweet, cold and refreshing drink to curb the heat of summers.
Guests and visitors are served cold drinks in summers and red syrups are still a very popular drink for this purpose. Though consumer dynamics and preference have changed, but red syrups still have a very prominent position in the market, especially in the non urban centers. The famous brands in this category are RoohAfza, Jaam-e-Shireen, Naurus, Tazkeen-e-Rooh, and Rave.
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Market Size: The market size of the red syrup industry is roughly 5 million cases annually, as quoted by the Director Marketing at Hamdard. 3.3 Consumer Analysis 3.3.1 Needs and Wants Social Image of the brand is important : Rooh Afza is perceived as a traditional drink which has strong connection with family values. It is one of the most preferred drinks in the month of Ramadan. The target population of Rooh Afza includes both youth and adults. Based on secondary research, we have observed an increasing trend in the consumption of Rooh Afza by the masses. The consumers of Rooh Afza Includes include people belonging to all income groups. The brand is available in Pakistan (Khi, Lhr, Rwl, Fsl, Hyd, Psh), India and Bangladesh. Busy Lifestyles but Health is important Consumers these days have very busy lifestyles and they hardly get time for themselves. In the midst of all this, consumers are very health-conscious and they do not want to compromise on their well-being. They want look for different food items that are a good source of energy for them and helps them keep on the go. Price-Consciousness Consumers are becoming very price conscious and prefer products that they feel are value for money. Imported brands, though are available in the market, consumers still prefer local brands and find them to be of superior quality. Every penny they spend, they do it after a long decision process.
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Loyalty Pakistani's are generally risk averse and they tend to experiment less on newer brands. Thus consumers tend to be loyal to brands. Beverage is a low-involvement product and consumers tend to buy the brand again and again that satisfies them and delivers quality. Taste is also an important factor in this industry. Consumers are willing to change to other brands of milk, juices or water because their taste buds have been accustomed to one taste. Hence, this forms as another reason for increased loyalty.
3.3.2 Trends & Motivation The trend for convenience food is on the rise these times. Consumers are busy and want to spend less time in the kitchen. They don't have the time to spend on preparing lavish meals. Thus they are moving towards food and drinks that are quick to prepare, replenish lost energy and is healthy.
3.3.3 Perception and Attitude The parent brand name carries a lot of significance in the consumer's mind before they try a new product. If the parent brand is trusted and established, they find it easier to launch their sub-brands in the local market. Hamdard is a very well-known brand and deeplyrooted in the minds of the masses of the sub-continent.
Thus Rooh Afza is considered to be of superior quality and perceived as a healthy drink. It is a drink that has won the trust of consumers for decades and generation to generation, it is being used and consumed. It holds a special place in the life of every consumer and is perceived as a 'holy' drink and the 'Red Bull' of Pakistan. It is considered to be an excellent source of essential water, energy and minerals.
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As quoted in an article, Rooh Afza also enjoys a considerable share in Ramazan's beverage market. Not only does the brand enjoy 'unmatchable customer image and brand equity' in Pakistan, it is well established in India as well, according to industry sources.4
3.3.4 Segmentation and Targeting The target market for Rooh Afza can be segmented on the following basis:
Socio - Demographic From the youngest to the oldest, Rooh Afza is drink that is made for all and loved by all. But specifically, the brand is targeting kids. The rationale behind moving to kids from a family is that the brand feels that they have won over one generation and established their presence as a brand in them. But now, they need to start over again from the new generation. Thus like any product cycle, they are targeting kids so that when they grow they continue to be loyal users of Rooh Afza.
Attitudinal In term of attitude, Rooh Afza targets those individuals who consume different beverages either because they find it an excellent source of energy, to quench their thirst or because certain drinks are a part of family tradition. It is best for people who are engaged in sporty activities or have very demanding work lives.
Volumetric The size of the red syrup market in Pakistan is just approximately 5 million cases annually compared to the huge beverage market. Thus there is a lot of whitespace that exists and Rooh Afza can try and capture the share of its indirect competitors.
4
http://tribune.com.pk/story/47896/how-ramazans-blessings-flow-for-the-beverage-industry/
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3.4 Competitor Analysis The direct competitors of the brand include Naurus and Jam-e- Shireen. Jam-e-Shireen is a product of the Qarshi group and a relatively new player in the red syrup category. However, in about 25 years, the brand has picked up a good market share.
3.4.1 Brand Inventory Jam-Shireen - 800ml, 1500ml and 3000 ml PET bottle and sachet Naurus - Naurus has a huge portfolio of products which include Syrups, suashes, juices, desserts, pickles, chutney, sauces, mayonnaise, spices, halwajat.
3.4.2 Strengths and weaknesses Jam-e-Shieen is strong in its marketing activities and promotions but lacks in distribution. In the rural areas, it has still not able to expand its reach properly.Naurus is an older player than Jam-e-Shireen but has not picked up growth or market share as strongly as them. They were the first ones to launch sugar-free red syrup and were successful in it. However, its promotions remain weak.
3.5 Brand Inventory 3.5.1 Brand Elements Brand Name
The name 'Rooh Afza' has two parts. The word Rooh in Urdu means soul and the word Afza means nourishing. Hence the name itself describes the nature of the product as a drink which is nourishes the soul.5
5
http://namasutra.blogspot.com/2008/09/whats-meaning-of-rooh-afza.html
http://pakistaniat.com/2008/09/30/rooh-afza-milk-red-bull-pakistan/
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Rooh Afza is also popularly known as Mashroob-e-Mashriq. It is a part of Rooh Afza's name only and is part of the name only in all marketing communications of the brand in Pakistan. The phrase Mashroob-e-Mashriq means Drink of the East.
Tagline, Slogan and Jingle Rooh Afza has had various tag lines over the past 100 years. One of the oldest and the most popular tag lines of the brand is Raahat-e-Jaan which means 'happiness for the body' and Mashroob-e-Mashriq which means ' Syrup of the East'. Another popular tagline which came in recent years was 'piyo thanda thanda bolo meetha meetha.' And the most recent tagline which was launched in the 2010 ad is 'Aur kya chahiye.'
Logo The logo of Rooh Afza is a century old unique logo. It is very simple but distinct, and very deeply embedded in the consumers' minds. The logo has the product name written in Urdu, in red. The logo of the parent company, Hamdard is also present in all communications and consumers are very highly familiar with the Hamdard logo.
The logo was designed by Syed Manzooruddin, a famous calligrapher. 6
Packaging Rooh Afza bottles have a distinct shape. It used to be in glass bottles previously but now plastic bottles have been introduced. The cap of the Rooh Afza bottle is different from all the competitors. It is a long cap, golden in color, different from competitors who have round caps.
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Rooh Afza case study from the book ' Mazaar, Bazaar'
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Also, the bottle has a picture showing fruits and all the natural ingredients that are part of the product. This picture shown on the bottle is the same since the past 100 years and so the consumers have started associating this picture with Rooh Afza. More SKUs of the product have also been launched, making it more convenient for consumers.
URL Rooh Afza itself does not have a separate website but information about the product can be obtained from www.hamdard.com/hotproducts.php (Indian Site) or
www.hamdard.com.pk/afza.html (Pakistani Site).
Color, Fragrance, Taste Three distinctive features of Rooh Afza that sets it apart from other red syrups are its color, rosy fragrance and taste. Rooh Afza's taste, fragrance, colour and goodness remains unsurpassed even after 100 years of its creation. Naurus and Jam-e-Shireen tried to take away its No.1 position but failed. Rooh Afza will remain an undisputed leader.
The red color has become synonymous with sweet thirst quenchers, and has lead to many imitations. As they say it 'Every new syrup is red?but every red syrup is not Rooh Afza'.7
Characters/ Brand Ambassadors Rooh Afza is one of the very few products that have managed to survive for more than 100 years without any brand ambassador. It is the only drink that dominated the market without any brand face8. Juhi Chawla is the first celebrity who has endorsed Rooh Afza in India. Juhi was chosen as the ambassador for Rooh Afza as she is an energetic and bubbly
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Rooh Afza case study from the book ' Mazaar, Bazaar' http://www.blogger-index.com/feed499655.html
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person. She was previously in Kurkure, which too was targeting housewives, thus she seems like a perfect fit. However, in Pakistan, no such promotion has occurred.
3.5.2 Criteria for Choosing elements The brand elements of Rooh Afza are memorable, meaningful, likable and protectable. People can easily recall its packaging, color and it being Mashroob-e-Mashriq. The fruits displayed on its label convey the meaning that it is made from fruit extracts. no other brand can copy the logo or design of the brand as they are protected. Thus all other brands that came later, launched their own unique designs.
3.5.3 Core Brand Values Following are the core brand values for Rooh Afza:
T r ustw or th in ess, C ul tur a l An d R e lia b il i ty - ro o h a f z a wa s th e f i rs t re d s y r up t ha t was launched in the sub-continent and for more than 100 years, it has remained c o ns is te n t i n de liv e ri n g q ua l it y. P e o p l e ha ve b e e n us i ng it f o r ge ne ra t io ns a nd c o nti n ue to do s o be c a us e o f the i m m e ns e s a tis f a c tio n t he y ha ve . T h us th e t rus t a nd re lia bi li ty f a c to r is de e pl y ro o te d i n ro o h a f z a . T og eth er ne ss - ro o h a f z a is pe rc e iv e d a s pa r t o f a f a m ily tr a d it io n a n d i t he lps ke e p pe o p le to ge t he r. B e i t s o c ia l ga t he r in gs , e v e n ts o r f r ie nds - ro o h a f z a is a dr in k t ha t s ui ts e ve ry o c c a s io n a n d a ny o ne a n d e ve ryo ne . Th is is c le a r ly de p i c te d in t he i n dia n a dve rt is e me n ts w he re t he ' to ge t he r ne s s ' va l ue is e v ide n tl y pu t ac ro s s . H ea lth y - t he ba s ic in gre di e n ts o f ro o h a f z a ma ke s i t a he a l t hy dri n k a nd the re f o re f ro m ki ds to o l de r pe o ple , i t c a n be c o ns u me d by a ll. I t is a n a l l na t ura l re f re s he r wi t h h e r bs a n d ro s e e x tra c t s , w h ic h ma ke s it a n e xc e l le n t s o u re o f wa t e r , mi ne ra ls a nd e n e r gy.
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R efr e shi ng - a s it is a s we e t d ri n k a nd us ua l ly s e r ve d wi t h ic e , it he l ps in re j u ve na t in g a n d re e ne r giz in g in d ivi d u a ls w ho ne e d t ha t i ns ta n t e ne r gy bo o s t. P iet y a nd pur it y - f o r ma ny , ra ma z a n is no t c o mp le te wi tho u t ro o h a f z a . A f te r bre a ki n g t he f a s t wi t h d a te s , the ne xt t hi ng t ha t pe o p le re a c h o ut to o n t he if t a a r table is this red drink. According to an article, an official at hamdard industries private limited stated :
"Our sales get a real boost in Ramazan. Ramazan for us is a two-month long activity. Wholesalers and retailers start stocking a month before the first fast. Consumers also start purchasing bottles a week before Ramazan starts. Sales in the holy month constitute about 30 per cent of our annual sales." 9
A marketing campaign of the brand once stated that 'fasting is a religious obligation', Rooh Afza makes fulfilling it more pleasant."10
3.5.4 Marketing Programs Rooh Afza has not been very active in Television commercials and promotional campaigns but a lot of focus is on the distribution of the product. This is one of the reasons that the product has a global presence. Since the product is in very high demand during Ramazan, new TVCs are launched in Ramazan.
In India, however, the brand has marketed itself very strongly. A lot of BTL activities in the form of brand activation has been done. Also, recently they have signed up Juhi Chawla as the brand face of Rooh Afza. New TVC's have come up.
9
http://officialpakinfo.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/how-ramazan%E2%80%99s-blessings-flow-for-the-beverageindustry/ 10 Rooh Afza case study from the book ' Mazaar, Bazaar'
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3.5.5 Brand portfolio analysis Hamdard is strong player in the Herbal Products category with around 600 different products. It is associated with 'Health care for the entire family'. The products existing in liquid, semi-solids and solid forms are for all age groups. Most of the products fall in the pharmaceutics category whereas there are other Over-the-counter products like Rooh Afza and cosmetics that have a broader commercial appeal.
Rooh Afza, however has not extended its portfolio. It can be used in several ways such as a syrup for ice creams, falooda, with lemon, mocktails, lassi and many other forms, but the true product remains the same.
3.5.6 Points Of Parity The points of parity for Rooh Afza are that it is a red syrup, has a trusted name like Hamdard attached with, and has ingredients that make it a refreshing drink.
Poin ts Of D if fer en ce The most important Pod for the brand is it positioning and 'Mashroob-e-Mashriq'. It was the first red syrup of the sub-continent and even after 100 years is popularly known as the ' Drink of the East'. It has the First mover's advantage . Other PoDs for Rooh Afza are its difference in Solvency, its Aroma which is different due to the difference in the quantity of rose and other flower ingredients. It is also thicker and sweeter than other competitors.
3.5.7 Branding Strategies The branding strategy of Rooh Afza can be called as brand rejuvenation and brand expansion.
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They have rejuvenated by finding new uses for the product, for instances it is no longer used to drink by adding it with milk or water. It can be used in preparing sweets, over ice creams for children, mocktails for the youth, with lassi for all ages, gola ganda for children, etc. Thus brand usage has increased from the traditional uses.
They have also expanded the brand by exporting Rooh Afza to many countries such as USA, UK and Middle East. As the demand for Rooh Afza is not just local, but where ever people from the sub continent are located, they want to have Rooh Afza. Hence, the product is exported to newer markets.
3.6 Brand Exploratory
3.6.1 Brand Associations
Company - Branding Strategies Hamdard, the parent brand of Rooh Afza has had a Corporate branding strategy. Since Hamdard has a very strong heritage, to capitalize on it, it is always emphasized. On the packaging as well as in the TVC, Hamdard is always mentioned very clearly. The logo and name of the parent brand appears right in the middle and front of Rooh Afza's bottle. Our questionnaire results reveal that a majority of the respondents were able to associate Rooh Afza with Hamdard. And this recognition existed across all classes. 62% of the respondents were able to identify the correct parent brand for Rooh Afza. 21.8% of the respondents associated Rooh Afza with Qarshi - the parent brand for Jam-e-Shireen - Rooh Afza's direct competitor. The highest contributor to this was female respondents belonging to the 'married and unemployed' group of SEC A.
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3.6.2 Consumer Perceptions Analysis Awareness Questions were included to check the recognition and recall of the brand. Rooh Afza rated low on recall levels as most of the consumers when asked about the first word that comes to your mind when asked about a beverage mentioned Nestle juices, Pepsi and Tea. Rooh Afza was mentioned by a mere 5% of the entire sample. Consumers mentioned Rooh Afza only with Ramazan. Apart from that, Rooh Afza had a very low recall with consumers. This implies that the top of the mind recall level of Rooh Afza is very low. This is mainly because Rooh Afza runs promotions very infrequently and so consumers forget the brand with respect to competition which spends heavily on advertisements and promotions.
Associations
A combination of open ended and closed ended questions were used to check the free associations that consumers have with Rooh Afza. Based on the responses to these questions, a mental map was developed for Rooh Afza.
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Favorable Associations
Product Feature In terms of product features that consumers associate with Rooh Afza, responses varied substantially across the three different classes. The four most important features of Rooh Afza for consumers from different classes are summarized below.
SECA TASTE AROMA QUALITY SWEETNES S
SECB AROMA TRUST TASTE SWEETNES S
SECC QUALITY TRUST TASTE SWEETNESS
Sweetness and taste are two attributes which consumers from all classes associated with Rooh Afza. The two attributes are related as well and this implies that consumers have a strong association with the distinct taste that Rooh Afza has. Aroma and quality were not very important for SEC C and SEC B consumers respectively.
Responses obtained in focus groups and probing sessions gave us the insight that the Aroma and taste of Rooh Afza are two aspects which consumers find unique about the brand. Respondents belonging to the Married and Unemployed segment stated that Rooh Afza has an aroma which they associate with rose water.
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Archetypes Brand archetypes are developed to identify those associations that consumers hold in their minds with a particular brand. Our analysis of Rooh Afza consumers' responses revealed various aspects of these associations that enabled us to develop a brand archetype for Rooh Afza. The responses revealed differences in the core associations that the consumers had across different classes, and hence, we developed one archetype held by a consumer of each socio economic class. The archetype was developed along the following lines.
The 'WHO' of Rooh Afza The question was aimed at finding out "Who uses the brand?" and What kind of person uses the brand?" Results revealed for Rooh Afza show that a majority of the consumers from all three classes believe that Rooh Afza is a brand mainly used by the middle class consumers.
SEC A and SEC B respondents perceive Rooh Afza to be a brand for the middle class. SEC C respondents perceive the brand to be popular in both the middle as well as the lower class.
The 'WHEN' and 'WHERE' ofRooh Afza This part of the questionnaire was aimed at finding out the situations when Rooh Afza is used by the consumers. The results reveal that SEC A consumers use it only during Ramadan. This shows limited usage by SEC A for the brand. This result is in line with the perception that SEC A consumers revealed in the earlier part where they stated that they perceive the brand to be more relevant to the middle class consumers. SEC B responses showed that these consumers not only use the brand in Ramadan but also as a drink used for personal consumption in summers.
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SEC C, on the other hand, revealed that their usage situations for Rooh Afza were the highest amongst all the three classes. They not only use it in summers and Ramadan, but also as a drink used for quenching thirst. The purpose for which SEC A and B would use juices, SEC C uses Rooh Afza for those situations as well.
The 'WHY' of Rooh Afza This question was aimed at finding out the reason for having Rooh Afza. This basically highlighted the needs and wants that are being met by people when they drink Rooh Afza. The responses for this part were more or less uniform across all the three classes. All consumers feel relaxed and energized after having the drink. The feeling of contentedness and refreshed is the reason people prefer having Rooh Afza.
The 'HOW' of Rooh Afza This question was aimed at determining the ways in which people use the brand. The responses to this varied across classes. SEC A uses it only at certain occasions and to serve the drink to guests. SEC B uses it as sweet syrup also and so does SEC C. Based on the responses, SEC wise archetypes were developed for Rooh Afza. These are shown below:
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Brand Personality And Values Based on the responses of the questionnaire, focus groups and response collecting activity conducted, the personality of Rooh Afza cab be described as:
"Rooh Afza can be personified as an old family member who is respected and looked up to as someone who is sincere and trusted by all the people in the family. It is someone whose presence in the family is important, both on special occasions as well as on an everyday basis."
Rooh Afza has a very close link with the religious aspect and it is an important part of the overall brand. It is this link that a majority of the respondents associated the trait 'pious' with Rooh Afza. The brand is reliable because it has a lot of experience which comes from its 100 year long history and heritage.
The three main values of Rooh Afza stated by consumers were Family values Reliable Health The figure below shows the major personality traits associated with Rooh Afza.
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Brand responses In order to check the price perception of consumer for Rooh Afza, the findings revealed that a majority of the consumers perceive Rooh Afza as value for money mainly because of the beverage's high viscosity levels. As a result of this, a bottle lasts for a longer period of time compared to competitor brands.
As for the purchase intentions, consumers have developed certain situations where they use Rooh Afza and these situations have developed over a long period of time. These situations do not change because of the brand's inactive promotion to increase usage situations. Thus, a family who uses Rooh Afza for Ramazan will very loyally use Rooh Afza in that situation. Similarly, if a family uses Rooh Afza to serve guests, they will continue to do so. These usage situations have not changed since a long time now.
Brand relationships Behavioral loyalty and substitutability were determined with a few questions aimed at determining to what extent consumers would not switch to competing brands in case Rooh Afza is not available. Results revealed that the loyalty levels are very low in SEC A. This is in line with responses received in other questions which showed that SEC A consumers predominantly consumes Rooh Afza only on occasions and mainly in Ramazan. Hence, their loyalty levels all the year round are low for Rooh Afza as they mainly consume juices and Carbonated drinks as the main beverage.
SEC B responses also revealed low loyalty levels. They mainly consume soft drinks as the main beverage. SEC C showed a high level of behavioral loyalty.
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Brand Usage Analysis
Frequency of Usage The usage of Rooh Afza is the most popular during Ramadan across all classes. The responses to this question clearly show that Rooh Afza is the Drink of Ramadan. Another usage frequency for SEC C is weekly and this is in line with the earlier part where the respondents belonging to SEC C mentioned that they use Rooh Afza in summers and also as a thirst quenching drink.
Spending on Brand SEC A respondents mainly purchase the small bottle due to their limited usage which is mainly in Ramadan and on occasions like family gatherings. SEC B and SEC C mostly purchase the large pack. Though the price of the large pack is higher but since people from these classes have higher and a more regular consumption compared to SEC A, they purchase the large pack.
3.6.4 Brand positioning analysis As stated by Mr. Faizullah Saeed, Director Marketing, Rooh Afza the brand is being positioned as Mashroob - e- Mashriq that is the 'Drink of the East.' This positioning is exclusive for Rooh Afza as the brand is the pioneer in the industry and has very deep roots in the culture of the sub continent. Currently the brand is targeting the kids and is aiming to increase usage situations by showing that the brand can be used as a food ingredient also.
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3.7 Brand Equity
3.7.1 IDENTITY
Brand Salience Rooh Afza is a highly salient brand. It has both a high level of depth and breadth of awareness. Rooh Afza belongs to the Non Carbonated Fruit Flavored Beverages (NCFFB) category. Rooh Afza is red syrup which falls in this category. Depth of Brand Awareness Rooh Afza has a very high depth of brand awareness since the brand has a very strong top of the mind and a very high level of brand recognition. Consumers recall the brand almost instantaneously whenever a red syrup is presented to them. Rooh Afza has a history of almost a hundred years and it is a brand that has been around for generations now. People in our part of the world have grown up with this brand and so the recognition of not only the name but other brand elements are quickly recalled and recognized by consumers. The specific way in which Rooh Afza is written in red font in Urdu, the fruits and flowers picture in the bottle and the typical long golden colored cap of the bottle are all distinguishing features that consumers readily recall.
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Breadth of Brand Awareness A brand's level of breadth of awareness is determined by the span of usage situations that consumers think of when they are making the purchase decision. Rooh Afza has a wide span of these usage situations. Varying from an Iftar drink to a refreshing drink, Rooh Afza is used at various occasions and for various purposes. Usage of Rooh Afza at Iftar is a given fact in most of the households of almost all income groups. People have a very strong association of Rooh Afza with Iftar. Quite a large number of competitors in the beverages category target consumers during Ramazan and they have also been successful in acquiring some share, but the special link that Rooh Afza has with Ramazan and Iftar exists very strongly and competition has not been very successful in breaking this link or in creating such a link for their products. Hence, Iftar is one of the special usage situations that Rooh Afza is consumed in. Apart from Iftar, Rooh Afza is used widely as a refreshing drink that makes you feel fresh and energized. Since Rooh Afza has a long history in the sub continent and coming from Hamdard, its fruit and flower extract ingredients make the drink a healthy beverage and a drink that is most suited according to the weather of the sub continent. Since the subcontinent has scorching summers, Rooh Afza is the 'ultimate summer drink' which suits the climate of the East. Another very important usage situation is the use of Rooh Afza as a sweetener in desserts such as Gola Ganda, Falooda and ice creams. Thus, Rooh Afza has a strong presence across various usage situation giving it a high breadth of awareness in the consumers' mind.
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3.7.2 Meaning
Performance
Imagery
Fruit, Flower and vegetable extracts; High reliability; Distict Aroma;
Used by people of all age groups; more usage in middle and lower class, occasional usage in SEC A; Used for Iftar, daily consumption and sweetener for desserts etc; An old family member who is respected and relied upon; values of togetherness, refreshing; strong heritage purity and
Economical
Performance Rooh Afza has been consistently performing up to the mark since decades now and consumers always associate high quality and reliability with Rooh Afza. The brand has never failed to meet customers' expectations and this has made consumers dependable on Rooh Afza.
Primary Ingredients and Secondary Features Rooh Afza's primary ingredients are the fruit and flower extracts which give the drink a certain distinct taste and aroma. The red syrup has cooling herbal ingredients processed with sugar and fruit, flower and vegetable extracts making it a healthy and energizing drink.
Reliability Rooh Afza scores very high on reliability. The brand has maintained its quality and taste consistently for almost 100 years now and there has not been a single instance when
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Rooh Afza had any quality issues. Consumers trust Rooh Afza for the delivery of quality they have complete confidence that every time they purchase a bottle of Rooh Afza, it will give them exactly the same taste and quality.
Aroma The aroma of Rooh Afza is distinct because of the presence of rose water and a special composition of aqua and vegetable extracts. Consumers have a strong association with this special aroma of Rooh Afza as this is different from all the competing brands in the same category.
Price Rooh Afza being a local brand is very economical in terms of pricing. Rooh Afza is used across all income groups and this shows that the brand is affordable and fairly priced. In fact, consumers in SEC C consume Rooh Afza more regularly as a drink used for personal consumption because these consumers are unable to afford the branded juices and imported drinks. Also, due to its high viscosity, the quantity used in making each glass of the drink is very reasonable and so a bottle of Rooh Afza lasts for quite a substantial period of time, giving good value for money to the consumers.
IMAGERY
User Profiles Rooh Afza is popular amongst people of all age groups and all social classes. Though the purchase decision maker is mostly the female (housewife, mother or the grand mother) who purchases the grocery items for the household every month, the purchase decision
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is influenced by both children and males. Thus, Rooh Afza is used by anyone and everyone.
Purchase and Usage Situations The various usage situations of Rooh Afza have been discussed above and these vary across the socio economic classes. As for the purchase situation, Rooh Afza is available not only in supermarkets but it is present with retailers as well as the high frequency stores.
Brand Personality Rooh Afza can be personified as an old family member who is respected and looked up to as someone whom is is sincere and trusted by all the people in the family. It is someone whose presence in the family is important, both on special occasions as well as on an everyday basis.
Brand Values The core brand values of Rooh Afza are trust worthiness, reliability, togetherness, healthy, refreshing and purity. These values have been discussed in detail in earlier part of the report.
History, Heritage and Experience Popularly known as the 'Drink of the East,' Rooh Afza has very deep cultural roots. It is specially made as a drink that suits the climate of the East and this is where Rooh Afza stands apart from all the imported and other brands in the category. Rooh Afza is perhaps the oldest brand in the category. Completing 90 years, the brand has a long success story to boast of.
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The parent brand Hamdard also has a very old presence in the sub continent and this greatly adds to Rooh Afza's image of an experienced brand. Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed, who was the founder of Hamdard, had been established in India in 1906. And since then, Hamdard has always been associated with high quality herbs and medicines. Belonging to such an experienced parent brand, Rooh Afza comes with a very strong historical presence and expertise in the field. Response
Judgments
Feelings
High Quality; Strong consideration; Highest Credibility; Most superior
Warmth; Excitement; Social Healthy; Security
Approval;
Judgment
Quality The perceived quality of Rooh Afza is very high mainly due to its consistent performance and its strong heritage and experience. Rooh Afza has never faltered on quality and its delivery on quality has always stayed constant. With every purchase that the consumers make of the brand, Rooh Afza is the same. Credibility Rooh Afza is the market leader and its association with Hamdard makes it competent as well as dependable. The brand is highly likable as it is a healthy and refreshing drink.
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Consumers associate energy and getting a cooling effect from it. All these factors give Rooh Afza a high score on the credibility front. Brand Consideration Rooh Afza has been present for generations and people have grown up with this brand. This makes them not only attached towards Rooh Afza make it a permanent part of their consideration set. Presence of Rooh Afza in the household regular purchase items is a must, making the brand strong on consideration as well. Brand Superiority Strong parent brand, a first mover in the category and sustainable performance for almost a century all add to the superiority of Rooh Afza which no other brand in the category has. Its cultural roots, aocial presence and acceptance and healthy ingredients make it a 'give it all' drink.
FEELINGS Consumers have the following reactions and emotional feelings towards Rooh Afza as a brand: Warmth: Consumers feel attached to Rooh Afza and they have a warm hearted feeling towards the brand. Excitement: Consumers feel energized and refreshed after having a glass of Rooh Afza and its cooling effect makes them feel relaxed in summers. Security: Rooh Afza is like an old friend for the consumers and so there is a very strong sense of trust and security associated with the brand. Social Approval: Rooh Afza has a very strong social and cultural presence and in a large number of households, Rooh Afza is the drink served to guests and used on special occasions like Eid.
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Healthy: Since Rooh Afza is mainly made up of natural ingredients, it is considered as a drink that is healthy and can be consumed by people of all ages such as children, old people and young ones too. Relationship
A. Resonance
Rooh Afza has a very strong bond with its consumers. It's a drink that people have grown up with and that gives them a very strong feeling of attachment towards the brand. For a consumer, it is a drink that his/her great grand mother used for the family, a drink that he/she had in childhood and so a very high sense of loyalty exists amongst consumers for Rooh Afza. It is just like a family tradition which is not subject to change.
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Recommendations
After having our interview with the Chairperson of Hamdard, Ms. Sadia and the Director Marketing, Mr. Syed Faizullah, we learnt that Rooh Afza has a certain criteria while conducting its marketing activities. An activity or initiative that has to be under taken, has to meet the following requirements and only then they would be approved by the Board. Activities have to be
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Cultural Islamic In line with Hakim Saeed's image Not at all risky Not expensive
Despite the fact that the brand is facing tough competition in the beverage industry, they still don't invest heavily in marketing as they feel the brand is strong enough to survive on its own. Hamdard is basically a 'Waqf' or 'foundation' and all profits or earnings of the company are dedicated to the foundation. Thus, before investing in marketing, they need to justify it very strongly and be very sure of its positive results. Else, no new initiative is taken. Based on the guidelines given by the company, we prpose the following recommendations for Rooh Afza:
Brand Rejuvenation
During our research we found out that Rooh Afza has lost its relevance with SEC A and they don't consider it as an all-season drink. They consume it only in Ramzan and not all the year round. Even though Rooh Afza can be used for other purposes rather than the drink format, they still don't use it. We suggest that the brand needs to rejuvenate itself most importantly first because once the brand is established strongly in the consumers mind, the brand can then leverage this in the future. This can be done through two-ways: Increase usage and frequency amongst existing users Find new users for the brand
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None of the brand elements need to be changed as the consumers identify strongly with the current elements. However, a great majority of them did not know about the current tagline of the brand. They could also not recall the advertisement, thus we have developed a few steps that Rooh Afza should follow in the first year of its rejuvenation.
Ramzan Roza Kushai Rooh afza can sponsor parties for kids who have their 'Roza Khushai' in Ramzan. As Rooh Afza and Ramzan go strongly together, the brand should increase its presence further in this month. Lucky draws can be held where different kids can fill in their details behind the label of Rooh Afza and send it to the company. The lucky winners will have their 'roza khushai' hosted by the Rooh Afza team.
Story With Morals And Placing Rooh Afza In Them To support the idea of the public service messages and educating the society, the brand can also print leaflets that contain small stories with morals int hem. The characters in the story can drink Rooh Afza, like Hakim Saeed always incorporated in Naunehal. These leaflets can be distributed in schools that the brand is targeting.
Sports events in schools As the brand is always about health and providing energy, Rooh Afza can sponsor sports events in schools and when children end their activity, they can be given a refreshing glass of Rooh Afza to get back their energy.
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Summer Kiosks The brand can also hold different activation activities outside malls and bazaars in summers like the placement of kiosks offering Rooh Afza to the people visiting malls and bazaars. This way the brand can increase its presence and resonance with the consumers. The above recommendations are in the line with the brand image and vision, which we know are not the most commonly used practices in today's time. However, as a group we also suggest some newer ways of promoting the brand which might not meet the criteria set by the company, but are bound to be effective in promoting the brand.
Brand Development
Aggressive Marketing / Print Rooh Afza needs to be more aggressive in their marketing strategy. During our research, we realized that a great majority of the people do not remember the advertisements or the tagline of the product. Instead, they remember the competitors' ads and taglines. The brand needs to have more catchy slogans and ads that are unique.
New bottle for topping As Rooh Afza is commonly used as a topping for desserts and other sweet items, the company should develop a special cap in a smaller format that can be used just for this purpose.
Co branding with Rafhan Rooh Afza can also cop brand itself with brands or products that are commonly used with Rooh Afza. For instance, when Rafhan custards are made, Rooh Afza can be available with them in small sachets to be used in tandem while preparing the product.
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Pakistan - India Dosti Mushairay As Rooh Afza was initially introduced in India and later it came to Pakistan after hakim Saeed's migration, the brand has its association and presence in the sub-continent for long. In the line with the brand image, Rooh Afza can sponsor the Pak-india dosti Mushairay that come on different channels during special events. Geo and Times of India started 'Aman ki aasha', a special programme that talks about the two nations. Also, another programme called 'Sallana Pak-Hind Aalimi Mushaira' takes place at the Arts council or Saadat-e-Amroha Hall - both events are relevant to the brand.
e. 'Rooh Afza' Iftar Party As Rooh Afza is associated very strongly with Ramzan, Rooh Afza should be more active in its promotions during this month to achieve our first objective. Rooh Afza can host an Iftar party where everyone will be invited to come and celebrate their Ramzan and experience the brand.
Sponsoring We also recommend that Rooh Afza should sponsor iftar special shows in Ramzan on channels like Hum Tv and Samaa. The reason for not choosing ARY Digital and Geo is that as they are too expensive, the company might not find it very worthy. However, by going on Samaa and Hum, we are not compromising on the audience composition.
Public service messages by Rooh Afza Rooh Afza could make a 30-40 sec short public service message and run it on different TV channels. The idea behind this is that it goes with the idea and vision of Hakim Saeed to Build Pakistan and educate the society for the better. A character slightly above 60years of
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age will talk about good society practices with a 7 year old boy and Rooh Afza would be placed in the background. As the target market of the brand is kids, thus this is a good way to educate values to kids and connect easily with the target market.
Brand Extensions
Ready-to-drink form As Rooh Afza is targeting the teens and kids, the brand should extend itself in the on-the-go category and be available in the ready-to-drink format. This is the new trend these days as consumers don't have the time and want quick solutions to energy boosting alternatives.
Flavoured Milk As Rooh Afza is widely consumed with milk and is a perfect drink to chill in the summers, it is suitable for it to extend as a flavoured milk and be available in TetraPak.Just like Pakola flavoured milk, Owsum and Milo are very popular amongst kids, Rooh Afza flavoured milk is bound to appeal to their taste too.
Sugar free Rooh Afza Rooh Afza has a avey old association and history with its current consumers. Many elderlies, whose childhood favourite drink used to be Rooh Afza, can no longer consume it due to its sweetness and different ailments like Diabetes. They are unable to enjoy the drink that they hold great associations with, thus the brand should be available in a sugarfree format to be able to re-connect with the old users. Jam-e-Shireen and Naurus have already extended in this category, but Rooh Afza still hasn't.
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doc_878263743.docx
Research Reports for Prospects and Challenges for Soft Drinks Industry:- In certain systems for object-oriented programming such as the Common Lisp Object System[1] and Dylan, a generic function is an entity made up of all methods having the same name.
Research Reports for Prospects and Challenges for Soft Drinks Industry
ABSTRACT
The aim of this research was to determine the health of Rooh Afza as a brand and determine the effectiveness of the brand's marketing programs. The study used qualitative and quantitative research methods to develop an understanding of the consumer's perception regarding Rooh Afza. Also, a perspective from the brand's management was included by meeting the Marketing Director and Chairman of Hamdard foundation, the parent company of Rooh Afza.
As far as the health of the brand is concerned, consumer responses revealed that due to Rooh Afza's 100 year presence in our part of the world, it has been the childhood drink for most of the consumers. But since the brand has had a very minimal presence on the ATL and
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the BTL front, consumers have lost their recall for the brand vis a vis competition (both direct and indirect)which not only advertises heavily but has also come up with extensions and modifications to the product. Rooh Afza has been at a standstill since it was established and so it has lost on maintaining the same relevance with the newer generations which have been attracted and tapped by the Nestles and Pepsis of the world.
The management is of the view that they do not want Rooh Afza to change in the way it has been. Though they are looking into some extensions, the approach in that area is not very aggressive.
Based on our analysis, we feel that the brand still ahs very strong roots and consumers still have a very strong association with the brand. It is just that these associations have gone at the back of the consumers' mind. We recommend strategies to the management for both brand extension as well as brand development. These recommendations have been based on both the consumer insights that we gathered as well as the management's perspective on the brand.
1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Introduction
Rooh Afza is one of the oldest local brands of our country. Each one of us has grown up with this brand and we still use it with varying degrees. We conducted this study to determine the brand perception of Rooh Afza amongst consumers and based on this to determine a future way forward for the brand. The analysis conducted includes not only the consumers' perception but also the management's perspective on the brand and its future strategies, followed by how we, as brand students see the brand should move.
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1.2 Need Of Study
The reason we chose Rooh Afza as the brand to conduct our study was because this is one brand that all of us have consumed, experienced and have a certain level of attachment with it. It is the oldest local brand but there has been no formal study done on this brand in so many years. We tried to come up with an analysis which can analyze the brand's past and present to recommend a future for the brand that has deep roots in our culture and has been a part of our lives since generations.
TARGET AUDIENCE
The target audience of our report is not only the students of our class and the instructor but also the management of Rooh Afza and Hamdard group. Also, the report can be useful for people who are planning to work on local brands in the future.
2. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
2.1. Introduction
The study incorporated both primary and secondary research to understand more about the brand 'Rooh Afza'. Secondary research was done using the official website of Rooh Afza. Primary research used different tools that would help in gathering data directly from the consumers.
The research can be classified as an Exploratory Research as the research helped in exploring 'Rooh Afza' as a brand. Moreover it also provided new information and insight
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into the current standing of Rooh Afza and it's perception in the minds of the consumers. A definitive conclusion was drawn from our research regarding how the brand image can be further enhanced.
We also incorporated elements of a Constructive Research in our project, where after the problems that existed with 'Rooh Afza' brand were identified, we suggested solutions accordingly.
2.2. Research Questions
Following questions were addressed by our research: Brand Perception: Brand perceptions are shaped by functional as well as emotional the customer associates with the product and company.1 Through the help of this study, we tried to find out the various perceptions the consumers have associated with Rooh Afza over the years. Brand Recall: It incorporates the brand recall by the consumer in a particular product and service category. We have used unaided recall methods in our questionnaire to find out the brand recall of Rooh Afza. Brand Loyalty: The concept is defined as consumer's commitment and continued usage of the product by making repeat purchases. The research also helped in finding out the extent of loyalty consumers have developed towards Rooh Afza. Brand Associations: The study also discovered the different associations or linkages the consumers have deep seated in his/her mind about the brand. Usage: The research also studied the consumption and buying patterns of consumers for Rooh Afza.
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Brand Perception and Decision Making - Infotrends
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2.3. Research Methodology
The research methodology as mentioned before incorporated both primary and secondary research.
2.3.1. Primary Research The primary research with be both qualitative and quantitative in nature. Details of each are as follows:
2.3.1.1 Qualitative Research The qualitative research method used open ended questions and was based on focus groups. Two focus groups were conducted for the completion of the research. Each focus group had 7 to 10 members. The topic of the first focus group was the 'perception of Rooh Afza' that is there in the minds of the consumer. The second focus group revolved around the 'perception of the consumers that use Rooh Afza'.
2.3.1.2 Quantitative Research A survey was conducted using a questionnaire to analyze different aspects of the brand like its awareness, recall and perception. We also had a few mall intercept interviews with housewives who usually make the main buying decision for Rooh Afza in the households. We also made use of observation by selecting three housewives and asked them to prepare a jug of Rooh Afza serving five people. The intent of this observation was to gauge the thickness (number of tablespoons of the syrup used to prepare the juice) and sweetness (amount of sugar used in preparation) of the brand.
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2.3.2. Secondary Research Secondary research used the official website of Hamdard containing detailed information about the brand.
2.4. Sampling Design The sampling design was made keeping in view the intent of the study and convenience in conduction the research.
2.4.1. Target Population The target population for the research has been selected as follows Socio-Economic Class: The target population for the survey consisted of SEC A, B and C. Gender: Males and females will both be a part of the study. However, as females (housewives) make the main buying decision for the brand, they made up a larger proportion of the study. Residential Area: We also tried to ensure that the sample population was taken from all over Karachi. Age Cohorts: The sample target population was a mixture of youth and adults. The reason for this was that the brand in our opinion is consumed by all age cohorts. For the purpose of the study and keeping in view the complexity of the questionnaire, the age range of the target population was 16 and above.
2.4.2. Sample Selection Karachi was selected in terms of convenience sample for the purpose of the study. This is a type of Non-probability sample. However, within Karachi, we have made use of a Probability sample technique for the purpose of our research. This technique was stratified
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random sample where we divided the total population into three mutually exclusive groups based on SEC classification mentioned above. Random samples were drawn from each group. We ensured that we had sufficient proportion of each gender (with more focus on females) and age cohort.
2.4.3. Sample Size The total sample size for our research is 250 which was later reduced due to 238 because of incomplete and illegible questionnaires.
DETAILS OF THE SAMPLE ARE SHOWN IN TABLE 1
Table 1: Sample Size according to Gender, Marital and Employment Status Male Married & Employed Married & Unemployed Single & Employed Single & Unemployed Total 40 0 21 24 85 Female 41 43 29 40 153
The sample target audience was a mixture of retailers, students, teachers, bankers, housewives, maids etc to ensure that we captured respondents from the all the above mentioned Socio-economic classes.
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2.5. Research Instruments
2.5.1. Research Instrument Construction
Focus Group The focus group was another instrument that was the qualitative research method for the study. There were two focus groups with different topics which have been mentioned earlier. The outlines (Appendix X) were used by the moderators during each focus group. Projective techniques and open ended questions dominated the outline of the discussion.
Survey Questionnaire The main research instrument used for the purpose of the study was a questionnaire. The questionnaire consisted of twenty eight questions that addressed the research questions mentioned in the earlier part of the report.
Projective techniques The research instrument has questions that made use of unaided recall as well as certain projective techniques. Unaided recall helped in finding out the strength of the imprint the brand has made over the years on the minds of the consumers. Projective techniques were designed to yield information about respondent's personality on the basis of their unrestricted response to ambiguous objects or situations2.
2
Farlex Dictionary
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The Projective Techniques Used In The Questionnaire Are
Sentence Completion The respondents were presented with phrases and were required to complete them. This helped in developing a better understanding of the inner feelings and perceptions about the product.
Picture Association The respondents were shown pictures of people in different social settings and were asked to choose the picture of typical consumer of Rooh Afza. This helped in developing perception of the type of people that consume Rooh Afza.
The questionnaire consisted of both open and closed ended questions. The open ended questions gave consumers the freedom to express their true feelings and sentiments about the product. The closed ended questions made use of several attitude scales. These are as follows:
Likert Scale It is the most commonly used scale in the construction of questionnaires. The scale aimed to find the extent of agreement or disagreement to a certain statement.
Behavior Intention Scale It measured the likelihood that consumers will act in a certain way in the future, such as buying Rooh Afza again or recommending it to their family or friends. The questionnaire is attached in Appendix X
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2.5.2. Instrument Reliability and Validity
An instrument is said to be reliable if the instrument gives results that are consistent each time. The questionnaire has helped us in gathering information about the different aspects of Rooh Afza and the results have been consistent for different clusters of the target audience. The consistency in the responses has helped us in reaching a conclusion on the above mentioned research questions.
The instrument is said to be valid if it measures what it is supposed to check. The questionnaire has also helped in gaining insight into the several research questions mentioned earlier.
Moreover, the focus group outline also helped the discussion to stay focused and we were able to draw conclusions on the basis of the discussion that took place. Hence, the instruments demonstrated both reliability and validity.
2.6. Procedures
The Data Collection and analyzing procedure was a lengthy one and took several days.
2.6.1. Data Collection & Screening Procedures
For the focus groups, mall intercept interviews and observations; all the data was recorded and maintained for later analysis.
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The data collection for the survey was done by making use of paper survey forms that were circulated in various geographical segments of Karachi in the above mentioned target audience. The collection of data was done by personal interaction with the respondents. Out of the initial 250 questionnaires, 12 were rejected due to unclear and illegible responses. As a result, the actual study was based on 238 questionnaires.
2.6.2. Data Entry & Re-checking Procedures
The screening of the questionnaire was done manually and MS Excel was used for the data tabulation. The data was entered for fifty questionnaires at once and then another team mate validated the worksheet. The process was repeated till all the data in the 238 questionnaires was entered into the Excel sheet.
2.7. Summary
The research methodology made use of qualitative and quantitative research methods. The instruments were constructed keeping in view the research objectives so that the study would result in developing a better understanding of Rooh Afza as a brand and its various aspects.
3. BRAND AUDIT
3.1 Introduction
3.1.1 Objectives of Brand Audit
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Rooh Afza is one of the leading brands of Hamdard and it is a well-known in the beverages industry. The objective of our Brand Audit is to find out all the elements that gives the brand its current position in the market. This is basically a product tracking study which has been conducted based on primary and secondary data.
Through this tracking study, we aim to understand consumer needs and trends, competitor analysis, studying the brand elements, assessing brand perception, image, awareness, and the PoP's and PoD's of Rooh Afza. After a thorough analysis of these elements, we explored the sources of Rooh Afza's brand equity. Lastly, we have devised a strategy to improve and leverage the brand's equity.
3.1.2 Scope of Brand Audit The scope of this study has been limited to Karachi only. The target populations in this study include children aged 10+, youth and housewives. Samples have been drawn on a random basis using the probability sampling technique.
3.1.3 Approach used for Brand Audit This audit has been conducted using primary and secondary data. Secondary data was used initially to understand the industry background and get a general idea. Later on, the primary data was used to build up on the information further and get a complete and more current view regarding Rooh Afza.
3.1.4 Social and Cultural Issues One cultural issue that arose while conducting this research was when focus groups were being conducted of females. Their responses were being recorded but they were not very
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comfortable in video recording, therefore a major chunk of the focus group had to be done without it.
Another hindrance came in the form of travelling. Due to security concerns and being females, we could not personally go and visit the SEC C areas though we did not totally neglect the sample belonging to those areas. We made sure we could send over our questionnaire to them through personal contacts and friends.
3.1.5 Ethical Issues A few ethical issues that we encountered and kept in mind while conducting this research were: Voluntary Participation : In most cases, the respondents were recruited on the basis of voluntary participation but in very few and rare instances, the participants had to be coerced a little to get the information out of them Informed Consent: The participants were told clearly about the scope of the research and what purposes the information they disclose will be used for. Their consent was taken and then we would begin our queries. Confidentiality: All data that was collected maintained the utmost level of confidentiality and no personal information that we gathered during the survey has been disclosed, respecting the privacy rights of participants. Anonymity: the participants were always given a free choice if they wanted to disclose their name and other personal information. They were not forced into providing such information and it was ensured that the principle of anonymity is adhered to.
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3.2 Brand
3.2.1 Brand (self-analysis) A sharbat like Rooh Afza has never been produced, nor ever shall be."- Sa'il Dehlavi, poet Rooh Afza, also known as the 'Drink of the East' is a well-known brand in Pakistan, India and Bangladesh. The brand has a strong heritage of being connected to Hamdard and has been around for more than 100 years. Rooh Afza is positioned in the market as a refreshing drink. It is available in red syrup form which is a blend of pure crystalline sugar, distilled extracts of citrus flowers, aquas of fruits, vegetables and cooling herbal ingredients processed to impart the stimulating taste and unparallel quality3. There are three reasons that Rooh Afza was considered as Raahat-e-Jan. It has Sugar - gives an instant rush Rose water - gives a fresh feeling
3.2.2 Industry Review Market Structure: Rooh Afza, red syrup, is part of the Beverages Industry. All the players in the Beverages Industry are competing for the share of throat which shows both the direct and indirect competitors for Rooh Afza. The categories in the beverages industry include (i) Non Carbonated Fruit Flavored Beverages; ii) Hot Beverages; iii) Water; and iv) Carbonated Soft Drinks.
3
Hamdard - Official Website
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Our focus is the NCFFB category as red syrups fall under this category. Red Syrups are distinct in the South East Asia region, and have their cultural roots in the tradition of hospitality and the weather of the subcontinent. This region experiences hot summers and hence the origin of the red syrups lies in consuming a sweet, cold and refreshing drink to curb the heat of summers.
Our focus is the NCFFB category as red syrups fall under this category. Red Syrups are distinct in the South East Asia region, and have their cultural roots in the tradition of hospitality and the weather of the subcontinent. This region experiences hot summers and hence the origin of the red syrups lies in consuming a sweet, cold and refreshing drink to curb the heat of summers.
Guests and visitors are served cold drinks in summers and red syrups are still a very popular drink for this purpose. Though consumer dynamics and preference have changed, but red syrups still have a very prominent position in the market, especially in the non urban centers. The famous brands in this category are RoohAfza, Jaam-e-Shireen, Naurus, Tazkeen-e-Rooh, and Rave.
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Market Size: The market size of the red syrup industry is roughly 5 million cases annually, as quoted by the Director Marketing at Hamdard. 3.3 Consumer Analysis 3.3.1 Needs and Wants Social Image of the brand is important : Rooh Afza is perceived as a traditional drink which has strong connection with family values. It is one of the most preferred drinks in the month of Ramadan. The target population of Rooh Afza includes both youth and adults. Based on secondary research, we have observed an increasing trend in the consumption of Rooh Afza by the masses. The consumers of Rooh Afza Includes include people belonging to all income groups. The brand is available in Pakistan (Khi, Lhr, Rwl, Fsl, Hyd, Psh), India and Bangladesh. Busy Lifestyles but Health is important Consumers these days have very busy lifestyles and they hardly get time for themselves. In the midst of all this, consumers are very health-conscious and they do not want to compromise on their well-being. They want look for different food items that are a good source of energy for them and helps them keep on the go. Price-Consciousness Consumers are becoming very price conscious and prefer products that they feel are value for money. Imported brands, though are available in the market, consumers still prefer local brands and find them to be of superior quality. Every penny they spend, they do it after a long decision process.
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Loyalty Pakistani's are generally risk averse and they tend to experiment less on newer brands. Thus consumers tend to be loyal to brands. Beverage is a low-involvement product and consumers tend to buy the brand again and again that satisfies them and delivers quality. Taste is also an important factor in this industry. Consumers are willing to change to other brands of milk, juices or water because their taste buds have been accustomed to one taste. Hence, this forms as another reason for increased loyalty.
3.3.2 Trends & Motivation The trend for convenience food is on the rise these times. Consumers are busy and want to spend less time in the kitchen. They don't have the time to spend on preparing lavish meals. Thus they are moving towards food and drinks that are quick to prepare, replenish lost energy and is healthy.
3.3.3 Perception and Attitude The parent brand name carries a lot of significance in the consumer's mind before they try a new product. If the parent brand is trusted and established, they find it easier to launch their sub-brands in the local market. Hamdard is a very well-known brand and deeplyrooted in the minds of the masses of the sub-continent.
Thus Rooh Afza is considered to be of superior quality and perceived as a healthy drink. It is a drink that has won the trust of consumers for decades and generation to generation, it is being used and consumed. It holds a special place in the life of every consumer and is perceived as a 'holy' drink and the 'Red Bull' of Pakistan. It is considered to be an excellent source of essential water, energy and minerals.
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As quoted in an article, Rooh Afza also enjoys a considerable share in Ramazan's beverage market. Not only does the brand enjoy 'unmatchable customer image and brand equity' in Pakistan, it is well established in India as well, according to industry sources.4
3.3.4 Segmentation and Targeting The target market for Rooh Afza can be segmented on the following basis:
Socio - Demographic From the youngest to the oldest, Rooh Afza is drink that is made for all and loved by all. But specifically, the brand is targeting kids. The rationale behind moving to kids from a family is that the brand feels that they have won over one generation and established their presence as a brand in them. But now, they need to start over again from the new generation. Thus like any product cycle, they are targeting kids so that when they grow they continue to be loyal users of Rooh Afza.
Attitudinal In term of attitude, Rooh Afza targets those individuals who consume different beverages either because they find it an excellent source of energy, to quench their thirst or because certain drinks are a part of family tradition. It is best for people who are engaged in sporty activities or have very demanding work lives.
Volumetric The size of the red syrup market in Pakistan is just approximately 5 million cases annually compared to the huge beverage market. Thus there is a lot of whitespace that exists and Rooh Afza can try and capture the share of its indirect competitors.
4
http://tribune.com.pk/story/47896/how-ramazans-blessings-flow-for-the-beverage-industry/
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3.4 Competitor Analysis The direct competitors of the brand include Naurus and Jam-e- Shireen. Jam-e-Shireen is a product of the Qarshi group and a relatively new player in the red syrup category. However, in about 25 years, the brand has picked up a good market share.
3.4.1 Brand Inventory Jam-Shireen - 800ml, 1500ml and 3000 ml PET bottle and sachet Naurus - Naurus has a huge portfolio of products which include Syrups, suashes, juices, desserts, pickles, chutney, sauces, mayonnaise, spices, halwajat.
3.4.2 Strengths and weaknesses Jam-e-Shieen is strong in its marketing activities and promotions but lacks in distribution. In the rural areas, it has still not able to expand its reach properly.Naurus is an older player than Jam-e-Shireen but has not picked up growth or market share as strongly as them. They were the first ones to launch sugar-free red syrup and were successful in it. However, its promotions remain weak.
3.5 Brand Inventory 3.5.1 Brand Elements Brand Name
The name 'Rooh Afza' has two parts. The word Rooh in Urdu means soul and the word Afza means nourishing. Hence the name itself describes the nature of the product as a drink which is nourishes the soul.5
5
http://namasutra.blogspot.com/2008/09/whats-meaning-of-rooh-afza.html
http://pakistaniat.com/2008/09/30/rooh-afza-milk-red-bull-pakistan/
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Rooh Afza is also popularly known as Mashroob-e-Mashriq. It is a part of Rooh Afza's name only and is part of the name only in all marketing communications of the brand in Pakistan. The phrase Mashroob-e-Mashriq means Drink of the East.
Tagline, Slogan and Jingle Rooh Afza has had various tag lines over the past 100 years. One of the oldest and the most popular tag lines of the brand is Raahat-e-Jaan which means 'happiness for the body' and Mashroob-e-Mashriq which means ' Syrup of the East'. Another popular tagline which came in recent years was 'piyo thanda thanda bolo meetha meetha.' And the most recent tagline which was launched in the 2010 ad is 'Aur kya chahiye.'
Logo The logo of Rooh Afza is a century old unique logo. It is very simple but distinct, and very deeply embedded in the consumers' minds. The logo has the product name written in Urdu, in red. The logo of the parent company, Hamdard is also present in all communications and consumers are very highly familiar with the Hamdard logo.
The logo was designed by Syed Manzooruddin, a famous calligrapher. 6
Packaging Rooh Afza bottles have a distinct shape. It used to be in glass bottles previously but now plastic bottles have been introduced. The cap of the Rooh Afza bottle is different from all the competitors. It is a long cap, golden in color, different from competitors who have round caps.
6
Rooh Afza case study from the book ' Mazaar, Bazaar'
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Also, the bottle has a picture showing fruits and all the natural ingredients that are part of the product. This picture shown on the bottle is the same since the past 100 years and so the consumers have started associating this picture with Rooh Afza. More SKUs of the product have also been launched, making it more convenient for consumers.
URL Rooh Afza itself does not have a separate website but information about the product can be obtained from www.hamdard.com/hotproducts.php (Indian Site) or
www.hamdard.com.pk/afza.html (Pakistani Site).
Color, Fragrance, Taste Three distinctive features of Rooh Afza that sets it apart from other red syrups are its color, rosy fragrance and taste. Rooh Afza's taste, fragrance, colour and goodness remains unsurpassed even after 100 years of its creation. Naurus and Jam-e-Shireen tried to take away its No.1 position but failed. Rooh Afza will remain an undisputed leader.
The red color has become synonymous with sweet thirst quenchers, and has lead to many imitations. As they say it 'Every new syrup is red?but every red syrup is not Rooh Afza'.7
Characters/ Brand Ambassadors Rooh Afza is one of the very few products that have managed to survive for more than 100 years without any brand ambassador. It is the only drink that dominated the market without any brand face8. Juhi Chawla is the first celebrity who has endorsed Rooh Afza in India. Juhi was chosen as the ambassador for Rooh Afza as she is an energetic and bubbly
7 8
Rooh Afza case study from the book ' Mazaar, Bazaar' http://www.blogger-index.com/feed499655.html
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person. She was previously in Kurkure, which too was targeting housewives, thus she seems like a perfect fit. However, in Pakistan, no such promotion has occurred.
3.5.2 Criteria for Choosing elements The brand elements of Rooh Afza are memorable, meaningful, likable and protectable. People can easily recall its packaging, color and it being Mashroob-e-Mashriq. The fruits displayed on its label convey the meaning that it is made from fruit extracts. no other brand can copy the logo or design of the brand as they are protected. Thus all other brands that came later, launched their own unique designs.
3.5.3 Core Brand Values Following are the core brand values for Rooh Afza:
T r ustw or th in ess, C ul tur a l An d R e lia b il i ty - ro o h a f z a wa s th e f i rs t re d s y r up t ha t was launched in the sub-continent and for more than 100 years, it has remained c o ns is te n t i n de liv e ri n g q ua l it y. P e o p l e ha ve b e e n us i ng it f o r ge ne ra t io ns a nd c o nti n ue to do s o be c a us e o f the i m m e ns e s a tis f a c tio n t he y ha ve . T h us th e t rus t a nd re lia bi li ty f a c to r is de e pl y ro o te d i n ro o h a f z a . T og eth er ne ss - ro o h a f z a is pe rc e iv e d a s pa r t o f a f a m ily tr a d it io n a n d i t he lps ke e p pe o p le to ge t he r. B e i t s o c ia l ga t he r in gs , e v e n ts o r f r ie nds - ro o h a f z a is a dr in k t ha t s ui ts e ve ry o c c a s io n a n d a ny o ne a n d e ve ryo ne . Th is is c le a r ly de p i c te d in t he i n dia n a dve rt is e me n ts w he re t he ' to ge t he r ne s s ' va l ue is e v ide n tl y pu t ac ro s s . H ea lth y - t he ba s ic in gre di e n ts o f ro o h a f z a ma ke s i t a he a l t hy dri n k a nd the re f o re f ro m ki ds to o l de r pe o ple , i t c a n be c o ns u me d by a ll. I t is a n a l l na t ura l re f re s he r wi t h h e r bs a n d ro s e e x tra c t s , w h ic h ma ke s it a n e xc e l le n t s o u re o f wa t e r , mi ne ra ls a nd e n e r gy.
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R efr e shi ng - a s it is a s we e t d ri n k a nd us ua l ly s e r ve d wi t h ic e , it he l ps in re j u ve na t in g a n d re e ne r giz in g in d ivi d u a ls w ho ne e d t ha t i ns ta n t e ne r gy bo o s t. P iet y a nd pur it y - f o r ma ny , ra ma z a n is no t c o mp le te wi tho u t ro o h a f z a . A f te r bre a ki n g t he f a s t wi t h d a te s , the ne xt t hi ng t ha t pe o p le re a c h o ut to o n t he if t a a r table is this red drink. According to an article, an official at hamdard industries private limited stated :
"Our sales get a real boost in Ramazan. Ramazan for us is a two-month long activity. Wholesalers and retailers start stocking a month before the first fast. Consumers also start purchasing bottles a week before Ramazan starts. Sales in the holy month constitute about 30 per cent of our annual sales." 9
A marketing campaign of the brand once stated that 'fasting is a religious obligation', Rooh Afza makes fulfilling it more pleasant."10
3.5.4 Marketing Programs Rooh Afza has not been very active in Television commercials and promotional campaigns but a lot of focus is on the distribution of the product. This is one of the reasons that the product has a global presence. Since the product is in very high demand during Ramazan, new TVCs are launched in Ramazan.
In India, however, the brand has marketed itself very strongly. A lot of BTL activities in the form of brand activation has been done. Also, recently they have signed up Juhi Chawla as the brand face of Rooh Afza. New TVC's have come up.
9
http://officialpakinfo.wordpress.com/2010/09/08/how-ramazan%E2%80%99s-blessings-flow-for-the-beverageindustry/ 10 Rooh Afza case study from the book ' Mazaar, Bazaar'
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3.5.5 Brand portfolio analysis Hamdard is strong player in the Herbal Products category with around 600 different products. It is associated with 'Health care for the entire family'. The products existing in liquid, semi-solids and solid forms are for all age groups. Most of the products fall in the pharmaceutics category whereas there are other Over-the-counter products like Rooh Afza and cosmetics that have a broader commercial appeal.
Rooh Afza, however has not extended its portfolio. It can be used in several ways such as a syrup for ice creams, falooda, with lemon, mocktails, lassi and many other forms, but the true product remains the same.
3.5.6 Points Of Parity The points of parity for Rooh Afza are that it is a red syrup, has a trusted name like Hamdard attached with, and has ingredients that make it a refreshing drink.
Poin ts Of D if fer en ce The most important Pod for the brand is it positioning and 'Mashroob-e-Mashriq'. It was the first red syrup of the sub-continent and even after 100 years is popularly known as the ' Drink of the East'. It has the First mover's advantage . Other PoDs for Rooh Afza are its difference in Solvency, its Aroma which is different due to the difference in the quantity of rose and other flower ingredients. It is also thicker and sweeter than other competitors.
3.5.7 Branding Strategies The branding strategy of Rooh Afza can be called as brand rejuvenation and brand expansion.
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They have rejuvenated by finding new uses for the product, for instances it is no longer used to drink by adding it with milk or water. It can be used in preparing sweets, over ice creams for children, mocktails for the youth, with lassi for all ages, gola ganda for children, etc. Thus brand usage has increased from the traditional uses.
They have also expanded the brand by exporting Rooh Afza to many countries such as USA, UK and Middle East. As the demand for Rooh Afza is not just local, but where ever people from the sub continent are located, they want to have Rooh Afza. Hence, the product is exported to newer markets.
3.6 Brand Exploratory
3.6.1 Brand Associations
Company - Branding Strategies Hamdard, the parent brand of Rooh Afza has had a Corporate branding strategy. Since Hamdard has a very strong heritage, to capitalize on it, it is always emphasized. On the packaging as well as in the TVC, Hamdard is always mentioned very clearly. The logo and name of the parent brand appears right in the middle and front of Rooh Afza's bottle. Our questionnaire results reveal that a majority of the respondents were able to associate Rooh Afza with Hamdard. And this recognition existed across all classes. 62% of the respondents were able to identify the correct parent brand for Rooh Afza. 21.8% of the respondents associated Rooh Afza with Qarshi - the parent brand for Jam-e-Shireen - Rooh Afza's direct competitor. The highest contributor to this was female respondents belonging to the 'married and unemployed' group of SEC A.
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3.6.2 Consumer Perceptions Analysis Awareness Questions were included to check the recognition and recall of the brand. Rooh Afza rated low on recall levels as most of the consumers when asked about the first word that comes to your mind when asked about a beverage mentioned Nestle juices, Pepsi and Tea. Rooh Afza was mentioned by a mere 5% of the entire sample. Consumers mentioned Rooh Afza only with Ramazan. Apart from that, Rooh Afza had a very low recall with consumers. This implies that the top of the mind recall level of Rooh Afza is very low. This is mainly because Rooh Afza runs promotions very infrequently and so consumers forget the brand with respect to competition which spends heavily on advertisements and promotions.
Associations
A combination of open ended and closed ended questions were used to check the free associations that consumers have with Rooh Afza. Based on the responses to these questions, a mental map was developed for Rooh Afza.
.
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Favorable Associations
Product Feature In terms of product features that consumers associate with Rooh Afza, responses varied substantially across the three different classes. The four most important features of Rooh Afza for consumers from different classes are summarized below.
SECA TASTE AROMA QUALITY SWEETNES S
SECB AROMA TRUST TASTE SWEETNES S
SECC QUALITY TRUST TASTE SWEETNESS
Sweetness and taste are two attributes which consumers from all classes associated with Rooh Afza. The two attributes are related as well and this implies that consumers have a strong association with the distinct taste that Rooh Afza has. Aroma and quality were not very important for SEC C and SEC B consumers respectively.
Responses obtained in focus groups and probing sessions gave us the insight that the Aroma and taste of Rooh Afza are two aspects which consumers find unique about the brand. Respondents belonging to the Married and Unemployed segment stated that Rooh Afza has an aroma which they associate with rose water.
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Archetypes Brand archetypes are developed to identify those associations that consumers hold in their minds with a particular brand. Our analysis of Rooh Afza consumers' responses revealed various aspects of these associations that enabled us to develop a brand archetype for Rooh Afza. The responses revealed differences in the core associations that the consumers had across different classes, and hence, we developed one archetype held by a consumer of each socio economic class. The archetype was developed along the following lines.
The 'WHO' of Rooh Afza The question was aimed at finding out "Who uses the brand?" and What kind of person uses the brand?" Results revealed for Rooh Afza show that a majority of the consumers from all three classes believe that Rooh Afza is a brand mainly used by the middle class consumers.
SEC A and SEC B respondents perceive Rooh Afza to be a brand for the middle class. SEC C respondents perceive the brand to be popular in both the middle as well as the lower class.
The 'WHEN' and 'WHERE' ofRooh Afza This part of the questionnaire was aimed at finding out the situations when Rooh Afza is used by the consumers. The results reveal that SEC A consumers use it only during Ramadan. This shows limited usage by SEC A for the brand. This result is in line with the perception that SEC A consumers revealed in the earlier part where they stated that they perceive the brand to be more relevant to the middle class consumers. SEC B responses showed that these consumers not only use the brand in Ramadan but also as a drink used for personal consumption in summers.
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SEC C, on the other hand, revealed that their usage situations for Rooh Afza were the highest amongst all the three classes. They not only use it in summers and Ramadan, but also as a drink used for quenching thirst. The purpose for which SEC A and B would use juices, SEC C uses Rooh Afza for those situations as well.
The 'WHY' of Rooh Afza This question was aimed at finding out the reason for having Rooh Afza. This basically highlighted the needs and wants that are being met by people when they drink Rooh Afza. The responses for this part were more or less uniform across all the three classes. All consumers feel relaxed and energized after having the drink. The feeling of contentedness and refreshed is the reason people prefer having Rooh Afza.
The 'HOW' of Rooh Afza This question was aimed at determining the ways in which people use the brand. The responses to this varied across classes. SEC A uses it only at certain occasions and to serve the drink to guests. SEC B uses it as sweet syrup also and so does SEC C. Based on the responses, SEC wise archetypes were developed for Rooh Afza. These are shown below:
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Brand Personality And Values Based on the responses of the questionnaire, focus groups and response collecting activity conducted, the personality of Rooh Afza cab be described as:
"Rooh Afza can be personified as an old family member who is respected and looked up to as someone who is sincere and trusted by all the people in the family. It is someone whose presence in the family is important, both on special occasions as well as on an everyday basis."
Rooh Afza has a very close link with the religious aspect and it is an important part of the overall brand. It is this link that a majority of the respondents associated the trait 'pious' with Rooh Afza. The brand is reliable because it has a lot of experience which comes from its 100 year long history and heritage.
The three main values of Rooh Afza stated by consumers were Family values Reliable Health The figure below shows the major personality traits associated with Rooh Afza.
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Brand responses In order to check the price perception of consumer for Rooh Afza, the findings revealed that a majority of the consumers perceive Rooh Afza as value for money mainly because of the beverage's high viscosity levels. As a result of this, a bottle lasts for a longer period of time compared to competitor brands.
As for the purchase intentions, consumers have developed certain situations where they use Rooh Afza and these situations have developed over a long period of time. These situations do not change because of the brand's inactive promotion to increase usage situations. Thus, a family who uses Rooh Afza for Ramazan will very loyally use Rooh Afza in that situation. Similarly, if a family uses Rooh Afza to serve guests, they will continue to do so. These usage situations have not changed since a long time now.
Brand relationships Behavioral loyalty and substitutability were determined with a few questions aimed at determining to what extent consumers would not switch to competing brands in case Rooh Afza is not available. Results revealed that the loyalty levels are very low in SEC A. This is in line with responses received in other questions which showed that SEC A consumers predominantly consumes Rooh Afza only on occasions and mainly in Ramazan. Hence, their loyalty levels all the year round are low for Rooh Afza as they mainly consume juices and Carbonated drinks as the main beverage.
SEC B responses also revealed low loyalty levels. They mainly consume soft drinks as the main beverage. SEC C showed a high level of behavioral loyalty.
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Brand Usage Analysis
Frequency of Usage The usage of Rooh Afza is the most popular during Ramadan across all classes. The responses to this question clearly show that Rooh Afza is the Drink of Ramadan. Another usage frequency for SEC C is weekly and this is in line with the earlier part where the respondents belonging to SEC C mentioned that they use Rooh Afza in summers and also as a thirst quenching drink.
Spending on Brand SEC A respondents mainly purchase the small bottle due to their limited usage which is mainly in Ramadan and on occasions like family gatherings. SEC B and SEC C mostly purchase the large pack. Though the price of the large pack is higher but since people from these classes have higher and a more regular consumption compared to SEC A, they purchase the large pack.
3.6.4 Brand positioning analysis As stated by Mr. Faizullah Saeed, Director Marketing, Rooh Afza the brand is being positioned as Mashroob - e- Mashriq that is the 'Drink of the East.' This positioning is exclusive for Rooh Afza as the brand is the pioneer in the industry and has very deep roots in the culture of the sub continent. Currently the brand is targeting the kids and is aiming to increase usage situations by showing that the brand can be used as a food ingredient also.
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3.7 Brand Equity
3.7.1 IDENTITY
Brand Salience Rooh Afza is a highly salient brand. It has both a high level of depth and breadth of awareness. Rooh Afza belongs to the Non Carbonated Fruit Flavored Beverages (NCFFB) category. Rooh Afza is red syrup which falls in this category. Depth of Brand Awareness Rooh Afza has a very high depth of brand awareness since the brand has a very strong top of the mind and a very high level of brand recognition. Consumers recall the brand almost instantaneously whenever a red syrup is presented to them. Rooh Afza has a history of almost a hundred years and it is a brand that has been around for generations now. People in our part of the world have grown up with this brand and so the recognition of not only the name but other brand elements are quickly recalled and recognized by consumers. The specific way in which Rooh Afza is written in red font in Urdu, the fruits and flowers picture in the bottle and the typical long golden colored cap of the bottle are all distinguishing features that consumers readily recall.
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Breadth of Brand Awareness A brand's level of breadth of awareness is determined by the span of usage situations that consumers think of when they are making the purchase decision. Rooh Afza has a wide span of these usage situations. Varying from an Iftar drink to a refreshing drink, Rooh Afza is used at various occasions and for various purposes. Usage of Rooh Afza at Iftar is a given fact in most of the households of almost all income groups. People have a very strong association of Rooh Afza with Iftar. Quite a large number of competitors in the beverages category target consumers during Ramazan and they have also been successful in acquiring some share, but the special link that Rooh Afza has with Ramazan and Iftar exists very strongly and competition has not been very successful in breaking this link or in creating such a link for their products. Hence, Iftar is one of the special usage situations that Rooh Afza is consumed in. Apart from Iftar, Rooh Afza is used widely as a refreshing drink that makes you feel fresh and energized. Since Rooh Afza has a long history in the sub continent and coming from Hamdard, its fruit and flower extract ingredients make the drink a healthy beverage and a drink that is most suited according to the weather of the sub continent. Since the subcontinent has scorching summers, Rooh Afza is the 'ultimate summer drink' which suits the climate of the East. Another very important usage situation is the use of Rooh Afza as a sweetener in desserts such as Gola Ganda, Falooda and ice creams. Thus, Rooh Afza has a strong presence across various usage situation giving it a high breadth of awareness in the consumers' mind.
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3.7.2 Meaning
Performance
Imagery
Fruit, Flower and vegetable extracts; High reliability; Distict Aroma;
Used by people of all age groups; more usage in middle and lower class, occasional usage in SEC A; Used for Iftar, daily consumption and sweetener for desserts etc; An old family member who is respected and relied upon; values of togetherness, refreshing; strong heritage purity and
Economical
Performance Rooh Afza has been consistently performing up to the mark since decades now and consumers always associate high quality and reliability with Rooh Afza. The brand has never failed to meet customers' expectations and this has made consumers dependable on Rooh Afza.
Primary Ingredients and Secondary Features Rooh Afza's primary ingredients are the fruit and flower extracts which give the drink a certain distinct taste and aroma. The red syrup has cooling herbal ingredients processed with sugar and fruit, flower and vegetable extracts making it a healthy and energizing drink.
Reliability Rooh Afza scores very high on reliability. The brand has maintained its quality and taste consistently for almost 100 years now and there has not been a single instance when
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Rooh Afza had any quality issues. Consumers trust Rooh Afza for the delivery of quality they have complete confidence that every time they purchase a bottle of Rooh Afza, it will give them exactly the same taste and quality.
Aroma The aroma of Rooh Afza is distinct because of the presence of rose water and a special composition of aqua and vegetable extracts. Consumers have a strong association with this special aroma of Rooh Afza as this is different from all the competing brands in the same category.
Price Rooh Afza being a local brand is very economical in terms of pricing. Rooh Afza is used across all income groups and this shows that the brand is affordable and fairly priced. In fact, consumers in SEC C consume Rooh Afza more regularly as a drink used for personal consumption because these consumers are unable to afford the branded juices and imported drinks. Also, due to its high viscosity, the quantity used in making each glass of the drink is very reasonable and so a bottle of Rooh Afza lasts for quite a substantial period of time, giving good value for money to the consumers.
IMAGERY
User Profiles Rooh Afza is popular amongst people of all age groups and all social classes. Though the purchase decision maker is mostly the female (housewife, mother or the grand mother) who purchases the grocery items for the household every month, the purchase decision
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is influenced by both children and males. Thus, Rooh Afza is used by anyone and everyone.
Purchase and Usage Situations The various usage situations of Rooh Afza have been discussed above and these vary across the socio economic classes. As for the purchase situation, Rooh Afza is available not only in supermarkets but it is present with retailers as well as the high frequency stores.
Brand Personality Rooh Afza can be personified as an old family member who is respected and looked up to as someone whom is is sincere and trusted by all the people in the family. It is someone whose presence in the family is important, both on special occasions as well as on an everyday basis.
Brand Values The core brand values of Rooh Afza are trust worthiness, reliability, togetherness, healthy, refreshing and purity. These values have been discussed in detail in earlier part of the report.
History, Heritage and Experience Popularly known as the 'Drink of the East,' Rooh Afza has very deep cultural roots. It is specially made as a drink that suits the climate of the East and this is where Rooh Afza stands apart from all the imported and other brands in the category. Rooh Afza is perhaps the oldest brand in the category. Completing 90 years, the brand has a long success story to boast of.
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The parent brand Hamdard also has a very old presence in the sub continent and this greatly adds to Rooh Afza's image of an experienced brand. Hakeem Hafiz Abdul Majeed, who was the founder of Hamdard, had been established in India in 1906. And since then, Hamdard has always been associated with high quality herbs and medicines. Belonging to such an experienced parent brand, Rooh Afza comes with a very strong historical presence and expertise in the field. Response
Judgments
Feelings
High Quality; Strong consideration; Highest Credibility; Most superior
Warmth; Excitement; Social Healthy; Security
Approval;
Judgment
Quality The perceived quality of Rooh Afza is very high mainly due to its consistent performance and its strong heritage and experience. Rooh Afza has never faltered on quality and its delivery on quality has always stayed constant. With every purchase that the consumers make of the brand, Rooh Afza is the same. Credibility Rooh Afza is the market leader and its association with Hamdard makes it competent as well as dependable. The brand is highly likable as it is a healthy and refreshing drink.
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Consumers associate energy and getting a cooling effect from it. All these factors give Rooh Afza a high score on the credibility front. Brand Consideration Rooh Afza has been present for generations and people have grown up with this brand. This makes them not only attached towards Rooh Afza make it a permanent part of their consideration set. Presence of Rooh Afza in the household regular purchase items is a must, making the brand strong on consideration as well. Brand Superiority Strong parent brand, a first mover in the category and sustainable performance for almost a century all add to the superiority of Rooh Afza which no other brand in the category has. Its cultural roots, aocial presence and acceptance and healthy ingredients make it a 'give it all' drink.
FEELINGS Consumers have the following reactions and emotional feelings towards Rooh Afza as a brand: Warmth: Consumers feel attached to Rooh Afza and they have a warm hearted feeling towards the brand. Excitement: Consumers feel energized and refreshed after having a glass of Rooh Afza and its cooling effect makes them feel relaxed in summers. Security: Rooh Afza is like an old friend for the consumers and so there is a very strong sense of trust and security associated with the brand. Social Approval: Rooh Afza has a very strong social and cultural presence and in a large number of households, Rooh Afza is the drink served to guests and used on special occasions like Eid.
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Healthy: Since Rooh Afza is mainly made up of natural ingredients, it is considered as a drink that is healthy and can be consumed by people of all ages such as children, old people and young ones too. Relationship
A. Resonance
Rooh Afza has a very strong bond with its consumers. It's a drink that people have grown up with and that gives them a very strong feeling of attachment towards the brand. For a consumer, it is a drink that his/her great grand mother used for the family, a drink that he/she had in childhood and so a very high sense of loyalty exists amongst consumers for Rooh Afza. It is just like a family tradition which is not subject to change.
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Recommendations
After having our interview with the Chairperson of Hamdard, Ms. Sadia and the Director Marketing, Mr. Syed Faizullah, we learnt that Rooh Afza has a certain criteria while conducting its marketing activities. An activity or initiative that has to be under taken, has to meet the following requirements and only then they would be approved by the Board. Activities have to be
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Cultural Islamic In line with Hakim Saeed's image Not at all risky Not expensive
Despite the fact that the brand is facing tough competition in the beverage industry, they still don't invest heavily in marketing as they feel the brand is strong enough to survive on its own. Hamdard is basically a 'Waqf' or 'foundation' and all profits or earnings of the company are dedicated to the foundation. Thus, before investing in marketing, they need to justify it very strongly and be very sure of its positive results. Else, no new initiative is taken. Based on the guidelines given by the company, we prpose the following recommendations for Rooh Afza:
Brand Rejuvenation
During our research we found out that Rooh Afza has lost its relevance with SEC A and they don't consider it as an all-season drink. They consume it only in Ramzan and not all the year round. Even though Rooh Afza can be used for other purposes rather than the drink format, they still don't use it. We suggest that the brand needs to rejuvenate itself most importantly first because once the brand is established strongly in the consumers mind, the brand can then leverage this in the future. This can be done through two-ways: Increase usage and frequency amongst existing users Find new users for the brand
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None of the brand elements need to be changed as the consumers identify strongly with the current elements. However, a great majority of them did not know about the current tagline of the brand. They could also not recall the advertisement, thus we have developed a few steps that Rooh Afza should follow in the first year of its rejuvenation.
Ramzan Roza Kushai Rooh afza can sponsor parties for kids who have their 'Roza Khushai' in Ramzan. As Rooh Afza and Ramzan go strongly together, the brand should increase its presence further in this month. Lucky draws can be held where different kids can fill in their details behind the label of Rooh Afza and send it to the company. The lucky winners will have their 'roza khushai' hosted by the Rooh Afza team.
Story With Morals And Placing Rooh Afza In Them To support the idea of the public service messages and educating the society, the brand can also print leaflets that contain small stories with morals int hem. The characters in the story can drink Rooh Afza, like Hakim Saeed always incorporated in Naunehal. These leaflets can be distributed in schools that the brand is targeting.
Sports events in schools As the brand is always about health and providing energy, Rooh Afza can sponsor sports events in schools and when children end their activity, they can be given a refreshing glass of Rooh Afza to get back their energy.
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Summer Kiosks The brand can also hold different activation activities outside malls and bazaars in summers like the placement of kiosks offering Rooh Afza to the people visiting malls and bazaars. This way the brand can increase its presence and resonance with the consumers. The above recommendations are in the line with the brand image and vision, which we know are not the most commonly used practices in today's time. However, as a group we also suggest some newer ways of promoting the brand which might not meet the criteria set by the company, but are bound to be effective in promoting the brand.
Brand Development
Aggressive Marketing / Print Rooh Afza needs to be more aggressive in their marketing strategy. During our research, we realized that a great majority of the people do not remember the advertisements or the tagline of the product. Instead, they remember the competitors' ads and taglines. The brand needs to have more catchy slogans and ads that are unique.
New bottle for topping As Rooh Afza is commonly used as a topping for desserts and other sweet items, the company should develop a special cap in a smaller format that can be used just for this purpose.
Co branding with Rafhan Rooh Afza can also cop brand itself with brands or products that are commonly used with Rooh Afza. For instance, when Rafhan custards are made, Rooh Afza can be available with them in small sachets to be used in tandem while preparing the product.
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Pakistan - India Dosti Mushairay As Rooh Afza was initially introduced in India and later it came to Pakistan after hakim Saeed's migration, the brand has its association and presence in the sub-continent for long. In the line with the brand image, Rooh Afza can sponsor the Pak-india dosti Mushairay that come on different channels during special events. Geo and Times of India started 'Aman ki aasha', a special programme that talks about the two nations. Also, another programme called 'Sallana Pak-Hind Aalimi Mushaira' takes place at the Arts council or Saadat-e-Amroha Hall - both events are relevant to the brand.
e. 'Rooh Afza' Iftar Party As Rooh Afza is associated very strongly with Ramzan, Rooh Afza should be more active in its promotions during this month to achieve our first objective. Rooh Afza can host an Iftar party where everyone will be invited to come and celebrate their Ramzan and experience the brand.
Sponsoring We also recommend that Rooh Afza should sponsor iftar special shows in Ramzan on channels like Hum Tv and Samaa. The reason for not choosing ARY Digital and Geo is that as they are too expensive, the company might not find it very worthy. However, by going on Samaa and Hum, we are not compromising on the audience composition.
Public service messages by Rooh Afza Rooh Afza could make a 30-40 sec short public service message and run it on different TV channels. The idea behind this is that it goes with the idea and vision of Hakim Saeed to Build Pakistan and educate the society for the better. A character slightly above 60years of
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age will talk about good society practices with a 7 year old boy and Rooh Afza would be placed in the background. As the target market of the brand is kids, thus this is a good way to educate values to kids and connect easily with the target market.
Brand Extensions
Ready-to-drink form As Rooh Afza is targeting the teens and kids, the brand should extend itself in the on-the-go category and be available in the ready-to-drink format. This is the new trend these days as consumers don't have the time and want quick solutions to energy boosting alternatives.
Flavoured Milk As Rooh Afza is widely consumed with milk and is a perfect drink to chill in the summers, it is suitable for it to extend as a flavoured milk and be available in TetraPak.Just like Pakola flavoured milk, Owsum and Milo are very popular amongst kids, Rooh Afza flavoured milk is bound to appeal to their taste too.
Sugar free Rooh Afza Rooh Afza has a avey old association and history with its current consumers. Many elderlies, whose childhood favourite drink used to be Rooh Afza, can no longer consume it due to its sweetness and different ailments like Diabetes. They are unable to enjoy the drink that they hold great associations with, thus the brand should be available in a sugarfree format to be able to re-connect with the old users. Jam-e-Shireen and Naurus have already extended in this category, but Rooh Afza still hasn't.
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