SRIRAM SWAMINATHAN 14F155

SUDIPTA MONDAL 14F156

TONY JOSEPH 14F160
SAI ALEKYA EDARA 14F147

PROJECT
PROPOSAL
SACHIN KUDVA 14F145
SHRIRAM N 14F151

The Ponds Fiasco

Problem statement:
To analyze the reasons behind the failure of Ponds Toothpaste.
Motivation and importance of studying the issue:
Ponds a multinational beauty products brand under the flagship of Unilever, planned to expand
its product portfolio by entering into the toothpaste segment. As a part of this plan, it launched a
tooth paste named Ponds toothpaste. Ponds conducted blind test and received positive
response from the people. Though the product was of premium quality it failed miserably soon
after its launch. Our study will focus on finding the reasons (like consumer perception or
marketing failure) behind this huge failure.
Through this study we can find the factors which play a key role in making a product successful
in the market apart from the product features. This helps to find a solution for such market
failures.
Research questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

What does the brand ponds mean to customer?

How does core values are important for forming perception in consumers mind?
Why did ponds enter the toothpaste industry?
Why did ponds toothpaste fail?
What can be the turnaround strategy for ponds toothpaste?

Methodology

What does the brand ponds mean to customer

Determine products attributes (features and benefits) that customer relate to ponds
Usage patterns of ponds products
Buying patterns of ponds products
How does core values are important for forming perception in consumers mind?
How does consumer forms or change a core values pertaining to a brand
Understand involvement level after forming perception
Why did ponds enter the toothpaste industry?
Understand the ponds strategy to enter the toothpaste market
product aspects are considered for brand expansion decision
Why did ponds toothpaste fail?
Introduce and make aware the respondents about ponds toothpaste and record the
critical variables regarding consumer adaption and aversion to the product
Consumer perception about the positioning of ponds toothpaste
Consumer perception about brand image of ponds toothpaste
Identify respondents response to the various stages of the consumer buying process for
ponds toothpaste namely exposure
Evaluate the packaging and placement of ponds toothpaste
Map the variables to various consumer behavior models.
What can be the turnaround strategy for ponds toothpaste?
Compare and present the consumer behavior changes to gauge the adaption likeliness
between 1960 and 2014

Plan a turnaround strategy for ponds toothpaste dependent on various problems identified
in the consumer adaption process