COMMUNICATION MIX

Product Category: Edible Salt

Group No. 5 Kamleshwar Kumar Dewal (MS-21) Jamal Mohideen K (MS-20) Sapana Sarawagi ( MS-49) Neeraj Malik (MS-29) Ajay Kumar (MS-05) Jai Prakash Meena(MS-18)

DEVELOPING COMMUNICATION STRATEGY FOR SALT 1. Identify the target audience Buyers/Deciders/Influencers of salt = housewives (mostly) Users of salt= the entire household Target market includes current users Consumers dont differentiate between brands. Consumers easily switch between brands. Heavy users 2. Determining the communication objectives Brand awareness: As there are brands such as Tata Salt and Annapurna salt they need to differentiate their brand so that consumers recognize and recall their brand within this category.

3. Design the Communication Message Strategy(what to say): In terms of message strategy, the traditional theme revolves around credibility, purity and strength. Thus the message is generally based on Patriotism or unity, because of the history of salt production in India dates to freedom struggles. Thus this message could be more effectively used and portrayed in national festivals and events. Purity, trust, and value have been the planks of communication strategy. Creative Strategy( how to say it): Informational Appeal: Annapurna salt ad campaigns focus on iodine of salt that promotes intellectual thinking abilities. They

talk about the functional benefits of salt. . Vacuum evaporated and iodized are clearly written on the pack a plank . Transformational Appeal: Elaborating on non-product related benefit or image, Tata salt focuses on setting emotional bond with the consumers relating it to Desh ka Namak. They try to stir up emotions to motivate purchase. TATA took the opportunity to be associated with the universal theme of remaining ture to ones salt and to ones country. This was the philosophy behind the Meine desh ka namak khaya hai tagline. Message Source Spokesperson are usually housewives who are usually the influencers in the purchase decision. They are chosen because they can induce other housewives to purchase salt stating their benefits. 4. Selecting the communication channel Nonpersonal Communication channels
Edible Salt industry is highly unorganized industry with just 5% of salt consumed as branded. The major players in branded salt are Annapurna from HLL, Dandi from Kumwar Ajay industries, Shudh from the Mirma Group, Captain Cook from DCW Home foods, Ashiwaad from the ITC stable, besides some international brand likeCargil and Congra. A communication mix attempts to inform, persuade and remind consumers about the product and brands. The factors important in setting the right communication mix in case of salt are: a) Salt is a highly-used but little differentiated product. Consumers do not have any involvement directly. b) Purity of salt is a major factor, which can be leveraged to differentiate itself from unorganized impure salt players. c) Also, ill effects of use of non-iodized salt could be leveraged to differentiate from unorganized salt players. The following are the major modes of communication within a Marketing Communication Mix which is relevant and effective for salt.

a) Media (ADVERTISING and Print Media): Salt has a learn-do-feel consumer response sequence. In this, the consumer has little involvement and perceives little differentiation within the product category. Thus developing effective advertisements which involves the consumer is difficult. Branded salt provides a welcome move to consumers away from unbranded salt of suspect quality to the reassurance of clean, pure iodized salt. From vacuum-evaporated to iodized from free flow to danedar, one does not see much brand differential among competitive brands, hence there is a need for a strong and memorable advertising plank and better packaging. One finds vigorous advertising by major players in the mass media. For example, Tata Salt has positioned itself as Desh Ka Namak, which is a paradigm shift from rational right brain approach where the functional aspects are portrayed to the emotional left brain approach where broader emotional aspects are associated with salt. Nirma Shudh Salt is vacuum-evaporated unlike other branded salts, which are sun-dried in the salt fields and then refined. The vacuum evaporation process removes all unwanted materials and impurities to give pure, white, free flowing salt. The entire process right from pumping of seawater to the packing of crystalline salt in poly bags is totally devoid of human contact.To communicate this message various print ads are prepared. Also the consumer is generally not aware of the quality of salt. But salt is consumed by everybody daily in different forms. The Indian salt generally is part of the kitchen table in a small jar in which the consumer is aware of the color very easily. Thus the advertising methods should concentrate on promoting using purified iodized salt very clearly. b) EVENTS & EXPERIENCES: Salt companies could take up health-related drives and programs in rural areas to effectively communicate the importance of using purified salt with iodine. Diseases like goiter are still rampant in rural areas and almost 59% of consumers consume non-iodized salt. TATA salt has used public relations to sustain the brand on a ling term basis. Since the launch of the Desh ka namak campaign in 2002, during some specified months, a small percentage of money that accrues from the sale of TATA salt is set aside for economically disadvantaged children. In the two years since the launch, 25,000 children have been provided with one year of education

c) PUBLIC RELATIONS & PUBLICITY: It is very important to relate to the mass about the brand image of salt. Traditional rural channels like haats, mandis and melas could be used to improve awareness and communicate about salt. Also CSR activities to generate goodwill related to use of purified iodized salt could be effective. Also PR could use the ignorance of side-effects of usage of impure salt to dramatize the product. Personal Communication Channel WORD-OF-MOUTH MARKETING( Social Channel):

Word of mouth could take online or off-line channels. In terms of salt, the major customers (not consumers) are house-wives and cooks. Thus word-of-mouth makes a major impact in sales of branded salt, because some characteristics that can be associated with salt are credible, purity and trust, since it is a daily intake product which is part of every food item mostly. Thus word-of-mouth channels like blogs and chat rooms should be effectively used

Factors in Setting The Marketing Communications Mix Type of Product Market For Salt :Simple, Inexpensive and non-risky good. So more focus is on advertisement ( print and TV) Buyer- Readiness Stage Buyers are aware about the product. But to differentiate their brand from other competitors they need to focus on advertisements and sales promotion and events and experiences. Product Life- Cycle Stage Since salt lies in the maturity stage, advertising and events and experiences is important Channels of Communication Mix:
The following are the major modes of communication platforms which can be effectively used for marketing salt. a) TV/Print media b) Packaging-outer

c) d) e) f) g) h) .

Point-of-purchase displays Contests/games Trade shows Demonstrations Festivals Events and Experiences