Jas Business Blog

Recently HLL has changed the naming of Rin Supreme washing cake to Surf Excel. The advertisement that accompanies the change also comes in a typical HLL package – kids-light-fun, the tried and tested by HLL in basic toiletries. But then Rin has been a highly successful brand and infact a superbrand. So changing the name may sound absurd. But lever has been looking forward with a plan to unify and reconstruct its brand portfolio and aiming at changing to Unilever in next coming years. Moreover once Tide launched its Tide bar last year, industry expected an action from HLL’s side.

According to an HLL spokesperson, as quoted by www.financialexpress.com, the rationale behind HLL’s recent move is, “The migration was done to enable better differentiation of brands within the existing portfolio. Rin Supreme was on the stain removal platform which goes with the Surf Excel platform of stain removal and therefore the migration was synergistic.”

So much for strategy, now lets see the consumer’s likely reaction to the brand change. Thing is that both Rin and Surf Excel enjoy a brand status in minds of people, so the consumer mind will have a strong brand recall of both. It comes in fact as a brand extension of Surf Excel clubbed with trimming of Rin. Now with both brands being popular one, it may seem a smooth change. But it wont be as both the brands have their own associations. Rin’s associations will be different to those of Surf Excel.

Surf Excel being premium brand in relative to Rin will have more expectations. And a washing bar has been seen as an inferior product as compared to washing powders, so lending a bar the name of Surf Excel will not go down strongly in starting. But then Indian middle class will be the main target group of the re-branded product and they may see the product as a better product from house of surf excel. While Rin has been associated majorly with effective wash of white clothes, the new bar will present an image for whites and colored clothes, good for Levers.

While the Surf Excel bar wont fail but then the faring of change from whiteness to Daag achhe hain will a nice case to watch…