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Church & Dwight: Time to Rethink the Portfolio Essay

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Church & Dwight: Time to Rethink the Portfolio

I. INTRODUCTION

A. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1. Summary statement of the problem: Church & Dwight Co. Inc. is a 160 years old company that has been working to build a market share on a brand name that is rarely associated with its name. In spite of having this status in the eye of consumers its product can still be found among several consumer products in 95% of all U.S. households. Because of its rapid growth brought by its several acquisitions it is now facing new challenges. It must now rationalize the firms expanded consumer products portfolio of 80 brands into the existing corporate structure while continuously seeking new opportunity for growth. Another issue that is evident is …show more content…

In the early years, the company operation has been based on finding new uses of sodium bicarbonate. Later, to be able to penetrate the consumer products in the United States and Canada they have used an overall family branding strategy and introduced additional product displaying ARM & HAMMER logo. This logo has become significant as it controlled 80% of the baking soda market. From the beginning until 1970, the company only produced and sold only two consumer products ARM & Hammer Baking Soda and a laundry product with a brand name Super Washing Soda. Ever since they have been careful not to be on direct encounter with competitors.

3. Marketing – The Church & Dwight Co. Inc. sales are concentrated in United States and Canada where funnel it through mass merchandisers such as Wal-Mart, supermarkets, wholesale clubs and drugstores (Wheelen & Hunger, pp.35-7). Having new stable consumer products and expanded detergent offerings they found themselves in direct competition with the big players in the market. They decided to take their marketing tasks in house. The executives have also designed a campaign on one of their product that would shake people up particularly those who think that using condoms is not for them.

4. Finance – Being the world’s largest producer and marketer of sodium bicarbonate-based products, Church & Dwight Co. Inc was able to maintain a steady growth in both sales and

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