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Cottle-Taylor Analysis Essay

Decent Essays

Question 1: Cottle-Taylor

A company’s marketing mix strategy is key to their success. Thorough analysis is needed to assure that product attributes, distribution strategy, communication strategy and pricing strategy are all in line with the company’s strategic goal. The following analysis is of Cottle-Taylor’s marketing mix strategy in India.
Product Attributes: Cottle-Taylor has three product categories in order to reach their three market segments: 1) Low-End Manual, 2) Mid-Range Manual, and 3) Battery-Operated. The manual toothbrush designs include “a variety of colors; all styles included rubber grips” (HBR 6). In the Low-End category Cottle-Taylor produced 5 different products with varying characteristics ranging from soft …show more content…

Communication Strategy: Cottle-Taylor had three key communication messages in India: 1) Persuading consumers to brush for the first time, 2) Increasing incidences of brushing, and 3) Persuading consumers to upgrade to Mid-Range or Premium Products (HBR 8). They allocated 12% of sales on the advertising budget, which broke down into 9% for advertisements and 3% for promotions. The main target demographics are men and women ages 20-35 in rural and urban areas that currently brush or don’t brush. It is important to build awareness and educate consumers on the benefits of tooth brushing and they did this through the use of TV, radio, billboards and prints ads.
Pricing Strategy: Cottle-Taylor prices their toothbrushes in respect to their target segments. The low-end brushes range from .22-.35 cents, the medium-end ranges from .52-.98 cents and the high-end ranges from $1-11. In terms of driving success in India, Cottle-Taylor’s strategy is strongest in the area of communication. They successfully positioned and communicated to customers that they are “an authority on oral care” (HBR 5) and consumers hold their products in high regard. Partnering with IDA has given their brand great credibility and helped them become an industry leader holding 47% of the oral care market share. As shown in Exhibit 5, Cottle-Taylor has experienced 53% growth in market share for

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