1. Using Sustainability to drive Business Growth
Lifebuoy Case Study
Using Sustainability to drive Business Growth

2. Introduction
Unilever’s approach to building business is a combination of financial growth and leveraging its assets to make a positive difference in people’s lives.
In this spirit, Lifebuoy’s mission is to save lives by changing the hygiene behavior of consumers through improved education around hand washing.
Diarrhea has increased to being the third-leading cause of death in South Africa, and billions of people around the world are unaware of how simply washing their hands with soap at critical times during the day can help reduce the spread of the germs that cause the disease.
In fact, studies show that the simple act of washing hands with the right soap can significantly reduce deaths by up to 50%. Furthermore, school attendance is significantly improved ensuring better livelihoods for young children across all communities.
Therefore, the selling proposition of Lifebuoy has huge relevance in the market as it provides 100% better protection from germs when compared to ordinary soaps.

3. The Business Challenge
The seeming unstoppable growth of discount beauty soaps meant that Lifebuoy was increasingly seen as old fashioned, strong smelling and masculine.
In order for Lifebuoy to increase it’s relevance with it’s target audience and make a difference through changing the handwashing behavior of 1 billion people by 2020, it needs to do something drastic.
You have two tasks to complete to address this challenge:
Task 1: Based on consumer research, decide on the new product to be launched
Task 2: Design a campaign to support the launch of the new Lifebuoy soap and drive the behavior change agenda of getting consumers to wash their hands with Lifebuoy soap

4. Task 1
Unilever’s Consumer Marketing Insight Department recently conducted research on South African soap users.
The results of the study will help you understand what consumers are looking for in a soap.
Your task is to take the key findings of the study and decide what soap bar your consumers want. For example, a blue liquid soap that is suitable for females only, smells great and effectively protects against germs.

5. Task 1: Soap Users Research Results

6. Task 1: Soap Users Research Results

7. Task 1: Output
Based on the research results, describe the best soap to launch with to meet consumers needs:

8. Task 2:
Your task is to now decide how best to support the launch of the new Lifebuoy soap you have designed in the market.
To achieve this you need to:
Come up for a compelling name for the Campaign
Develop an Activity Grid that details (1) the marketing activities you will undertake and (2) when in the month they will take place (assuming the product will launch in January) – taking into account the strict budget you have been given.

9. Task 2: Activity Grid Guidelines
Total budget for the year: R19 million
Available activities and media rates:
TV : R1 million per month
Radio: R500 000 per month
Digital: R30 000 per month
Billboards around the country: R 300 000 per month
In Store Ladies who promote Lifebuoy in key stores around the country: R 20 000 per month
In-store posters & displays: R 15 000 per month
Sampling to get consumers to try our new soap: R100 000 per month
Unilever’s Sustainability Initiative to change the hand washing behavior of children each year: R10 per child
Stick within your budget or else your finance team will cancel everything!
You do not have to use all methods, you could spend all your money on a few methods or split your money across all methods. The choice is yours! Just be ready to explain WHY you made the choices you did!

10. Task 2: Campaign Name & Activity Grid
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
TOTAL COST TV
RADIO
DIGITAL
BILLBOARDS
IN-STORE LADIES
IN-STORE POSTERS
SAMPLING
SUSTAINABILITY
GRAND TOTAL

11. Task 2: Example Activity Grid*
Below simply serves as an example of how to populate the activity grid, and by no means is the model answer!!!
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
NOV
DEC
TOTAL COST TV 1 3
RADIO
0.5
1.5
DIGITAL
0.03
0.06
BILLBOARDS
0.3
0.6
IN-STORE LADIES
0.02
0.04
IN-STORE POSTERS
0.15
SAMPLING
0.1
SUSTAINABILITY
GRAND TOTAL
6.45