Cottle Taylor Group 3 Sec B
Cottle Taylor Group 3 Sec B
Cottle Taylor Group 3 Sec B
• The case shows that Cottle partnered with IDA to conduct research studies
and dental health outreach campaigns. Rural residents exposed to the
campaign were twice as likely to adopt to toothbrushing within a year than
those who were not
Distributors
• Cottle competitive edge in India is due to the partnership with large
distributor network, so he can also use this source to create a push demand
for their products.
• 3 categories:
• 20 largest distributors: high volume retail outlets in urban locations
• 250 medium sized distributors: Wholesalers and retailers in semi-urban
areas
• Seed Distributors: 300000 outlets in small villages
Dentists
• They are the key influencers to a small but lucrative group
• Overall penetration was very low
• Only 2% of the population visited dentists regularly
• Many of them migrated to foreign countries for higher compensation
• WHO says only one dentistry personnel in 10000 people
• Fees charged is high typically $10 t0 $500
Consumer Perception and Change in
Demographics
• More oral health conscious the customer is more the demand
• Rural customers did not associate dental problems with bad oral health care but
with improper eating habits or genetics. 50% were not even concerned with
prevention and cure
• 78% of the Indians lived in rural areas and 80% of them lived on less than $2/day
• High seasonality in the income and large number dependent on daily wages so no
savings
• Rapid migration to urban areas by farmers but poverty remained there as well
Competition
• The demand for the Cottle brush also depends upon the availability of
substitutes.
• Cottle India faces two competitor, Hinda-Daltan was a subsidiary of
French consumer products company, SarIndia, an Indian consumer
products company with 21% and 11% market share .
• In the past Cottle India lower its prices due to lowering prices by its
competitors (entrepreneurs form China and India)
How can demand be Increased?
• Introduction of a new (hard bristle product) for the rural customer accustomed
to neem twigs
• Increased spending on radio and billboard percentages and concentrating on the
low range products instead of mid-range
• Focusing on seed-distributors and providing them means of working capital by
forming of co-operatives with the help of the sarpanch or village head
• Focus on the key selling points and communication to be done in local dialects
to the retailer by hiring more local seed distributors
How is Cottle doing in India? Has Cottle
enjoyed a first-mover advantage?
• Only 2 competitors
• Operations focuses only on oral care
• Products available in over 450000 retail outlets from small shops to supermarkets and
speciality retailets
• Total market share of 38% for oral products
• Total market share of 46% for toothbrushes units
• Consumers view Cottle as an authority and perceive their products as high end products
• Above points suggest that Cottle enjoyed a first mover advantage
How should Cottle accelerate the development
of the toothbrush market in India?
• Increased spending on radio and billboard for rural customers on low range products. The
IDA campaigns should focus on the prime earner of the household (especially women)
• Introduction of a new (hard bristle product) for the rural customer accustomed to neem twigs
• Mid range products for semi-urban areas
• Tie up with dentists to promote high end battery operated products to urban customers
• Hire seed distributors who know local dialect and communicate the key selling points
effectively
• Employee compensation according to regional performance
What are Cottle target market segments?
• Targeted everyone on the basis of income: Segmentation by household disposable income
• Segmentation based on Brushing frequency- mostly targeted 1times/day, 2times/day and 3times/week
customers
• Targeted both men and women