P&G AND UNILEVER

P&G and Unilever



P&G and Unilever

Introduction

P&G and Unilever are two of the most competitive and strong companies in the global market. P&G is a U.S based company, whereas Unilever is a Dutch/UK conglomerate. These companies have a presence in all parts of the world and operate hundreds of powerful and profit making brands. These companies have some of the most well known household brands which are used in most parts of the world. In this assignment, we will look to answer questions pertaining to the strategic choices and decisions taken in these companies to divest some of their brands to focus on brands which have been performing.

Task 1

Brand audit is a regular monitoring of the brand on the market, consumer attitudes to it and the situation in the camp of the competition. Timely audit helps to diagnose the early stages of "disease" brand, which can occur quite unexpectedly under the influence of external hostile factors (Willman 2009, pp. 27). Brand Audit performs X-rays of a brand, and then identifies all anomalies. The audit helps to identify the brand:

Changing attitudes of consumers towards the brand

Changes in values and priorities of the target audience

Demand reduction and its causes

The main actions of competitors, especially those that require a response

Detailed studies is only part of the work of the brand audit based on the results of which can continue to analyze and propose solutions. A marketer may be able to diagnose the problems which are reflected in the results and performances of the brands. However, a professional marketer will look into the brand and perform brand audit to identify the problems related to the brand. It is essential for marketers to identify and rectify the issues in the brand. Therefore, professional brand managers always conduct brand audits based on market research (Williams 2001, pp. 163).

Professional brand audit will reveal the tastes and preferences of potential customers, and existing customers. It will characterize the motivation to identify the planned brand image to its real perception and to outline the strategy of competitors. Brand audit is a reliable basis for developing a successful marketing strategy and advertising the brand. The end product is a brand audit "recipe", which is a report on the current situation and recommendations for its improvement. Brand audit shows the direction in which you want to work to make a weak brand strong or even stronger (Von Stamm 2003, pp. 136). Furthermore, brand audit is also used to identify and assess those brands which are no longer required.

In the case of Procter & Gamble and Unilever, these companies have a large portfolio of brands. It is essential for these companies to assess their brands and on a continuous basis so that they can identify which brands they need to remove from their portfolios. Such initiatives help companies like P&G and Unilever to focus on their key brands which are significant for profit generation and maintaining competitiveness in the market against ...