The article focuses on analyzing the commercials of Lifebuoy brand over a period of last 10 years in the context of changes in the marketing environmentpost liberalization. The researcher has used narrative analysis and the case study method to conduct a qualitative content analysis of television commercials of `Lifebuoy'. The article also has an interview with a senior management employee from the advertising agency which worked on the brand.

The marketing scenario in India has undergone vast change since 1991 due to the economic reforms that brought in an era of global markets and liberalization. Post-liberalization, competition intensified in each and every product line and market, which forced brands to redefine their norms of existence. Adding to the threat was the fact that competition proved to be a winning point for consumers as the markets shifted in favor of the sellers who now had a greater say in choosing products and services. This forced companies to compete with each other in offering better product features and services in order to win the customer. Brands, in order to stay relevant, had to rethink and rework on many areas, including on advertising strategies. Brand communication had to respond to the changes taking place in the product category and the marketing environment. This research is divided into two phases. Phase one tries to build a context by taking a case study approach to study the product category and consumer behavior, post liberalization. The case study approach has been used to understand the changes which provide a context to the research in phase two. The second phase is a study of the content of Lifebuoy commercials and analysis of how the communication has changed for the brand over the last 10 years. The research uses qualitative content analysis taking narrative analysis, case study method and in-depth interview with the advertising expert who has worked on the brand.

The soap industry in India can be classified into: Premium, Popular and Carbolic brand of soaps. The `Premium' category includes brands, such as Lux International, Mysore Sandal, Pears and some international brands. Brands in the `Popular' category include: Cinthol, Hamam, and Lux. `Carbolic' brands include Lifebuoy and Nirma bath soap. In the mid-1990s, this structure altered a bit when vegetable oil prices slid down by 40 to 50%, giving manufacturers a huge cost advantage. The result of this was the creation of the `discount segment', which offered soaps at prices which were 10 to 15% cheaper than that of the brands in the popular segment. Over the years, the `popular' segment has witnessed rapid growth and has been the category driver. Consumers shift from the premium segment as and when they see better value in the popular category; at the same time, consumers upgrade from the economy segment due to increased aspirations and affordability (Shahra, 2006). Hindustan Lever Ltd., Wipro Ltd., Godrej Soaps Ltd., Nirma, Procter & Gamble are the major players in the Rs. 4,800 cr toilet soap industry. Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has a strong presence in the toilet soap category with brands like Lux, Lifebuoy, Pears, Liril, Hamam, Breeze, Dove and Rexona. All these brands are targeted at different segments of consumers and, therefore, accordingly positioned. With major power branding exercises undertaken by HUL to manage its product portfolio from time to time, many brands have been repositioned and portfolios restructured over the years (Singh, 2003). While the Liril brand saw variants and a drastic change in its advertising strategy, Lux celebrated its 75 years of existence through innovative flavors and celebrities.

Advertising Express Magazine, Lifebuoy Soap Television Advertisements, Post Liberalization Era, Advertising Strategies, International Brands, Economy Segments, Rural Markets, Brand Communication, Indian Economy, Globalization, Foreign Investments, Business Houses, International Markets, Marketing Strategies.