Harpic Vs Hypo: Hypo hurting Harpic’s stronghold
In a battle typical of the Biblical David and Goliat, Harpic, a toilet cleaning agent produced by Reckitt Benckiser, is taking severe beating from Hypo, produced by a seemingly featherweight fighter, (judging from its parental pedigree) little-known ,Multipro Enterprise Limited .
Although, Harpic and Hypo are both cleaning agents, they do not belong to the same product category. Harpic is a cleaning agent designed for washing water closets while Hypo is a bleach solution made primarily for washing clothes. However, makers of Hypo have in marketing their product, built associations of the product with cleaning and disinfecting water closets(WCs), kitchens sinks , bathtubs and floors.
While these associations built through massive investment in TV advertisements (which show sparking toilets and tubs), radio jingles, outdoor and word -of — mouth has won Hypo more usage outside its catchment area, the worsening economic crunch has forced a flight to cheaper substitutes by consumers.
With the shrinking economy, drop in disposal income, non-payment of salaries of workers and general cash squeeze, pricing has become a major deciding factor that affects consumers’ buying decision, what analysts call the ‘income effect.’
The worsening economy occasioned by slump in oil price and value of Naira has led to drop in disposal income among Nigerians such that a significant number of consumers are switching from patronage of premium products to economy products. Recently, the Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun declared that Nigeria is ‘technically’ in recession.
Between the two parent- brands
Harpic enjoys a high parental pedigree of a conglomerate with bias for healthcare and personal care products which has been in the Nigerian market for about 35 years. The mother brand has made a success of providing answers high infectious disease burden by producing and marketing products that tackle germs and bacteria brands such as Dettol Liquid Anitseptic, Dettol Soap, Mortein, Jik etc.
Multipro Enterprise Limited is a sister company to Dufil, the group behind the sale and distribution of Nigeria’s Number One instant noodle, Indomie Instant Noodle. They also run Best Choice, a minimart chain.
Strength, weakness
Until, the Hypo threat, Harpic which is the trailblazer in the toilet cleaning maintained the leadership position even while its rivals like Duck and Mr Muscle produced by SC Johnson, played at the fringes, barely able to scratch the surface, due to low investment in advertising/brand awareness building activities and preferred choice of trade channels. Hypo came and started doing what Harpic’s competitors won’t do.
As the first in the market with the offering, Harpic first had to build a consumer consciousness of his need for a toilet cleaning solution. Apart from advertising, it put money into celebrity endorsement from the likes of Osuofia (Nkem Owoh), Joke Silva, Chioma Akpotha and lately, Tatafo (Helen Paul) and experiential marketing where its brand ambassadors pay surprise visits to homes to give consumers firsthand experience of the brand.
What consumers say
Business Hallmark checks revealed that a cross-section of the middle and low-income populations In Nigeria are switching from Harpic to Hypo for their toilet-cleaning for economic reasons. A survey of consumers aged between 20 and 50 years in Berger, Ogba and Ketu in Lagos revealed that 53% of the consumers surveyed use Harpic for cleaning their toilets, 40% use Hypo while 7%, use detergents. The survey revealed that choice is more of a function of income bracket, while more of the middle-class swing between of Harpic and hypo, the poor use Hypo while the very poor, most of who live face-me-I-face- you set-ups use detergents.
A consumer simply identified as Mummy Bukky, said she uses Hypo because of its affordability. “I use Hypo and Harpic to wash my toilet because one has to economise.”
Another consumer, Mrs George Whitney switched from Harpic to Hypo because, according to her, it washes toilets better. The school administrator explained: “I used Harpic before but I found that bleach does it better. Harpic takes some time before it cleans, but bleach does it faster. The spark after a wash with bleach last longer than with Harpic.”
A shopkeeper at Ogba, Mr Ik Ugwu, confirmed to Business Hallmark that many users of Harpic are switching to Hypo.
“Most people use Hypo and other bleach in the market to wash their toilet. So, Harpic is not moving as it used to. Some customers even say it removes stains more than Harpic. Price is also an issue because Hypo is cheaper and more effective than Harpic. So, why buy a more expensive one when you can buy a more effective one for less price? queried Ugwu who revealed he uses Hypo in his home.
Despite the setback,, Harpic which has responded to the Hypo challenge by designing smaller packs has built a cult of loyalists. One of them said, Faith Adepoju said, “Hypo is very good but Harpic is the best.” Another Harpic consumer, Daramola Owolabi,also spoke of the brand in the positive: “We use Harpic. It is fast, active, in the sense that it cleans everywhere, makes the toilet whiter, freshens the toilet. It is more hygienic than Hypo. I have tried Hypo. Hypo cleans the toilet but it is harsh,” she concluded.
An official of Multiple Enterprise Limited, makers of Hypo who would not want to be named said that consumers of toilet cleaners are switching to Hypo due to its quality and affordability.
“ It is the quality of Hypo. It is also affordable,” he said.
The Brand Manager, Harpic, Ebun Longe, who acknowledged that the growing demand for toilet cleaner in economy pack said that the company has responded to consumers’ need for Harpic in economy pack with Harpic in 200ml pack.
“We conducted a market research and found that our consumers want economy pack. We responded to the feedback. There is an economy pack. We now have a 200ml Harpic which goes for N170,” she added. The company has also packaged its bleaching brand, Jik in smaller packs to offer more options consumers who would rather wash their toilet with bleach.
