When I clicked on the advert by Reckitt Benckiser, which appeared on the right side of by FB window, I thought it would be just one of hundreds pages I "Like" and never visit back. The page I am talking about is THIS

But just ten days ahead, my Google Chrome browser has always a tab opened named PoweRBrands on Facebook.



For those, who have no idea what I am talking about. PoweRBrands (PB) is a facebook application/game. Once a person installs the web application, she becomes a virtual employee of Reckitt Benckiser (RB) and starts her career with the designation of "Executive". Every day her inbox gets some tasks, solutions of which revolve around giving weightage to resources in her hand to address a marketing problem. Based on the accuracy of her results, she gets points and gets promoted/relocated at intervals.

My current designation is Associate VP and I am working out of Rome! :)



In my one of the previous posts about Lateral Marketing at RB

The question arises when RB doesn't market its name while selling its products, what's the purpose of coming up with a RB Facebook page and a game application. Are they trying to establish the brand RB among its potential consumers (considering now days, almost everybody is on Facebook)? Are they doing it in contradiction of their marketing strategy of putting product brands in spotlight rather than the group's? Well it's a judgement made too soon.

RB has, in fact, done brilliantly in coming up with an idea by which it can attract prospective employees. A person playing the PB game, gets to know about what marketing issues arise in an FMCG company and what's the ideal way to deal with it, as recommended by RB. Though virtual, but seeing the results of the decisions made instantaneously through the experience points or promotions gained, keeps the person way more than interested. To add on the lighter side, one can get the cash (alas! virtual again) by allotting tasks to other FB friends cum PB players. Then the cash can be used by her to design her office.

The game on the sub-conscious level makes one realize that how fit is the person for RB way of marketing. And if everything goes well and the link at the PB game page named Careers@RB comes into picture.

The target group for the game are the fresh/experienced MBA graduates, who will find the game engaging if they have even a little love for Marketing not just as a discipline but as a career.

Who said LinkedIN and Job Websites are the only channels of attracting talent. Facebook has just been exploited. I am pretty much sure, very soon many other companies would be following the suit.

I am currently interning with Reckitt Benckiser.


For those who are wondering what is that, it is an FMCG company that bears brands like Dettol, Mortein, Easy off Bang, Harpic, Lizol, Colin, Cherry Blossom, Vanish, Air Wick, Veet, Finish, Disprin, Strepsils to name a few. All of these brands are either first or second in the category they are present. Interestingly RB is second largest media spender in FMCG category after Unilever. While typing in this post till now I have already watched more than six advertisements of RB products. :)



So the question pops up, why still people don’t know about it. Most of the brands mentioned above have their own websites.
Why does the advertisements for above brands don’t display Reckitt Benckiser logo at the the end as done by other FMCG majors viz. Unilever, ITC, P&G, Colgate-Palmolive etc.
The media manager has a very interesting explanation to this question and roots its reason to the corporate strategy of the company. They say that a one second airtime of flashing the company logo in a 10 second commercial accounts to 10% of the advertising budget. Now considering the amount of advertisement airtime bought by RB that is a considerable amount and company is unwilling to spend until convinced it does any good to the sales.
The company feels people chose to buy dettol, mortein or cherry blossom for the brands they are and attributes they possess. The company believes Brands and People are its pillar of strengths.
A counter argument that can be given usually is the parent company’s logo if known to people, it becomes easier to launch new products. However a counter-counter argument could be look at the product launches done by RB. Veet that was launched in 2006 moved from nothing to market leader in less than three years, brushing past Fem and Anne French (this would make more sense to our female counterparts). Vanish-relaunch and Easy off bang have been hugely successful too. The 10% saved on creating parent company brand is used aggressively at the time of brand launches.
Moreover the company believes that until they are sure of having exploited full potential of their products, they don’t want to do any further product launches.
But there are some fall-backs which even RB acknowledges. eg. lack of pre-awareness about RB in B-schools sometimes may have made them pseudo-lesser attractive destination compared to Unilever or ITC. At one occasion they needed to introduce themselves as “company that makes dettol”.
In a nutshell that explains the company’s believe in creating Power Brands, as they call them, instead of an Umbrella brand of RB. A strategy that can surely represent Lateral side of FMCG marketing. :)