Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is India’s largest fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) company, with a portfolio of over 35 brands in categories such as personal care, home care, foods, and refreshments. HUL was formed in 1933 as Lever Brothers India Limited, and it has since grown to become a household name in India and having a brand architecture which is second to none.
In 1933, Lever Brothers India Limited was established, and it began manufacturing soaps and detergents in India. The company was later renamed Hindustan Lever Limited (HLL) in 1956. In 2007, HLL changed its name to Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) after Unilever acquired a 52% stake in the company. Unilever is a global FMCG company with operations in over 190 countries.
HUL has a portfolio of over 35 brands, including popular names such as Dove, Surf Excel, Lipton, Lux, Lifebuoy, Pepsodent, and Brooke Bond.
It has a strong presence in the Indian market, with a distribution network that covers over 6.3 million outlets across the country. The company has also invested in building digital capabilities to reach out to the growing number of consumers who prefer to shop online. HULÂ has a workforce of over 18,000 employees, and it has consistently been recognized as a great place to work. In 2020, HUL was ranked as the second-best company to work for in India by the Great Place to Work Institute.
According to HUL’s annual report for the financial year 2020-21, the company’s revenue from operations was Rs 42,246 crores (approximately USD 5.7 billion), and its profit after tax was Rs 7,925 crores (approximately USD 1.1 billion).
Look into Brand Architecture of HUL
HUL has diverse portfolio of products across various categories. The brand architecture of HUL is designed to effectively manage its diverse product offerings and create a strong brand image in the minds of consumers.
Brand architecture refers to the structure of brands within a company and how they are related to each other. HUL has a complex brand architecture that consists of multiple brands and sub-brands. Let’s take a closer look at the brand architecture of HUL:
HUL as a Corporate Brand
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) is a corporate brand that represents the company as a whole. As a corporate brand, HUL serves as the overarching identity for all its products and sub-brands. The corporate brand represents the company’s values, culture, and reputation, and it is critical to building a strong and enduring brand image.
Here are some key features of HUL as a corporate brand:
HUL represents the company’s values and culture: The corporate brand represents the values and culture of the company, which include a commitment to sustainability, innovation, and social responsibility. HUL’s corporate brand identity is built on the foundation of its purpose, which is to create a better future every day.
HUL provides a consistent brand identity: The corporate brand provides a consistent brand identity for all the company’s products and sub-brands. This helps to create a clear and recognizable brand hierarchy and identity for consumers, which is critical to building brand equity and loyalty.
HUL communicates the company’s reputation: The corporate brand communicates the company’s reputation, which is critical to building trust and confidence among consumers. HUL’s reputation as a responsible corporate citizen and a leader in the FMCG industry is communicated through its corporate brand.
HUL represents the company’s financial performance: The corporate brand represents the company’s financial performance and growth, which is critical to building investor confidence. HUL’s strong financial performance and growth over the years have contributed to its reputation as a financially stable and successful company.
HUL serves as a platform for innovation: The corporate brand serves as a platform for innovation and new product development. HUL’s corporate brand identity is built on a commitment to innovation, which has helped the company to introduce new and innovative products in the market.
HUL represents the company’s social initiatives: The corporate brand represents the company’s social initiatives, which are aimed at improving the lives of people and communities. HUL’s corporate brand identity is built on a commitment to social responsibility, which has helped the company to create a positive impact on society.
In conclusion, HUL’s corporate brand represents the company’s values, culture, reputation, and financial performance. The corporate brand provides a consistent brand identity for all the company’s products and sub-brands, and it serves as a platform for innovation and social initiatives. HUL’s corporate brand identity is critical to building brand equity, loyalty, and trust among consumers and investors.
Masterbrands
The masterbrands of HUL represent the core brands of the company that serve as the flagship products in each of their respective categories. These brands have a strong equity and recognition among consumers, and they are well-known for their quality, reliability, and innovation.
HUL has a portfolio of masterbrands that includes iconic brands such as Dove, Surf Excel, Lipton, Lux, Lifebuoy, Pepsodent, and Brooke Bond, among others. Each masterbrand is managed and marketed independently and has its own brand identity and communication strategy.
The masterbrands of HUL are critical to the company’s success as they help to create a clear brand hierarchy and identity for all its products. They ensure that each brand has a distinct positioning in the market and helps to create a consistent brand image across the entire portfolio.
One of the key advantages of having a strong masterbrand is that it can be leveraged to introduce new products and variants in the same category. For example, Dove, a masterbrand in the personal care category, introduced Dove Hair Care, Dove Body Wash, and Dove Deodorant as sub-brands under the masterbrand.
The masterbrands of HUL are also designed to cater to the changing needs and preferences of consumers. For example, Surf Excel, a masterbrand in the laundry category, has variants such as Surf Excel Matic, Surf Excel Quick Wash, and Surf Excel Easy Wash, which are designed to cater to the specific needs and preferences of consumers.
Each masterbrand has a unique positioning and communication strategy that is designed to appeal to the target audience. For example, Dove’s communication strategy focuses on promoting natural beauty and self-confidence, while Lux’s communication strategy is centered around glamour and luxury.
The masterbrands of HUL have a strong equity and recognition among consumers, and they are often associated with trust, reliability, and quality. These brands have a long-standing presence in the market, and they have been able to withstand the competition and changing market trends over the years.
In conclusion, the masterbrands of HUL represent the core brands of the company that serve as the flagship products in each of their respective categories. These brands have a strong equity and recognition among consumers, and they are critical to the company’s success as they help to create a clear brand hierarchy and identity for all its products.
Sub-Brands
HUL has a diverse portfolio of sub-brands in various categories such as personal care, home care, foods, and refreshments. These sub-brands cater to the needs and preferences of different consumer segments and help the company to build a strong presence in the Indian market.
Here are some of HUL’s sub-brands and their key features:
Personal care sub-brands
a. Dove: Dove is a popular personal care sub-brand that offers a range of products such as soaps, body washes, shampoos, conditioners, and deodorants. The brand’s key features include a focus on beauty and self-confidence, a commitment to sustainability, and a broad product portfolio that caters to different consumer needs.
b. Lux: Lux is a premium personal care sub-brand that offers a range of soap and body wash products. The brand’s key features include a focus on glamour and beauty, a strong celebrity endorsement strategy, and a rich history dating back to 1924.
c. Pepsodent: Pepsodent is a popular oral care sub-brand that offers toothpaste and toothbrush products. The brand’s key features include a focus on oral health and hygiene, a commitment to education and awareness, and a broad product portfolio that caters to different consumer needs.
Home care sub-brands
a. Surf Excel: Surf Excel is a popular laundry detergent sub-brand that offers a range of products for different laundry needs. The brand’s key features include a focus on stain removal and fabric care, a strong emotional connection with consumers, and a commitment to sustainability.
b. Domex: Domex is a popular toilet cleaner sub-brand that offers a range of products for different cleaning needs. The brand’s key features include a focus on hygiene and cleanliness, a commitment to public health and safety, and a broad product portfolio that caters to different consumer needs.
Foods and refreshments sub-brands
a. Knorr: Knorr is a popular food and seasoning sub-brand that offers a range of products such as soups, noodles, and seasoning powders. The brand’s key features include a focus on taste and convenience, a commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing, and a broad product portfolio that caters to different consumer needs.
Also Read: Knorr – HUL’s Power Brand Adding More Taste In Your Life
b. Lipton: Lipton is a popular tea sub-brand that offers a range of products such as tea bags and iced tea mixes. The brand’s key features include a focus on health and wellness, a commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing, and a broad product portfolio that caters to different consumer needs.
HUL’s sub-brands are managed and marketed independently, but they are linked to the company’s overarching corporate brand. The sub-brands are designed to cater to different consumer needs and preferences and help the company to build a strong presence in the Indian market. HUL’s sub-brands are also committed to sustainability and responsible business practices, which is a key part of the company’s corporate brand identity. Overall, HUL’s diverse portfolio of sub-brands helps to create a clear and recognizable brand hierarchy and identity for consumers, which is critical to building brand equity and loyalty.
Endorsed Brands
Endorsed brands, also known as endorsed sub-brands or sub-brands with an endorser, are a type of brand architecture in which a company’s corporate brand is leveraged to support the sub-brand. In other words, the sub-brand uses the company’s name or logo as an endorsement to increase its credibility and visibility in the market.
Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) has several endorsed brands that use the company’s name or logo to support their products. Here are some of HUL’s endorsed sub-brands and their key features:
Lakme: Lakme is a popular cosmetic brand that offers a range of products such as makeup, skincare, and haircare. The brand’s key features include a focus on fashion and beauty, a strong association with Bollywood and fashion events, and a broad product portfolio that caters to different consumer needs. Lakme is an endorsed sub-brand of HUL, which means that it uses the company’s name to support its products.
Pureit: Pureit is a popular water purifier brand that offers a range of products for different consumer needs. The brand’s key features include a focus on health and safety, a commitment to innovation and technology, and a broad product portfolio that caters to different consumer needs.
Brooke Bond: Brooke Bond is a popular tea brand that offers a range of products such as tea bags and loose tea. The brand’s key features include a focus on taste and quality, a commitment to sustainability and responsible sourcing, and a broad product portfolio that caters to different consumer needs.
Kissan: Kissan is a popular food and beverage brand that offers a range of products such as ketchup, jams, and squashes. The brand’s key features include a focus on taste and convenience, a commitment to quality and safety, and a broad product portfolio that caters to different consumer needs.
HUL’s endorsed brands are designed to leverage the company’s corporate brand to increase their credibility and visibility in the market. The endorsed sub-brands are managed independently, but they are linked to the company’s overarching corporate brand. The endorsed sub-brands also benefit from HUL’s strong brand equity and reputation, which is critical to building brand loyalty and trust among consumers. Overall, HUL’s endorsed sub-brands help to create a clear and recognizable brand hierarchy and identity for consumers, which is important for building a strong brand portfolio and market position.
Standalone Brands
Standalone brands are products that are marketed under their own unique brand name without any reference to the HUL corporate brand or any of the masterbrands. These brands are often acquired by HUL or developed in-house to cater to a specific niche or a new market segment.
Standalone brands have their own brand identity and communication strategy, and they are often used to enter new categories or segments. For example, HUL’s acquisition of Indulekha, a hair oil brand, allowed the company to enter the premium hair care category and cater to the specific needs of consumers looking for natural and ayurvedic products.
Standalone brands are managed and marketed independently, and they have their own brand identity and communication strategy. They are often designed to be unique and differentiated from other products in the market, and they aim to create a strong brand image and customer loyalty.
One of the key advantages of standalone brands is that they allow HUL to expand its product portfolio and cater to the evolving needs and preferences of consumers.
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