The company employed medical representatives to popularize Dettol among doctor. Dettol trade name has been used since before 1936 as an antiseptic used after surgery. In 1936, a foreword to a more extended study of antiseptics included Sir Comyns Berkeley’s reaffirmation of the superior efficacy of Dettol for use in obstetrics.
The brand has travelled from the battle field to households as an effective germicide. Dettol soap is a successful brand extension. There is not much expenditure on its advertising. It gets spillover benefit from advertisements of its parent – Dettol antiseptic liquid.
Dettol is a powerful brand in the Indian context. Till mid-1980s Dettol was an antiseptic liquid, but in later years the brand was extended to create soap. Dettol soap was launched in 1981 in India by Reckitt and Coleman India Ltd and positioned as a ’love and care soap’. It was initial poor response.
Dettol soap, re-launched in 1984, has made headway in the crowd premium toilet soap market by adopted a strategy of creating and dominating a specific usage occasion.
Dettol soap
