GLUE THAT COMES INSIDE WHITE AND BLUE - FEVICOL

Fevicol  strong bonds  Few brands enjoy the status of being synonymous with the category of product they represent. Fevicol is one such brand. Sold in its signature blue and white packaging, this legacy brand is a generic name in the adhesive category in India, and is a familiar sight in most households. HELLO FRIENDS,     In India, there are few brands that enjoys the status of being same with the category of product they represent.. Fevicol is one of such brand.Sold in its signature blue and white packaging..     The Fevicol story began in 1959, when the PAREKH GROUP started PIDILITE INDUSTRIES to capitalize on the potential market for synthetic resin adhesives, or "white glue" in India..The primary use of white glue was in woodworking, with secondary applications in upholstery, flooring, and footwear. Pidilite Industries decided to  the Fevicol brand’s success and popularity by launching a version suitable for the retail market. The first product line extension, a 30-gram collapsible tube, was introduced in the early 1970’s. Subsequently the company rolled out a spate of uniquely packaged Fevicol products, available for school students as well as professional and educational institutions.The introduction of various packaging formats helped transition the brand from the image of an industrial product to an all-purpose glue.    “Today, the flagship brand of Pidilite Industries has an approximately 60 percent market share in the overall adhesives market in India,” says Vishal Malhan, marketing head of Pidilite Industries.The various applications of the product, the majority of the sales are driven by carpenters who use Fevicol in furniture making," says Malhan.Presently, the Indian furniture industry is highly fragmented with 85 percent of sales dominated by the unorganized sector. Building a strong bond with carpenters        Apart from product quality, maintaining close contact with its primary target audience, the carpenters, has helped Fevicol sustain its leadership position in the white glue market.        In its early years most competitors—small-scale local manufacturers of white glue and multinational brands like Movicol (currently discontinued)—marketed their products through hardware stores and timber marts. Fevicol, on the other hand, approached carpenters directly. This direct marketing initiative was one of the most successful strategies employed by the company and helped the brand gain a strong foothold in the white glue market.Over the years, we have introduced a series of programs for carpenters and end-users to help build a strong relationship with them.        They also introduced Fevicol Furniture Books which showcased furniture designs with illustrations and measurements. These books helped enlighten the carpenters on new styles and trends in the furniture market, apart from building awareness for the brand.”        The Fevicol Champion’s Club (FCC) was another initiative introduced by the company. It served as a platform for carpenters to increase their social contacts and be part of a social network.Through various club activities they helped uplift the lifestyle of the carpenter. In the past, they organized free dental check ups, blood donation camps, or celebrations during festivals like Independence Day.        The company went a step further by sponsoring activities to build relations with the families of the carpenters. For example, the company regularly organizes vocational training for their spouses and children—educating them on everyday activities like opening bank accounts and sewing. Other community building events include the "Jud jaaye tyoharon par" (come together during the festival) event, where carpenters and their families unite to celebrate different festivals. Connecting people through humor         “[Apart from direct media], creative advertising has also helped keep the brand alive in this non-interesting category. The creative strategy that Ogilvy & Mather has employed for Fevicol is "to make bonding a Fevicol attribute," and its advertising has used intelligent humor to convey this meaning. Some of its award winning TV advertisements include showcasing an egg that won’t crack because the hen that laid it fed from a Fevicol tube (1988), to more Indian-specific ones like a creaky bus carrying an unimaginable number of passengers glued together because of a Fevicol signage ad (2001).