Cottie Expanding in India Case Analysis
Jodie Hailey
St. Edward University
Key marketing issues facing Cottie Expanding int the Indian market will be a difficult venture for Cottie, even with an extensive distribution network. In this particular market, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other oral hygiene products are not well accepted. The company would be wise to recognize and not underestimate the appeal of their product in this country. The key issue is that they assumed the market is available and willing to buy more Cottie products by simply reaching more customers through distribution. The real key to selling more toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other oral hygiene products is to get the people of India to understand and accept oral hygiene and dental care as a part of daily life. They underestimated the appeal of their product, they marketed features that were not supported, and therefore not accepted by the population. Their product just was not a good fit. The competition had better determined and adjusted their advertising to meet the specific needs of the India market, while Cottie launched the products, obtained a large distribution network to reach the consumers. But the consumers are not willing to accept new ways of cleaning teeth and are not ready to abandon traditional stick chewing over tooth brushing.
What Cottie needs to do better
Education in India Cottie went into a market that was not readily accepting of the product itself. The generl population of India does not brush, floss, or otherwise take care of their teeth, so new fantastic products are not goin to make a difference in a society that is unwilling and unaccepting of new ways to do something that they do not accept as a way of doing something that they do not believe will make a considerable difference in the way they take care of their teeth, because they are not concerned with spending money on a product that saves teeth when they fully believe that tooth decay and loss is completely based on diet and genetic traits, and not the lack of oral hygiene. The real key to making higher profits and expanding will be to educate the masses about the importance of oral hygiene.
Distribution Issues
Best Alternative For Cottie to be successful in India, they are going to have to be more competitive with the product itself. The other toothpaste and oral hygiene suppliers in the market are adding features and getting the to the market with new products far ahead of Cottie. They have already had consecutive years of low sales directly contributed to late entry and rollout of products, and that will be key in gaining and expanding market share. The India market has proven interest in these types of products when advertising has reached the rural areas and promotions have been successful in reaching the remote areas of India, but Cottie has not modified the toothpaste and advertising to rach the expansive market and consumers because the product lacks the compatibility that domestic markets enjoy. Not only do they need to change the toothpaste, but the other
