The multinational is using its leading brand Clinic Plus as the vehicle to achieve this objective. The move will be brought about by creating a dissonance in the minds of the consumer through effective outdoor advertising in small towns where toilet soap doubles up as shampoo for hair wash purpose.

"Usage of soap on hair is high in most areas. HLL is isolating these districts where shampoo usage is low so as to increase penetration and growth," says Mr D Shivakumar, business head-hair (personal products), HLL. The frequency of washes in the country is low with the per capita consumption at a mere 25 ml.

Clinic Plus, the market leader in the Rs 700-crore shampoo market with a share of 30-32 per cent, took the initiative to launch the Re 1 sachet as "Clinic Plus Mini" - the lowest ever price - as the bottom end of the market is price-led.

This is part of the first leg of the promotion where the price is integrated in the overall brand personality. "As part of the second leg of the promotion, HLL is attempting to create a dissonance in the minds of the consumer so as to upgrade them to using shampoo instead of soap," says Mr Shivakumar.

This exercise has been launched in key states of the country, in regions where the population is one lakh. Awareness and dissonance has been created through eye-catching hoardings which highlight hair washed in soap and in shampoo, i.e. Clinic Plus, to markedly bring out the differentiation. The hair which has been washed in soap has been shown to look like hay and the one washed in Clinic Plus has been made to look glamourous in the hoarding.

There was a need to create dissonance in the minds of the consumer, reasons Mr Shivakumar, as lack of awareness persists and the price factor plays a key role. It was thus pertinent to tackle both the issues together - to create awareness about shampoo usage, and to tell the consumer that now Clinic Plus is also available at an affordable Re 1 price point.

Outdoor activity includes vehicle operations, emphasis on consumer outlets and on point of purchase. The company says that a quarter of the brand ad spend has been invested into this initiative.

This initiative is an on-going process for HLL, says Mr Shivakumar. The activity is also likely to be taken to the 5,000 plus population areas to increase penetration as part of a strategy stratification. The growth of the shampoo market is around 10-12 per cent. HLL's other shampoo brands in the portfolio are Lux for shiny hair and Sunsilk for strong hair.