Stink about pink?

Whilst lazily flicking through the boring TV channels the other night, a Skip Intelligent Micro advertisement literally jumped out at me - that is the bright pink section on the Skip Intelligent detergent box, which reads: "with built-in Stain Removal Booster".

The reason why the ad managed to secure my attention among the clutter is that the part of the label flashed on-screen has nearly the same shocking pink colour as the Vanish stain remover. Mmmm, I thought, this must be in direct response to the claims made regarding the Vanish Stain Remover, which, unlike the Preen (a pre-wash product), should be added directly to the detergent.

On the Vanish Stain Remover packaging it is stated: "...a revolutionary breakthrough in technology to remove the really tough stains that ordinary detergent alone frequently does not remove" (my italics). The Skip detergent box, on the other hand claims: "the built-in stain removal ingredients in SKIP INTELLIGENT Micro ensure that you enjoy the perfect clean, first, time without having to use any other booster" (my emphasis).

Thus, we clearly have a wash wars here, which is propelled along by the prospect that consumers may use less detergent, substituting part of it for Vanish Stain Remover (which, unlike Preen, is at pains to emphasise that it is "...safe for whites and colours".

What makes this battle interesting is that Skip and its agency used a clever strategy. By capitalising on the already existing association formed in the consumers' minds, i.e, shocking pink = Stain Remover, it usurped some of Vanish' colour derived brand salience and product properties. Skip therefore made significant in-roads into the stain removal turf on the back of another product, using a simple feature like colour association alone, thus subtly communicating that its stain removal properties are at least as effective as that of Vanish Stain Remover (shocking pink = stain remover = Vanish'™ = Skip™).

Since it is unwise not to claim to be better than another product against which one wants to influence consumer attitudes, Skip has two key USPs (Unique Selling Propositions) which distinguish it from Vanish, i.e: (1) a trademarked ingredient "Smart Activ Targetters™ - as opposed to only a trademarked brand name; and (2) a built-in stain removal booster.

Skip therefore is a 'double-whammy brand' - detergent + stain removal booster packed together and not dependent on another product in terms of its application.

Vanish Stain Remover, on the other hand, with the exception of the added benefit that it can be used to pre-treat stains much like Preen, can only be used together with a detergent.

Unilever SA, who manufacture Skip have recognised and capitalised on the importance of colour in fostering Brand Differentiation in a market characterised by increasing homogeneity and price - product parity. Examples are banks (Standard - blue; ABSA - red; Nedbank - green) and the cellular companies (MTN - yellow; Cell-C - red, etc). Whilst ReckittBenckiser (makers of Vanish) have also recognised the importance of colour in facilitating brand salience and standing out on shelf (hence the graduation of its packaging to 'shocking pink'), some of this is undoubtedly diluted by Unilever's colour 'borrowing' move.

This certainly is an interesting form of veiled competitive advertising from both sides, or is this the "Art of (Stain Removal) War" - weakening the opponent from the inside?

So, sorry Vanish Stain Remover, methinks you loose this round - perhaps you should have trade-marked the pink, since this is all the rage!