TABLE OF CONTENT

Sr.
No.

Particulars

Recommended No.
of Pages

Introduction

Executive Summary

Industry/Sector overview

Company Profile (Core products, market share etc.)

Situation Analysis & Problem Definition

30

Literature Review

31

Objectives & Need for the Study

32

Research Methodology

33

Data Analysis, Interpretation & Findings

34

10

Limitations of Study

40

11

Conclusions

41

12

Recommendations

42

13

Bibliography, References & Website

43

INTRODUCTION
The Pharmaceutical market is considered to be one of the emerging markets with a huge
potential in terms of opportunities & growth. This is one of the sectors which is least affected
by recession. The industry is related with severity of various ailments and medicines being
produced. As the life is becoming busier as well as more stressful, the ailments and diseases
are increasing day by day whether acute or chronic and hence is the Pharmaceutical industry.
The Pharmaceutical industry in India is growing at around 16% per annum. Currently, India
ranks 3rd in terms of volume of the global pharmaceutical market. India accounts for 1.5% of
the total global pharmaceutical production by value. The Indian Pharmaceutical industry is on
the threshold of becoming a major global market by 2020. The Industry has the potential to
grow at an accelerated 15 to 20% CAGR for the next 10 years to reach between US$49
billion to US$74 billion in 2020.[3]
Paracetamol is an important antipyretic and analgesic agent with weak anti-inflammatory
effects. Paracetamol has been around as a drug for more than thirty years. Paracetamol, being
a safe and low priced analgesic, is quite popular world-wide.
Promotion Advertising life-saving drugs in all parts of the world contravenes the code of
ethical practices. However, OTC drugs are aggressively advertised with each brand seeking
its share-of-pocket. After its acquisition of Crocin in 1996, GSK developed a new
communications strategy. In those days several aspirin-based analgesics and paracetamols
were readily available. However, research had shown that extended usage of these drugs
tended to cause severe side-effects such as liver toxicity, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastritis,
liver-related problems and dizziness, amongst others (Source: MedlinePlus, January 2007).
Crocin at recommended dosage was a safe drug with virtually no reported side-effects. GSK
used this knowledge by positioning Crocin on the safety and easy-on-the-stomach planks but
steering clear of its other benefit: the drug's analgesic property. Further, fever claim could not
be advertised as it featured in the list of diseases and conditions in the Drugs and Magic
Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act. All mass media activities for Crocin were put
into low key by the end of 1999. However, by then a number of new formulations had been
introduced. This had the expected result of further fragmenting the market and taking away
shares from Crocin. The new drugs were perceived to be very effective and offered
consumers a kind of safe remedy since they all came with the recommendations of doctors.
2

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Pain commonly experienced by many people is acute pain resulting from injury, illness, and
necessary medical procedures, while the other types include chronic pain, recurring pain, and
pain associated with terminal illness.
A paracetamol is one of the world's most widely used, over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and
can be administered with complete safety, in therapeutic dosages, without side-effects
normally associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID).
Crocin is, today, not just India's number one brand, it has also featured in the Top 100 brands
in the Brand Equity listing. In the industry itself it has won several awards.
GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is the manufacturer of Crocin brand of paracetamol
formulation, Established in the year 1924 in India GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
(GSK Rx India) is one of the oldest pharmaceuticals company.
Crocin has been a trusted family name for over three decades and enjoys a strong medical
heritage. An effective remedy for fever and mild-to-moderate pain, Crocin is an over-thecounter drug and does not require a doctor's prescription to buy it.
OBJECTIVE & NEED ASSESSMENT:
1) To find out the attitude of the consumers towards the CROCIN brand as compared to the
other paracetamol brand
2) To find how effective the advertising is campaigns of Crocin as compared to other
3) To understand the consumer behavior and the influence of various factors like Brand,
Media, and Advertising and promotional schemes etc. towards Crocin

Industry/Sector overview
It is unlikely that any research can ever throw up how many people might be sick in the world
on any one day with flu, headache, a sniffling cold or a minor body ache. But if even 0.50%
were, the world would have 33 million people reaching out for a paracetamol, more than once
every day. A paracetamol is one of the world's most widely used, over-the-counter (OTC)
medicines and can be administered with complete safety, in therapeutic dosages, without
side-effects normally associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID). The
Indian analgesic and anti-pyretic market is a huge one, growing at 9.50% per annum (Source:
MAT, April 2009). Not many would believe that this market actually harbors 62 nationally
distributed analgesics and over 100 local brands. So in an environment as competitive as this,
a single brand cornering 18% of the market in the systemic analgesics category is
astonishing.
Even more astonishing is the fact that Crocin India's largest selling over the-counter
analgesic actually grew 21% in 2008 colds category by launching Crocin Cold n' Flu.
Crocin Cold n' Flu has a unique non-drowsy formula comprising paracetamol, caffeine and
phenylephrine. This gives effective relief from multiple symptoms like nasal congestion
(stuffy nose), headache, body ache, sore throat pain and chills.
Crocin Cold n' Flu currently has a market share of 4.20% (MAT 2009) and is the fastest
growing brand within the Crocin basket. Crocin is, today, not just India's number one brand,
it has also featured in the Top 100 brands in the Brand Equity listing. In the industry itself it
has won several awards. The selection was made on parameters such as aesthetic appearance,
uniqueness, branding, shelf-appeal, display, regulatory compliance, anti-counterfeit features,
brand recall and colour scheme.

Company Profile
GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd. is the manufacturer of Crocin brand of paracetamol
formulation, Established in the year 1924 in India GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals Ltd.
(GSK Rx India) is one of the oldest pharmaceuticals company. At GSK, mission is to
improve the quality of life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer. This
mission drives us to make a real difference to the lives of millions of people with our
commitment to effective healthcare solutions.
The GSK India product portfolio includes prescription medicines and vaccines. Prescription
medicines range across therapeutic areas such as anti-infectives, dermatology, gynaecology,
diabetes, oncology, cardiovascular disease and respiratory diseases. The company is the
market leader in most of the therapeutic categories in which it operates. GSK also offers a
range of vaccines, for the prevention of hepatitis A, hepatitis B, invasive disease caused by H,
influenza, chickenpox, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, rotavirus, cervical cancer, streptococcus
pneumonia and others.
Mr. Subodh Bhargava- Chairman
Mr. Manoj Kumar- Managing Director
In pharmaceuticals, GSK's India portfolio includes prescription medicines across therapeutic
areas such as dermatology, gynaecology, diabetes, oncology, and cardiovascular and
respiratory diseases. The company is the market leader in most of these categories. It also
makes vaccines for hepatitis A and B, influenza, chicken pox, cervical cancer and other
diseases.
Its other business in India. consumer health-care products, is also flourishing. Indeed, for the
British parent, India is the fastest-growing region in consumer healthcare.
GSK Consumer Healthcare has doubled its top line in the last four years to more than Rs
3,000 crore - a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19 to 20 per cent. "We hope to
5

maintain it," says Zubair Ahmed, Managing Director of the Consumer Healthcare division.

GSK has stayed the course in India despite major reversals. The worst hit it suffered was the
first drug price control order of 1970, which affected 41 per cent of its products and hurt both
top line and bottom line. But GSK did not pull back. Instead it changed strategy, entered
other businesses and sought to launch products which would not be covered by the drug price
control order. Today, only 23 per cent of its drugs are under price control.
The history of Crocin is intertwined with the development of paracetamol. In the late 19th
century there was a severe scarcity of quinine, a drug that was then widely administered to
treat fever. This sparked the search for a synthetic substitute which, in turn, led to the
discovery of N-acetyl-p-aminophenol now popularly known as paracetamol, the active
ingredient in Crocin. By the early 1940s enough work had been done in the laboratories of
the world to demonstrate the clinical safety of this chemical. In India the history of Crocin
goes back more than 40 years when it was first introduced in the market by Duphar Interfran
Limited (now DIL Limited) a Mumbai-based pharmaceutical firm. In its early days, Crocin
like several other drugs, was a prescriptive and was marketed through the ethical route. In
1996, Duphar Interfran sold the brand to SmithKline Beecham. Soon after, through a
government notification several drug formulations were removed from the ethical list. Crocin
became an over-the-counter drug. This opened up a huge market. Riding on the equity that
Crocin had garnered over the years of a safe trusted anti-pyretic, SmithKline extended its
presence to the analgesic segment. . Kapil Dev was signed on as the brand
ambassador for Crocin Pain Relief. It was a fine move that worked wonderfully in
registering the brand in the minds of consumers.
Crocin sells more than 2.50 million pills each day.That's nearly 30 every second,
around-theclock Internationally Crocin goes by the name Panadol Crocin has a
share of 18% in a market that has many nationally distributed brands and a
plethora of local brands Unlike other remedies for flu-like symptoms, Crocin Cold
n' Flu has a unique non-drowsy formulation The active ingredient in Crocin Nacetyl-paminophenol was discovered in the early 1900s

MARKET SHARE
Crocin is a single brand
Crocin is a single brand cornering 18% of the market in the systemic analgesics category is
astonishing.
Even more astonishing is the fact that Crocin India's largest selling over the counter
analgesic actually grew 21%.
CROCIN AS A BRAND
It is unlikely that any research can ever throw up how many people might be sick in the world
on any one day with flu, headache, a sniffling cold or a minor body ache. But if even 0.50%
were, the world would have 33 million people reaching out for a paracetamol, more than once
every day. A paracetamol is one of the world's most widely used, over-the-counter (OTC)
medicines and can be administered with complete safety, in therapeutic dosages, without
side-effects normally associated with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID).
The Indian analgesic and anti-pyretic market is a huge one, growing at 9.50% per annum
(Source: MAT, April 2009). Not many would believe that this market actually harbours
62nationally distributed analgesics and over 100 local brands. So in an environment as
competitiveas this, a single brand cornering 18% of the market in the systemic analgesics
category isastonishing. Even more astonishing is the fact that Crocin. India's largest selling
over-the-counter analgesic actually grew 21% in 2008.
Crocin has been a trusted family name for over three decades and enjoys a strong medical
heritage. An effective remedy for fever and mild-to-moderate pain, Crocin is an over-thecounter drug and does not require a doctor's prescription to buy it. Over the last few years
Crocin has seen a series of new initiatives like new packaging with a 3-D hologram seal - a
protection seal - and new launches like Crocin Pain Relief and Crocin Suspension Double
Strength.

Achievements: GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) is one of the world's foremost pharmaceutical

companies. It was born out of the merger of GlaxoWellcome and SmithKline Beecham in
December 2000. Crocin also marketed as Panadol in more than 80 countries is the leading
paracetamol brand in India. Over the years GSK has grown the brand laterally adding a
number of variants. Crocin Pain Relief was launched in 2003 with a superior formulation that
contained 650mg of paracetamol and 50mg of caffeine. In 2007, Crocin entered into the colds
category by launching Crocin Cold n' Flu. Crocin Cold n' Flu has a unique non-drowsy
formula comprising paracetamol, caffeine and phenylephrine.This gives effective relief from
multiple symptoms like nasal congestion (stuffy nose), headache, body ache, sore throat pain
and chills. Crocin Cold n' Flu currently has a market share of 4.20% (MAT 2009) and is the
fastest growing brand within the Crocin basket. Crocin is, today, not just India's number one
brand, it has also featured in the Top 100 brands in the Brand Equity listing. In the industry
itself it has won several awards.The India Star award was conferred upon it for the Best
Packaging.The Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) in alliance with Bilcare Research
awarded Crocin Cold n' Flu for the Best Packaging in oral solid dosage form.The selection
was made on parameters such as aesthetic appearance, uniqueness, branding, shelf-appeal,
display, regulatory compliance, anti-counterfeit features, brand recall and colour scheme.
Brand Values Crocin is a heritage brand, steeped in pharmacological history. Over the
decades it has brought relief and a gentle touch of caring to perhaps hundreds of millions of
people quickly and safely. For entire generations, Crocin is more than a pain and fever
reliever, it is a time-tested friend that has always helped bring comfort and soothe life's little
aches. It has also been a mother's first line of defence. As infants, the single drop of Crocin
syrup she administered brought quick relief; to children it was the spoon of fruity suspension
and for adults the magic white pill. At every stage of life there was a Crocin to fall back upon.

BRAND MANAGEMENT CROCIN

Crocin Pain Relief
Launched in 2003, this is Crocin's new offering in the pain arena. Specially formulated for
effective pain relief, it contains 650 mg of Paracetamol and 50 mg of Caffeine.
Crocin is a three decade old heritage brand. The generic brand belongs to the anti-pyretic
category in India. It is an over the counter (OTC) drug i.e. It can be bought without doctors
prescription. The brand is the market leader in the paracetamol category. Crocin was launched
in India 30 years ago by the company Duphar Interfran Ltd. During its early years, the brand
was marketed through the ethical route. The brand was bought by Smithkline in 1996. The
brand was so successful in the market that GSK bought it for a considerable amount of Rs 45
crore. There was logic behind the brand acquisition. GSK had the brand Calpol in the
prescription market and was a market leader in the Ethical segment. Crocin was proving to be
a major threat for Calpol. So the brand was acquired in order to safeguard the position of
Calpol. The Indian Pharmaceutical market is huge with a valuation of $45 billion in which
the OTC segment accounts for a value of $ 1 Billion i.e. Rs 4500 crore. Crocin is in the
analgesic/antipyretic market. The analgesic (pain Killer) market is a large market with a size
of Rs 900 crore and the mild analgesic market is worth Rs 300 crore. Within the analgesic
market there are two types: Aspirin based and Paracetamol based. Paracetamol based
formulations constitute a major part of the market
Paediatric (Children's) Range
Crocin paediatric range is a complete range - there is one for every age group, from infants
totoddlers to older kids up to 12 years.Every pack label has an accurate dosing table. To
enable ease of administration and accuracy of dose, the packs are provided with new & user
friendly dosing devices such as a measuring cupand a dropper. Crocin paediatric range also
has tasty flavours that help in facilitating better patient compliance and hence better results.
The paediatric range consists of 3 variants differentiated on the basis of age: Crocin Drops in
a Peppermint flavour - suitable for children in the age group of 0-1 years; Crocin Suspension
in a Strawberry flavour - suitable for children in the age group of 1-5 years; and Crocin

Suspension Double Strength in a Mixed fruit flavour - suitable for children in the age group
of 5-12 years.

Crocin Quik
Crocin Quik is a breakthrough paracetamol formulation, "that gets to work TWICE AS FAST
asregular paracetamol tablets". It is India's fastest acting paracetamol tablet.Crocin has been a
trusted family name for over three decades and enjoys a strong medicalheritage. An effective
remedy for fever and mild-to-moderate pain, Crocin is an over-the-counter drug and does not
require a doctor's prescription to buy it.
Over the last few years Crocin has seen a series of new initiatives like new packaging with a
3-Dhologram seal - a protection seal - and new launches like Crocin Pain Relief and
CrocinSuspension Double Strength.
Crocin Pain Relief
Launched in 2003, this is Crocin's new offering in the pain arena. Specially formulated for
effective pain relief, it contains 650 mg of Paracetamol and 50 mg of Caffeine.
Paediatric (Children's) Range
Strength & favourability of Crocin:Crocin although a generic name in the paracetamol segment faces an interesting problem.
65%of the brand usage is for its antipyretic i.e fever related use. The antipyretic segment in
the OTCis very small with a size of Rs 30-40 crore. In the painkiller market which is large,
Saridon leadsthe pack in the OTC segment.
Crocin's market became limited sadly because of its efficacy or popularity as a drug for fever
although it had pain killer properties. Sometimes success can become a limiting factor for
further growth. The paracetamol segment is witnessing competition from the generic tablets.
Most of the time the druggist has the influencing power in the sale of OTC products. During
the 1990's if Crocin was a generic name for paracetamol tablets, the situation is different now
with consumers asking for Paracetamol rather than Crocin. Crocin was in the maturity stage
of its product lifecycle in 2000 with the sales stagnating. There was intense competition from
generic products and other brands. Paracetamol became a commodity with little scope for
10

differentiation. The brand then went into Market Development mode in 2003 by repositioning
the brand as an analgesic. The brand roped in Kapil Dev to endorse the brand. The high
profile

ad campaign gave a new life to the brand. The brand also came out with variants like Crocin
Quik that boasted of faster relief . Quik was essentially a concentrate of the classic Crocin
also came out with Crocin 1000 aiming at patients having arthritis. Crocin is promoted as an
ethical product Crocin had its fair share of problems from the Watch Dogs". Typically when
a brand moves from Ethical to OTC and embarks on brand building, there is going to be
someone who will cry foul. Crocin faced objections from FDA for some of its campaigns but
those were later sorted out.As far as a customer is concerned, Crocin is still perceived as a
drug for fever( antipyretic) rather than as a pain killer(analgesic). It will take a lot of money
and time to change that perception.
PERCEIVED QUALITY:
Quality is the patent protection we have got.
MARKETING STRATEGIES AND PRODUCT LIFE CYCLE OF OTC PRODUCTS
Understanding the Product Life Cycle (PLC) is of critical importance to a firm launching a
new products companies whose patents of a products are about to expire and the products is
about to die.. It helps a firm to manage the risk of launching a new product more effectively,
converting the products or switching the product to another category what normally
pharmaceutical companys do, whilst simultaneously maximizing the sales and profits that
could be achieved throughout the product's life cycle. 1. The Product Life Cycle of a
pharmaceutical OTC products indicates that products have four things in common: (1)
pharmaceutical products have a limited lifespan; (2) their sales pass through a number of
distinct stages, each of which has different characteristics, challenges, and opportunities; (3)
their profits are not static but increase and decrease through these stages; and (4) the
financial, human resource, manufacturing, marketing and purchasing strategies that products
require at each stage in the life cycle varies (Kotler and Keller, 2006). Whilst there is a
common pattern to a product's life cycle, which is bell-shaped in nature, this pattern does
vary depending on the specific characteristics of a given product. These life cycle patterns are
11

illustrated and discussed in the subsequent section. The typical PLC consists of five main
aspects: (1) Product Development; (2) Introduction; (3) Growth; (4) Maturity (5) Decline. In
the diagram below, the respective sales (in red) and profits (in blue) across these five stages
are illustrated. The

Product Life Cycle begins with product development, during which time the firm devises and
creates a new product. Whilst the end aim of this development process is to have a profitable,
well-performing product on the market, this initial stage is characterized by zero sales, the
firm bearing the costs of such development, typically resulting in negative profitability
(Kotler and Armstrong, 2004). . However, despite the importance of the product development
process, the PLC literature tends to focus on the subsequent four stages, which are discussed
in more detail below. The introduction of a new product onto the market is typically
characterized by very slow sales, which may grow only very slightly over a long period of
time. Whilst profits will gradually improve during this stage, it may take until near the
completion of the introductory stage in the PLC before the company witnesss positive
profitability. The reason for such low profitability during this stage is not so much the limited
success of the product measured in terms of low, albeit growing, sales but the high costs
of production and promotion that are required to try to develop customer awareness.
Depending on the nature of the product, the firm many need to invest in building inventories
or acquiring fixed assets such as plant and machinery. Whilst this stage in the process can
take a long time and consume considerable resources, firms must not be tempted to try to
obtain early profitability at the expense of long-term product viability.
For example, introducing a new product at a low price may encourage a lot of consumers to
make an immediate purchase, but the firm not only sacrifices long-term sales because too
many people have bought the product early on but also may considerably reduce its margins,
making it more difficult and time consuming before the product first becomes profitable and
hits its break-even level. As such, firms must make careful choices over their marketing
strategies; in particular, their pricing, promotional and placement decisions (Porter, 1980;
1985; Kotler et al., 1996; Blackwell et al., 2001; Grant, 2002; Kotler and Armstrong, 2004).
The growth stage in the PLC typically involves a rapid growth in sales as early adopters
replace pioneers as the main consumer group. Whilst pioneers are characterized as those
consumers who purchase products almost immediately when new products are launched,
early adopters wait until the price starts to fall and some of the product's potential weaknesses
12

are ironed out. Nonetheless, over time the risk of purchasing a new product one that is not
as well tested and supported decreases and increasing numbers of people become interested
in, and purchase, the product. Towards the second half of the growth stage, later buyers will
start to adopt the product as they receive positive word-of mouth recommendations from
people they trust. Whilst profits start
to increase during this period, they do not match the growth in sales. This is because the
awareness of the new product and growth in product sales make the market for the product
more attractive to potential new entrants and competitors. During this period of high sales
growth, many competitors may choose to enter the market, reducing the company's relative
market share and, in the process, its profitability. As the sales volume increases, the
manufacturing and promotional spend per unit decreases, which also helps to increase
profitability. Nonetheless, if the firm wants this growth phase to continue rapidly without
petering out, it must invest in adding new product features or improving the quality of the
product. This may not only attract existing customers to upgrade their current product
purchase but it may also attract different customer demographics that would ordinarily not
have been drawn to the product's features and functionality. Alternatively, improvements in
customer support or the creation of easy-to-use functionality can help the firm acquire more
risk-averse consumers who require greater product support. Over time, the company may
choose to reduce prices considerably in an attempt to attract more customers, or bundle the
product with other offerings that may be approaching the end of their growth stage.
Nonetheless, it is typically just a matter of time before the product's growth starts to waiver
(Porter, 1980; 1985; Kotler et al., 1996; Blackwell et al., 2001; Grant, 2002; Kotler and
Armstrong, 2004)
The Indian Pharmaceutical market is huge with a valuation of $45 billion. The OTC segment
accounts for a value of $ 1 Billion i.e Rs 4500 crore. Crocin is in the analgesic/antipyretic
market. The analgesic (pain Killer) market is a large market with a size of Rs 900 crore and
the mild analgesic market is worth Rs 300 crore. With in the analgesic market there are two
types : Aspirin based and Paracetamol based. Paracetamol based formulations constitute a
major part of the market. Crocin formulations has a 5% share in the total market.
Crocin although a generic name in the paracetamol segment faces an interesting problem.
65% of the brand usage is for its antipyretic i.e fever related use. The antipyretic segment in

13

the OTC is very small with a size of Rs 30-40 crore. In the painkiller market which is large,
Saridon leads the pack in the OTC segment.

Crocin's market became limited sadly because of its efficacy or popularity as a drug for fever
although it had pain killer properties. Sometimes success can become a limiting factor for
further growth. The paracetamol segment is witnessing competition

from the

generic tablets. Most of the time the druggist has the influencing power in the sale of OTC
products. During the 1990's if Crocin was a generic name for paracetamol tablets, the
situation is different now with consumers asking for Paracetamol rather than Crocin.
Crocin was in the maturity stage of its product lifecycle in 2000 with the sales stagnating.
There was intense competition from generic products and other brands.Paracetamol became a
commodity with little scope for differentiation. The brand then went into Market
Development Mode in 2003 by repositioning the brand as an analgesic. The brand roped in
Kapil Dev to endorse the brand. The high profile ad campaign gave a new life to the brand.
The brand also came out with variants like Crocin Quik that boasted of faster relief. Quik was
essentially a concentrate of the classic Crocin. Crocin also came out with Crocin 1000 aiming
at patients having arthritis. Crocin is promoted as an ethical product.
Crocin had its fair share of problems from the " Watch Dogs". Typically when a brand moves
from Ethical to OTC and embarks on brand building , there is going to be someone who will
cry foul. Crocin faced objections from FDA for some of its campaigns but those were later
sorted out.
As far as a customer is concerned, Crocin is still perceived as a drug for fever( antipyretic)
rather than as a pain killer(analgesic). It will take a lot of money and time to change that
perception

14

GlaxoSmithKline slashes Crocin price in market by 50%

The shortage of GlaxoSmithKline (GSK)-manufactured paracetamol Crocin Advance drug
has receded. The pill is back on chemist counters in Mumbai and that too 50% cheaper.
People have already started availing of the medicine at a cheaper rate Rs 14 for 15 tablets.

A source from GSK said, "We have rolled out the medicine packs with the revised price.
They are available in some quarters. In others, the retailers are expected to make them
available in two to three days."
The basic pain relief drug was unavailable in the city for a month after the Food and Drug
Administration (FDA) had asked that its "overpriced" stock be recalled. A strip of 15 tablets
was priced at Rs30. Two months back, the state FDA had seized a stock of Crocin Advance
worth Rs6 lakh from Thane, on the ground that it was overpriced, and had not allowed for it
to be sold in the market.
"The drug was overpriced and was violating the rules of the Drug Pricing and Control Order
(DPCO), which cites that 500mg paracetamol should be priced at 94 paise per tablet. GSK
was selling it at Rs2 per tablet," said state FDA commissioner Mahesh Zagade.
After FDA's action, GSK had approached the National Pharmaceutical Pricing
Authority(NPPA) for recourse. The NPPA too came down heavily on GSK. The pharma
company had argued with NPPA that Crocin Advance has faster effect than a generic
paracetamol as it has superior pharmacokinetic profile, but NPPA has refused to pay heed to
GSK's argument.
"GlaxoSmithKline Asia Pvt Ltd (GSKAP) has received a response from National
Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) on the application seeking exemption for Crocin
Advance Paracetamol Fast Release 500mg tablet under the provisions of the Drugs Price
Control Order (DPCO), 2013. GSKAP is reducing price of Crocin Advance Paracetamol Fast
Release 500mg tablet to conform to the price notified under DPCO, 2013, with immediate
effect. From now onwards, Crocin Advance 500mg tablet will be supplied with price
15

revision. Other variants of Crocin continue to be available for consumer consumption.

GSKAP has been and will continue to be compliant with law of the land," a GSK
spokesperson told dna.

How Crocin Uses Twitter

Twitter Followers
11- Crocin
141K- average
19- Crocin's competitors' average

Tweets Retweeted
3% of Crocin's tweets were retweeted by its followers

3%

Retweeted

97%

Not Retweeted

16

Posts per day : 0.2

Average number of posts made by Crocin per day: 14 Nov to 23 Nov 2015

People Talking About

19K
Crocin
15K
Average
9K
Crocin's competitors average

17

`
19K people are talking about Crocin

Weekend vs Weekday 100% Posts by Crocin were made on weekdays

100%
Weekday

18

0%

Weekend

Type of posts
Posts by type made per day by Crocin
100%- Photo
0%- Status
0%- Links
0%- Videos

19

MARKETING MIX OF CROCIN AS OTC

Product
OTC products have created a space for themselves in the consumers mind as most of the
marketers termed it as Consumer Healthcare Products. This is a good positioning platform to
convince the customers that it is not a prescription drug. Further the ayurvedic preparation of
the product also instils required believability among the users. Thus the brand positioning
became relevant and various branding exercises have been taken up by leading marketers.
This has led to a perception among consumers that these OTC brands are similar to that of
other FMCG brands. Product form innovation is also common and the popular OTC pain
remedies are now available in liquid, cream, gel and spray forms. This is a remarkable push
for OTC brands and marketers took cues from this and started promoting their brands through
various ways.
20

Price
OTC products have the pricing advantage compared to other consumer products since they
wear the mask of a medicated product. Hence the pricing of these products are ranging from
moderate to premium. Most of these products are priced on the basis of benefit offered. In
certain cases the price is offset by appropriate packaging strategy (discussed in detail under
Packaging). By and large the pricing though little above the average ranges still consumers
never mind to buy due to the urge for quick remedies to ailments. This is one major
difference in consumer perception for FMCG products and OTC drugs.

Promotion In recent years, the media has experienced lot of OTC brands launched in an
aggressive way in the market. To name a few, Crocin, Eno, Revital, i-pill, Volini, Vicks
Multi-pain, Iodex gel and so on., The relative advertising spend by these brands are also quite
sizeable. For e.g., GSK-one of Indias leading OTC marketers roughly spends 1/6th of its
total income from operations on advertising and sales promotion. Some of the trends
observed in the OTC brand promotions in recent times are: - Frequent advertising leading to
stronger brand recall - Higher brand awareness through wider media presence (across all
media options) - Better consumer connect with celebrity endorsements - Attractive POP
displays to stimulate brand preference - Well designed communication strategies to diffuse
brand benefits and advantages

Place OTC products make use of the huge pharmaceutical distribution network in India to
reach out the various segments of the market. Except for cold rub/ pain balm and the likes,
some other OTC products are also prescribed by the physicians through whom the sale is
triggered. In addition to the pharmacies, even general merchants and organized retail stores
have started selling popular and fast moving OTC brands. Hence, the market reach is good
and relatively larger than FMCG products. But still, the sale through electronic channel
(online) is still a distant reality as such a mindset is not yet set among the consumers.

21

Packaging Given the significance of packaging for OTC marketing, it is discussed along
with the traditional 4Ps. As mentioned earlier the packaging strategies are offsetting the
pricing effect on various OTC products. For example, Vicks has various size of packaging for
its cold rub with varying content volume and pricing. Similarly, antacid liquid and cough
syrup are available in sachet for one time use which results in affordable pricing image and
lot of convenience to use.
CROCIN Market 2015 - Global Industry Trends, Share, Opportunities and Forecast to
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22

Month-end after month-end marketers make trade-offs between sales target achievement and
growing the 'brand mountain'. Metacin was a fond paracetamol brand of many prescribers.
However, the first paracetamol brand to go in to direct-to-consumer advertising in India, was
not Crocin (actually the large leader paracetamol brand), but Metacin. This brand paid for it
by the unforgiving market. Prescribers yelled at the medical representatives marketing
Metacin. The prescriber's brand had gone away from them. The brand's positioning mountain
was affected. Later when Crocin went in to direct-to-consumer advertising, the medical
representatives did not face any flak - because Crocin was really very popular over-thecounter. Prescribers did not feel any ire at the brand marketing strategy of Crocin. Thus,
growing the brand mountain is a tricky and tactful marketing task.
Advertising life-saving drugs in all parts of the world contravenes the code of ethical
practices. However, OTC drugs are aggressively advertised with each brand seeking its shareof-pocket.
After its acquisition of Crocin in 1996, GSK developed a new communications strategy. In
those days several aspirin-based analgesics and paracetamols were readily available.
However,
research had shown that extended usage of these drugs tended to cause severe side-effects
such as liver toxicity, gastrointestinal bleeding, gastritis, liver-related problems and dizziness,
amongst others (Source: MedlinePlus, January 2007). Crocin at recommended dosage was a
safe drug with virtually no reported side-effects. GSK used this knowledge by positioning
Crocin on the safety and easy-on-the-stomach planks but steering clear of its other benefit:
the drug's analgesic property. Further, fever claim could not be advertised as it featured in the
list of diseases and conditions in the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable
Advertisement) Act. All mass media activities for Crocin were put into low key by the end of
1999. However, by then a number of new formulations had been introduced. This had the
expected result of further fragmenting the market and taking away shares from Crocin. The
new drugs were
perceived to be very effective and offered consumers a kind of safe remedy since they all
came with the recommendations of doctors. Crocin was, therefore, up against a mind set that
believed that there was no tangible reason to go back to it. Crocin decided to return to the
formula that had been tried and successfully tested in international markets for its best-selling
drug, Panadol. It developed 'slice of life' advertising showing real people in real situations for

23

real reasons reaching out for a Crocin. The results have been spectacular. Crocin has won
back its pre-eminent position in the market and registered a stunning 21% growth in sales.

It developed 'slice of life' advertising showing real people in real situations for real reasons
reaching out for a Crocin. The results have been spectacular. Crocin has won back its preeminent position in the market and registered a stunning 21% growth in sales..
A COST LEADERSHIP STRATEGY is based on the concept that you can produce and
market a good quality product or service at a lower cost than your competitors. These low
costs should translate to profit margins that are higher than the industry average. Some of the
conditions that should exist to support a cost leadership strategy include anon-going
availability of operating capital, good process engineering skills, close management of labor,
products designed for ease of manufacturing and low cost distribution.

Crocin complies Low Cost Leadership.

Maximum people remember the Ads by
Information/message given by the advertisement, rather that others aspects.
Uniqueness of Adsis also seen as a major contributor to recall Ads to the public.
(MERA BHAROSACROCIN PAIN RELIEF)
Most people prefer to see OTC Ads through TV mediumand the second preferred medium
is through chemists.
OTC drugs which are promoted by Doctor as a Brand Ambassador are more liked by
people.
People are most influences by the Company Brand image of OTC drug.
People also somewhat bother about the Product Brand name and benefits sought from the
OTC drugs.
People rated Highly Influenced with Brand name of OTC drugs.
People were somewhat influenced by the frequency of Ad Campaigns
24

People have ranked General awareness and education Programs in highly influenced
option, 63% of respondents are highly influenced with this type of programs.
Packaging of the product is also somewhat influence the choice of the product
Also advertising affects the liking and choice of products for general public
Respondents also influenced with the overall attraction of the ads
Doctors also play role in suggesting OTC medicines to people and influence the purchase
pattern of consumers.

UNIQUE SELLING PROPOSITION

While Crocin was leaping up the sales chart, GSK had planned several brand extensions. The
rapid mutation of viruses and the fact that cross-border travel had multiplied many times also
meant that viruses now had the opportunity of infecting more people. Mild forms of flu and
colds were becoming more frequent with more people. A growing market for a safe OTC
drug that could combat this discomfort was very apparent. This led GSK to launch Crocin
Cold n' Flu. The new drug offered relief from multiple symptoms of colds such as blocked
nose, headache, body ache and mild fever. The major differentiator was that unlike most other
medicines in this space India's best-known paracetamol brand, Crocin, has a presence in the
alleviation of fever, pain and cold with its three variants Crocin, Crocin Pain Relief and
25

Crocin Cold n' Flu. While most of it is sold in tablet form, Crocin is also delivered in oral
liquid dosage form for pediatric use. The pediatric formulation is available in the form of
peppermint-flavored drops for infants and a strawberry and mixed fruit flavored suspension
for children between the ages of one and twelve.

BRAND ASSOCIATIONS:

Glaxo to cut price of Crocin by 50%

MUMBAI: GlaxoSmithKline has decided to slash the price of the widely-used fever
and pain-relief pill, Crocin Advance by half, after the drug pricing regulator National
Pharmaceuticals Pricing Authority (NPPA) rejected its application seeking an exemption
from price control. GSK is reducing the price of `Crocin Advance' to conform to the price
notified under Drug Price Control Order (DPCO) 2013 with immediate effect.
At present, Crocin Advance fast release 500 mg is priced at Rs 30 for a strip of 15 tablets,
whereas the price of paracetamol 500 mg the drug molecule is capped by NPPA at 94
paise for a tablet, or around Rs 14 for a strip of 15.
The development should end the confusion regarding the pricing of the medicine, and its
shortage in the market. Crocin has not been available on retail shelves over the last month. In
March, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration had issued a show-cause notice to
GSK for selling the medicine at a price higher than the ceiling price as stipulated in the
DPCO 2013.

26

SITUATION ANALYSIS & PROBLEM DEFINITION

SWOT Analysis

27

Strength

1. Very well accepted in the global markets and enjoys the trust
associated

with

GSK

brand.

2. GSK has a strong presence in pharmaceutical products with

world class R&D and product innovation
3. A wide range of products available in different pack sizes to
address needs of different consumers
4. It enjoys the strong distribution network of GSK
5. Company has heavily invested in promotion and advertising
and thus the brand recall and association is very high

Weakness

1. 65% of the brand usage is for its antipyretic i.e. fevers

related use which is a smaller segment as compared to the pain
killer market.
2. It faced objections from FDA for some of its campaigns
which were later sorted out.
1. Target the alternative channels and promote it through

Opportunity

medical representatives
2. Promote the analgesic benefits more to tap the huge
painkiller market
1. Pharma products are subject to stringent legal regulations;
any mistake in adherence to quality or even printing on

Threats

product

inserts

can

have

strong

implications

2. Lot of competition in the market.

LITERATURE REVIEW

28

The research on the marketing strategy of Crocin as an OTC product was conducted to
evaluate the consumer awareness, effectiveness, loyalty, buying perspective etc. For this
purpose sample of 40 respondents in the form of survey was conducted.
The results showed that people from the age group of 30-50 and in the service, business
sector were highly satisfied customers of Crocin as a best medicine for relieving body ache
and fever.
45% of the respondents had preferred Crocin as a primary brand followed by Calpol and
others in the segment.

29

OBJECTIVES & NEED OF STUDY

1) To find out the attitude of the consumers towards the CROCIN brand as compared to the
other paracetamol brand
2) To find how effective the advertising is campaigns of Crocin as compared to other
3) To understand the consumer behavior and the influence of various factors like Brand,
Media, and Advertising and promotional schemes etc. towards Crocin
Crocin is among the oldest and most reputed brands when it comes to OTC drug. In has
enjoyed a stable position in the market and also enjoys huge market share. There was a time
when people were confused about its positioning. The brand which was struggling itself to
break the
fever pill perception has undergone a repositioning exercise. Young & Rubicam
Brand Asset Valuator model is used to measure the brand image of Crocin. This model helps
one measure the strength (stature) and vitality of the brand w.r.t four parameters, viz.
knowledge, esteem, relevance, differentiation. The scores for the parameters are given below:

30

RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Y&R BrandAsset Valuator
The brand value of a brand can be determined by using this BAV model that was developed
by the advertising agency Young and Rubicam by applying four factors as below which are
further grouped in to two categories.
Brand Strength
Types of research methodology adopted
Qualitative
This type of research methods involves describing in details specific situation using research
tools like interviews, surveys, and Observations. Qualitative Research is primarily
exploratory research. It is used to gain an understanding of underlying reasons, opinions, and
motivations. It provides insights into the problem or helps to develop ideas or hypotheses for
potential quantitative research. Qualitative Research is also used to uncover trends in thought
and opinions, and dive deeper into the problem. Qualitative data collection methods vary
using unstructured or semi-structured techniques. Some common methods include focus
groups (group discussions), individual interviews, and participation/observations. The sample
size is typically small, and respondents are selected to fulfil a given quota.
Quantitative
Quantitative Research is used to quantify the problem by way of generating numerical data or
data that can be transformed into useable statistics. It is used to quantify attitudes, opinions,
behaviours, and other defined variables and generalize results from a larger sample
population. Quantitative Research uses measurable data to formulate facts and uncover
patterns in research. Quantitative data collection methods are much more structured than
Qualitative data collection methods. Quantitative data collection methods include various
forms of surveys online surveys, paper surveys, mobile surveys and kiosk surveys, face-toface interviews, telephone interviews, longitudinal studies, website interceptors, online polls,
and systematic observations.

31

DATA ANALYSIS, INTERPRETATION & FINDINGS

For the purpose of research random sample selection of 40 samples were taken.
For sample selection all the sample selected were regular user of Paracetamol as a pain killer
1) What is your age?

2) What is your profession?

32

3) Whats your main reason for using paracetamol tablets?

Interpretation
Most of the respondent were taking paracetamol for body ache and headache followed by
fever & tooth ache.
4) Which is brand name of Paracetamol tablet you use

Interpretation
45% of the respondent preferred Crocin as preferable brand followed by calpol this shows
Calpol is another tough competitor to Crocin.

33

5.

How much would you like to spend on one tablet of Paracetamol

Interpretation
Most of our respondent were cost conscious and they were ready to spend in a range of
around Rs.1 to 2 per tablet .

34

6.

From the below brands which paracetamol tablets pain relieving action is fast

Interpretation
Crocin was found as most fast acting by our respondent then as compared to other brand.

7.

How many times in a week do you use painkiller

Interpretation
Most of our respondent used Crocin two times a day during pain

35

8.

From where did you get to know about Crocin

Interpretation
Most of our respondent got know about Crocin through TV ads this shows that TV ad
program of Crocin is highly effective than other promotional ads

9.

Whats your comment on price of crocin compared to other paracetamol brand

Interpretation
Most of our respondent found the price of within acceptable limit they dint find it expensive
then other brands

36

10.

Will you shift to any other brand then Crocin as painkiller if cheaper brands is

available to you?

Interpretation
Most of our respondent were reluctant to shift to other cheaper brands this shows that most of
the users of crocin are loyal to it.

37

LIMITATION OF STUDY
There are many issues like how to build consumer preferences towards the OTC products.
There are various ways through which the preferences could be altered. This could be done
through the effective brand building of the OTC product. The second issue could be on how
to build a strong brand identity for the OTC product. The procedures and measures should be
catered to in order to build strong brand equity. An analysis of the role of government's
regulations and policies as a catalyst or barrier towards the OTC product can play a crucial
role. Government's decision can play a strategic role in defining the future of the industry or
the fate of the products and these procedures should be critically dealt. The third issue can be
on the role of advertisements, celebrity endorsements and the concept of brand management
in building an effective brand image of the OTC product. How an image of the OTC product
is affected and what impact the modern ways of brand building and management have on the
OTC products.
In the world of ethical pharmaceuticals, the physician is still of prime importance as has been
the case in the past. Now, however, new marketing efforts are being directed at the consumer.
Prime-time television advertising and whole page newspaper ads are happening now,
certainly unheard of in the past. For OTC pharmaceuticals, the situation is reversed. While
the consumer has been the primary focus in the past, and will certainly not be ignored in the
future, campaigns to medical professionals are becoming more commonplace. As we can see,
there are many changes in the roles of physicians and patients, and research has responded to
these changes in a variety of ways. This research will address just a small portion of the types
of research being done in the OTC and hospital areas.

38

CONCLUSION
1. I have tried in this project to show some branding techniques that benefits branding
program.
2. It must be said however, that putting all these steps into practice, and hiring
professional branding experts to manage such a program may still not guarantee that
the country will attract investors, nor will the country experience the desired image
change.
3. This is because of the existence of other extenuating factors in the environment; these
factors may include global economic down turn. Also, the market forces of demand
and supply of global capital play a major role in determining where investors give
their money.
4. This is coupled with the actions of other competing countries, because in international
business investments, there are no sentiments; investors seek maximum yield, return
and security on their investments, which only a politically and economically stable
country may guarantee.
5. Brand awareness is a marketing concept that measures consumers' knowledge of a
brand's existence. At the aggregate (brand) level, it refers to the proportion of
consumers who know of the brand.

39

RECOMMENDATIONS
On the basis of above observations Crocin scores high on relevance which means that
people consider it to be appropriate and vital to use.
1. It scores relatively low on differentiation which means that people consider all the
OTC drug same.
2. Advertisements on crocin should show the unique features of the brand. It needs to
know the customer well.
3. It scores relatively well on knowledge and esteem. But it also shows that more
awareness for the brand needs to be created for the brand as recall is low.
4. Crocin should do more of ad campaigns and promotional activities to increase
awareness and highlight its differentiating factor.

40

REFERENCE & WEBSITES

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/Glaxo-to-cut-price-of-Crocin-by50/articleshow/34067537.cms
http://www.dsir.gov.in/reports/techreps/tsr131.pdf
http://marketingpractice.blogspot.in/2007/01/crocin-your-trusted-paracetamol.html
http://shodhganga.inflibnet.ac.in/bitstream/10603/4346/10/10_chapter%204.pdf
http://www.scribd.com/doc/51146730/Brand-Management-Crocin#scribd
http://www.my3q.com/home2/130/divya1/54738_viewData.phtml?record=3
http://archivepharma.financialexpress.com/20110315/management03.shtml
http://www.rjpbcs.com/pdf/2015_6(5)/[97].pdf
http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/after-crocin-advance-calpol-underregulatory-lens-114032800981_1.html
http://www.businesstoday.in/magazine/special/oldest-mnc-in-india-glaxosmithklinegsk/story/194626.html
http://brandequity.economictimes.indiatimes.com/social-analytics/OTC/Crocin/659

41