The SWOT analysis of Head & Shoulders Research Paper

The SWOT analysis of Head & Shoulders - Research Paper Example In relation to the study the company which has been selected is Head & Shoulders is one of the most popular brands of anti-dandruff shampoos in the world. It is produced and marketed by Procter & Gamble. The shampoo was introduced first in the US after a decade long of research. Head & Shoulders is the first to introduce pyithione zinc in shampoo. â€Å"Head & shoulders is rich in Zinc Pyrithione (ZPTO) which is highly effective at fighting and helping to prevent dandruff symptoms and itchy, flaky scalp.† The first part of the report will deal with the information of the manufacturer Procter & Gamble. It will deal basically with the size of the company, major products marketed by them, sales figures, etc. The next part of the report will make a detailed analysis of Head & Shoulders brand by performing a SWOT analysis. Along with the SWOT analysis, the product will also be compared with Garnier Fructis and Unilever Clear. This SWOT analysis will be the major tool for discussing the present situation of the brand. Next part of the report will make an analysis of the product in the light of marketing mix elements. This analysis is essential to arrive at the competitive position of the brand in the market. The latter part of the report will discuss the global activities of the brand in terms of sales and market share. Based on these analyses, a conclusion will arrive at the paper.be arrived at. Manufacturer The manufacturer of Head & Shoulders is Procter & Gamble, one of the world’s largest personal care products manufacturer. P&G has a brand portfolio of around 50 products which touches the day to day life of more than 85% of the people worldwide. The company claims that among the 50 products, 24 of them generate annual sales of more than one billion each. (P&G, 2011) It is the strong brand presence of these 50 products that help the company to sustain the market leader position in the industry. P&G generated total sales of $82.6 billion in 2011 compared to that of $78.9 billion in 2010. The sales have resulted in an operating cash flow of $13.2 billion in 2011. The product portfolio of P&G consists of beauty, grooming, health care, snacks and pet care, fabric care and homecare, and baby care and family care. Fabric and Home care is the largest contributor to the profit marking a 30% of the total net sales of the company. Beauty is the next contributor with 24% of the total net sales. It is followed by baby care and family care – 19%, health care – 14%, grooming – 9% and snacks and pet care – 4%. North America is the biggest market of P&G. 41% of the total sales is generated from North American markets. It is followed by Western Europe – 20%, Asia – 16%, Central & Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa – 14% and Latin America – 9%. (P&G, 2012) P&G operates on the core principle of sustainability. The fact that the products of P&G are related to the everyday life of billions of people, the situation vests them with certain responsibility in terms of the quality of the products and process. Therefore, the company operates on the principle of sustainable development. Recently, the company is seemed be investing huge amount of resources in environmentally sustainable products and product development process. The company is using more of renewable and recyclable materials for the packaging of products. SWOT Analysis Strength The major strength of Head & Shoulders is the brand value. The company enjoys a brand value of both P&G as well as the Head & Shoulders brand. Over years, the company has developed itself a name which is name