Ingredients for disinfection success

Very few brands and ingredients have remained relevant even after several decades. Throughout history, moments of catastrophe and ambiguity have galvanised innovations and varied views on what matters most to people. PCMX is one such ingredient that has stood the test of time and continues to provide a fundamental solution to killing germs when needed, writes Dr Prakash Rajagopal, chief marketing officer, Kumar Organic Products.

WE LIVE IN a time when it is becoming critical and more challenging for chemical corporations to market their commodities, indicate dominance and differentiate them from the competition.

Chemical manufacturers strive to maximise their positive impact and minimise any negative footprint on the environment, economy and society in general. As hypothesised by management expert, we are living in the attention economy now. If there is attention around your ingredient or your brand, you will generate wealth.

Technologically-savvy customers demand more for less, and growing customer sophistication makes it arduous to market to consumers. But it also opens up various means of approaching the customer, providing producers more opportunities to sell their commodities. Ingredient branding is one of these methods.

Customers are willing to pay a higher price for the product that meets their needs and solves their problems. However, companies need to realise the importance of unique product offerings to customers.

These actions can earn profitable customer and loyal customer relations.

Did you know?

PCMX is a secure, highly-efficient, broad-spectrum low toxic antiseptic. This antimicrobial chemical compound is commonly used in antibacterial soaps, wound-cleansing applications and household antiseptics. PCMX is also used for skin disinfection and cleaning surgical instruments.

HERITAGE BRAND RESONATES WITH CONSUMERS

Dettol, a heritage brand utilising PCMX for over several decades, has grown to become the market leader in many categories. Through ingenious marketing campaigns, Dettol is now the world’s leading antiseptic brand and a trusted champion of family health by consumers. It has also stayed contemporary through various line extensions, providing consumers with a breadth of products across categories which can help safeguard the entire family from microbes.

The brand appeals to consumers who demand a solution with powerful antiseptic properties for cleaning wounds and doing laundry and household cleaning.

Successful brands have these peculiarities. They connect with their consumers on an emotional level by targeting and inspiring those within families who have the purchasing power– the decision-makers. The company co-created new brand extensions by collaborating with moms, turning products into solutions beyond their original indications.

THE BEAUTY OF BRANDED INGREDIENTS

Like the Dettol brand, the ingredient PCMX bears the same attributes. Chloroxylenol (also known as PCMX) is a crystalline powder possessing a characteristic phenolic odour. Extensively used for many years, chloroxylenol is an ingredient of antiseptic and disinfectant products intended for external use.

A small concentration of PCMX is effective against both gram-positive and gram-negative species. Its bactericidal mode of action functions by binding with proteins of the bacterial cell wall and disrupting the membrane, forcing the bacterial cell contents to spill out and confirming rapid cell death.

Brand owners and manufacturers who produce products with PCMX as the key ingredient can adopt ingredient branding to convey a product’s benefits to end-users, which will culminate in two things:

1. consumers willing to pay a premium for the branded ingredient

2. consumers relating and associated ingredient brand in their everyday life. When the ultimate consumers demand products formulated with branded ingredients, there starts the development of a consumer brand. A brand is a promise; so is a branded ingredient. Ingredients add more value and purpose. A branded product connects to emotion, which grabs the hearts and minds of the consumers.

If implemented and wisely pursued, branding ingredients would result in a win-win situation for manufacturers of both ingredients and final products and will ensure great success. •

Kumar Organic Products – www.kumarorganic.net