Relaunching Adult Diapers in India—Has the Time Come?

This case is about the dilemma faced by Supriya, the product manager at Kimberly Clark Lever Private Ltd, India (KCLL). She has to prepare a business plan for the relaunch of adult diapers called ‘Depend’. The same product was introduced into the market in the late 1990s but was later revoked because of poor performance. The case discusses details of demand forecasting and marketing strategy during the initial product launch along with an analysis of the failure. Novelty in the marketing strategy is necessary because in India personal hygiene is not discussed openly either within the family or publicly. The retailers feel that the market for adult diapers had begun to evolve in 2004. This is also indicated by an increase in the number of new brands introduced in 2004–05. Due to the positive changes in the environment, KCLL conducts a market research survey with an aim to estimate demand and gather competitive intelligence. The picture projected by the market research is very positive. The question that needs to be answered is how to make ‘Depend’ commercially viable. If the decision to sell ‘Depend’ directly to the end-user is finalized, Supriya faces a dilemma. She has to prioritize and choose either direct selling or indigenization. KCLL senior executives are not prepared to invest in both the options simultaneously. There is no consensus among the managers on what should be the priority. The views of Supriya's team members on direct selling and indigenization are presented in the case.