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SCMP Reporter

Outstanding Small Budget Campaign ; The Plasma Era of Condom - 0.03 ; Okamoto Industries (HK)
THE CONDOM MARKET in Hong Kong is dominated by Durex. The brand accounts for 70 per cent of the pie, or HK$60 million in sales, so other brands face a monumental task to compete.
Okamoto, with a media budget of just HK$1.5 million, late last year bravely launched its ultra-thin line hoping to change consumers' buying habits by pushing the 'natural feeling' of the condom as well as the 'safety' factor.
Okamoto emphasised the thinness (0.03mm) and quality when launching its ultra-thin condom 0.03, which is made with advanced technology. It priced the product at the top-end of the market (HK$120 for a pack of 12), which made the challenge even harder.
'A sky-high price is a good way to get people talking, and that is what we want - market noise,' Okamoto Industries (HK) general manager Stanley Wong said.
The 0.03 soon became a hot topic in online chat rooms.
'Many people used it and shared their experiences with friends and peers, and soon the 0.03 was the No1 seller in the online shops for six months before the actual launch.
'We charged a sky-high price - almost three times higher than normal - but the demand was still unexpectedly high.'
Before setting the high price, the company had to ascertain customer price sensitivity and if the quality met consumer expectations and was commensurate with the price tag.
'Our pricing tactic was very important. We had to maximise the profit margin and market share. Our survey and experience suggested that price is the least concern because Hong Kong consumers will pay more for better quality,' Mr Wong said.
'Using the high-pricing tactic alone, of course, does not necessarily project the image of premium quality. We must create a product which can be differentiated from competitors with features, functions and packaging. And the product must be popular with users. We had to check the user trial report in advance,' Mr Wong said.
Another tricky part of the marketing campaign was how to demonstrate the thinness of the product without actually showing it.
'If you sell a hand phone, you can show a picture to tell how thin it is, but we just could not do it for condoms.'
Instead, the company made a comparison with competitors' products by stating it was 'thinner than the one you like most'.
As the media budget was small, Okamoto decided to spend it all in the peak selling months of December and January to achieve maximum impact.
The company also organised a 'street show', the first condom brand to do so, to break down the embarrassment of talking about condoms in public.
Using shiny metallic tone packaging, the product was packaged to enhance its upmarket image.
The product is also packaged in packs of four and six, not previously done by other condom brands.
Pharmacy chains saw the benefits of selling the higher-value condom because it would add significantly to their revenues, so it was given more prominent shelf space.
Okamoto achieved 150 per cent return on investment, and brand awareness was significantly increased. The 0.03 helped lift Okamoto's overall business to an average growth rate of about
30 per cent.
Most importantly, it generated sales worth HK$7 million in just six months - equivalent to an average of 120,000 condoms a month, or 4,000 a day.



Thin is in as condom brand focuses on 'natural feeling'