The object of the study is to identify effective communication messages for
consumers facing product/brand options, when the category is a packaged good, in a
competitive and saturated category in different countries. The challenges facing
multinationals include differentiating their brands from competitors and creating brand
equity. Segmentation determines groups of individual consumers similar in preferences
and in intended buying behaviors. These segments may transcend national boundaries.
Identifying such segments simplifies the design of advertising messages that appeal to
audiences regardless of their country of origin and reduces promotional costs. This
chapter presents ways to identify effective communication messages for consumers in
the toothpaste category for three developing countries with developed markets. The
study determines whether traditional product segmentation strategy based on attributes
(forms, flavors and ingredients) could be augmented by a mind-set segmentation. The
results suggest three key segments that transcend the countries and provide a basis for a
successful communication strategy. The study’s major contribution is the delineation of
a framework for data assembly and identification of metrics measuring different aspects
of consumption patterns in a highly competitive packaged goods category.
Keywords: Consumer segmentation, rule developing experimentation, conjoint
analysis, message optimization.