P&G puts £20m into Ariel revamp

Procter & Gamble (P&G) is planning &£20m relaunch of Ariel detergent in September, which will include the repositioning of Ariel as a premium brand and an improved formulation.

The range will be rebranded as “Ariel with Quickwash Action” and will contain new enzyme technology that promises a 30 per cent improvement in stain removal.

The Ariel tablet range has also been reformulated to dissolve faster.

Ariel powder will be relaunched in August, with the revamped liquid and tablets ranges expected to hit the shops in September. Industry sources say P&G has promised a &£20m advertising campaign to run from August to March of next year, which will include TV, radio, outdoor, and what P&G claims will be the biggest Ariel sampling campaign to date.

The advertising campaign will be created by Saatchi & Saatchi.

An industry insider says Ariel has struggled over the past few years against Lever Fabergé’s rival Persil range, which has raced ahead in the nascent liquid capsule segment.

Ariel accounted for 19 per cent of the detergents market in 2001, according to Mintel, with Persil taking 28 per cent.

A source says the detergent will also be designed for the quick-wash cycle on the washing machine, promising the same results as when used in a normal wash. He adds: “This is the biggest thing to happen to P&G’s detergent range in a long time.”