BRAND CONTEST : Gino vs De Rica

Like an age-long feud between sworn enemies-never ending- the rivalry in the tomato paste market does not broker long-term godfathers.

 During the previous season(over a decade ago), De Rica was the gladiator that strode the market like a colossus. Other players like Tasty Tom, Rosa, St Rita, Vitalis, and Gino were mere minions.

However, in the last few years, Gino has emerged the new warlord, having wrested leadership from the De Rica.  The De Rica enigma was unraveled by brand complacency. Its success got into its head and when brand arrogance ruled, failure might be at the doorstep. Its success made too confident and  unresponsive to the innovations in the market.  Although known for its high quality, the product from Olam Group of companies soon went into off the market. By the time it returned, Gino has taken a strange-hold on the tomato paste market.  A pan-Nigeria market survey of the product category by Superbrands  in 2007, revealed that Gino Tomato Paste is the the leading tomato paste brand in the Nigerian market.

Eight years on, a recent Hallmark market survey in Lagos showed that Gino still leads the tomato paste market with 50%, De Rica and Rosa share 10% a piece while other brands hold 30% of the market share. The Gino brand has sustained its market leadership through consistent investment in advertising, consumer engagement (online and real time) and other marketing support.

Although De Rica was re-launched in 2012 with a radio campaign, “De Rica don come back.” But it came too late. Gino’s parent company, the Watanmal Group, has perfected the act of designing the company’s offering such that it occupies a distinctive place in the target market’s minds as brand expert, Philip Kotler would counsel.

De Rica  soon learnt the hard way that in a competitive market like Nigeria with so many brands jostling for consumers’ mind, there was no room for a break from brand-building activities.  It has since been  trying to warm its way back into the hearts of its lost love. The brand has invested in outdoor advertising, using billboards and mobile advertising to stress its ‘Redelicious’ campaign. Another hatrick the brand tried was its consumer engagement on the social media.

 In 2013, De Rica held a Facebook competition, I love De Rica campaign where consumers were expected to write ‘De Rica on a paper or wall and photograph it and send in as entries.  It also launched the De Rica Photo Food Challenge. In each of the competition, the best 10 most creative pictures every week (for the duration of the campaign) got airtime while the best picture got a carton of De Rica.

However, it appears that the brand has given up on this initiative on the social media, perhaps due to low level of interest. The last post on the De Rica’s  Facebook wall as at July 12 when Hallmark visited was a post by Blessing Nwachukwu (‘I Lv De Rica’) dated March 17, 2013.

Efforts to get reaction from Olam Group owners of the De Rica brand proved abortive. Hallmark was referred to their communication handlers in Nigeria, Gong Communications but they did not respond to our enquiries as at the time of filling this report.

Consumers and retailers who spoke to Hallmark in Lagos confirmed that Gino is the most preferred brand of tomato paste.  They  attributed Gino’s popularity to its long existence in the market, unique taste, thickness and distinct red colour even as some do so for emotional reasons as they could not find reasons they prefer the brand.

Mrs Esther Ogunlade, a ‘provision’ store owner at Ogba, Ikeja, Lagos said that Gino has long overtaken De Rica. “It is Gino people are buying now more than De Rica.” She added that the new variant, Gino Peppe, has been exciting consumer because of the peppery content.

A shop owner at Ishaga, Lagos, who would not want to be identified  said, “Gino is the fastest selling tomato paste. I don’t know why they buy it but that is what most of my customers buy.”

Another retailer simply identified as Mama Aroso told Hallmark that Gino is the fastest selling brand of tomato paste in the market but described the rate at which the price is being increased by the brand owners as alarming. The trader disclosed that, “I cajole buyers to go for other ones like Immaculate because I have to make sales.” .

Mrs Njideka, another seller while confirming that Gino is the fastest selling brand also corroborated Mama Aroso on pricing of Gino. According to her, some consumers are beginning to switch to other brands due to increase in price of the product.

 “It has been going well for long but lately, it has been expensive. So customers switch to other brands.”

Another stockist of food condiments at the popular Agege -Oja, who identified herself as Mama Mulika, also confirmed the popularity of Gino amongst consumers. According to her, “Gino, especially the Gino Peppe is in hot demand.” But, noted that the product is scarce in the market.

One Gino loyalist, Bolatito Adeiza, believed that Gino is real tomatoes, no additives. “It is real tomatoes. It does not have colour.” Ogechi Anyanwu favours Gino because, “It tastes very well and its colour is red.”

Chinwe Agbeze has been won over to Gino by the TV commercials.  “I use Gino. I don’t know why I use it. I think it is because of the advert. I like the advert.”

Mrs Nonye Okeke uses Gino for her cooking because, “It is an old brand. Despite the fact that there are new brands that are better and very tasty like Fine Joy. It moves well because of name.”

For die-hard De Rica loyalists like Mrs Alice Ene, their reasons range from the sweet taste, red colour to absence of sour taste obtained in other brands. “It is not sour unlike other brands such as Gino,” volunteered Mrs Ene. Favour Adebayo likes De Rica  because, “it is reddish and sweet.”

All red and sweet but will De Rica win back its leadership position? It depends on how badly it wants it. At best, its present efforts are half-hearted. Except like minions, it is waiting for time and chance.