Urban Hygiene: PhoneSoap's Strategy
Urban Hygiene: PhoneSoap's Strategy
The current COVID-19 pandemic has shown the effective methods of protecting
ourselves from this disease by washing our hands regularly, using an alcohol based rub and
making sure belongings and surfaces touched are clean. (The World Health Organization,
2020). This marketing plan segments and targets consumers in marketing overview, provides
marketing mix integrated with budget control, operation control and promotional efforts.
PhoneSoap was established in Utah, United States in 2012 to serve as a phone charger that
sanitizes phones while charging using a UV light. It consists of a UV box case emitting UV-C
light onto your phone that laboratory tests prove can kill 99.99% of bacteria such as E.Coli,
Salmonella, Staph, Flu, and the common cold within 5 minutes. After introducing this product on
a TV Show called Shark Tank, the co-host of the show invested in this product. Consequently,
Based on SMART, the product introduced in this marketing plan has its specificity in terms
sanitizer predecessors (see Appendix A, Diagram 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 for PhoneCleanser prototype). By
monitoring the progress of the product sales, a measurable goal and estimation can be
accomplished. Taking timeliness into consideration, the product will be introduced into the market
in a month as it is easy to combine pieces of the products based on experience. With sufficient
resources and tactical advertising strategies our products will most probably be achievable to sell
them in the market and gain profit from it. Indeed this product is a realistic product to release in
the market during and after this crucial period as hygiene will be prioritized and demanded due to
COVID-19 pandemic thus making it beneficial and advantageous to all phone users.
Market Overview
PhoneSoap strives to provide a product that can allow their customers to sanitize their
belongings on the go, hence the creation of our PhoneCleanser which promotes good sanitary
habits that can be done so with utmost convenience. This section would focus on the three main
target groups which are the working class, senior citizens and university students mainly
The main highlight of the product is its portability, variety of functions and the
relatively cheaper price compared to its competitors. Not only is our product highly portable,
it is also easy and convenient to use whereby practicing good hygiene is no longer difficult.
Hence, it is also suitable for old age groups as they need to ensure their health and safety is the
utmost priority because they are most vulnerable to the virus that is still circulating. PhoneSoap
is certain that our product is easy to use so that seniors can sanitize their surroundings and
those who are living in urban areas. This is because people who live in the city usually have
office jobs, thus these jobs require individuals to meet new people and travel often. Therefore,
it is necessary for people who live in the city to ensure they sanitize their belongings often as
viruses and germs spread the fastest in urban areas where it is the most densely populated. On
top of that, it is in the city where the common income group would be categorized in M40 and
above in Malaysia.
Besides the city, academic institutions, specifically in Universities, have a high chance
of spreading the virus throughout the campus. Not only do University students have plenty of
freedom to go anywhere as they please and risk going to red-zoned areas, most students would
also be staying in campus dorms where there would be approximately 2 - 4 people in a single
room. This would cause the virus to spread easily, and potentially disseminate to other states
when the students travel back home. University students also aren’t as closely monitored as
primary and high schools where they adhere to strict rules implemented by the education
consumers they sought after quality products but at a lower price offered, RM360. Due to the
pandemic, individuals have a new perceived value for hygiene and seek the importance of it.
Contingent upon this, the outbreak has also created new attitudes towards hygiene based
products.
Segmenting
compete with the current market of competitors. Despite having fewer resources, PhoneSoap
will still be able to hop on the bandwagon as it provides product variability and lengthens its
lifecycles by coming up with different functions. It is also taken into account that with social
media, international markets can also be targeted based on the cultural factors and secondary
By taking advantage of the situation, the current pandemic will be the best opportunity
for the online market. Due to limited company resources, concentrated marketing will be done
in the first three quarters which will then be ventured into a micro-marketing scheme with
different promotional efforts including one to one marketing which will be further elaborated
in the marketing strategy. As the current market for portable sanitisers is yet an oligopoly, it
would be profitable for PhoneSoap to penetrate the market and acquire bigger market share.
Future prospects would be to penetrate the international markets once maturity stage or growth
stage is achieved. This would mean segmenting the market based on the same economic,
cultural and geographic factors of foreign markets. Initially the price offered by
based in the United States. However, with the new and improved functionalities, it would be
easier to target Malaysian markets as the product is affordable yet reliable. A SWOT analysis
is included below to illustrate the direction of the company for an integrated marketing mix.
Targeting and Segmentation
Life stage
SWOT Analysis
Strengths Weakness
Opportunities Threats
Competition
One of our competitors is Casetify, the function of their UV phone sanitising case could
destroy 99.9% of germs in 3 minutes (Casetify, n.d.). This is a highlighted point during this
pandemic, also for those who are rushing all the time. Next, it also can act as a wireless charger
Based on the marketing strategy, Casetify mainly promotes their products online and
collaborates with influencers to boost sales. They do not have a core company or resellers to
Their product design is more stylish and fashionable though it only comes with one
colour. Therefore, their consumers would mainly be from the upper class and individuals who
follow opinion leaders that would influence their buying decisions. In this case, their target
market will be smaller and also more concentrated due to their expensive price of 120USD.
The second competitor is Lecone’s UV Cell Phone Sanitizer and Wireless Charger
Multi- Function, who is an expert in the sanitising field. Their product is able to kill 99.9% of
germs and comes with an oil diffuser to contribute to its multi-functionality (Lecone, n.d.). It
is an aromatherapy for the phones as well as the small items in order to make the specific item
smell good.
their price will decrease, which meets the expectation of the customer. Moreover, Lecone is
partnered with Amazon which provides a wider platform for more exposure. The price,
compared to Casetify is more user friendly which is at 66.99 USD, a median priced product. It
mainly targets consumers who are willing to pay a moderate price for a deficit quality compared
to Casetify.
Positioning Statement
PhoneSoap offers stylish, practical, and portable UV Sanitizer Cases to cater to your
need for hygiene and convenience. PhoneSoap aims to take disinfection to the next level by
A unique selling proposition (USP) is vital for a company to embed the company’s
brand in the minds of their consumers. One of the USPs that our product exhibits include a
glow in the dark silicone case upon every purchase of the PhoneCleanser. This silicone case
offers protection similar to phone cases for mobile phones. Furthermore, it is available in a
variety of colours: blue, pink, gold, and silver. Approaching the fourth quarter of
PhoneCleanser’s launch, three more colours, black, lilac, and sage will be introduced to boost
PhoneCleanser. For instance, consumers can lean their phones against the phone-stand when
watching videos. Furthermore, target markets which are the working class who are always on
the go can utilise the phone stand for mobile navigation or when ground based, support for the
phone. The phone stand would also allow consumers to use their phones at a healthy angle that
does not cause spinal problems. This proves that the PhoneCleanser serves multi functions
besides sanitizing.
Moreover, a built-in external ultraviolet (UV) light eliminates the need for using tissues or
wet wipes when cleaning surfaces. Consumers would only have to switch on the UV function
and aim it at the desired surface. This option is fairly sustainable and more convenient. In an
that wet wipes contribute to the clogging of the sewage system and endangers marine life.
Besides that, discarded wet wipes usually wind up in landfills, emitting toxic chemicals
Our product stands out from our competitors because there has yet to be a product that
offers UV sanitizing with the qualities PhoneCleanser possesses - a glow in the dark silicone
case, a phone stand and an external UV light - making the PhoneCleanser distinctive and
unique. Our company has also come up with a specific logo and tagline for our PhoneCleanser
which has been designed to leave a lingering impression on consumers (see Appendix B,
Product
As the COVID-19 pandemic has been made known to society, sanitizer is vital and
essential in daily life to protect people against viruses or pathogens which may cause
repercussions.
White and Tahir (2018) reported that Initial Washroom Hygiene studied swab samples
from phones and found the average device is nearly seven times dirtier than a toilet seat. Phones
contain much more germs than a toilet seat and the number of germs is beyond imagination.
However, phones are necessary to allow people to stay in touch with friends and it brings
convenience and welfare to human beings. Despite that, it is an indisputable fact that phones
might harm people as it contains countless germs. Thus, PhoneSoap decided to launch a UV
sanitizer product, Phone Cleanser to market. PhoneCleanser is a portable, multifunction and
easy-to-use UV-rays sanitizer case with a wavelength between 200-280 nanometers which is
Yet, PhoneSoap is concerned that apart from phones, money, keys, and headphones that
people contact every day might contain germs as well. Thus, the internal dimension of
PhoneCleanser is enlarged to 6.5x3.2x1.2 inch (LxWxH) so as to fit more stuff within. Besides,
the wireless charging function enables customers to bring fewer things by taking the place of a
power bank and USB cable. The wireless charging system is automatically switched on when
the phone is placed on it. The charging port is located at the bottom left of PhoneSoap and a
type-C USB charging cable is provided. 1 hour and 30 minutes is needed to charge PhoneSoap
all the way to 100% and once it has done charging, it can perform sanitisation and wireless
disinfectant as it is cost inefficient and inconvenient. Thus, apart from internal sanitizing space,
a built-in external ultraviolet (UV) light with a cover which can prevent leakage of UV-rays
are added. In concern of time- saving, the frequency of UV-rays of external bulbs are higher
than internal UV-rays bulbs in the aim that sanitization can be completed in a shorter time.
Customers are able to sanitize surfaces that are highly contact with others, such as elevator
buttons, grocery carts and door handles to prevent spread of contagious virus.
A car-use phone stand at the bottom of the product enables car drivers to attach a phone
on it. The phone stand is retractable, therefore, it would not affect the appearance of the product.
PhoneCleanser brings convenience to customers with the demand to use GPS while driving
and charging at the same time such as Grab drivers. Our company was concerned that a car air
conditioned vent might not be able to withstand a heavy load, thus PhoneCleanser has thinner
Company with an exterior dimension of 9.65x5.28x2.36 inch (LxWxH) to reduce weight and
including manufacturing, packaging, shipping, pop-up store renting, and promoting fees, the
cost will be around RM250 and the market price is RM360 with RM 110 as profit and profit
percentage is 44%.
The price is cheaper compared to our competitors, Casetify, which has RM520 as their
market price and slightly more expensive than Lecone, which has RM304 as their market price
excluding the shipping fees from oversea to Malaysia (see Appendix B, Diagram 2.2 for
perceptual map).
Undeniably, RM360 is not a cheap price but it is affordable for our target market. In
addition, the unique selling proposition such as an built-in external ultraviolet (UV) light bulb
with cover and retractable phone stand which made the PhoneCleanser far better than our
competitors deserve the price as a multifunction product requires more cost. However, the
in which the main focus of PhoneSoap is directed towards affordability rather than quality as
our aim is to ensure our product is affordable to the majority of whom have a reliable and
average income. Thus, the market price is being moderate for the welfare of the target market
Placement
In regards to the placement of our product relative to the product of our competitors in
the minds of consumers, we have chosen to offer more for less and distribute our products
through highly accessible mediums. PhoneCleanser’s features exceed that of two of our biggest
competitors, Casetify and Lecone, while offering a price that is only RM56 more expensive
than Lecone’s ‘UV Cell Phone Sanitizer’ and RM160 cheaper than Casetify’s ‘UV Sanitizer’.
By producing a high-quality product with several more features and increased benefits while
maintaining affordable prices, the PhoneCleanser can be seen by consumers as more
PhoneSoap’s website. This is because the company website includes extensive information
about the product and several demonstration videos on how to use the products offered which
will allow consumers to make informed decisions when choosing a UV Sanitizer case available
in the market.
By focusing on distribution via our website, we can also maximize sales by providing
shipping nationwide. Moreover, it will be easy to expand into future prospects such as market
development which includes international shipping to expand our market share beyond
domestic sales. Profits can also be maximized by reducing the overall cost of maintaining
However, we are aware that if consumers do not know of our brand, they would not be
able to reach our website easily. E-Commerce marketplaces like Shopee and Lazada are often
used by avid online shoppers as these marketplaces provide a variety of products on one
website. Therefore, we will also place our products on these E-Commerce marketplaces to
For customers who prefer seeing a product in person before purchase, after the
Movement Control Orders (MCO) and social distancing laws are lifted or loosened, PhoneSoap
will have occasional Pop-up Stores in the city or suburbs to increase product awareness and
promote sales by giving full demonstrations of product usage to educate potential customers
about the benefits of the product. Pop-up stores will require less budget for maintenance than
regular stand-alone stores while allowing customers to see the products and ask as many
questions regarding the product as needed. This form of personal selling is desirable to some
consumers as it gives them clarity and helps build trust between them and the brand.
Under normal circumstances, Pop-up stores or booths are also advantageous as the
company can choose when and where to open a stand, and allows us to pick occasions that will
benefit the sales of the product. For instance, we will have Pop-up stores at digital malls, fairs
or technology expos. Not only will we be able to increase product awareness, but it will also
increase our credibility as a brand, putting us at an advantage when being compared to any of
our competitors.
Promotion
Apart from placements on our company website and Pop-up stores, our company has
come up with several other integrated marketing strategies to reach our target market. Due to
the MCO and shut down of non-essential businesses, in the primary stages of promotion our
brand will focus on pushing promotions and sales online. This will be carried out via
advertising on heavy traffic social networks such as Instagram and Facebook by creating events
that require participants to follow, like, share, and tag others to win prizes such as a PhoneSoap.
Through these events, we will grow our following, garner interest, and spread product
awareness.
marketplaces that are frequently used, we will also have ads placed on their homepage so that
users will first see our product when they are on there to shop. We will also be putting
advertisements on websites that are frequently used during the movement control period, such
as YouTube. As a majority of people are staying home and spending their free time online,
having video ads on websites which users spend a significant amount of their time on is among
Similarly, television advertisements and programs will now prove useful as people are
staying at home more. Although it is argued that Netflix being widely used has caused
television ads and shows to become obsolete, only 1% of the total Malaysian population is
subscribed to Netflix (Statista, 2020) which makes it more practical to reach virtually all
Malaysians via television in the Malaysian market. As a matter of fact, using television
advertisements would be a cheaper marketing strategy as the local television network requires
advertisements and sponsors to sustain the channels. PhoneSoap will also take advantage of
trusted channels such as the Discovery Channel to showcase the reliability of the product (see
Appendix C for video of product being tested on Discovery Channel). When actual users test
a product, consumers perceive it as more trustworthy because they do not see it as information
Another form of advertisement would be in-app ads. With the increase in screen time
during the MCO, people are constantly on their devices using apps like video streaming and
games which often contain advertisements for the majority of users. In-app advertisements
would increase the rate of users spotting the product as there are advanced algorithms which
are designed to push similar advertisements to users who have shown interest in a certain
product. PhoneSoap would be one of these products as many individuals have been looking
into items that promote cleanliness and disinfection amidst the pandemic.
Apart from advertisements, we will initiate sponsored review campaigns among social
influencers who review technology content and are of high interest amidst the MCO to take
social influencers who are spread across various media platforms to reach a broad audience.
Having influential individuals who are living in similar situations to promote the product would
increase reliability and relatability which is highly sought after. It is also a form of buzz
marketing to create a hype around the product like how PhoneSoap’s competitor Casetify has
done.
Lastly, a future sales promotion effort that will be carried out both online and physically
is the Twin Pack discount. For the first 3 quarters in which the pandemic’s ongoing or heavily
lingering effects are still impacting everyday life, customers who purchase 2 or more
PhoneCleanser online will be entitled to free shipping. In the 4th quarter, where we aim to push
some physical sales, a 10% discount will be given upon purchase of 2 or more PhoneCleanser.
This will ensure the longevity of the product even after when the product is approaching the
decline stage.
Marketing Strategy
Engraving
As the pandemic dies down and strict social distancing laws are lifted toward the 4th
quarter after PhoneCleanser’s launch, it is expected that sales will decline. To create hype and
boost sales again in the last quarter, PhoneSoap plans to start an engraving service which allows
Blacklight Demo
In order to make the Phone Cleanser more reliable and convincing, PhoneSoap decided
to make a video to show the effectiveness of UV-rays sanitizer using a blacklight. Blacklight
emits long-wavelength ultraviolet light which turns unseen germs and microorganisms into
visible but unable to kill germs. By showing the effectiveness of PhoneCleanser in sanitizing
by comparing the number of germs contained before and after, PhoneSoap believes that the
blacklight demo video is capable of boosting the desire of the target market to purchase.
Demo video
As another marketing strategy, our company has decided to create a video demonstration to
visually illustrate the PhoneCleanser for the ease of customers (see Appendix C for example
of PhoneSoap demo video). The video would inform about the usage of the case as well as the
multiple functions and special features it offers, including a phone stand, an external UV light,
and the ability to glow in the dark (courtesy of the glow in the dark silicone case). Not only
that but the video would also emphasize on the portability of the PhoneCleanser- highlighting
the usage of it in everyday life; bringing it along travels due to its compact size and lightweight.
Besides that, convenience would also be stressed by demonstrating the external UV light
function in scenarios such as sanitizing elevator buttons, grocery trolleys and furthermore,
serving as a clutch that occupies money, coins, keys and a phone when the UV function is
inactivated. Our aim is for customers to be able to relate the significance of the PhoneCleanser
in their lives and to give them an insight on the wonders this product offers. The video would
then be uploaded on our official website and advertised on social media platforms such as
PhoneSoap will not only thrive during this crucial period but also in the following years as it
An improved version of the PhoneSoap sanitizer will be established a year from now
while reducing the original product price from RM360 to RM300 for customers to continue
purchasing our product. To prolong the life cycle, PhoneSoap has decided to make our product
cheaper accompanied with various marketing strategies so it is more appealing for potential
PhoneSoap will continue to sustain itself in the market with its collaboration with big
reseller companies such as Harvey Norman in its various outlets across the country for
accessibility of its product rather than merely focusing on online transactions. This is because
price and its enormous user base will eventually make our product to gain more exposure and
recognition to the people who started going out again as the Movement Control Order ends.
The maintenance of mutual trust and loyalty with consumers are always important
factors. Therefore, we will implement a system which allows customers to trade the first
generation products to receive a discount when purchasing our second-generation product. Our
goal is to eliminate customer’s concern to make sure they feel their money is spent well.
To conclude, the strategies we have uptaken now to capitalize maximum profit during
this period is to create a renowned company branding, segment profitable target markets and
place the company under a good strategy that can help generate more revenue in further growth
stages. A Gantt chart is included to predict the growth, sales and life cycle of the product after
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Full Name Student ID Course
Company: PhoneSoap
Product: PhoneCleanser