Reference no: EM133185788

JIF and CIF

Unilever developed a liquid cleaning product that was first sold in France under the name 'CIF''. When it proved to be successful, it was introduced in other markets.

For the British and Dutch markets, it was renamed 'JIF' because, the story goes, the manufacturers were concerned that the name 'CIF' might be associated with 'syph', the slang word for the sexually transmitted disease syphilis.

The word 'JIF' is found in English phrases such as 'see you in a JIF' or 'this won't take a JIF' - implying that something will happen quickly. In 2001, however, Unilever decided to use just one brand name for the product across Europe - 'CIF'. Although it seems logical to have the same name for the same product for marketing purposes, the change may also reflect the fact that syphilis is no longer a common subject of discussion in the UK.

The product 'CIF' is branded as 'JIF' in Australia, New Zealand, Norway and the Middle East. In Canada and India, it is called 'VIM', which was the name given to a similar product first manufactured by Lever Brothers in the UK in 1905.

1. What were the reasons for the company changing its strategy?