• The Wall Street Journal, Tuesday, September 4, 2007 11:30 AM

Gain laundry detergent became one of Procter & Gamble's billion-dollar brands--there are 22 of them--this past fiscal year by taking the unusual tactic of going after a narrow audience. Just 16% of users account for 88% of sales volume, P&G says.

The low-priced laundry detergent--launched in 1969--had grown a small following among cost-conscious consumers in the South, but failed to build nationwide appeal. P&G's research showed that scent was a particularly important factor in Hispanic households, so in 1981, it decided to give Gain one more chance by repositioning it as a heavily fragrant detergent.

The narrowly targeted approach required a different marketing strategy than P&G typically uses. P&G says it doesn't overtly target Hispanic and African-American users, but its advertising includes spots on cable channels delivering significant Hispanic and African-American viewers. Gain also selects fragrance names that translate easily into Spanish. Content differs from traditional advertising, and grass-roots efforts also play a role in marketing Gain.

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