This refers to “Prahalad’s pyramid” (April 21). As you have pointed out, C K Prahlad was not the father of the one-rupee shampoo sachet, a product that was aimed for the bottom of the pyramid population. Brooke Bond India and small-time shopkeepers, spread all across India, both rural and urban, were the actual pioneers and initiators of small pack-sizes. Brooke Bond produced and marketed very small packets of Putali (doll) Brand dust tea through retailers, while the shopkeepers sold loose tea and other products.
This sort of marketing is only natural when customers are poor and their paying capacity is very low. Segmentation, therefore, is not a new concept in marketing.
No doubt, Prahlad coined the term “bottom of the pyramid”, and he will always be remembered for this lasting contribution.
M Pandit, Gondal