Tata Chemicals proved to be one of the biggest surprises of all. In this year's survey, Tata Salt was included in the brand list, in acknowledgement of its pioneering role in India's 15 lakh tonnes
(Rs 500 crore) branded salt market. Confirming feedback from users and the trade, Tata Salt weighs in at a high number four, displacing traditional favourites like Lux and Coca-Cola.

Ever since its launch in 1983, Tata Salt has been synonymous with iodised salt in India. The right mix of packing and advertising saw it reach urban and semi-urban markets as easily as rural markets.

In a low-involvement category, Tata Chemicals decided to move away from just product advertising into a more involved health platform. Various other brands have taken stands like shudh, free-flowing, more iodine etc. for marketing their brands, but Tata Salt still enjoys top-of-the-mind recall. HLL's Annapurna Salt emphasised health and technological advantages rather than take on Tata Salt's purity benefits head-on.

Tata Salt was relaunched in October 2001, emphasising its purity factor, and maintains its lead with over 39-per-cent market share in national branded salts, and around 18-per-cent in the iodised segment. New marketing activities are also underway. For instance, Tata Salt is now distributed by Tata Chemicals itself, and no longer outsourced to Vardhman Chemicals. In May 2002, the company undertook a training programme for its distributors and sales force, beginning to align its salt as an FMCG product, and not just a commodity.

Perhaps the most loyalty and goodwill Tata Chemicals earned was when it advertised in 1998 that there was no shortage of salt in India (as was rumoured at the time) and that salt was available at Rs 6 per kg. And you thought salt was a low involvement commodity?