What a microchip has to do with bathing soap?

What a microchip has to do with bathing soap?

Hindustan Unilever Ltd inserts a microchip in their popular brand Lifebuoy for a behavioral study

V.Sudhakshina

Friday, June 26, 2009

BANGALORE, INDIA: Call it a strange coincidence. While Nandan M Nilekani is all set to revolutionize the identity of the citizens of India with smart card, Hindustan Unilever is neck-deep in a microchip soup (of course a foaming one at that). The games microchip play!

When innovation goes haywire it boomerangs. And exactly that is what happened in a village near Mangalore, Karnataka, which gives a classic example of what disruptions technology can create to the normal day-to-day life of the common man.

The localities of Gidigere village were shocked to find a micro chip inserted inside their bathing soap on Thursday. The soap was none other than Hindustan Unilever Limited's (HUL) popular brand Lifebuoy, claiming to be the last word in the health and hygiene of the average Indian citizens.

Sooner the news of this micro-chip spread amongst the villagers as wildfire, but with smokes of rumor, that even a tiny camera was inserted into the chip to capture images of people taking bath.

A sting operation? Or an operation with more sting? It is easy for rumours to take wings.

Nothing like that confesses HUL. No camera, it's only a microchip, they say!According to HUL, these microchips were put with the purpose of conducting a consumer research for checking the hygienic measures taken in rural areas, under their Lifebuoy Swasthya Chetna programme. The Lifebuoy Swasthya Chetna programme was initiated in 2002 for ensuring rural health and hygiene in India.

A spokesperson from Hindustan Unilever Ltd said, “The Unilever team in Mangalore were conducting research to study the soap usage and consumption behavior of consumers which will be used to device strategy on how to improve soap usage to reduce child illnesses.”

He further added that for this purpose they used a method which involved implanting a microchip (motion sensor) in the soap, which records soap usage thereby giving the company actual usage behavior of consumers.

The study was being conducted on ground by AIM marketing on behalf of Unilever and the company also claims that as a standard protocol, HUL had taken a written consent from people coming under this study.

“In the incident, as we understand, the complaint was not raised by a participant but another person not covered in the study,” claimed the HUL spokesperson.

But does the law permit such extreme experimentations in the name of the study on hygiene?

The spokesperson clarifies that this is a market research for a behavioral study of a marketed product, and it does not require any specific prior permission from any of the government authorities.

“This study is being conducted as per the best-in-class global practices for such market research,” he emphasizes.

The research at the Gidigere village was a pilot one, as a step of taking their Swasthya Chetna programme one level further, with an objective of improving the hygienic habits of the villagers.

A good beginning for the incredible India, which all set to go smart with a smart card!

©CyberMedia News

Would you like to Comment on this Article?

Name
Email
Comment Here
Code Verification

Read Comments

Dr.M.B.Salimkumar said on 12/11/2011 7:14:46 PM:
The same thing happened in Beema palli and Cheriathura of Trivandrum,Kerala came to news 0n 11-12-11.Here the study was conducted by a foreigner named Peter Hal.Whenever a foreigner or a multinational company takes more concern on our matters there must be something behind it which may be for money making or for any vested interest.

to Dr.M.B.Salimkumar

Collapse <div runat='server' id=Comm19059 class='CommentsContainer'><span class='commentsFrom' style='float:left;'>K.Ramaseshan said on 8/15/2009 6:32:21 PM: </span><br/>The above article is really exhilirating. The article not only should cover the gidigere village but many more. Our country is having more than 5 lakh villages. In each village this type of experiment should be done inorder to educate the people about their hygiene and health. <div class='CommentLineContainer'><input type=button onClick='MoveComm(19059,ctl00_ctl00_ctl00_cphMainContentSection_cphMainContentSection_cphSection1ContentPart_ThreadedComments1_txtPid);' value='Reply'/> to K.Ramaseshan </div>

K.Ramaseshan said on 8/15/2009 6:32:21 PM:
The above article is really exhilirating. The article not only should cover the gidigere village but many more. Our country is having more than 5 lakh villages. In each village this type of experiment should be done inorder to educate the people about their hygiene and health.

to K.Ramaseshan

Sureshbabu KC said on 8/30/2009 5:18:30 PM:
dear sir, nice to see your name, i share your opinion.

to Sureshbabu KC

K.Ramaseshan said on 8/15/2009 6:32:14 PM:
The above article is really exhilirating. The article not only should cover the gidigere village but many more. Our country is having more than 5 lakh villages. In each village this type of experiment should be done inorder to educate the people about their hygiene and health.

to K.Ramaseshan

rashmi.d.v said on 7/12/2009 7:27:53 PM:
this is indeed a good coverage about the behaviour of companies on manipulating mind set of people. more focus should be given to such stories rather than covering soft stories. i really appreciate the job done.

to rashmi.d.v

Sreshta Verma said on 7/3/2009 11:46:47 AM:
Yes, they should have informed people...its intrusion after all. Good story!

to Sreshta Verma

Mohan said on 6/29/2009 7:55:57 PM:
HUL should have added the warning of inclusion of the chip, on the wrapper of the product, in an easily visible manner

to Mohan

+ Follow us to know more about CIOL +

Indian PC market grew 6.6 p.c. in Q1: Gartner

Microsoft Office for Android tabs soon?

Twitter tweaks privacy policy, adds transparency

Bharti Airtel adds 2 mn mobile users in April

Save petrol and money with this Android App

Why 122,680 Facebookers 'like' Nirmal Baba?

Do you think IT employees need unions?

Book your trip to Vaishno Devi online

Can Aamir Khan bring down female foeticide?

DataWind terms Aakash II launch a revolution

Subscribe to PCQuest for iPad & Android tablets

Register Free at DQ Top 20 Online portal & get insights on the Indian IT Industry

Enterprise IT News and Analysis in your inbox

Subscribe to the free PCQuest newsletter

Do you think IT employees need unions?

Arun and Cipla - no ladders, no snakes

Cyber attacks: Have India's neighbours turned culprits?

Personal cloud will eclipse PC: Gartner

SMEs don't give much importance to security

Sponsored Links

Custom Site

Demo Downloads On :

1-Click News Updates