Face Time With Consumers
It’s not easy to get recognition in an
oversaturated beauty and personal care
market. So how are companies helping
products to stand out? For many marketers, it’s about telling the product’s story,
highlighting multiple benefits, showcasing testimonials and promoting its luxury
through direct response. Leigh Anne
Rowinski, director of client solutions at
Information Resources Inc. (IRI) — a
provider of market information solutions
and services — says. “As media formats
have changed and consumers seek their
own research before going to the store or
making a purchase online, I think DR is a
good way for manufacturers to take their
messages to consumers,” she says.
Ojon, an Estée Lauder haircare company, started promoting seasonal products
to gain an edge in the market. The line,
called Rare Harvest, is made with ingredients that can only be harvested certain
times of the year and produced in limited
The Brand
DRTV Agency
Innovative marketing through
direct response television.
creative
production
management
strategy
ATOMIC DIRECT
Portland, Oregon 503.296.6131
quantity. “We have people sign up online dering. So NumaDerm created a product
to be notified of availability,” says Allie called Repair Cream that Kushner be-Orr, a spokeswoman for Ojon. “We pro- lieves will be of use to men and women of
mote Rare Harvest through public rela- any age because it can reduce the size of
tions initiatives, Web sites, E-blasts and scars, stretch marks and other skin imper-on-air at QVC.” fections. NumaDerm is launching its first
This initiative allows Ojon to accu- campaign on both the Web and DRTV to
mulate valuable marketing data several introduce its products to the world.
times a year while advertising unique Products selling well in 2007 were
seasonal products. While Orr says people those with multi-functions like Numa-are believers in Ojon once they try the Derm’s Repair Cream. Other additives
products, getting consumers interested consumers looked for in skincare products
is most of the battle. QVC has been the included vitamins, anti-oxidants, retinol
most successful DR outlet for Ojon be- and sala acid.
cause it allows the opportunity to tell the Consumers are willing to pay more
story behind the main ingredient in the money than in the past for quality re-haircare products.
The founder, Denis Simioni, create d
the line in 2003 after a relative brought a
jar of ojon oil from Honduras to him and
his wife. They instantly fell in love
with the oil, produced by an indigenous tribe in Honduras called
the Tawira — meaning people of
beautiful hair.
Elsewhere, Ouidad, like many
other companies in beauty and
personal care, is now trying to
promote the mantra “less is more.”
The idea behind the marketing of
this haircare line is streamlining a Ojon Tawaka “The Ball” — a body treatment and
consumer’s process down to one exfoliator — launches April 12 on QVC. Ojon already
or two products that can do eve- sells seasonal haircare products on DRTV.
rything. “A regimen with the
fewest products, combined with
instructions for the shortest time spent
styling her hair in the morning — that is
where customers find the value in their
relationship with our company,” says
Peter Wise, founder and COO.
If consumers are scaling back and tossing excess beauty and personal products
that cause clutter, the few cosmetics and
lotions they do keep around must have at
least dual function. “Our feature product
has multiple uses and benefits,” says Steve
Kushner, vice president of research and
development for NumaDerm. “Too often
a consumer gets loaded up on bottle after
bottle of a seemingly different nature that
just sits on the countertop.”
Kushner says this can be disenchanting
for customers and keep them from re-or-
search- and testimonial-backed, all-natural products. According to the IRI, the
average price for a facial skincare product
rose from $4.56 in 2006 to $4.78 in 2007,
a 4.8-percent increase. And while there
was a less-than-1-percent increase in the
amount of products being purchased in
the United States, the dollars spent on
these products rose 4. 4 percent.
It’s about “luxury, luxury luxury,” says
Susan McKenna, director of Internet
marketing for BORBA, a cosmeceutical
company that produces external creams
for anti-aging, dry skin and body firming,
and drinkable nutraceuticals for healthy
skin. “Direct response is simply a way for
BORBA to bring the message of luxury
and quality to our customers, in a format
