that gives us an immediate response,”
says McKenna. BORBA is sold in stores,
online, through QVC and The Shopping
Channel (Canada).
of our communications as a touchpoint
strategy for customers and potential customers,” says Grange.
But testimonials are not limited to
TV. Many cosmetics and skincare lines
have testimonials from real consumers
on their Web sites and opportunities to
interact with customers who have already
used the product. There are endless blogs
on the Web, some led by product manufacturers and others created from a consumer’s home computer.
Beauty and personal care products are
even finding their way onto the ultimate
community site, Facebook. Estée Lauder’s MAC cosmetics have several groups
on Facebook, including MAC Addicts,
which has nearly 8,000 members who
chat about how best to use products, upcoming product releases, etc.
“Social and viral marketing is the new medium for
good old-fashioned word of
mouth,” says Wise. “While
they have always been important to the success of a
brand, what is unique today
is how the Internet facilitates this for our customers.”
Building Trust
Gaining and retaining a customer in
the beauty industry often comes down to
trust. A woman wants to know that the
product will, in fact, reduce sunspots and
wrinkles. DR marketing is a perfect venue
for showcasing what a product can do and
winning that trust.
In February, well-known beauty brand
Clinique debuted on QVC, marking the
largest two-hour beauty launch in the
channel’s history — more than 41,000
units were ordered and six products sold
out. The show offered collections created
specifically for QVC and also packaged
traditional Clinique products
such as its iconic Three-Step
Deluxe Set. Also, Almost
Powder Makeup SPF 15
was previewed on QVC and
didn’t hit stores until March.
Customers knew it was
not available in any other
outlet, which created a draw.
“As the department store
landscape changes, we have
to follow our consumers and
go to where she shops,” says
Denny Downs, executive
director, Clinique North
American Marketing. “More
and more women are shopping through QVC and
similar channels. We also
thought it was an excellent
opportunity to tell the brand story by the
woman who leads our product development team.” Clinique is planning another
QVC show for April.
An infomercial is a perfect way to
see the “before-and-after” of any beauty
product. Women want to see and hear
testimonials. Not to mention, “
Watching the ticker on QVC and seeing the
inventory deplete before your very eyes
gives you the same feeling as gambling,
and I think it is a very powerful tool,” says
Karen Quimby Lobo, founder of Product
360 — a brand development marketing
company.
Trust also means offering outstanding
customer service. Carey Grange is general
manager for global marketing at Murad
(Response, April 2007). “Get them easy-to-return products, give them fast refunds,
give them an 800 number — transparency is important from a trust standpoint,”
says Grange.
Murad’s clinical skincare products
were developed by Dr. Howard Murad
and launched in 1989. They were the first
to use alpha-hydroxy acids in a professional product and are now sold in 2,000
professional locations — including his
own medi-spa — across the country, and
in retailers such as Sephora and Ulta.
Murad takes customer service very
seriously — calling it the WOW depart-
Well-known beauty brand Clinique is now bringing its products to
customers’ homes. When Clinique debuted in February on QVC, it marked
the largest two-hour beauty launch in the channel’s history, selling
41,000 units.
ment after receiving so many compliments for their client service efforts. “Our
WOW employees are empowered to do
whatever it takes to make customers say,
‘WOW! They were helpful,’” she adds.
All WOW staffers work in-house
for Murad.
Let Your Fingers Do The Talking
“You’ve got to try this!” could be the
best marketing sell for beauty and personal care products. “We’re trying to take
these principles and apply them to all
More Than Skin Deep
Today’s busy woman is
looking to lead a fuller and
healthier life. So products
on the market are trying to
help women look and feel
younger on the outside and
inside. Grange says Murad
likes to think of skin as “part
of a whole person. We’re
taking an internal and external approach
to health.”
Grange does not see any slowing to
the anti-aging trend. She predicts more
cosmetic procedures, ingestibles, fillers,
pumpers and Botox. But Murad does not
believe in cosmetic surgery, rather offering easy regimens to preserve healthy
skin. “That’s where we believe customer
loyalty comes from and why they’re willing to pay for it and come back for more,”
says Grange.
