Nutraceuticals World September 2008

1. Brand Truths
How can a new natural or organic beauty brand, in the U.S. were surveyed, 45% said the main reason
or one that offers inside/out beauty benefits, differ- they buy natural/organic beauty products is because
entiate itself from so many other similar-sounding of their fear of chemicals. When later asked to check
product lines on the market? Successful brands, reasons (among many) why they purchase natu-
through a combination of the brand’s name, image, ral/organic beauty products, 80% said they were bet-
logo, colors and packaging, and importantly, the ter for their skin and 64% said they didn’t want
promise conveyed, will add value to a company or chemicals on their skin. Another 27% claimed the
product in women’s minds and keep them coming ingredients in traditional beauty products were
back for more. harmful to their health.
Here are five thoughts to consider when building Traditional beauty product buyers are uneasy
a solid brand in today’s natural/organic and about ingredients too. Seventy-two percent feel the
inside/out beauty marketplace: most appealing language when considering a natu-
ral beauty product is “-FREE,” meaning free of
1. A great brand connects with emo- harmful chemicals. Women who purchase natural
tions. Women live in an emotional world. An effec- beauty products (74%) also feel this is the most
tive brand reaches out with a powerful connecting appealing language when considering a natural
experience. When women make their cosmetics-pur- beauty product. Traditional product buyers also
chasing decisions they are, consciously or uncon- warmed to terms such as clean (62%), hypoaller-
sciously, weighing the product and its price along genic (62%) and pure (57%).
with how they “feel” about the company that sup- Women who buy traditional products also felt the
plies it and its unique message. greatest emotional attachment to beauty product
This is apparent in the results of the Pink Report, claims that clearly explain nature’s benefits in
“The Age of Naturals” (January 2008). In this report, “soothing” wording that spoke of each natural ingre-
in which more than 1800 cosmetics-buying women dient’s health benefit. We tested seven actual on-the-
Five Brand Truths A fear of chemicals has driven more women toward natural or organic beauty products, according to a TBC survey.
That Get Her Trying...and Buying
Critical consumer insights about naturals and organics, and specifically the consumer’s feelings
about nutricosmetics and cosmeceuticals, are translated into five real world brand elements that
encourage her to try, buy and trust natural inside/out beauty products.
By Alisa Marie Beyer
The Benchmarking Company
EW NATURAL OR ORGANIC beauty brands seem Building a strong beauty brand has never been so
N to pop up in the aisles of our favorite cos-
metic boutiques every week. The more mem-
orable ones evoke an image or a promise that
important. According to industry reports, the cosme-
ceutical market is expected to surpass $17.2 billion
by 2010 with projections for continued growth.
appeals to us. They seem to have a personality all Women are shifting conventional cosmetics-buying
their own; an identity we come to realize as a prom- behavior from just topical to “topical with clinical
ise of value. In short, they’ve solidified themselves effect” and from simple applied-on products to a true
as a brand that we like—one that we can trust. inside/out beauty approach.
14 Beauty from the Inside & Out Beauty from the Inside & Out 15

2. Brand Truths Brand Truths
which brand they feel has lived up to its most were not. Answers ranged from Aveeno prod- they are becoming more interested in how responsi-
hype, and then some. While mass brands are ucts with “active naturals” in them, to Avon, Almay, ble their beauty manufacturers are as well, accord-
the most widely used, Bare Escentuals holds Clean & Clear and Proactiv, to cosmeceutical prod- ing to “The Age of Naturals.” When considering pur-
a special place in their hearts and wallets. ucts by brands such as Borba. chase decisions, 80% of all women believe it is some-
Seventy-three percent of all women know the When asked if they knew the definition of a nutri- what to extremely important for companies to be
brand; 26% use it; 24% feel it is the best cosmetic product, only 9% of all women said they socially responsible and ecologically-minded. And
makeup product on the market—regardless did. The following explanation of nutricosmetics was while most women (87%) have never read a
of price—and 33% would recommend it to a then offered: “Some beauty brands have begun to co- Corporate Social Responsibility report from a beauty
friend (there were very few brands that brand ingestible ‘nutricosmetic’ products for you to manufacturer, 57% of those who hadn’t indicated
women would eat or drink in coordination with your usual makeup they would be interested in doing so.
Bare Escentuals steamrolled over the or skin care routine for a better overall result.” A beauty company’s behaviors that most impact a
other 121 brands we tracked with 34% of all Women were then asked if they used any nutricos- woman’s decision to buy a product from them
women indicating it is their favorite organic metic products, garnering a 3% response with
beauty brand. The second place brand trailed brands cited such as Borba, Arbonne, Avon and Olay
with just an 8% favorite rating. vitamin products.
Women gave reasons for their favorites as “it Clearly, brands that offer nutricosmetic or cosme-
An incredible 80% of
makes me look great” (71%); “it delivers ceutical benefits must educate the consumer on why women believe it is
what it promises” (70%); and “it is a brand I the product differs from the task of a normal cos- important for companies
trust” (62%). Eighty-seven percent of women metic product or vitamin pill. Taking the thought to be socially responsible
who indicated they had a favorite said they leader position and educating the consumer is a
and ecologically-minded.
buy it most often. Bare Escentuals is rele- strong marketing opportunity for the manufacturer
Bare Escentuals, and its sister brand, Bare Minerals, holds vant and speaks to them. Loudly. who truly wishes to differentiate and build its
a special place in the hearts of consumers. brands in these early days of inside/out beauty.
3. A great brand is built and include its stance on animal welfare. Nearly 70% of
market beauty brand product claims/wording and must be differentiated from others. 4. Any business activity that doesn’t all women believe it is somewhat to extremely
found that such soothing wording creates a powerful Building a brand is a process that evolves over the add value to your brand dilutes it. Good important that companies refrain from testing on
claim that 73% of all women (and 59% of traditional course of months or years, not weeks. It takes time, brand management means ensuring that all busi- animals; nearly 65% find it equally important the
beauty product buyers—the largest percentage of education and performance matched with a com- ness activities are consistent with the company’s companies refrain from using any animal parts in
claims believability for this group) find most believ- pelling branding platform to really create a brand brand image, which, if created properly, promotes products or packaging. Sixty-five percent also feel
able. As the claims became slightly more complex, that is built to last and differentiates itself from the the most valuable attributes of the company. strongly that a company not pollute the environ-
and then more scientifically/statistically oriented crowd. Advocating good corporate social responsibility can ment, among other factors. Keeping your brand
rather than naturally oriented, they became more The lack of brand differentiation, brand domi- be very important in this respect. clean—and green—is especially important to the
“unbelievable” to all women. Emotion clearly rules nance and brand education is certainly clear in the Women are very in-tune to the socially and ethi- buyer of natural beauty products.
the day, and her wallet. case of nutricosmetics and cosmeceuticals in these cally responsible activities of corporate America, and
early days of their existence. As reported in “The 5. A great brand can transcend its
2. A great brand is relevant and Age of Naturals,” cosmeceuticals are confusing for category. The common ground found among
speaks to her. It must meet what she wants many women. When asked about cosmeceuticals, About the author: brands like Disney, Apple, Nike and Starbucks is
and perform the way she wants it to. In the past few (topical products containing active ingredients that Alisa Marie Beyer is president of The Benchmarking that these companies made it a goal to be the pro-
Company (TBC), a research and branding firm focused
years, there has been much hype and many promis- claim to provide a clinical benefit in addition to their tagonists for each of their entire categories. A great
exclusively on the beauty industry. TBC is the publisher
es from cosmetics companies (and other companies traditional cosmetic function), 10% of all women said of the Pink Report, consumer research reports driven by brand raises the bar—it adds a greater sense of pur-
in general) about brands. Propositions and promises they understood what they were, and another 26% of results from the women-only, permission-based Pink pose to the experience, whether it’s the challenge to
were made and broken about how brands were posi- all women said they use a cosmeceutical product Panel and other sources. For more details on The Age of do your best in sports or the affirmation that the
Naturals report, call: 1 877 LOV-4TBC; email:
tioned, how they performed and what the company’s right now. When the 10% of women who claimed to cup of coffee you’re drinking really matters.
alisa@benchmarkingco.com; website:
real values were. use cosmeceuticals were asked to list them, the list www.benchmarkingco.com Will your brand be the one to transcend the
In “The Age of Naturals,” women made it clear contained only a few actual cosmeceutical products; inside/out beauty category? I
16 Beauty from the Inside & Out Beauty from the Inside & Out 17