BW Confidential - Issue #13 - March/April 2013 - (Page 86)

Last word Guest column Adjust your focus In our guest column, US-based The Beauty Company founding partner and ceo Alisa Marie Beyer advises brands to innovate in new ways to converse with consumers credit: stock.xchng Remain relevant Beauty brands seeking to remain relevant against a flood of newness and in light of how swiftly information is exchanged with consumers require a delicate balance of creativity, execution and timing. Brands must keep an eye on the past while scanning the horizon for the next new direction, and take advantage of every communication outlet available. Stay true to your roots As tempting as it may be to get lost in the excitement of new product development, brands that want to see real success will keep a firm eye on their heritage products. Often, tried-andtrue core skus are what drew the consumer to you in the first place, and if they are managed properly within your assortment, they are what keep her coming back for more. One of beauty consumers’ top complaints is that brands discontinue hugely popular iconic products. By holding sacred the pillar products that helped build your brand and keeping them fresh and relevant, you send a subtle, yet powerful message to consumers that is critical for building long-term equity, namely: we are here to stay. Explore partnerships Gone are the days when offering a gift-withpurchase or makeover at the counter was considered the best way to interact with consumers. In their place are out-of-the-box events and consumer engagement campaigns that push consumers to a new awareness of the brand. [US retailer] Target’s ‘The Shops at Target’ campaign helped pave the way, with its unexpected retail mash-ups [Target partnered with specialty stores to launch pop-up boutiques for them in its stores, including Neiman Marcus]. But it doesn’t stop there. We’ve seen some other interesting partnerships, including Spike Lee and Smirnoff Vodka; Karl Lagerfeld and Diet Coke; and Fresh Skincare and Sorel. And as unlikely as 86 Neiman Marcus consumer to dabble in a more cost-efficient product from familiar and wellrespected prestige designers. And in the end, people are still talking about not just Target and Neiman Marcus, but all 50 designers that participated in the event, which continues to build new brand loyalty for all involved. “ Joining two seemingly at-odds brands under one marketing umbrella not only brings fresh perspective, it also helps open hundreds of new eyes to a brand they may have never considered purchasing ” The Beauty Company founding partner and ceo Alisa Marie Beyer some of these pairings are, they are scoring big with consumers. Joining two seemingly at-odds brands under one marketing umbrella not only brings fresh perspective to the brand, it also helps open hundreds of new eyes to a brand they may have never considered purchasing, which is a win for both brands and retailers. In the case of Target and Neiman Marcus, these two brands took this type of partnership to a new level by launching dually in both stores, allowing Target consumers access to the ultra-prestige brands of Neiman Marcus at Target-friendly prices, while at the same time, allowing the affluent Social media done strategically Whether you’re tweeting, posting, pinning or uploading, a well-rounded social media campaign is no longer optional. It’s important to approach this arena with a sound strategy. It seems obvious to say, “Start with Facebook,“ but even with so many people already keyed into this social tool, many brands still aren’t using it fully. For example, although it might seem like constant posting to your brand’s Facebook page will increase interaction and consumer awareness, many reports suggest that targeted updates and posts to pinpointed days and times produces better results. According to Buddy Media’s report Strategies for Effective Wall Posts: A Timeline Analysis, the best days for beauty brands to post messages are Sunday and Monday, and the times that see the best interaction are from 7pm until 8am. This is just the beginning. To derive the best results from social media engagements, nothing shared, posted or updated on any social media outlet is haphazard or accidental. Today’s busy consumer needs brands to work hard for her by bundling up everything that is exciting, new or fun about her favorite brand in such a way that she can literally grab the information and go, while at the same time leave her feeling confident that she’s in-the-know and part of the conversation. n Alisa Marie Beyer is the founding partner and ceo of The Beauty Company (TBC), a US-based strategy firm that develops concepts, brands and marketing support to secure sell-in and sell-through at retail. It focuses on product concepts and testing, brand strategy and identity development, industry and consumer marketing and consumer product testing in skincare, make-up, haircare, fragrance, devices and beauty-focused supplements. March-April 2013 - N°13 - BW Confidential

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of BW Confidential - Issue #13 - March/April 2013

Cover
Comment
Contents
Update
- Brand & retail news recap
- Companies on the move
Take note Market facts, figures & trends
Best of BW Highlights from our e-publication
Launches The latest in fragrance, skincare & make-up
Interview Natura Cosméticos evp José Vicente Marino
Insight: Make-up
- Category overview
- The latest trends
- Social media
- Retail viewpoint
- Retail case studies
- Increasing usage
Retail
- European perfumeries
- Store concepts
Digital Mobile strategies and brand case studies
Strategy spotlight Trends to inspire
Market watch: US
- Country overview
- Department stores
- Specialty stores
- Industry viewpoint
Emerging markets Company profile: Jequiti
Radar A profile of six up-and-coming beauty brands
Travel retail: Brazilian travelers
- Overview
- Passenger profiles
Packaging Designs for travel retail
Last word The Beauty Company’s Alisa Marie Beyer on new ways to converse with consumers

BW Confidential - Issue #13 - March/April 2013