TABLE OF CONTENTS 2 MARY KAY AT A GLANCE 3 RESEARCH METHODS 4 TARGET PROFILE 6 MARKET LANDSCAPE 7 THE DISCONNECT 8 POSITIONING & STRATEGY
9 CREATIVE 22 MEDIA STRATEGY 23 FLOWCHART 24 PLACEMENT & BUDGET 25 MEASURES OF SUCCESS 26 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY “Everyone wants to be appreciated, so if you appreciate someone, don’t keep it a secret.” – Mary Kay Ash Born between 1980 and 1995, female millennials are paving the way for the future in almost all aspects of life. A new breed of woman, they have been called many things. Some call them entrepreneurial, success-driven, optimistic, and tech-savvy. Others say they are entitled, materialistic, lazy, and tech-obsessed. Either way, female millennials are making a name for themselves, and brands have begun to notice. They seek meaning in the brands they are loyal to and turn to the web to seek information and share their thoughts and experiences. For the Gen Y female, convenience, personal style, and quality will determine the products and brands she chooses for her cosmetic needs. For years, Mary Kay has fostered a brand spirit that values its customers. Mary Kay’s main objective is the enrichment of women’s lives, an objective that does not run counter to the lives of female millennials. However, a generational gap exists between Mary Kay and female millennials, limiting awareness and consideration of Mary Kay products. This is where we come in. We found that the Mary Kay brand not only runs parallel to the personality and lifestyle of the Gen Y woman, but it also offers a unique experience that is largely missing in the beauty and skincare industry. With eye-catching creative and media strategies, our campaign communicates to female millennials that the direct selling business model is not just a transaction - it’s a personalized experience and the beginning of a meaningful relationship with a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant. With Mary Kay, female millennials can SHARE BEAUTY with the world.
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MARY KAY AT A GLANCE how it began In 1963, Mary Kay Ash founded Mary Kay Cosmetics with her life savings of $5000.
A Strong foundation As an entrepreneur and philanthropist, Mary Kay built her company with a strong foundation based on the Golden Rule and a clear order of priorities: faith first, family second, career third.
direct selling The direct selling model reflects Mary Kay’s value of “Make Me Feel Important” for both the customer and the Independent Beauty Consultant. It offers a friendly, personalized way to shop for makeup as well as a flexible and rewarding business opportunity. Parties and individual appointments bring women of diverse backgrounds together, fostering a feeling of community and support. The intimacy and convenience offered by Mary Kay inspires many customers to become IBCs themselves, thus building the independent sales force and complementing the company’s mission of enriching women’s lives.
corporate reSponsibility Since its establishment, Mary Kay has embraced a go-give spirit aimed at making a real difference. Mary Kay has not only made a promise to enrich the lives of women and children, but has also shown a commitment to global philanthropy by supporting disaster relief efforts, environmental protection initiatives, and educational programs around the world.
PINK DOING GREEN This globally-recognized campaign promotes eco-friendly initiatives both inside and outside the company. Mary Kay’s recycling efforts, use of renewable materials, reduction of energy consumption, and support for tree-planting programs around the world have all contributed to the international green movement.
PINK CHANGING LIVES Mary Kay has always taken an active role in helping women and children who are survivors of domestic violence. Since the 1980s, they have lobbied for legislation aimed at preventing and ending abuse. Through their annual international “Beauty That Counts” campaign, they have contributed over $4 million to help women recover and heal.
where they are now A workforce of over 3 million Independent Beauty Consultants operates in 35 countries around the world, upholding Mary Kay’s core values and enriching women’s lives through makeup and skincare.
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RESEARCH OBJECTIVES & METHODS oBJECTIVES 1. Gain insight into the attitudes, behaviors, and values of Gen Y Women 2. Understand the purchasing habits of our target demographic when shopping for makeup, skincare, and other beauty products 3. Explore the direct selling market and identify Mary Kay’s competitive advantage 4. Discover how Gen Y females perceive Mary Kay today 5. Identify how the target market views the IBC position as a potential business opportunity
THIS WILL ALLOW US TO: 1. Realize Mary Kay’s promotable strengths and potential opportunities for growth 2. Find the most compelling strategies to reach Gen Y females 3. Determine how to most effectively market the direct selling opportunity to Gen Y females
methods WE CONDUCTED:
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Online Surveys
Of the target demographic
Man-on-the-street Interviews
At drugstores, cosmetic stores, and high-end department stores
Parties
Both observed and hosted for multiple demographics
48
IBC Interviews
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Focus Groups
From various ranks, diverse backgrounds, and across several states Centered around Mary Kay products, the purchasing habits of female millennials, and their overall beauty preferences
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TARGET PROFILE MEET THE SOCIAL INNOVATORS WHO ADMIRE ORIGINALITY AND PERSONALIZE ALL ASPECTS OF THEIR LIVES
customizers
- Research and sample products extensively to find the perfect fit - Seek out unique products and accessories to express their individuality
“I am drawn to different things, which I can’t find just by shopping in the mall.”
- Enjoy websites which offer personalized feeds and channels for expression
WHO FEEL PERSONALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR ENACTING CHANGE IN THE WORLD AND WANT TO SHAPE THE SOCIAL VALUES OF THE BRANDS THEY USE
- 54% plan to or have already become proprietors of their own business
VISIONARIES
- Support the green initiative: want to transition to organic, sustainable brands
“I feel like I’ve hit a ceiling with my job in corporate; I want to actually make a difference in the world.”
- Want to be brand ambassadors, and are less responsive to celebrity endorsement
WHO SEEK OUT ADVICE FROM FAMILIAR SOURCES BEFORE MAKING PURCHASES AND STAY CONNECTED WITH BRANDS THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
- The trust factor: 84% say word of mouth is their primary purchase influence
“I watch Michelle Phan’s videos because she has a similar complexion to me. I identify with her.”
NETWORKERS
- 63% of millennials stay updated on brands through social networks - 78% remain loyal to brands with some kind of rewards or loyalty program
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TARGET PROFILE BY THE NUMBERS
modern entrepreneurs The average Gen Y woman is career-oriented and looking for opportunities to improve upon her current lifestyle. A position as an IBC allows her to supplement her income or build a business on her own terms.
90%
of hiring managers prefer resumes with internships or leadership positions
$27k
average starting salary for college grads calls for supplementary income
92%
of Gen Y women believe the definition of a successful business is more than high profit
37%
of Gen Y women would take a pay cut if it meant a more flexible schedule
A SUCCESSFUL COSMETICS COMPANY MUST... - offer personalized guidance on product choices - interactively showcase the quality of its products - cater to its customers’ fast-paced lifestyles - modernize its digital/social media presence to encourage sharing - promote a sense of community amongst customers - support millennials’ initiative to champion social causes
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MARKET LANDSCAPE
“ “ GEN Y MARKET SHARE (from survey) BEST PERFORMING RETAILERS
STRENGTHS
WEAKNESSES
The employees [at Sephora] give great advice and aren’t cheap with giving samples. It’s also fun looking through the displays. I change my mascara pretty often, so I just buy it at Target, since it’s right there.
” ”
Direct Selling & IBC
Drug Store
Online
Beauty Retailer
Department Store
1%
37%
7%
27%
28%
Avon & Mary Kay
Target, CVS, & Walgreens
Amazon & Sephora.com
Sephora, Ulta, & MAC
Macy’s & Nordstrom
- accessibility to a trustworthy beauty guide - network-driven sales
- all-purpose - many locations in close proximity - mass appeal
- same products for lower cost - greater control and research opportunity
- enticing reward programs -knowledgeable associates - niche market appeal
- spillover with other purchases - helpful beauty advice available - traditional environment
- limited access to products - no daily shopping exposure
- lack of beauty specialists - restrictive open sampling - poor return policy
- unable to try products - additional shipping fees and wait time
- popular products often sold out - rare discounts - potentially overwhelming
- greater popularity among older demographic - narrower range of brands
reliable and accommodating
familiar and dependable
WHY MILLENIALS personalized and connected PREFER THIS
affordable and accessible
Competitive advantage
convenient and all-inclusive
Mary Kay, while less accessible and visible than brands using other channels, offers a customizable shopping experience that
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THE DISCONNECT
We found that women who have interacted with an IBC and those who have not hold opposing perceptions of the brand.
HAVE NOT CONTACTED AN IBC
“I’m just not sure that IBCs are necessary anymore.”
“I would rather call my friends than go through an IBC that I don’t know.”
IBC model outdated and obsolete. “I might feel obligated to purchase something if I attend a party.”
“Isn’t Mary Kay the makeup company that sells door-todoor?”
IBCs force sales onto clients.
“I think my aunt used to sell Mary Kay.”
Words that Gen Y women associate with Mary Kay are “Grandma”, “Mom’s makeup”, and “old”.
Mary Kay caters to an older generation. Gen Y females who have not interacted with an IBC hold false rumors about Mary Kay’s shopping experience.
vs
HAVE CONTACTED AN IBC “My IBC was able to figure out my skin type and helped me find what worked for it.”
“I love Mary Kay. There is something for everyone. You can find your new look.”
IBCs provide personalized beauty guidance. “My IBC and I talk about a lot more than just makeup.”
“I tell my IBC how I’m doing in school.”
IBCs build relationships with their clients.
“Most of my friends contact my IBC for makeup now.”
“Is Mary Kay doing the college tour again? I loved it last year. (:”
Mary Kay is fresh and exciting. Gen Y females who have interacted with an IBC have fallen in love with the brand and find the shopping experience indispensable.
Young women who have IBCs fall in love with the Mary Kay shopping experience. However, many are unfamiliar with the brand in the first place, and have developed misperceptions about the direct selling model. Mary Kay has the opportunity to connect with the target demographic by making its benefits and goal of empowering women more visible.
BRAND POSITIONING & STRATEGY OBJECTIVE: To raise awareness, positive perception, and consideration of Mary Kay among women ages 18-25 and recruit them as Beauty Consultants. DISCONNECT/CHALLENGE
Gen Y women’s unfamiliarity with Mary Kay creates a disparity between what they believe Mary Kay to be and what Mary Kay truly is.
THE SOLUTION
Show that Mary Kay offers a unique and accessible beauty experience that meets the needs of Gen Y women.
THE BIG IDEA Mary Kay can be the friend that helps you be you. With Mary Kay, buying makeup is more than a transaction. It is the beginning of a meaningful relationship with an Independent Beauty Consultant. An experienced IBC understands and caters to the personal beauty needs of the female millennial. Like a close friend, the IBC supports her to be herself so that she can share her unique beauty with others.
THE HOW
HOW WE ARE GOING TO BRIDGE THE DISCONNECT
VISIBILITY Present Mary Kay in spaces, physical and digital, where the brand is most likely to be seen by Gen Y females.
RELATABILITY Convey to Gen Y females that IBCs are excited to relate to their clients beyond the level of a sales transaction.
ASSURANCE Show female millennials that Mary Kay IBCs offer beauty advice that they can trust.
EMPOWERMENT Show that the IBC position is a valuable way for women to grow professionally through opportunities that expand on Mary Kay’s vision of empowerment
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CREATIVE STRATEGY THE CONCEPT
SHARE BEAUTY Share Beauty
THE KEY \’ sher\ (v): To participate in, use, enjoy, and experience jointly.
\’ byü-tē\ (n): The qualities in a person that gives pleasure to the senses, mind, and spirit.
THE INTERPRETATION Beauty is more powerful when shared with others.
THE CONNECTION Beauty is a trait, but sharing beauty is a strength. Mary Kay recognizes the power of women who not only see beauty in themselves and others, but inspire it.
THE CALL TO ACTION Mary Kay’s message of sharing beauty challenges Social Innovators to lengthen the strides that they are already making.
THE EXECUTION A campaign that celebrates all types of beauty, empowers all women, and creates a community of love and support centered around the Mary Kay brand and the IBC experience.
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CREATIVE
WHAT WE SHARE Deliverables: Our commercial will take viewers across the country to introduce the exciting lives IBCs lead and show how they integrate their Mary Kay businesses with the world around them. The IBC experience, symbolized by a “Share Beauty” tote bag overflowing with Mary Kay products, will link these Social Innovators together and will serve as the common thread between scenes. With colorful and eye-catching imagery that dazzles the imagination, this commercial will reintroduce Mary Kay as the unique and personalized brand that female millennials are missing from their lives. Substantiation: Our campaign’s tagline, “Share Beauty,” will be highlighted in this commercial both through the exchange of products and through the interactions, experiences, and memories shared by IBCs and Mary Kay lovers alike. In our commercial, IBCs will break free from the stereotypes that have kept them away from female millennials and will be seen as the young, trendsetting women that the direct selling business model allows them to be. Placement: The commercial will air in a pulsing pattern during a mix of primetime and early fringe shows on various cable channels. The months of February, June, and December will see the most airtime through our placements on The Grammys and primetime shows such as New Girl, Vampire Diaries, Pretty Little Liars, and The Mindy Project. Spots airing during the early fringe daypart will be placed on shows such as Real Housewives, Criminal Minds, and Adventure Time. In addition to TV, the commercial will be placed on 19 popular websites such as Hulu, Pandora, and Yahoo.
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CREATIVE SPILL THE BAG Deliverables: Our print ad will spotlight the contents of a Social Innovator’s purse, incorporating tokens from our commercial in a fun and interactive way. Mary Kay products will be spread beside three Polaroid photos which feature memories and messages written in colorful lipstick, including #ShareBeauty. Upon closer look, viewers will find that they can remove the Polaroids from the advertisement and insert their own photos into the empty frames.
Substantiation: Drawing inspiration from our commercial, this ad will encourage female millennials to take a piece of Mary Kay with them and to share beauty with their friends. By allowing Social Innovators to interact with our print ad, Mary Kay stands out from its competitors as the beauty brand that is personalized and caters to female millennials’ needs.
Placement: We will run our print ad in eight different magazines: Nylon, People StyleWatch, Teen Vogue, Elle, InStyle, Seventeen, Glamour, and Cosmopolitan. We will place our ad in flighting pattern, beginning with the magazine with the lowest reach and ending with the magazine with the highest reach in order to maximize impressions as campaign awareness builds.
MAKE YOUR MARK Deliverables: In an online banner ad, young women will interact with one another, sharing beauty products between them and applying it to their faces. They will use these products to write out what Mary Kay means to them, adding our campaign’s tagline, “Share Beauty,” to the webpage.
Substantiation: Social Innovators surf the web at incredible speeds, leaving little time to make an impression. This banner ad will raise awareness of the brand and bring attention to our tagline in a fun and flirty way on sites that our target demographic frequents.
Placement: The banner will be circulated on 34 websites in a pulsing pattern. It will be prominent for longer durations on 17 popular websites such as Pandora, MTV, Indeed, MapQuest and Fox News. The banner will be placed for shorter durations on the remaining 17 websites such as The Huffington Post, IMDB, Ehow, Amazon and The New York Times.
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CREATIVE MARY KAY UNPLUGGED Deliverables: Mary Kay will find a young, recent graduate who has created a successful business as an IBC and feature her in a Spotify ad. The ad will begin with the IBC recalling her worries of working a mundane desk job after graduation, and end with her expressing how relieved she is to have found her IBC position. It gives her the freedom she needs to manage her own business and make time for herself.
Substantiation: With over 4.5 billion hours of music already streamed, Spotify revolutionized music streaming by enabling listeners to share their playlists with friends via social media. This execution not only builds brand awareness in a digital realm of explosive growth, but also gives a fresh voice to Independent Beauty Consultants.
Placement: The Spotify ad will run in a continuity pattern throughout the campaign. The ad will also air on radio stations in 21 of the 50 cities with the largest Social Innovator populations. These radio ads will run in a flighting pattern for two days every few months on stations such as KIIS FM and AMP Radio.
CLICK TO CLAIM Deliverables: The Mary Kay mobile banner will feature a close up of a young woman using the new Mary Kay mobile application and encourage users to download the app in exchange for a free tube of lipstick. Users can tap the ad to download the app, which will redirect them to their nearest IBCs to redeem their prize.
Substantiation: By placing this mobile banner ad on applications and mobile sites popular with Social Innovators, Mary Kay will be able to effectively reach our target demographic. The incentive of a free product will both drive traffic to the new Mary Kay application and encourage interactions with IBCs.
Placement: The mobile banner will run in a continuity pattern on ten apps: Pandora Radio, Candy Crush Saga, Shazam, Groupon, Skype, MyFitnessPal, iHeartRadio, Pic Stitch, Bejeweled Blitz and Period Tracker Lite. The banner will also be placed on 15 mobile websites and will pulse through every alternate month.
CREATIVE SOCIAL STRATEGY Our digital executions will reach Social Innovators and achieve our campaign’s goals by: - Increasing brand awareness and Mary Kay’s commitment to empowering women using #ShareBeauty and promoted content which exposes our guerrilla and recruitment events. - Establishing Mary Kay as a beauty brand that meets Social Innovators on multiple social platforms, including emerging sites, with new, exciting, and shareable content. - Creating a digital experience that brings customers and IBCs together around the products they love, strengthening their relationship and allowing for easy purchase.
GOOD MORNING, BEAUTIFUL Deliverables: Instagram users will be asked to share photos of what beauty means to them using the hashtag #ShareBeauty. Mary Kay will select one user’s interpretation of beauty each day and send it to its followers on Snapchat the following morning, along with words of wisdom to kickstart every user’s day.
Substantiation: Because Snapchat’s core audience is between the ages of 13 and 25, and 70% of that audience is female, this execution places Mary Kay on the social platform that directly connects to the target demographic. These daily inspirational messages will reinforce Mary Kay’s brand image and campaign message of sharing beauty, as well as create a sustained digital relationship with Social Innovators.
APP-DATED Deliverables: The new Mary Kay mobile application will build upon existing applications to create a one-stop-shop that is available on the go. The application will not only integrate Mary Kay’s eCatalog with its Virtual Makeover app, but will also give users the ability to shop for products from their IBCs’ web stores directly on the app. Additionally, users will have the ability to search for IBCs in their area, read and contribute to reviews of products and IBCs, and share their mobile experience via social media.
Substantiation: Between 2012 and 2013, mobile commerce sales increased by 82%, and ecommerce projections predict that mobile will account for 25% of all online retail in the U.S. by 2017. We will take Mary Kay’s promise of an easy makeup buying experience one step further by keeping up with the growing mobile app market and making it simple to shop with Mary Kay.
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CREATIVE BETA BOX BY MARY KAY Deliverables: For an initial fee of just $10, subscribers to Beta Box by Mary Kay will have the unique opportunity to sample the latest Mary Kay products. After submitting an online review for this box, they will receive their next box at a reduced price. Participating in this program for an entire year awards women a free full-size Mary Kay product from the year’s Beta Box collection.
Substantiation: The Beta Box not only satisfies Social Innovators’ desire for small scale, noncommittal brand experimentation, but also provides Mary Kay with insightful feedback about the products that appeal most to Social Innovators.
THINK OUTSIDE THE BETA BOX Deliverables: We will challenge YouTube makeup gurus to create looks inspired by the latest trends in pop culture using products exclusively from Beta Box by Mary Kay. Both popular and up-and-coming YouTubers will be featured in these videos, at the end of which viewers will have the chance to win a free trial of Beta Box by Mary Kay.
Substantiation:
Placement:
YouTubers and their personal testimonies have great influence over the products that Social Innovators purchase. This challenge will demonstrate the versatility of Mary Kay products and increase awareness of Beta Box by Mary Kay through this extremely influential media channel.
We selected 12 YouTube makeup gurus and vloggers that have between 100K and 1M subscribers including Cait Barker (119K), Amarixe (404K), and MakeupByTiffanyD (830K). A different guru will be given a Beta Box at the beginning of each month. This will allow for a continuous presence on YouTube throughout our campaign.
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CREATIVE SORORITY ROW CHALLENGE
Deliverables: Members of the National Panhellenic Conference will be invited to compete in the Mary Kay Sorority Row Challenge. Sorority chapters in five regions across the country will vie for the chance to receive an exclusive, all-expense paid Mary Kay party hosted by the region’s IBCs. On a promotional tab on Mary Kay’s official Facebook page, users will be able to vote for specific chapters in each region and share their picks with friends online.
Substantiation:
Placement:
The National Panhellenic Conference is represented on over 600 college campuses across the country and is made up of over 4 million sorority women who fall within the age range of our target demographic. The Sorority Row Challenge will not only tap into the pride and enthusiasm Social Innovators have for their houses, but will also integrate social media for greater exposure of the Mary Kay brand.
Because house pride is at its peak during the beginning of the school year, our competition will run on Mary Kay’s Facebook page during the month of October. The winning house will host their party in mid-November and a digital video ad recapping the event will roll out in December on nine different websites including Photobucket, SheKnows, MTV, and About.
BEAUTY SHARE Deliverables: Beauty Share will be a new internal forum exclusively for IBCs to come together, share ideas, and discuss concerns. Participants will be able to engage in live video chats and use messenger tools to facilitate instant communication and personal interaction. An extensive database of online cosmetics and direct selling tutorials for additional learning opportunities will also be available to IBCs.
Substantiation: Establishing an online space for IBCs will be essential in creating a thriving and interactive Mary Kay community. IBCs will feel more connected to their colleagues and more confident in their business endeavors. With this strong extended network and support system, IBCs will learn how to improve their sales, structure their businesses, and take their careers to the next level.
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CREATIVE EASY AS I.B.C.
MAKING IT COUNT
Deliverables:
Deliverables:
IBC personal websites will be upgraded to not only feature a larger assortment of templates, but also to create a more transparent Mary Kay experience. IBCs will now have the option of being rated and reviewed by their customers, as well as displaying achievement badges on their profiles. Existing achievement badges such as “Advanced Color Consultant,” as well as new ones like “Best Rated Parties,” will decorate IBCs’ websites and recognize their successes.
Blog.MaryKay.com will receive a complete makeover to truly reflect its promise of “Beauty That Counts.” By offering a more user-friendly experience with reimagined icons and links, improved search options and a fresh new layout, this makeover will add greater appeal to Social Innovators.
Substantiation: Social Innovators are members of a generation that pursue honest information about a product or brand. With this added feature to both MaryKay.com and the updated Mary Kay mobile application, female millenials will be more confident in their IBCs, and IBCs will be encouraged to maximize their individual brands and provide customers with quality service.
Substantiation: This blog revamp offers tech-savvy Social Innovators content that is both visually appealing and easily accessible on a simplistic interface. Our demographic is filled with blog enthusiasts, so this execution brings them the digital brand that they seek.
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CREATIVE MARY KAY HEARTS IT Deliverables: Social Innovators love creating online boards filled with pictures that illustrate their dream closet, wedding, vacations and lifestyle. A Mary Kay We Heart It account will integrate the brand into these boards by featuring several collections such as “Beauty,” “Girls Night,” and “Road Trip.” The page will be filled with images of not only Mary Kay products and looks, but also images that are reflective of the demographic and their interests.
Substantiation: A We Heart It account will make Mary Kay a pioneer brand on this increasingly popular social media site that has a large user base of females under the age of 25. Mary Kay can further connect with Social Innovators by curating shareable content representative of female millennials, showing that Mary Kay’s brand image aligns directly with the dreams and aspirations of our demographic.
WHAT’S THE BUZZ? Deliverables: Mary Kay will collaborate with BuzzFeed to create a unique quiz that captivates Social Innovators. Example quizzes can include “Which Shade of Lipstick Are You?” or “Find Your Perfect Party,” and will feature new products, the direct selling model, and Mary Kay’s exciting brand image.
Substantiation: Buzzfeed has recently emerged as the “go to” site for entertainment and pop culture news amongst Social Innovators. With 50% of Buzzfeed’s traffic coming from mobile devices and 75% of readers browsing content to share, our presence on Buzzfeed will effectively reach the Gen Y demographic.
MARY KAY ON THE WAY Deliverables: Mary Kay On The Way will be a traveling beauty truck which showcases an array of products, samples, and IBC recruitment materials. Similar to a moving trunk show, the truck will travel to locations with high concentrations of Social Innovators, where IBCs will distribute free samples and encourage women to share their experiences online using the hashtag #ShareBeauty.
Substantiation: Social Innovators are dynamic, empowered women that are at the forefront of fashion, music, and popular culture. Constantly on the move between major events, the traveling beauty truck will allow the Mary Kay brand to stay relevant with millennials both on the road and online.
Placement: The truck will travel to 20 of the 50 U.S. cities with the highest concentration of Social Innovators over the summer months. The truck will also park in high foot-traffic areas near popular events such as music festivals or county fairs.
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CREATIVE PICTURE THIS Deliverables: Pink photo booths will be placed around the country for young women to discover what Mary Kay has to offer. Female millennials will be prompted to log into Facebook through the display screen, take three head shots, and pick their favorite photo. They will then receive a printout with the head shot, as well as a digital sketch of their face filled in with color from the Mary Kay products that best compliment their complexion. A description of each product will be listed on the back, along with a coupon code for their next Mary Kay purchase.
Substantiation: This twist on an old classic will spark curiosity about the brand in locations where Mary Kay and its products are not normally found. Social Innovators will be able to share their experiences via social media and leave with a customized palette tailored to their unique look.
Placement: The photo booths will be placed in 40 different U.S. cities, specifically on college campuses and in high-traffic areas that are visited by a high percentage of Social Innovators. This execution will run for five consecutive weekends during October and the first week of November.
YOURS AND HERS
Deliverables: Mary Kay digital vending machines will offer Social Innovators a free look at Mary Kay’s products. To activate the machine, users will input their email address and zip code, which will allow Mary Kay to share information about IBCs in their area. The machine will then dispense a product and, in a surprising twist, prompt the young women to share another product with passerbys. These interactions, all caught on camera by a hidden monitoring crew, will be shared online using the hashtag #ShareBeauty.
Substantiation: Drawing inspiration from Mary Kay Ash’s commitment to the Golden Rule, this guerrilla execution will seek to spread kindness among Social Innovators. This experience will also serve as a catalyst for Social Innovators to meet Mary Kay’s call to action to share beauty around them.
Placement: Thirty of the fifty U.S. cities with the highest populations of Social Innovators will each receive one pink vending machine on the last Saturday of May. The video capturing the resulting interactions will be posted on 11 websites frequently visited by Social Innovators, including Amazon, Ask, Yahoo, Imdb, and The Huffington Post.
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CREATIVE BUILDING A FOUNDATION Deliverables: The Mary Kay Foundation will attend career nights and workshops in select communities in order to offer guidance to high school, cosmetology, and community college students. They will cover topics such as university admissions, financial aid, and career opportunities to help them kick-start their futures. These workshops will also be used as a chance to present the flexibility and benefits of the IBC experience.
Substantiation: Many Social Innovators are learning to balance school, work, and their social lives. This is the perfect opportunity for Mary Kay to introduce the IBC career not only as a form of income, but also as a way to gain valuable professional experience.
Placement: Representatives from the Mary Kay Foundation will be present at career fairs for 2,000 schools across the country. They will have a continuous presence at these fairs throughout the campaign.
MARY KAY ON CAMPUS Deliverables: The Mary Kay Campus Ambassador Program will give college students the opportunity to get involved with the brand on a local level. They will be responsible for engaging student clubs, sororities, and other organizations with the Mary Kay brand via giveaways, social media promotions, and other marketing strategies. Ambassadors will enjoy exclusive discounts on Mary Kay products and have their starter kit fees waived should they choose to become IBCs.
Substantiation: Social Innovators respond best to recommendations from their peers, making campuses the perfect setting to reach our target demographic. The program will provide Social Innovators with the chance to gain genuine work experience and connect directly with the Mary Kay brand while creating a smooth transition into the IBC role.
WHERE IT ALL STARTS Deliverables: Mary Kay’s exclusive 8-week subsidized internship will give Social Innovators the opportunity to work in one of the company’s departments at their headquarters in Addison, Texas. This program will introduce Social Innovators to the multifaceted structure of an IBC business and provide insight into the corporate side of Mary Kay through workshops, training sessions, and networking opportunities.
Placement: We will promote the Summer Internship Program through the Mary Kay website and the Campus Ambassadors on college campuses around the country. The program will run from mid-June to early August.
Substantiation: Mary Kay will give Social Innovators the ability to explore their interests and future career options, as well as gain valuable experience in a corporate environment and be confident in entering the workforce. Moreover, interns will gain a better understanding of and appreciation for the Mary Kay brand and the role of the IBC.
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CREATIVE UBER MK Deliverables: Whether they are on their way to a job interview or out for a night on the town, our partnership with Uber will give Social Innovators just what they need as they are on the go. For a limited time, select Uber vehicles will be retrofitted with mirrors, makeup samples, refreshments, and informational materials on Mary Kay for no extra charge. All you have to do is select the “uberMK” tab located on the Uber application to find the vehicles nearest you.
Substantiation: “uberMK” gives Social Innovators the opportunity for a quick touch-up and a re-evaluation of her beauty routine, all before arriving at her destination. Uber’s widespread presence in major U.S. cities will spread Mary Kay buzz across the nation.
Placement: Each of the 37 U.S. cities in which Uber is active will outfit ten of their cars with the special “uberMK” amenities. The partnership will run every weekend from mid-June to mid-July.
BEAUTY 101 Deliverables: Mary Kay will partner with The Empire Beauty School, supplying its locations with Mary Kay products. By using these products on a daily basis, beauty students will be able to speak first hand about their quality and begin sharing a positive perception of the brand with friends and family. In addition, existing IBCs will be able to take classes at these schools for a discounted price to receive an achievement badge on their new and improved personal websites.
Substantiation: The schools will provide us with the optimum environment to showcase our products, increase brand awareness among Gen Y females, as well as a generous pool of new graduates who are likely to find the IBC opportunity attractive and beneficial.
PROJECT GREEN
Placement: We will reach nearly 20,000 students by partnering with The Empire Beauty School, the nation’s largest cosmetology school. We will continuously supply over 100 locations throughout the campaign.
Deliverables: Expanding beyond the Pink Goes Green initiative, Mary Kay will sponsor community gardens in metropolitan cities across the nation. By supporting existing gardening groups in local communities, Mary Kay will not only contribute to neighborhood renovation and community involvement, but will also inspire healthy living through easier access to fresh produce.
Substantiation: Mary Kay’s Project Green will give Social Innovators an immediate opportunity to participate in the global green movement. This will resonate with our increasingly health-conscious demographic and keep them involved in their local communities, as well as increase Mary Kay’s reputation as an eco-conscious brand.
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CREATIVE PICK YOUR PALETTE Deliverables: With the Pick Your Palette competition, women can create and name custom eyeshadow palettes by selecting four distinct colors from Mary Kay’s Shade Family. Users will be able to share their personalized palettes via social media, browse others’ creations, and vote for their favorite combination on MaryKay.com. The most popular palette will be made available for purchase, and its creator will be flown to New York City for a VIP experience at New York Fashion Week.
Substantiation: Social Innovators appreciate customizable products and enjoy sharing the latest trends with their friends. By giving them the opportunity to personalize their makeup, this execution will encourage Gen Y women to add their unique touch to the Mary Kay catalog of products. It will also allow Mary Kay to discover the color combinations that are popular amongst our target demographic.
PRODUCT LINE ENHANCEMENTS Our campaign will introduce the following products to the Mary Kay catalog, filling pre-existing gaps in the inventory and meeting the needs of Social Innovators. These products reflect our target’s desire for multi-functionality and convenience, as well as the latest trends in beauty and skin care.
The 24-Hour Palette brings together all of Mary Kay’s neutral colors, perfect for creating looks for all hours of the day. Mary Kay’s Detail Swabs have makeup remover reservoirs hidden in the middle of the cotton swabs which can be released with a simple squeeze for easy touch-ups or makeup removal.
“The 3” features bronzer, blush, and highlighting powder all in one compact for easy contouring. A line of Tinted Lipbalm will bring color and flavor to Mary Kay’s twostep lip care system with lip balms that reflect regional tastes, such as “Big Apple New York,” and “Coffee and Cream Seattle.” Mary Kay Dry Shampoo will give hair a volume boost and extend the life of a great blow out.
One in three millennials plan to attend a concert this year, making an all-inclusive Mary Kay Festival Kit an essential product for our demographic. This pack will include fake eyelashes, face stickers, neon and metallic eyeliners, spray-on sun protection, and stencils for the best festival look. A lightweight Beauty Balm (BB) Cream categorized by skin type will protect and moisturize skin as well as correct uneven coloring for a healthy, flawless finish.
MEDIA STRATEGY The ability for digital and social media to precisely target Social Innovators is instrumental in establishing an effective campaign that will target our techsavvy demographic. A focus on non-traditional marketing through guerrilla and event executions is also essential in promoting a business that thrives on the idea of personal interaction. In developing our media strategy, we focus on making these executions mutually reinforcing to take advantage of the combined effects of our media mix.
media objectives 1. Generate brand awareness and recognition among Social Innovators through an effective media mix.
geography
2. Target the markets in which we have found significant concentrations of our target demographic.
timing
3. Create a campaign that is an extension of Mary Kay’s existing identity and connects to the culture of Social Innovators.
media selection
Objective: Establish a presence in areas highly populated by Social Innovators to increase personal contact with the Mary Kay brand.
Objective: Coordinate the implementation of our executions in order to maintain a strong presence for the duration of our campaign.
Objective: Situate the Mary Kay brand in media vehicles that attract the most Social Innovators while designing a media mix that is reflective of their techsavvy culture.
Strategy: Using findings from Adology, we will place guerrilla and experiential executions throughout Social Innovator markets centered around universities in order to reinforce relationships obtained through our paid media executions and social media posts.
Strategy: We will use digital executions to maintain awareness initiated by traditional media. Social media posts will continuously publicize our partnerships and recruitment events to highlight Mary Kay’s brand personality. Guerrilla executions as well as social media-based competitions and challenges will be pulsed throughout the campaign to generate consistent excitement for the brand.
Strategy: Data from programs such as Nielsen and Kantar will enable us to place executions in areas with the highest Social Innovator reach for each medium. In the interest of budget efficiency, we will continuously utilize owned, earned, and less expensive paid media while more costly paid media will be pulsed throughout the campaign.
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FLOWCHART
*darker shade indicates pulsing periods
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PLACEMENT & BUDGET Websites Yahoo, MSN, Amazon, Ask Search, Ebay, About, eHow, Walmart, IMDB, WikiAnswers, The Weather Channel, WebMD, Linkedin, New York Times, WikiHow, The Huffington Post, Pandora, Hulu, MTV, Indeed, NBC, Blogger, Jango, MapQuest, Fox News Digital Network, Tribune Newspapers, AZLyrics, CNET, SheKnows, The Free Dictionary, Photobucket, USA Today, Trip Advisor, BlogHer
magazines
TELEVISION Primetime: New Girl, Vampire Diaries, The Mindy Project, Pretty Little Liars Early Fringe: Grammys, MTV, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Comedy Central Movie, Cine En Casa, Criminal Minds, Adventure Time
Social media
Mobile Apps
Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat, Buzzfeed, We Heart It
BUDGET BREAKDOWN Traditional
$2,892,870
Digital
$2,455,111
Social
$1,843,197
Guerrilla
$1,117,263
Partnerships
$509,000
Recruitment
$992,000
Commission
$175,036
Measures of Success TOTAL
People StyleWatch, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Seventeen, InStyle, Elle, Teen Vogue, Nylon
$15,523 $10,000,000
Pandora, Candy Crush Saga, Shazam, Groupon, Skype, MyFitnessPal, iHeartRadio, Pic Stitch, Bejeweled, Period Tracker
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MEASURES OF SUCCESS CAMPAIGN METRICS We will evaluate the success of our campaign based on the increase in beauty and skin care products sold throughout the campaign as well as the increase in number of female millenial IBCs. Based on our total impressions and metrics from Adology, we expect:
$25,014,000 in revenue
625,500 new Mary Kay consumers
CONTINUOUS MAINTENENCE QUANTITATIVE Use Google Analytics to evaluate overall success of online initiatives, including website traffic and click-through rates.
Monitor product sales throughout the campaign period.
Measure increases in likes, followers, and shares/retweets on social media sites.
Track participation of female millenials in campaign’s guerilla and event executions.
Use Nielsen, Kantar, and Adology to measure the delivery of specific media channels.
Track increase in number of female millenial IBCs.
QUALITATIVE Monitor media coverage (TV, Online, and Print)
Review comments and feedback on social media outlets and the IBC forum.
PERIODIC MAINTENANCE QUANTITATIVE Distribute surveys via social media, the IBC forum, and Campus Ambassadors.
QUALITATIVE Conduct pre-tests and posttests for the campaign in Social Innovator focus groups.
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ACCOUNT DIRECTORS
CREATIVE
ART DIRECTION
Emilie Abel, Copy Manager Leif Eng Kyle Khandikian
Claire Couch Nicole Kraft Sasha de Limur, Copy Manager Stanley Lin, Director Hayley Linsenbard Derrick Martin Reem Suleiman
Laura Beck, Director Jessica Lin Raquel Livson Nicholas Tasato
STRATEGIC PLANNING Spencer Graham-Tille, Director Ally Hills, Editor Alizeh Hussain Willa Kang, Editor Callie Noceto, Copy Manager Jacqueline Quach Victor Wu
MEDIA PLANNING
SPECIAL THANKS TO Jane Bitar Michael Suman
Ryan Kay, Director Kimberlie Liang Chinmayee Mayya Tony Nguyen Tierra Schroeder, Copy Manager Nisha Sunku Nicholas Thompson
SOURCES - Ad-ology (n.d.) Retrieved March 17, 2014 from http://www.ad-ology.com. - Ahmed, Niaz. (2012). The Millennial Generation’s Preferences and Usage of Mobile Devices in the US. Retrieved March 12, 2014 from: http://www.scientificjournals.org/journals2012/articles/1544b.pdf. - Casserly, Meghan. (2012, January 12). Millennial Women Are Burning Out At Work By 30... And It’s Great For Business. Retrieved March 13, 2014 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/meghancasserly/2012/01/12/millennial-women-burning-out-great-for-business-entrepreneurs. - eMarketer (n.d.) Retrieved March 17, 2014 from http://www.totalaccess.emarketer.com. - Faw, Larissa. (2012, October 2). Meet The Millennial 1%: Young, Rich, And Redefining Luxury. Retrieved March 12, 2014 from http://www.forbes.com/sites/larissafaw/2012/10/02/meet-the-millennial1-young- rich-and-redefining-luxury. - Kantar Media. (n.d.) Retrieved March 17, 2014 from http://www/next.srds.com/nmp?newsess=y. - Mary Kay Cosmetics. (n.d.) Social Responsibility: A Company with a Heart. Retreieved March 16, 2014 from http://www.marykay.com/en-US/About-Mary-Kay/SocialResponsibility/Pages/default.aspx. - Nielsen Academics. (n.d.) Retrieved March 17, 2014 from http://www.nielsenacademics.com. - PwC. (n.d.) PwC’s NextGen: A global generational study. Millennial Workers Want Greater Flexibility, Work/Life Balance, Global Opportunities. Retrieved March 13, 2014 from http://www.pwc.com/gx/en/ hr-management-services/publications/nextgen-study.jhtml. - Schwabel, Dan. (2011, December 21). The Beginning of the End of the 9-to-5 Workday? Retrieved March 15, 2014 from http://business.time.com/2011/12/21/the-beginning-of-the-end-of-the-9-to-5workday. - Schwabel, Dan. (2013, June 25). 74 of the Most Interesting Facts About the Millennial Generation. Retrieved March 15, 2014 from http://www.danschawbel.com/blog/74-of-the-most-interesting-facts-about-the-millennial-generation.
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