EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mary Kay understands the woman. She empowers her. She invests in her. She believes in her. The Millennial woman is searching for a brand that speaks to her as an individual: a brand where she tailors the message and she defines her natural beauty. Maverick Media understands the Millennial woman based on extensive primary, secondary as well as unconventional guerrilla research. This provides us with key insights, effectively bridging the gap that separates Mary Kay and the Millennial woman. We personalize Mary Kay’s efforts by creating a clear segmentation of products – presenting a new identity that’s exclusive to the
THE
contents
01
2
Introduction
3
Research
4
Market Analysis
6
Mary Kay Analysis
7
Target Audience Analysis
9
Big Idea & Strategy
10
Creative Strategy & Brief
11
Media Objectives & Strategies
23
Media Timeline & Budget
24
Measuring Success
25
Our Sources
Millennial woman. Its message and voice reach our target audience on platforms already integrated into their daily routines, making it impossible to ignore. Personalized service and community involvement further sets us apart.
our STRATEGY the TACTIC the RESULT
PUT SAMPLES INTO THE HANDS OF OUR AUDIENCE USING INNOVATIVE, ENGAGING TECHNIQUES.
LET THE MILLENNIALS DO WHAT THEY DO BEST: SPREAD THE WORD THEMSELVES. WE INCREASE BRAND AWARENESS, POSITIVE PERCEPTION, AND PURCHASE CONSIDERATION.
With our campaign, the Millennial woman is ready to face her day.
INTRODUCTION
the mary kay brand does not resonate with millennials
WHAT DOES MARY KAY WANT? The case study challenges us to increase awareness, positive perception and purchase
?
consideration among Millennial women, ages 18-25, leading to product purchase. HOW IS MARY KAY POSITIONED IN THE CURRENT COSMETIC MARKET? For the past 50 years, Mary Kay has been a valued cosmetics brand with high brand awareness in the market. They understand the importance of addressing emerging segments, but struggle to resonate with Millennial women.
3 CURRENT STRATEGIES
“Try Before You Buy”
IBC Business Model
Trusted & Quality Products
We found that while trial
Our research shows
Millennials must consider a
before purchase is important to
independence and flexibility
brand trustworthy to make a
Millennials, Mary Kay’s current
are important to Millennials.
first-time purchase.1
Nonetheless, the business
Mary Kay must reposition
model must be refreshed
products to establish credibility
1
party model is not effective. New methods of promoting product sampling are required.1 2 3
OUR CAMPAIGN eliminates the barriers, accomplishes Mary Kay’s goals and
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For every failure, there is an alternative course of action. You just have to find it. when you come to a roadblock, take a detour. MARY KAY ASH
innovates the business model to better resonate with Millennials, while maintaining Mary Kay’s focus on enriching women’s lives and bettering society through charitable and philanthropic work.
PRIMARY RESEARCH
03
the millennial mindset
MARKET ANALYSIS
what brands have her attention?
TOP BRANDS TO MILLENNIALS According to our surveys, only 9 percent of women ages 18 to 25 are current Mary Kay consumers. In order of frequency, survey respondents cited M.A.C., Urban Decay, Benefit, CoverGirl, Maybelline, and Neutrogena as the biggest direct competitors; Millennial women are conditioned to buy these products from a big box or specialty cosmetics store.1
what THEY SAY
why THEY LIKE IT
social media PRESENCE
parent COMPANY
“M.A.C. is always consistent. No breakouts, full coverage, long lasting and quality.” 2
- Bold aesthetics - Quality products - Strong social media presence - Helpful in-store beauty representatives2
7,618,673 active consumers on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube
Estée Lauder
Urban Decay
“I work long hours and Urban Decay lasts all day without getting gross and oily.” 3
- Lasting quality products - Customizable palettes - Wide breadth of products1
2,031,591 active consumers on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube
L’Oréal
Benefit
“It’s a quality brand that does what it says it will.” 1
- Trendy packaging - Fun product names - Customizable palettes - On the go beauty kits1 2
2,020,745 active consumers on Facebook, Instagram, Pintrest and YouTube
Moët Hennessey Louis Vuitton
CoverGirl
“I know I can trust the product to work well with my skin and not cause blemishes.” 2
- Affordable products - Trusted brand - Wide variety of products - Easily accessible1 3
5,002,296 active consumers on Facebook, Instagram, Pintrest and YouTube
P&G
Maybelline
“Maybelline is the only brand I buy for mascara .” 1
- Attractive packaging - Bold products - Emphasizes creativity and individuality2
4,553,600 active consumers on Facebook, Instagram, Pintrest and YouTube
L’Oréal
“Neutrogena is somewhat inexpensive and helps clear my acne prone skin.” 2
- Natural products - Affordable - Trusted brand for skincare2 3
1,416,839 active consumers on Facebook and YouTube
Johnson & Johnson
M.A.C.
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Neutrogena
(APPROX.)
KEY INSIGHTS
Cosmetic brands are struggling to differentiate themselves. Our audit of current ads found that brands focus overwhelmingly on product attributes and red-carpet looks. When we asked Millennial women about make up, they used a completely different vocabulary. Their words described how they feel.
what BRANDS SAY
what MILLENNIAL WOMEN FEEL
+2
05
competitive SHARE OF VOICE1 2 ON SOCIAL MEDIA
competitive PERCEPTION SCALE 1 2
MARY KAY ANALYSIS
what millennials say
what SHE SEES
KEY INSIGHT
Women in our focus groups demonstrated strong recognition of the Mary Kay brand (91 percent). However, they reported low willingness to purchase Mary Kay products (9 percent).1
“I don’t take [Mary Kay] seriously. I feel like the people who sell it are stay-at-home moms or their kids have moved out and they need a hobby, so it’s more to take up their time than because they feel really strong about the product.” 2
We set out to find the obstacles between Mary Kay’s high brand awareness yet low purchase rate among Millennials. Through focus groups, surveys and concept testing we discovered that Mary Kay is associated as being too mature for the target’s ideal cosmetic choice.1 2 3
at PLAY
DOES NOT REACH ITS TRUE TARGET Mary Kay tries to reach the Millennial market with its At Play line. Responses from our focus groups are overwhelmingly negative toward the brand’s image and products. Most respondents feel that At Play seems targeted to a much younger age group.1 3
what SHE THINKS
“Makes girls seem immature … and in our age group, we never want to be considered as younger than we are. If anything, we want to look older.” 3
direct SELLING
MILLENNIALS ARE SUSPICIOUS OF DIRECT SELLING Our primary research also finds the target is either unfamiliar or skeptical of direct selling. FOUR out of FIVE focus group respondents do not find direct selling an attractive option
what SHE SAYS
“I feel like sometimes with direct selling there’s some sort of agenda behind it so you can’t really trust the person.” 3
Our primary research suggests that most Millennial women won’t attend Mary Kay parties; in fact, they actively avoid them. Our focus groups also reveal that Millennials avoid parties due to the pressure of having to purchase if attending.1 2
what SHE FEELS
“Those parties are outdated, I feel like my mom used to go to those parties when I was a kid, and I thought these were the most boring things ever.” 1
MILLENNIALS CAN’T RELATE TO IBCS When asked about Mary Kay’s current IBC model, Millennials express their desire to buy cosmetics from someone closer in age with an understanding of current makeup trends.1 2
what SHE SAYS
“I always felt kind [of] freaked out by their methods of persuasion. I didn’t really find it compelling, it was more like, ‘you have to buy this, join our club and sell our products.’” 1
MILLENNIALS DISLIKE THE PRESSURE OF PARTIES
mary kay PARTIES the IBCS
WHEN ASKED:
“WOULD YOU CONSIDER MARY KAY IF THEY CAME
OUT WITH A LINE THAT TRULY CATERED TO WOMEN YOUR AGE?”
06
future MARY KAY BRANDS
MARY KAY NEEDS A NEW APPROACH Millennials agree they would be willing to sample a new product line similar to Mary Kay, with one important note: it should hold its own identity and focus on customization and personalization.
THREE out of every FOUR women said...
what SHE WANTS
NO
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“Makeup should be personalized to my taste. I prefer things to be customized.” 1
TARGET AUDIENCE ANALYSIS
what lies beneath
It is a fact that Millennial women are tech savvy, social, busy, connected, self-focused and need instant gratification. But to truly understand Millennial purchase trends we explore the underlying reasoning for their behavior.
MILLENNIAL CONSUMERS VALUE CONVENIENCE
Who the millennial woman is as a consumer Millennials are constantly on social media and engage with brands through these platforms. About 56 percent of Millennials talk about goods or services on social media.7 Our audience treats their “look” as a brand. They are compelled to cut some luxury items to afford high-end makeup products because of their splurge-and-save mentality. They remain loyal to products because they value quality and consistency.1 2 3 Our audience defines “instant gratification” as “I want it now.” Our research shows that they value immediacy and generally don’t like to wait for products once they decide to purchase.1 2 3 When ordering beauty products online, they are willing to wait a maximum of five days to receive their shipment.1 What they want from make up Women in our target audience report they are out of their homes an average of 13 hours a day.1 Since they are constantly on the go, they want makeup that takes them throughout their busy day – from an 8 a.m. class to a job interview and then on to meeting friends for dinner and then yoga class.
What drives purchasing decisions Our audience makes purchasing decisions after pulling information from a number of resources. They are more engaged in rating products and services and uploading images and videos than non-Millennials.8 They also value the expertise of beauty bloggers and experts more than their peers and are more likely to buy products that support charitable causes.1 2 3 Furthermore, millennials are more willing to purchase new makeup products after they have sampled them.1
Millennial women currently purchase cosmetics in store for convenience. However, research shows that women are likely to purchase beauty products from an app or website if they can sample them first.1
Key Insight: The Multicultural Market Hispanics lead market growth potential, followed by Asian and African American populations.4 The current cosmetic market does not address these emerging opportunities.4
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Between 2010 and 2020, the Hispanic population is anticipated to grow by 3 percent and Asian and African American populations are each expected to increase by approximately 1 percent, while the Caucasian market is decreasing by half a percent.4 The U.S. Census Bureau projects this pattern to continue through 2050.4 “By 2042 multicultural is going to be the predominant makeup consumer due to specific skincare needs.” 5 The Caucasian market segment is still vital; however, we recommend targeting the multicultural market of Hispanics, Asians and African Americans because of the strong trending growth.
AUDIENCE PSYCHOGRAPHICS
habituals & involved seek trustworthy cosmetics
the HABITUAL “Habituals” make up 35 percent of color cosmetic users and span all age groups and ethnicities. They prefer a clean and polished look and have a higher than average household income. They are willing to sample new brands that have a natural look and function. They value promotional offers, which proves to be a major incentive for potential purchase.9
the INVOLVED “Involved” make up 31 percent of cosmetic purchases and tend to be multicultural. Despite a lower income bracket than habituals, their splurgeand-save mentality translates into high-end foundation and affordable color cosmetic purchases. They look to celebrities for beauty inspiration and are more likely to make online purchases. About 43 percent of them buy expensive make up to achieve the best possible look.9
habitual + involved equal
66 PERCENT of millennials 9
Though the habitual and involved segments prefer different looks, both desire to look “put together” and ready to take on their long days. Most important, they have the same expectation: Cosmetics must fulfill a promise to take them throughout their day and be trustworthy in its intended purpose. In addition, cosmetics must address their individual needs from trial to purchase.1 2 3 8
08
Millennial women need a brand that is both convenient and trustworthy but also caters to their “get it now” mentality.
THE BIG IDEA
provides beauty through preparedness
Every woman is conditioned to think she must feel a certain way after putting on makeup – whether it’s pretty, confident or glamorous. But is that what she really FEELS? Moments before she walks out the door, she mentally and physically tells herself, “I’M READY.” This simple
PERSONALIZING THE CONVENTIONAL PERCEPTION OF BEAUTY…
… that takes women from one moment to the next
statement represents the feeling of being prepared for what she is about to do, and anything that may come her way. Personalizing the conventional perception of beauty...
the STRATEGY
The Millennial woman is independent. She takes advice
Problem: Mary Kay is trying to be everything to everyone.
and suggestions into consideration, while remaining
Solution: Market Segmentation
firm on who she is, how she feels and how she looks.
Identify three separate yet lucrative markets and effectively reach them by repositioning the two established brands and creating a new brand.
It’s time that a brand lets her fill in the blank. A brand that elicits an intangible feeling: much more than just a superficial attribute such as pretty, confident
MARY KAY
or glamorous. It’s a much deeper and more
Current Loyal MK Consumer
personal feeling of preparedness, self-assurance and acceptance. She’s both physically and emotionally prepared to begin her journey; she’s ready. ...that takes women from one moment to the next. With our proposal, the Millennial woman can command and inspire at a moment’s notice. Her walk, smile and attitude are magnified as she puts her best face
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forward – she can continue her journey with the same determination … “I’M READY.”
AT PLAY Ages: 10-12
A•S•H
Millennial Women Ages: 18-25
CREATIVE STRATEGY & BRIEF
A•S•H is her source of preparedness
A•S•H honors Mary Kay’s legacy by using her last name. At the same time, we establish a new identity with the acronym Artisan Shades & Hues. We chose a minimalist font to reflect the Habitual and Involved’s combined desire to look clean and polished. As
BRAND
a result the font likens the product to the girl wearing it. A•S•H packaging breaks through the clutter in colored cosmetics with its modern, clean and polished look, further extending the brand to appeal to the target. The brand name, typeface and packaging were all concept tested in multiple focus groups.
creative STRATEGY Every day, millennial women are moving from one moment to the next. This campaign underscores the value of preparedness in making each moment effortless and enriching. Through our research, we discovered that the target shares two common values: expect a look that lasts. Second, these women seek to enhance
creative CONCEPT
their natural beauty, rather than channeling red-carpet inspired
Whether it’s a natural shadow or ruby lips, millennial women want
looks.
a look that leaves a lasting impression. Even more important
First, their days are long and spent on the go. In return they
than her preferred look is what truly drives her throughout the With little time to worry about looking her best, our campaign
day – a sense of readiness and the will to take on each moment
addresses this day-to-day need by providing a look that lasts.
with certainty. It’s in these moments when she says, “I’m ready.”
A•S•H is her source of reliability and readiness so she can focus
This statement captures a feeling that can mean different things
on making each moment distinctively her own.
to each woman in thr many moment of her day.
To guide the target through her day, A•S•H
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MESSAGE
is ready so she can be too. She can face each moment feeling entirely ready for whatever may come her way.
“Face Your Day” presents A•S•H as a source of preparedness
TAGLINE
for every woman. Rather than defining her as what she should be, A•S•H lets each woman fill in her own blank by supporting her throughout the day with flexibility and reliability.
MEDIA OBJECTIVES & STRATEGY
how we reach her
media OBJECTIVES
campaign OBJECTIVES
Successfully establishing a new brand centers upon creating awareness
Create awareness of A•S•H among 80 percent
and building engagement. By the end of February 2016, we reach 80
of our target audience from February 2015 to
percent of our target audience, more than 84 million Millennial women. We
February 2016.
attain an average frequency of 4 by maximizing opportunities for message exposure, earning 336 million impressions over the year-long campaign.
Establish positive perception among 65 percent of this core segment of Millennials from February
By the end of our campaign, we also convert 35 percent of our exposed
2015 to February 2016.
audience to loyal fans through innovative sampling opportunities that lead to purchase consideration. These objectives work within our allocated $10
Generate consideration of product purchase
million budget through strategically planned media buys.
among 35 percent of this audience from February 2015 to February 2016.
media CONCEPT Our media strategy complements our campaign idea of “I’m Ready” – a feeling, attitude and a personal experience for our audience. Our strategy creates shareworthy experiences that add virality to our campaign. Social media, digital and promotional events comprise the majority of our campaign budget while direct mail and guerilla tactics voluntarily engage our audience. These opportunities generate more than $7 million in earned media coverage. Creative television spots establish A•S•H as a solid new competitor within the industry. Millennial women also have the opportunity to promote our brand as ambassadors.
11
THE TARGET AUDIENCE
reaching millennials with a focus on multicultural women
Days are long – why not be ready to face them head on? Our campaign inspires our audience to face their day with the new A•S•H brand. While we target all Millennial women, we also tailor our campaign to reach 18 to 25 year-old women of Asian, Hispanic and African American descent. These fast-growing demographics show the most potential to expand our brand.10 We started with geography, identifying the largest urban areas with the highest female population.11
TOP COLLEGES WITH MOST FEMALES Arizona State Ohio State University of Central Florida Penn State UT - Austin
CITIES WITH MOST FOOT TRAFFIC
Michigan State
New York, NY
University of Illinois
Los Angeles, CA
Indiana University
Chicago, IL
University of Florida
Houston, TX
refocused our efforts to target college women within our demographic. We reach more
Brigham Young University
Philadelphia, PA
than 200,000 women in this segment and encourage them to become brand advocates.
University of Washington
Phoenix, AZ
UCLA
San Antonio, TX
University of Michigan
San Diego, CA
University of Alabama
Dallas, TX
foot traffic areas in additional cities within our target demographic. These exposure
University of Georgia
San Jose, CA
opportunities have more than 25 million in reach potential.11
Texas A&M
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We then searched for specific data on ethnicities and education levels per location.12 We found that most of the cities on our list are home to major universities; therefore, we
To further expand our reach, specifically through guerilla marketing, we selected high
REACHING THE SOCIAL GENERATION
A•S•H’s digitally driven campaign
Our audience connects to social media as soon as they wake up, throughout the day and before they go to bed.13 In fact, 61 percent of Millennials sleep next to their devices.14 We face their day with them through a vast presence on their favorite social media platforms.
Facebook: Presence Facebook is the most powerful social media hub for Millennials; therefore, we make it the foundation of our social campaign. A•S•H’s Facebook page actively engages our fans through carefully selected posts by promoting the “facing your day” lifestyle. Posts feature the hashtag “#FaceYourDay.” We create a total fan base of 4 million with 200,000 actively engaged fans by the end of February 2016. We set monthly goals of 9 percent for fan growth, measured by page likes; and 5 percent for engagement, measured by users who are “Talking About This.” Facebook: Paid Ads We purchase Facebook ads to promote A•S•H sampling, and direct users to our new website.
Instagram: Presence Instagram is growing faster than any other social network17 Our account showcases real women using A•S•H products through short video makeup tutorials and images. Most of
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our content is user-generated and allows us to engage with our audience through the hashtags: #FaceYourDay and #ImReady.
Pinterest: Presence A•S•H’s Pinterest page showcases A•S•H makeup tutorials by Beauty Gurus. Pinterest has a 68 percent female audience, and our audience actively uses Pinterest for beauty tips and advice.1
YouTube: Presence YouTube reaches more adults in the U.S. ages 18 to 34 than any cable network, and when surveyed, an overwhelming number of women said they use the site for beauty purposes.1 Our personalized A•S•H channel features short videos of women using A•S•H products and displays ads aired on other platforms; it also highlights upcoming promotions. Our YouTube strategy creates 150,000 views per video, a 40 percent viewer retention rate and 150,000 subscribers by the end of February 2016. YouTube: Paid Ads We place TrueView in-stream ads on popular YouTube videos that relate to cosmetics and facing your day. We also display banner ads next to search results for our audience’s favorite television shows and music festivals. YouTube Beauty Bloggers Sixty-three percent of Millennials look to blogs for their next cosmetics purchase.15 We build relationships with the most popular online beauty bloggers to gain maximum exposure for A•S•H: Andreas Choice and Ingrid Nilsen, both with more than 2 million subscribers; and Elle Fowler with more than 4 million subscribers and counting.16
Snapchat – A•S•H is the FIRST to share its story on Snapchat Snapchat allows advertisers to post “stories” that followers can view multiple times in a 24-hour period. Twenty-nine major brands currently use this fast-growing application by providing followers with a “sneak-peek” of new product releases.19 A•S•H leads the way as the first cosmetics brand to use this social platform. We place 30-second video stories of consumers using A•S•H products as they prepare to face their day. We also share exclusive photos of unreleased products.
No Twitter
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We make a strategic decision not to include Twitter for two reasons. First, users have an exceptionally low engagement rate with brands.18 Second, Twitter is the least used medium among our audience.2
A NEW TWIST
engages her through sampling
Millennials are desensitized to media and tend to overlook advertising messages.20 Our campaign employs an innovative approach to: CAPTURE ATTENTION RETAIN OUR BRAND MESSAGE OFFER AN EXCLUSIVE OPPORTUNITY TO SAMPLE A•S•H PRODUCTS We satisfy our media objectives to expand reach, build engagement and increase purchase consideration. Our distinctive sampling medium – A•S•H “mASHines” – caters specifically to our audience.
A•S•H sample mASHines The foundation of our guerilla campaign, free samples at A•S•H “mASHines” give women a beauty boost as they face their day. Located in high foot traffic areas, the “mASHines” are a twist on traditional vending machines with the added enhancements of a touch-screen display and a built-in camera. Here’s how it works: SIGN IN TO YOUR FACEBOOK OR INSTAGRAM ACCOUNT
SELECT THE DESIRED SAMPLE
POSE FOR A PHOTO TO RECEIVE A COUPON FOR A FULL-SIZE PRODUCT
We move “mASHines” to different locations during the campaign. We post their whereabouts on social media to promote a sense of excitement and exclusivity among our new fan base. These “mASHines” ultimately capture and retain the attention of our audience through voluntary engagement; they enhance future brand recall and establish a positive perception that drives purchase intent. By attaching coupons to these samples, we measure consideration-to-purchase transition rates.
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COME JOIN US
beauty ambassadors & gurus build relationships
The IBC model is the foundation of the Mary Kay brand. We retain this model with A•S•H, and we innovate it based on input from our audience. We call our primary A•S•H promoters “Beauty Ambassadors.” They share samples with our audience and connect with them through social media and promotions. The college-age Beauty Ambassadors promote on college campuses and other high foot traffic areas. They travel in an A•S•H Mobile, an SUV designed specifically for A•S•H promotions. We substitute the party model with sampling through ambassadors and direct consumers to our website and mobile application to make purchases. Through our focus groups we also discovered Millennial women
BEAUTY AMBASSADOR CONCEPT
prefer a college stipend towards education as opposed to salary wage. We carry over a unique strength of Mary Kay’s IBC position – building relationships with consumers – by creating a new
BEAUTY guru
position called a “Beauty Guru.” These women serve as cosmetics experts and personal
$35,000 annual salary
consultants to A•S•H consumers. They identify the needs of our audience
and
help
select
products that best suit them.
BEAUTY ambassador
Assists through chat and video services on website and mobile app
$2,250 college stipend
Semester-long contract Week-long training session
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Cosmetics expert and industry professional
BOTH
Active on social media
Candidates must be college-aged female undergraduate students
Attend promotional events
Distributes free A•S•H samples
Attend on-campus events
Creates makeup tutorials Announces new products on YouTube channel Acts as a personal makeup assistant for A•S•H consumers
CREATING EXCITEMENT
A•S•H arrives on campus
We create excitement for future promotions and expand word-of-mouth among our college segment directly through campus promotions. College Tour: Pop-Up Stores One of our unique promotions is the College Tour. We place customized trailers called Beauty Buses on select college campuses for two days. These refurbished trailers resemble pop-up beauty shops. Beauty Ambassadors distribute free A•S•H samples and give promotional items to students who post about A•S•H through social media. In the Beauty Buses, Beauty Gurus give students 10-minute makeovers to enhance their natural look. Contests throughout the event focus on the theme of facing each day as a busy college student. Visitors are also encouraged to help decorate the bus. The College Tour exposes our audience to A•S•H through sampling, creates excitement for future promotions and informs young women about the benefits of becoming a Beauty Ambassador.
College Newspapers Since 76 percent of all college students read their campus publication,21 we build anticipation for our on-campus
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promotions with half-page ads in college newspapers two weeks prior to campus events.
COLLEGE TOUR AD CONCEPT
THE BIG EVENTS
A•S•H celebrates with consumers
A•S•H BASH Thirty-one percent of Millennials plan to attend concerts and music festivals this year.22 We respond by giving our college segment a chance to win a campus concert – the A•S•H BASH. Students enter by sharing a selfie on Instagram holding an A•S•H product. They represent their college with the unique hashtag #ashbash15, followed by their college acronym. The college with the most photos at the end of the promotional period wins the A•S•H BASH, featuring performers popular with our audience. This promotion is directly integrated with this photo-sharing platform.
ASH BASH AD CONCEPT
music FESTIVALS
To extend beyond college campuses, we look to music festivals. They provide a sense of belonging and community to attendees23 that often continue long after the event. A•S•H reinforces this message by becoming a part of this community. A•S•H goes to the two most popular general music festivals: Coachella in California and Summerfest in Wisconsin. Total attendance for these two festivals exceeds 1.2 million.24 We set up Beauty Buses to gain
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exposure and build personal relationships with our audience. We prove that A•S•H is much more than a brand – it’s a lifestyle.
PLATFORMS AND PRINT A•S•H is at her fingertips Our campaign directs our audience to two platforms – the A•S•H website and the A•S•H mobile app. These are essential sources of information for potential consumers and the only places they can shop for A•S•H products. A•S•H Website A website is the primary source for content about our new brand. In 2011, the average shopper consulted 10.4 sources prior to purchase.26 Since Millennials are heavily influenced by convenience and “want it now” transactions, all purchases feature free two-day shipping. The A•S•H website is a one-stop shop, integrated with our digital platforms and social media. The home page displays product categories and personalized search functions to make shopping easy and stressfree. Visitors can create an account that is cross-functional with the mobile app. Mobile Application We reach our “always-on-the-go” segment on our mobile app. With our app, consumers can instantly chat or video call a Beauty Guru for makeup tips and advice. Users can purchase products, write product reviews and share their looks on social media. The app features a purchase option as well. We launch the A•S•H app in May 2015, three months into the campaign, creating hype about the app through our social media channels. This timing allows our audience to become fans of the brand through sampling before they purchase products on their mobile device. We create a sense of urgency to download the app by giving the first 1,000 users a free full-size product of their choice.
A•S•H Loyalty Program – A•S•H introduces the first BRAND loyalty program A•S•H the first loyalty program exclusive to its brand. Seventy-eight percent of Millennials are likely to repurchase because of loyalty programs.27 Instead of a store and card-based program, we track rewards digitally through our website and mobile app. Consumers earn A•S•H points by purchasing products, participating in special promotions and sharing our brand on social media. These reward points provide exclusive perks such as early access to new merchandise, limited edition products and even concert tickets.
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Direct Mail An overwhelming majority of our audience says they would read a direct mail catalog if it includes special offers.1 A•S•H fans can subscribe to receive two free bi-annual beauty catalogs. Since Millennials favor brands that offer incentives,28 our catalogs feature free samples and a coupon for their next A•S•H purchase.
Email Fans can opt-in to receive monthly emails showcasing the latest A•S•H products. Emails feature personalized quotes that relate to facing the day, derived from the consumer’s previous purchases. Millennials are receptive to online and offline promotions in permission-based emails, and also willing to subscribe to email programs.29
DIGITALLY CREATIVE
A•S•H engages her digitally
Internet Radio An overwhelming 89 percent of our survey respondents listen to Pandora,2 with women making up 52 percent of all Pandora listeners. With Pandora’s precision targeting system, A•S•H “Audio + Tile” ads reach our diverse audience based on what they listen to, their interests and psychographics.30
Google AdWords
Blogs
Google AdWords reaches potential
Our audience regularly reads blogs
Elite Daily, an entertainment website
consumers through targeted online
for beauty advice and inspiration.
33
that brands itself “The Voice of
advertising.
A•S•H sends products to popular
Generation Y,” is one of the fastest
of
beauty bloggers for review, targeting
growing platforms for Millennials.35 We
Internet users in the U.S.31 We reach
The Beauty Department, Bella Sugar
sponsor articles that relate to being
Internet users as they search for
and I Covet Thee. These blogs each
ready; they expose A•S•H to more
cosmetics-related keywords, phrases
receive more than 1,900 views a
than 2.8 million users. With unique
or websites. We track past visitors to
day. Focus groups show that these
page views that exceed 40 million, a
our website and A•S•H display ads
three blogs are well known and
40 percent female audience and a
on other frequented sites through
visited regularly by our audience.
50 percent article share rate on social
Network
The
reaches
Google 80
Display
percent
Elite Daily
34
Google AdWords.32
media, Elite Daily is a strong way to connect with our audience.36
PANDORA AD
Buzzfeed Buzzfeed, a viral content website, attracts more than 6 million unique visitors per day on both mobile and online platforms. Our audience is especially active on Buzzfeed, checking articles 1 to 9 times a day. More important, the average sponsored story receives 30 percent earned engagement, of which 55 percent of women 18 to 25 indicate purchase intent.37 For these reasons, we select Buzzfeed
20
to sponsor articles related to being ready. BUZZFEED SPONSORED ARTICLE
WHAT THEY’RE WATCHING
A•S•H is where she’s watching
Television Millennials regularly discuss award shows with their friends in person and through social media. Our 1
campaign funds the placement of a 30-second
the COMMERCIAL :30 SPOT
national television spot on MTV’s Video Music Awards and on the CBS People’s Choice Awards.
Girl 1 applies final touch of lipstick, feeling satisfied with her look.
Girl 2 stands in her lobby; she walks through her door with a bounce of confidence.
These two national award shows have more than 10 million viewers each that are within our audience.38 Though a large percentage of our audience uses DVRs to fast forward through commercials,1 most viewers stop on the commercial right before the show returns to air. We strategically place our spots 39
Girl 3 stands in a yoga studio, placing her hair in a ponytail.
Girl 1 sits in a coffee shop; reading an e-textbook; sees a friend and waves.
Girl 2 fixes blouse before interview; she strides through the door with confidence.
Girl 3 is off stage holding a cello; she takes a deep breath and walks on stage.
Girl 1 receives group text; camera zooms in/out on text, shows Girl 2 reading same message.
Girl 3 ar bar; sees Girls 1 and 2 and walks to them as they sip cocktails and laugh.
Camera zooms in on Girl 1’a face; camera fades between all three girls, featuring all girls’ faces.
A•S•H Face Your Day fades in under final girl’s face; commercial fades to white.
in these prime positions. Our spots air on YouTube, Pandora and Hulu two weeks before and one week after each show to increase brand awareness.
Internet TV: Hulu Millennials in college regularly use Hulu during the summer when they have plenty of free time.1 We place 30-second video spots on shows with a large audience share. The most popular shows are “Pretty Little Liars” and “Vampire Diaries,” which each capture 3 million viewers; “New Girl,” which attracts
21
6 million viewers, and “Parenthood,” which draws in 7 million viewers.
BUILDING OUR NETWORK
MEDIA
A•S•H’s success relies on relationships
PUBLIC RELATIONS
We cultivate relationships with reporters covering fashion, trends, entertainment and pop culture in our target cities, specifically in digital media. We also build relationships with college newspaper reporters on the target campuses. With many notable opportunities, we maintain constant communication via press kits, backgrounders and exclusives for:
MARY KAY Mary Kay remains a leading brand within the industry. Your high brand awareness helps Mary Kay capture a large demographic that extends beyond the Millennial market. We
Launch of “mASHines”
The A•S•H BASH
maintain your current base of Mary
The College Tour
Heart Truth sponsorship and fashion show
Kay brand loyals by focusing on
Beauty Ambassador program
Music festivals
training and development for IBCs.
Beauty Guru subject-matter experts
We develop a beauty boot camp to help IBCs address sales challenges. During a three-day training session,
charity PARTNERSHIP
current and new IBCs learn about
Remaining true to Mary Kay core values, A•S•H is a socially conscious brand. Millennials
they receive tips to enhance their
tend to gravitate toward brands that sponsor charities. Our partnership with The Heart
Mary Kay parties. Companies with
Truth, helps raise awareness among women about heart disease; it’s the No. 1 killer of
similar programs saw a 24 percent
women, and disproportionately affects women of color.
increase in profit and a 10 percent
brand guidelines and effective social media tactics. In addition,
41
We reach out to younger
women to make preventive lifestyle changes.
increase in consumer satisfaction,42 and we project similar results for
Our Red for Red campaign promotes the cause. A•S•H takes center stage as a sponsor of The Heart Truth’s fashion show in February 2015, which targets young minority women.
22
We follow the fashion show immediately by the limited line of A•S•H Red and donate 50 cents to The Heart Truth for each red-colored product sold during March 2015.
Mary Kay.
MEDIA TIMELINE & BUDGET FEB 2015 TELEVISION
MAR 2015
APR 2015
MAY 2015
JUN 2015
JUL 2015
AUG 2015
SEP 2015
OCT 2015
NOV 2015
DEC 2015
JAN 2016
DIGITAL
220,000
People’s Choice
225,000 1,050,000
School Newspapers
46,080
Direct Mail
840,000
ASH.com
200,000
Hulu Video Ads
140,000
YouTube Video Ads
300,000
Buzzfeed
100,000
EliteDaily
80,000
Pandora
960,000
Goodle Adwords
222,000
Blogs
GUERILLA
Vending Machines
N/A HALF
HALF
HALF
2DAYS/WK
2DAYS/WK
2DAYS/WK
HALF
HALF
HALF
HALF
HALF
HALF
HALF
HALF
Scholarship Beauty Bus
PROMOTIONS
50,000
Beauty Ambassadors
792,000
Music Festivals
918,720
ASH Mobile
624,000 37,500
Snapchat
N/A
N/A
Beauty Guru
400,000
Promotional Items
BASH EVENT
81,480
Entertainment
250,000
Signage
30,000
Staff & Venue
OWNED MEDIA
60,000
Facebook Page
240,000
YouTube Channel
N/A
3,000
Online Media Kits
EARNED MEDIA/PR
23
180,000 670,750
2DAYS/WK
ASH App
APPS
COST
VMAs Production (All)
FEB 2016
96,250
PR Events
25,000
The Heart Truth Partnership
250,000
Contingency
908,220
TOTAL BUDGET
$10,000,000
MEASURING SUCCESS
A•S•H by the numbers
EVALUATION We measure our campaign through Facebook Analytics and Google Analytics. In addition, we closely monitor the following activity to ensure there is continuous engagement between our brand and audience:
WEBSITE AND MOBILE PRODUCT SALES
SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT
EMAIL SUBSCRIPTIONS
PRODUCT REVIEWS
COUPON REDEMPTION
LOYALTY PROGRAM ENROLLMENT
PROMOTIONAL EVENT ATTENDANCE
CONTEST PARTICIPATION
PR MENTIONS
USER-GENERATED CONTENT
BEAUTY AMBASSADOR RECRUITMENT AND RETENTION
CONTINUATION
Our campaign is flexible and can extend well past February 2016 through the following elements: Establish the Beauty Guru and Beauty Ambassador model as permanent fixtures of the brand. Extend promotions to more colleges outside our targeted areas. Establish the A•S•H BASH promotion as an annual tradition and add more colleges. Promote at more music festivals throughout the year. Continue bi-annual catalogs for our direct-mail subscription segment. Place additional spots on cable and Hulu.
24
Create scholarship opportunities for the college segment of our audience. Continue and expand the partnership with The Heart Truth.
OUR SOURCES
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from
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Maverick Media sends its sincerest appreciation and gratitude to our local partners. Our success would not have been possible without our campus community, film school, friends, family and local supporters. We also extend our thanks to AAF and Mary Kay.
PROJECT DIRECTORS Yesenia Garcia Gabriel Lapuz
ACCOUNT SERVICES
MEDIA
Bailey Adham Tami Cannella Patricia Escobar Janneper Huh Mitchell Levenson Margaret Lopez Alexa Medrano, Editor
Kendall Beck Bethany Davis Sara Farr, Lead Chanelle Martin Briana Peters, Lead Kevin McVay, Editor Melissa Morelli
CREATIVE Chase Bauman, Lead Katie Cannata, Lead Jackie Chiakulis Paula Flores, Research Analyst Rene McCullough, Art Director Crissy Soto, Graphic Designer
Kashton Seifer Alisha Wexler
PRESENTERS: Chase Bauman, Yesenia Garcia, Gabriel Lapuz, Kevin McVay, Briana Peters Larry Mullen - Director, School of Journalism and Media Studies
Kathy Callahan, Ph.D. - Faculty Advisor