The Body Shop Kimberly Dena Ginny Gould Rebecca Lauten Amanda Ringel
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Body Shop was founded in 1976 and built on the passion of its founder, Anita Roddick. Throughout its existence, the company has held fast to its values despite periods of modernization and transformation. In recent years, however, The Body Shop has struggled to retain its competitive positioning in a highly crowded Beauty and Personal Care (BPC) industry. A strategic combination of surveys and in-depth interviews was used to obtain data and meet the research objectives. Four distinct target markets were examined through this research: young females ages 18-24, older females ages 25-55, Hispanic females 18 years of age or older, and males ages 18-24. Survey research was used to collect data from both the younger and older female demographics, while in-depth personal interviews were conducted with Hispanic females and the male target markets. From these target markets, key insight was found. Survey results showed that young women ages 18-24 are concerned for the environment and they neither agree nor disagree that the beauty product or company has a potential environmental impact and when prompted the question if they believe their beauty and personal care product purchases impact the environment the statement somewhat described their feelings. In the end the respondents do agree that they wish that their beauty and personal care products were more environmentally friendly. Also, most of the respondents don’t know of the efforts The Body Shop makes with global concerns like AIDS, fair trade, animal testing and human rights. Although respondents are ware of these global concerns, they do not know The Body Shop has made efforts to improve these concerns. Major findings within the older female demographic showed that women purchase BPC products once a month or less and are most concerned with price of and ingredients in the product and less concerned with the brand image and animal testing. Half of the women were indifferent about their products being natural, claiming that it was neither important nor unimportant. The most common concern for older women is wrinkles and dark under-eyes. Bath & Body Works was the brand most preferred by women and The Body Shop was the least preferred. 93 percent of women said they had not shopped at The Body Shop in the past six months. Women most commonly bought their BPC products in-store. On the topic of philanthropic involvement, results were closely distributed between it effecting their purchasing decision, not effecting and not being sure. All natural ingredients were somewhat important to the Latinas interviewed. Our target market was familiar with the benefits of having all natural ingredients in their BPC products, but interviewees did not exhibit any particular passion for products that were made with all natural ingredients. Furthermore, the women expressed skepticism about how truly natural the ingredients are in products that claim to be natural. Findings from the male personal interviews revealed that males prefer name-brand products and are generally indifferent towards natural or organic products. Organics ingredients and company policies against animal testing were not mentioned by any interviewees as significant factors in their purchasing decisions, and most said they would purchase a brand they were more familiar with over a brand that advertised “not tested on animals.� The skin issues of greatest concern to the male interviewees were dryness, oiliness, acne and how much hair they had.
INTRODUCTION CLIENT The Body Shop was founded in 1976 and built on the passion of its founder, Anita Roddick. Throughout its existence, the company has held fast to its values despite periods of modernization and transformation. The Body Shop is an industry leader in its ability to leverage social media and encourage interactivity with its consumers. In recent years, however, The Body Shop has struggled to retain its competitive positioning in a highly crowded Beauty and Personal Care (BPC) industry. The BPC industry has an annual revenue of approximately $10 billion (Cosmetics, Beauty Supply, and Perfume Stores). Industry dominance is concentrated in the hands of a limited number of companies; a mere 50 companies generate nearly 75 percent of the industry’s total revenue (Cosmetics, Beauty Supply, and Perfume Stores). The Body Shop is facing numerous brand-related obstacles that it must overcome if it wishes to remain viable in the BPC market. Of note, The Body Shop is an international company that generates 45 percent of its sales in Western Europe, 16 percent of sales in North America and 39 percent of sales in other countries abroad. Hoover’s Online reports that The Body Shop had a total of 2,550 stores in 2008, and The Body Shop concluded the year with sales totaling $690.2 (Pierce). While The Body Shop’s profits doubled in Europe in 2010, profits are currently decreasing in America.
TARGET MARKETS The BPC market is driven largely by women and may soon be driven by Hispanics as well. In fact, Hispanics and women ages 25-34 currently have the most BPC purchasing power in the United States (Body Care – US – July 2010, 2010). Another important, though decreasingly so, target market consists of women ages 35-55. Researchers predict that the number of females ages 35-55 years old will decline by 6.3 percent by 2015. Finally, population trends indicate that the number of females 45-54 years old will increase by merely 2.3 percent during this same timeframe, while the number of women ages 18-34 will increase between 7.8-10.9 percent (Body Care – US – July 2010, 2010). Research has identified several crucial purchasing habits among The Body Shop’s target consumers. First, there appears to be a positive correlation between the number of BPC purchases a consumer makes and household income. However, the recession is undeniably impacting how consumers plan their BPC purchases. Purchasing trends suggest that key target markets gravitate toward BPC products with added characteristics like scent, sunscreen, and natural ingredients.
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PLAN OF ACTION CONDUCTING PRIMARY RESEARCH RESEARCH OBJECTIVES
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What messages will lead Hispanic females, ages 18-55, to purchase BPC products?
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What qualities do The Body Shop’s consumers seek in BPC products? How do The Body Shop’s consumers establish a balance between product price and quality?
What messages will help The Body Shop leverage its eco-conscious image and make that image relevant to environmentally-concerned females in its young demographic? What products do The Body Shop’s established, Baby Boomer generation consumers seek as they age?What messages will help The Body Shop retain these consumers?
RESEARCH METHODS USED & WHY A strategic combination of surveys and in-depth interviews was used to obtain data and meet the research objectives. Four distinct target markets were examined through this research: young females ages 18-24, older females ages 25-55, Hispanic females 18 years of age or older, and males ages 18-24. Survey research was used to collect data from both the younger and older female demographics, while in-depth personal interviews were conducted with Hispanic females and the male target markets. Because both the younger and older female target markets are large and geographically diverse, electronically administered surveys facilitated the collection of a high amount of responses from a large sample that was representative of both target markets. On the other hand, the need for more detailed responses from both the Hispanic female and male target markets about potentially sensitive BPC product issues drove the decision to administer in-depth personal interviews to participants who were representative of these target markets. The in-depth interviews helped mitigate participant privacy concerns and facilitated openness while allowing for extended responses.
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PLAN OF ACTION CONDUCTING PRIMARY RESEARCH RESEARCH SAMPLE Four target markets were evaluated: younger females ages 18-24, older females ages 25-55, Hispanic females ages 18 or older, and males ages 18-24. Survey participants were solicited via convenience sampling and judgment sampling was used to choose participants for the in-depth personal interviews. Survey participants were recruited through either a Facebook or email invitation to participate. The minimum desired sample size for the surveys was 50, and the minimum number of interviews for each target market was eight.
DATA COLLECTION & ANALYZING Data was collected through the online survey program Qualtrics for both of the surveys, and moderators administered the personal, in-depth interviews. All of the data was submitted for initial data clean-up and analysis in Qualtrics. The survey administered to the younger female target market generated 141 responses. The older female survey generated 72 responses. A total of 10 in-depth personal interviews were conducted with males and a total of eight in-depth personal interviews were conducted with Hispanic females.
RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS
The surveys and in-depth interviews are included in Appendix C-F.
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RESULTS & DISCUSSION PERSONAL INTERVIEWS- HISPANIC WOMEN | THE BODY SHOP Hispanic women are gaining an increasingly significant amount of purchasing power in the BPC market and this report addresses that trend. The Hispanic population is predicted to grow by 16.1% between 2010 and 2015, and Hispanic economic power is expected to reach $1.2 trillion in 2012; this demographic’s interest in BPC products will drive sales in the very near future (Body Care – US – July 2010, 2010). Personal interviews conducted with Latina woman support the empirical data above. We conducted eight in-depth personal interviews with Latina woman between the ages of 20-55. The women have various occupations that range from students, law clerks, entrepreneurs, and massage therapists. Their relationship statuses are equally varied since single women, women in long-term relationships, and married women were all interviewed. Socioeconomically, the women come from middle-high income households. All of the women are classifiable as Hispanic due to either nationality or ethnicity, and the interview sessions were guided by the Hispanic Women Personal Interview script (Appendix D).
Major Findings All natural ingredients were somewhat important to the Latinas we interviewed. Our target market believed in the benefits of having all natural ingredients in their BPC products, but interviewees did not exhibit any particular passion for products that were made with all natural ingredients. Furthermore, many women expressed skepticism about how truly natural the ingredients are in products that claim to be natural. When participants were asked to discuss ethics, they emphasized the role of culture in determining ethics. In the context of BPC companies, interviewees perceptions about company ethics were generally ambivalent. While some interviewees were suspicious about how valid a BPC company claims about natural products or about how effective a product may be, other interviewees cited Dove as a philanthropic and ethical company. Those interviewees specifically listed the Dove Campaign for Real Beauty as tangible proof of Dove’s commitment to philanthropy. Most interviewees expressed moderate opposition to product testing on animals, with only a few interviewees expressing strong opposition and indicating that they would not buy products that were animal tested. Finally, for Latina women, the degree to which a BPC product is environmentally friendly appears to be insignificant and does not factor in purchase decisions. Interviewees noted that, though they may voice support for environmentally friendly efforts, their purchasing actions do not always reflect their personal beliefs on the issue. Instead, interviewees reported that cost is a much more influential consideration.
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Skin Concerns, Motivations “I care about it because I don’t want bad skin when I’m older, being wrinkled or have dry skin. Pimples leave marks and scars; scaring is for life. It’s for the long-term stuff.” Dry skin topped the list of skin concerns faced by Latina women. Most participants noted that they encounter problems with dry skin due to the Texas weather. These women are proud of their tans and believe that moisturizers play a key role in maintaining their skin. The Latinas interviewed are motivated to take care of their skin because they are concerned about their long-term appearances.
Product Characteristics “SPF is very necessary. There are costs of wrinkles and scaring, but also cancer.” Latina’s long-term mindset impacts the ingredients or qualities that these women most value. All participants were familiar with SPF and said that the benefits of SPF for your skin are greater than the benefits of any other ingredient. Latina women understand the effects that the sun can have on unprotected skin and SPF infused products are given special priority in their purchases. Interviewees placed great importance on minimizing the possibility of wrinkles and believe that SPF can play a vital role in helping their skin appear young. Scent was not an additive the interviewees said was a major influence or necessary benefit to a product. According to interviewees, the only reason scent would be a benefit is would be to identify themselves with a distinctive smell. Furthermore, interviewees felt that the usefulness of scent is limited to a few BPC products such as lotions or perfumes.
Natural Products in BPC Products “All natural ingredients in beauty care products are a plus. But, they all claim to be natural; we don’t know how true [the] claims [are].” Multiple interviewees cited parabin or sulphate as ingredients that they seek to avoid. As one participant stated, “If the FDA says [sulphates or parabins] are OK, it [the BPC product] passes muster, but that’s not good enough.” While interviewees all indicated that they appreciate products that feature natural or organic products, interviewees overwhelmingly expressed skepticism about how natural products with “natural” or “organic” labels really are.
Brand Loyalty & Brand Awareness “Price is the biggest influence in my beauty care product purchases.” Most interviewees did not consider themselves brand loyal. All interviewees use a cocktail of BPC brands and are willing to change at any time. They indicated that they are willing to purchase new brands if convenient or economical. Of the major BPC companies, interviewees were most familiar with Bath & Body Works and reported that they shop there. Interviewees reported that they have heard of The Body Shop, but they did not demonstrate high familiarity with the brand.
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Analysis Interviews suggest that this target market may be interested in natural products such as those offered by The Body Shop, but The Body Shop will have to work to overcome consumer skepticism about natural product claims. If The Body Shop emphasizes its longstanding commitment to natural and organic products, it may be able to persuade consumers that it is not a “bandwagon” BPC company that is unethically trying to exploit current interest in natural and organic products. The Body Shop should stress that natural and ethical products are a company hallmark that is fully interwoven with the company’s mission, rather than a convenient business tactic. Finally, based on results from these interviews, The Body Shop should consider emphasizing SPF-infused products in any marketing toward Latina women. These women appreciate their tans and value the role of moisturizers in helping them maintain their tans, but Latinas are equally concerned about sun damage and sun spots. Latina women are strongly attracted to BPC products that offer sun protection. Responses collected from interviewees indicate that Latinas do not have strong brand loyalty to any one BPC company and are willing to switch to a company that they perceive as trustworthy and of high quality. If The Body Shop creates marketing material that acknowledges the concerns that are relevant to Latina consumers, The Body Shop may be able to capitalize on this burgeoning target market.
SURVEYS- YOUNG WOMEN | THE BODY SHOP Respondent Profile 122 females, ages 16-33, completed a survey to evaluate their BPC purchasing habits and preferences. 58 percent of the women were single, 57 percent of the women were employed part time (20 hours a week or less) and 76 percent of respondents receive regular financial support from a parent or guardian.
Major Findings Survey results showed that women in this age range are concerned for the environment and they neither agree nor disagree that the beauty product or company has a potential environmental impact and when prompted the question if they believe their beauty and personal care product purchases impact the environment the statement somewhat described their feelings. In the end the respondents do though agree that they wish that their beauty and personal care products were more environmentally friendly. Another major finding was that most of the respondents don’t know of the efforts The Body Shop makes with global concerns like AIDS, fair trade, animal testing and human rights. Although respondents are ware of these global concerns, they do not know The Body Shop has made efforts to improve these concerns.
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BPC Product Preferences Respondents were asked to respond to how much they spend monthly on the following products: facial moisturizer, facial cleanser, body scrubs, body butter, hand care, foot care, lotion, cosmetics, natural/organic beauty and personal care products and non-natural/non organic beauty and personal care products. Average dollars spent per month, per item are as follows: $9.07 for facial moisturizer, $10.40 for facial cleanser, $8.41 for lotion, $19.79 for cosmetics, $5.39 for body scrubs and $4.52 for hand care. When purchasing BPC products, 105 out of 122 respondents seek SPF, 56 out of 122 respondents seek antioxidants, 53 out of 122 respondents seek products with natural characteristics, 43 out of 122 seek products with vitamin enhanced characteristics, and 34 out of 122 respondents seek organic characteristics.
Environment Slightly less than 50% respondents reported that they are concerned about the environment, but personal concern for the environment does not appear to translate into purchase decisions. When asked whether they consider a company or product’s potential environmental impact before purchasing a BPC item, 57 out of 122 respondents responded “neither agree not disagree.” 36 out of 122 respondents responded, “disagree.” Respondents were also asked to indicate the degree to which they believe their beauty and personal care product purchases impact the environment. 53 out of 122 respondents said it somewhat describes their feelings, whereas 38 out of 122 respondents said it mostly describes their feelings. Respondents were also asked to answer on a scale of “strongly disagree” to “strongly agree” if they wished their beauty and personal care products were more environmentally friendly; 54 out of 122 respondents said they agreed and 40 out of 122 respondents said the neither agreed nor disagreed.
Other Global Concerns Survey participants were also asked to respond with their feelings towards major social issues. 73 out of the 122 respondents strongly agreed with the statement that AIDS is a significant problem and 45 out of 122 respondents simply agreed. 90 out of the 122 respondents strongly agreed that child hunger is a significant problem. Fair trade appeared to be a less pressing concern, according to respondents. 52 out of the 122 respondents strongly agreed that companies should practice fair trade, 45 out of 122 respondents agreed, and 20 respondents neither agreed nor disagreed. Animal product testing revealed that 31 out of 122 respondents are ambivalent toward this issue and neither agreed nor disagreed, whereas 45 out of the 122 respondents strongly agreed and 35 out of the 122 respondents agreed. 46 out of 122 respondents strongly believe that companies should demonstrate more concern for human rights, 47 out of the 122 respondents agreed, and 25 out of the 122 respondents neither agreed nor disagreed. In on of the most overwhelming responses, 114 respondents either strongly agreed or agreed that companies should support the communities in which they are based.
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Purchasing Habits & Brand Awareness 62 percent of respondents reported purchasing a Burt’s Bees product over the past six months, and 47 percent reported purchasing a Bath & Body Works product. 30 percent purchased an Aveeda product, 17 percent purchased an Origins product, 6 percent purchased a product from The Body Shop, and 18 percent had not purchased any products from the major brands listed. Overall, brand awareness of The Body Shop is low in this demographic. When asked to indicate the degree to which they agreed with the statement “The Body Shop’s products are environmentally friendly,” 79 out of the 122 respondent answered “I don’t know.” Similarly, respondents were presented the statement, “The Body Shop supports fair trade practices,” and 87 out of the 122 respondents answered “I don’t know.” 88 respondents selected “I don’t know” as the degree to which they believe “The Body Shop supports local communities.” Participants who were familiar with The Body Shop seem to believe that The Body Shop products are too expensive and a mere 25 respondents indicated that The Body Shop products represented a good value.
Analysis The survey results provide several key insights about the young female demographic that could be useful in shaping The Body Shop’s marketing efforts toward this target market. The Body Shop’s image as a ethical company with a sense of global responsibility theoretically resonates with young women. However, The Body Shop’s brand awareness among young women is incredibly low. Young females do not realize how much they identify with The Body Shop’s mission because they are simply unaware that the company exists. Furthermore, young women spend an average of less than $10 per month on most BPC products. Given The Body Shop’s higher price point, it will need to work to overcome any reticence by young female consumers to purchase The Body Shop’s more expensive products.
SURVEYS- OLDER WOMEN| THE BODY SHOP Respondent Profile 72 females, ages 30-55, completed a survey to evaluate their BPC purchasing habits and preferences. 84 percent of the women were married and out of the 59 women who answered the question on income, 39 had an income of 100,000 or less.
Major Findings Major findings within the older female demographic showed that women purchase BPC products once a month or less and are most concerned with price of and ingredients in the product and less concerned with the brand image and animal testing. Half of the women were indifferent about their products being natural claiming that it was neither important nor unimportant. The most common concern for older women is wrinkles and dark under-eyes. Bath & Body Works was the brand most preferred by women and The Body Shop was the least preferred. 93 percent of women said they had not shopped at The Body Shop in the past six months. Women most commonly bought their BPC products in-store. On the topic of philanthropic involvement, results were closely distributed between it effecting their purchasing decision, not effecting and not being sure.
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BPC Product Preferences The two BPC product characteristics most important to respondents were price and products ingredients, respectively. Animal testing and perceived brand image were the two BPC product characteristics that respondents least valued. 15 out of 72 respondents said ingredients of a product were most important factors that influence their BPC product purchases; however, only 28 percent of respondents said it is “very important” for their products to be natural, while 50 percent of respondents said it is neither important nor unimportant for their BPC products to be natural.
Skin Concerns Respondents were asked to rank the skin challenges that most concerned them from the following list: wrinkles, blackheads/whiteheads, oil control, pigmentation, acne, skin discoloration, sun damage, dark under-eyes and sagging. 46 out of 72 respondents were concerned with wrinkles, 31 out of 72 respondents said dark under-eyes were a concern, sun damage ranked as the third most worrisome skin problem with 27 out of 72 respondents selecting skin damage as a problem. Women who chose “other” as an option said dry skin and crows feet were a concern.
Purchasing Habits & Brand Awareness Out of the 72 women surveyed, 81 percent said they purchase BPC products once a month or less. 47 percent of respondents said they shop for beauty products less than once a month and 34 percent responded that they shop for beauty care products once a month. Within a six-month period, 63 percent of respondents spend $50-$200 on BPC products. In a comparison of brand name BPC products, 20 out of 72 women ranked Bath & Body Works as their preferred brand over Burt’s Bees, The Body Shop, Ulta, Origins and Aveda. The second most preferred brand was Burt’s Bees and Aveda ranked third. Although 60 percent of women surveyed said they were familiar with The Body Shop, only one respondent listed The Body Shop as their most preferred brand. 93 percent of the women surveyed had not shopped at The Body Shop in the past six months. At 86 percent, respondents overwhelmingly noted that they purchase their BPC products “in-store.” The degree to which a BPC company’s level of philanthropic commitment influences respondents’ purchasing habits varied significantly. 26 respondents said they were “not sure” how influential BPC company philanthropic activities influenced them, 22 said knowing their brand supported a cause would influence their decision and 21 said no, it would not influence their purchasing decision.
Media Consumption 95 percent of the women who completed the survey use Facebook and 9 percent use Twitter. 53 women said they viewed most of their media on the Internet, 49 respondents view televised media, and 34 use printed media such as newspapers and magazines.
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The Body Shop has lost its once-strong grasp on this significant target market. Older women no longer consider The Body Shop a preferred store. Women in this target market do not appear as concerned about company policies against animal testing as they may have been in the past. The Body Shop’s image as a company that pioneered the fight against animal testing no longer influences these women’s purchasing decisions. To recapture this target market, The Body Shop may need to consider rebranding itself toward older women as a company whose products are desirable - not simply because they are natural and organic - but primarily because they are effective for anti-aging concerns.
PERSONAL INTERVIEWS- MALES| THE BODY SHOP Respondent Profile As we noted in our situation analysis, there is “a trend toward greater usage of personal care items among young men” (The Body Shop International PLC, SWOT Analysis) this demographic may present a new market that the Body Shop can tap into as the company repositions itself. Males ages 8 to 18 years old represented a potential market of $2.8 billion by 2008. For the male interviews conducted, all the males interviewed are between the ages of 18-24, are middle to upper class, and are pursuing higher education. They were all renters who lived in multi-person households and had more than one roommate. The males were single with some in long-term relationships. All of the males are classifiable as Caucasian and are from a variety of states such as California, Nebraska, Illinois and Texas. The interviews were conducted one-on-one in their homes to minimize any feelings of discomfort.
Major Findings Findings from the male personal interviews revealed that males prefer name-brand products and are generally indifferent towards natural or organic products. Organics and animal testing were not mentioned by any interviewees and when asked what they thought most said they would purchase a brand they were more familiar with over a brand that advertised “not tested on animals.” When discussing what concerned them about their skin the most common responses were dryness, oiliness, acne and how much hair they had.
Purchasing Habits & Brand Loyalty Having a roommate proved to be an important factor in interviewees’ purchasing habits; every male agreed that his friends and roommates influenced their decision when purchasing a particular brand. Interviewees cited family members as the second most influential group of people whose opinions affect their purchasing opinions. One participant noted that he only buys brands that his mother bought him growing up because the brands are most “familiar and trustworthy.” The most common answer for the factors going into purchasing a particular brand was convenience and price. Additionally, interviewees noted that they would be willing to spend more money on a more expensive BPC product if purchasing that product was more convenient than purchasing other, less expensive BPC brands of that same product. Interviewees claimed they would travel further distances to purchase particular brands, but only for certain products such as deodorant. Most males described themselves as brand loyal toward Old Spice and said the Old Spice advertisements were persuasive in leading them to choose Old Spice over other brands. Overall, advertisements and product packaging are not deciding factors in their purchasing decision.
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The Role of Corporate Image Males interviewed said that the degree to which a BPC brand participates in cause-related organizations or philanthropic events is not a deciding factor in their purchasing habits; this is primarily because the males interviewed said that the organizations being supported typically do not interest them. Interviewees said they would be more likely to give special attention to a brand’s social or community involvements if the causes supported by the company were relevant to males. One participant noted that he would support a BPC brand if more causes like the NFL’s “Play-60” was supported (Play 60 is a program that promotes one hour of physical activity a day among children). Hypothetically, interviewees agreed that, if The Body Shop marketed a partnership with the NFL’s Play-60 program and included the NFL logo on The Body Shop’s packaging, males would be more inclined to purchase The Body Shop’s products.
Brand Awareness & BPC Product Perceptions When asked if BPC products were manly, the interviewees’ opinions on product “manliness” varied. Interviewees felt that some products such as hair gel carried a stigma of reducing “manliness.” However, interviewees generally regarded most BPC products as necessities. Interviewees also revealed that most embarrassment that males associated with BPC product purchases was caused not because they believed the products threatened their masculinity, but because they were embarrassed by the product’s purpose. Interviewees listed acne medicine, dandruff shampoo, hair-removal, and antibalding products as embarrassing to buy and admitted they prefer to ask a parent to purchase the product for them.
Brand Loyalty & Cost Most interviewees purchase drugstore brand BPC products that usually run under $10. Interviewees felt strongly that they would not like to spend more than $10 on BPC products. Every male uses a mixture of BPC brand names including Old Spice, Suave, Barbasol, Pert Plus, and Vaseline. All interviewees agreed that their brand loyalty toward deodorant is higher than their brand loyalty toward any other products and claimed that Old Spice was the only brand to which they were loyal. Interviewees declared they would readily switch to other BPC brand names if a cheaper brand emerged. During two interviews, interviewees were so unfamiliar with the BPC brands they used they had to walk to their bathrooms to actually look at their products.
Analysis The data collected indicate that males prefer low-cost, drug store. Males’ BPC purchasing habits are influenced by family and close friends, and males are not motivated to purchase products that feature not natural or organic ingredients. Overall, males are price and convenience driven, not willing to spend more than $10 on their products, and have brand loyalty to very few – if any – BPC products.
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CREATIVE BRIEF WHY ARE WE ADVERTISING? U.S. sales for The Body Shop are weak and brand awareness of The Body Shop among key, growing target markets has declined. As other BPC companies began promoting themselves as ethical and environmentally friendly, The Body Shop lost some of the unique competitive positioning that fueled its early success.
WHOM ARE WE TALKING TO? Young females (ages 18-24) and Hispanics (ages 18 and older) represent the most rapidly growing target markets for BPC companies. Both of these target markets tend to lack brand loyalty and are budget-conscious. Males (18-55) and older females (ages 25-55) are also important markets whose purchasing power, though not as great as young females and Hispanics, is still significant. The Body Shop’s target markets tend to be highly educated and socially engaged.
WHAT DO THEY CURRENTLY THINK? The Body Shop’s target markets “don’t think” about The Body Shop brand; across key demographics, The Body Shop has low brand awareness. Consumers who are familiar with The Body Shop’s products, often feel that they are too expensive for recession budgets. Brand aware consumers may respect The Body Shop’s values, but they doubt whether supporting these values with their purchases justifies the cost of The Body Shop’s products.
WHAT WOULD WE LIKE THEM TO THINK? The Body Shop offers products that I can feel good about purchasing. Any extra expense (in comparison to high profile competitors such as Bath & Body Works) is merited because the products I purchase will be high-quality, and the money I spend is supporting the causes and issues that I believe in.
WHAT IS THE SINGLE MOST PERSUASIVE IDEA WE CAN CONVEY?
My purchases at The Body Shop are an investment in myself and in my community.
WHY SHOULD THEY BELIEVE IT?
The Body Shop is a company that understands me: it cares about the challenges facing my world.
ARE THERE ANY CREATIVE GUIDELINES? None.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY “Body Care – US – July 2010.” Mintel. July 2010. 12 October 2010. Body Shop enjoys improved results. Mintel. August 26 2010. October 1 2010. Cosmetics, Beauty Supply, and Perfume Stores. Hoover’s, Inc. n.d. October 1 2010. Pierce, Rachel. “The Body Shop International PLC.” Hoovers.com. n.d. Web. 1 October 2010.
MEET YOUR RESEARCHERS
APPENDIX A
Hispanic Women In-Depth Interview Information Participant
Age
Nationality
Women A
22
Columbian
Women B
21
Guatemalan
Women C
29
American
Women D
18
American
Women E
19
American
Women F
19
American
Women G
52
American
APPENDIX B
Male In-Depth Interview Information Name Jesse Daniel Nolan Jordan Justin Jeff Nick Pat Donald Andy
Age 21 23 23 22 24 23 23 23 21 21
City Denton, TX Fort Worth, TX Plano, TX Denton, TX Carrollton, TX San Diego, CA Omaha, NE Hinsdale, IL Arlington, TX Lake Zuric, IL
Ethnicity Caucasian African American Caucasian Caucasian Caucasian Caucasian Caucasian Caucasian Caucasian Caucasian
APPENDIX C
Male In-Depth Interview Information Who: males 18-55 How to recruit: Use convenience sampling Preferred amount of participants: 8-10 Details: We believe that men are not comfortable openly talking about their personal care products because they fear how other men may perceive their masculinity as being reduced. We will conduct in-depth interviews for these men so that they can openly discuss their beauty and personal care buying habits and preferences without fear of judgment. We will perform these interviews in a causal setting and provide food of some kind to keep interviewees happy and talkative. We hope to perform roughly 8-10 of these interviews with males across a range of ages. However, we will primarily focus on males in the18-30 age range since this generation is more open to the idea of males using personal care products.
Moderator: My name is XYZ and I am student in the Schieffer School of Journalism. I am in the Research and Evaluation class with Dr. Wendy Macias. My classmates and I are conducting research over Beauty and Personal Care Product consumer habits. We appreciate your willingness to share your perspectives with us. We are particularly interested in the growth that the male demographics category has experienced. We chose to have one-on-one in depth interviews so that you are able to give true and honest answers that are no socially derived. For our results to be accurate, we need for you to be truthful in your responses. We are not looking for a particular answer, rather, we are gathering an assortment of data and then finding insights.
Participant Data Sheet Name: Age: __ (18-24)
__ (25-39)
__ (40-55)
__ (55 & above)
Profession: Income: Marital Status: __single __ married/committed __divorced __widowed Ethnicity: City/State of current residence: Our goal is to gain information about male personal care/grooming habits and preferences. You will not be paid for the in-depth interview. Your responses will be collected and used to gain insight about males’ relationships with the personal care/grooming category. This research is being conducted in conjunction with a class project in TCU’s Schieffer School of Journalism. The participant will has the right to voluntarily withdraw from the study at anytime.
________________________________________ (signature) We appreciate your time. Thank you! Kimberly Dena | Ginny Gould | Rebecca Lauten | Amanda Ringel
Interview Questions 1. Living Situation. It might be important for me to start off by knowing your current living situation: • Who you live with: • Description of home: • Description of neighborhood: 2. Influences. • Tell me about who influences your purchasing decisions (parents, friends, significant others, children) • what factors go into how you choose a product (convenience, price, location, advertisements, ethics, product packaging, organics) • Are you interested in the ethics of a brand/product when purchasing? Do you believe in natural/organic products? • What are your thoughts on animal testing, community/fair trade, and brands committing time and money to organizations? 3. Personal Care Products. • What thoughts and opinions come to mind when someone talks about personal care/grooming products? • True of False: Personal Care Products are manly: explain your answer • What are your thoughts when buying personal care products (embarrassed)? • What are your main concerns with your skin? • Who buys your products? • Who pays for your products? • Who is with you when you buy these products, if anyone? • Are you comfortable asking employees about products, or do prefer to look for yourself? 4. Personal Use. • Tell me what brands and products in the personal care/grooming category you have used in the past and which products you use currently. • What was the reason for the switch? • Describe the reasons you choose the brands and products you use currently. • Do you care about which brands you use? 5. Specifics. • How often do you use personal care/grooming products? • What scents do you prefer? • Do you use a single line of products, or do you mix and match? • Do you stick to one brand? • How has what you look for in your personal care/grooming products changed over the years? • What is your maximum price for the main personal care products you use?
APPENDIX D
Focus Group Script Commencement
First, the interviewer will disclose information about the interview process. Interviewer: My name is ______ and I am student in the Schieffer School of Journalism. I am in a Research and Evaluation class with Dr. Wendy Macias. My classmates and I are conducting research over Beauty and Personal Care Product consumer habits. We appreciate your willingness to share your perspectives with us. Information gained from today’s interview will not be attributed to you individually, and your responses will not be sold to anyone. We will not use your real name in our final report. If you do not wish to participate, you may indicate that you wish to terminate the interview now or at any time during this study.
Open Ended Questions
The first set of questions will assess the types of concerns these women have with their skin. These questions will also determine the type(s) of products or brand(s) they currently use. _______________________________________________________________________
Fill in the Blank
The interviewer will now ask the interviewee to fill in the blanks for the following sentences. Moderator: Now, I’d like for you to finish the sentence I give you. There is no right or wrong answer. Just answer what comes to your mind first. Your answers can be long or short. We are interested in your opinion. • Beauty care is important to me because… • Scent in beauty care products is … • All natural ingredients in beauty care products are… • SPF in beauty care products is… • [Blank] is/are the biggest influence in my beauty care product purchasing. • My favorite scent(s) in body care products are…
_____________________________________________________ Ethics Questions
Transition into discussing ethics. Interviewer: I want you to think about ethics. • What do you think ethics are?
• How ethical do you think BPC companies are currently? • Can you name some companies that you think are ethical? • What are your thoughts about products being tested on animals? • How important is it that the products you purchased are environmentally friendly? • Have you ever considered a beauty or personal care product brand to be philanthropic? If so, for what charities or causes? If not, why? Interviewer: • If you could change one thing about your skin what would it be? • What specifically concerns you about your skin? • What products do you use to correct these features? • What do you like the most about your skin? • What products do you use to enhance these features? • Where do you go to purchase all these products? What social media do you use? Would you be more likely to pay attention to a company that uses social media? How much time do you spend evaluating a company’s philanthropic efforts? Do they affect your buying decision? Tell me which of the following will most likely cause you to buy a product and why: -Convenient to purchase -Inexpensive -High quality
Closing
The interviewer will now end the interview Interviewer: We want to thank you for your participation and cooperation. Again, the information you just provided us will not be distributed for any purpose beyond this research study and your name will remain confidential.
NOTES
APPENDIX E
To view the Qualtrics survey for Young Females, view the survey with the link below. https://new.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_e5Snbxw8OY4H736&Pr eview=Survey&BrandID=atrial
APPENDIX F
To view the Qualtrics survey for Young Females, view the survey with the link below. http://qtrial.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_8iBxVT0pxOhrQSE