Herbal Essences Contemporizing Brand Equity Presented by: Patricia Sabena
Herbal Essences Contemporizing Brand Equity Presented by: Patricia Sabena QRCA President ‘95 - ‘98 Patricia Sabena Qualitative Research Services SINCE 1965 What happened to the Herbal Essence brand? Herbal Essence Shampoo... • Launched by Clairol in 1971 • Big success in the seventies • First to talk about “natural” ingredients • Bottle and advertising reflected the “flower power” spirit of the times What happened to the Herbal Essence brand? During • • • • the eighties, however: Other brands co-opted this “naturals” theme The product began to look and seem dated Advertising support was finally withdrawn The brand merely languished on the shelf What role did qualitative research play? Between 1992 and 1999, focus groups explored... • • • • • • • • The Herbal Essence brand equity Various repositioning concepts New ingredient combinations Environmental packaging styles Alternative print and TV campaigns The post-launch competitive set The relaunched brand’s personality The potential for line extension categories Who were the focus group respondents? Female mass market shampoo users: • • • • Teens 15 to 17 Women 18 to 24 Women 25 to 34 Women 35 to 49 Phases • • • • • conducted in: Connecticut California New Jersey New York Georgia What were recollections of old Herbal Essence? Strengths (+) nostalgia, affection long-haired girl flowers, butterflies dark green oval bottle pleasant scent herbal Liabilities (–) no awareness, outdated grandma used it seventies, hippies too dark green too strong, piney harsh, chemical What repositioning concepts were devised? Ancient Herbalist Environmentalist Custom Blending Nostalgia/Born Again Aromatherapeutic Science-and-Nature Refreshment Wisdom of Nature Rocky Mountain Spring Water What became the relaunch strategy? Relaunch the brand as Herbal Essences, with the plural “s” signifying: • • • • newness added value multiple ingredients multiple benefits What were the key positioning communications? 1. How the carefully chosen herbal and botanical ingredients are better for the hair 2. What end benefits can be attributed to these unique Herbal Essences formulas What ingredient combinations were explored? Favorable connotations: • • • • • • rosemary chamomile jojoba aloe vera thyme mountain spring water Unfavorable connotations: • • • • elder burdock root horsetail grass nettle leaves What packaging options were considered and rejected? Although consumers claimed they wanted to be environmentally responsible they seemed only minimally informed and not fully committed to activist positions. None of the environmentally correct packages appeared to be convenient enough to warrant consumer acceptance: • pouches • boxes • refillables What was the packaging breakthrough? By • • • • 1994, new technology: striking crystal clear see-through to back-panel labels Easily • • • • communicated: newness gentleness herbal ingredients refreshing scents What consumer insights led to advertising development? “Shampooing is a dull and boring routine.” “With Herbal Essence, I felt refreshed when I got out of the shower, clean, like a cool breeze, invigorated.” How did the ad agency break through category clutter? Wells Rich Greene BDDP created highly memorable and compelling TV advertising touting the refreshing benefits of “an organic experience.” • “Totally Organic” • “Airplane” • “Black Book” Saved from seeming smutty by humorous endings featuring older women also wanting “an organic experience.” Where did the relaunch fit into the competitive set? By 1997, the shampoo category had reshuffled itself into these clusters: • • • • • The Botanicals (Herbal Essences) The Wannabe Botanicals (a multitude of copycats) The Therapeutics (Pantene, Infusium, L’Oreal Vives) The Establishments (Finesse, Salon Selectives) The Cheapies (Suave, VO5, White Rain, Pert Plus) MOST NATURAL The Botanicals/Herbal Essences BEST FOR THE HAIR The Wannabe Botanicals The Therapeutics The Establishments LEAST NATURAL The Cheapies WORST FOR THE HAIR What was the brand’s contemporized personality? In • • • • • • projective psychodrawings... female, 16 to 39, median age 25 young single or young mother contemporary name (Jennifer, Melissa) nature-oriented name (Flora, Marigold) contemporary sports clothes flowing cotton skirt and sandals What was the brand’s contemporized personality? In • • • • • • • • projective psychodrawings... student, artist, florist, nutritionist businesswoman, secretary flowers, plants, bottled water sports equipment, a cell phone carefree, spontaneous, smart spunky, confident, optimistic natural beauty, outdoorsy, healthy caring, sensitive, outgoing, popular What was the brand’s contemporized personality? Depicted saying... “Let’s go camping or bike riding this weekend.” “I live by my own rules but respect all others.” “I don’t eat meat because I’m a vegetarian.” “I love my family, my job; I enjoy life to its fullest.” “I love being a woman and it’s great to be alive.” “I’m one natural chick!” “Life is beautiful and my hair smells good.” What was the brand’s contemporized personality? A far cry from the images of its past... What was the brand’s viability in other product categories? Herbal Essences Hair Styling Aids Line launched February 1996 What was the brand’s viability in other product categories? Herbal Essences Body Wash Line launched June 1997 What was the brand’s viability in other product categories? Herbal Essences Facial Care Line launched June 1999 What was the brand’s viability in other product categories? Herbal Essences Hair Color launched 2000 How successful has Herbal Essences been? Changed the shampoo category by becoming the new standard of packaging excellence for all other shampoo brands Spawned a multitude of copycat products as new brand entries (e.g., Willow Lake) or line extensions of existing brands How successful has Herbal Essences been? Total 1998 revenues for all Herbal Essences products were more than $300 million Total 2000 revenues for all Herbal Essences products were $1 billion dollars Brought Hair Care Division more prominence at Clairol, Inc. What do consumers advise for the future? In 1997, focus group respondents constructed scrap art team collages advising the brand to: • • • • • • stay cutting edge maximize natural enhance serenity emphasize performance soften the sexuality expand the target audience How did consumer insights aid strategic outcomes? Overall, qualitative research revealed that: • The old Herbal Essence still evoked some affectionate memories • Its naturals equities could be recast in a contemporary way • Its breakthrough packaging could help contemporize its image How did consumer insights aid strategic outcomes? Qualitative research also revealed that: • Provocative advertising based on consumer insights could break through category clutter • The rejuvenated brand has very broad target audience appeal • The relaunched brand has remarkable line extension power What synchronicity causes the brand’s success? Crystal clear and striking packaging promises and delivers cleanliness, purity, natural ingredients, no buildup, great fragrance. While fragrance appears to be a compelling feature of the brand, it is only part of its clean and natural persona. What synchronicity causes the brand’s success? The brand’s TV advertising is an attention-getting juxtaposition of innocence and sexuality. It manages to generate a sense of the Herbal Essences woman as independent, confident, carefree and self-actualized. What synchronicity causes the brand’s success? Although teenagers comprise a core group of users, and older women remember its heritage, the brand projects a twentysomething image. Contemporizing and relaunching Herbal Essences has brought it a long way from the outdated hippies and elderly grandmothers associated with its original seventies products. What is the relevance to you? This qualitative research provides a template for contemporizing other tired or outdated brands: • What internal or external factors have caused the brand to fall behind? • What is happening in the competitive set that impacts the brand? • What can be retained or renewed from the existing brand equity? • What is needed in order to rejuvenate the brand’s image and appeal? Contemporizing Brand Equity Relaunching the Herbal Essences Brand Why contemporize a brand’s equity? Brands become old-fashioned or tired because they: • have a brand name that sounds “out” or outdated • cut back or cut out advertising and promotion spending • lack meaningful product news or point of difference Why contemporize a brand’s equity? ...or because they: • lose touch with their own users and/or category users • fail to modernize packaging style, colors, graphics • get lost in the influx of new entries that seem more relevant • do not launch line extensions or launch too many line extensions
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