~Beauty begins the moment you decide to be yourself~ Coco Chanel

Trends come and go, the weather changes from sunny to snow, time changes from 1 to 4, but the one thing that never changes is the desire to be beautiful. Brands in the booming personal care space have to constantly innovate in order to offer beautiful products to make people look and feel beautiful. Staying relevant and offering products that meet the needs of consumers has always been in style. And no, you do not need Jennifer Lawrence or Aishwarya Rai to endorse your brand to succeed; all you need is to follow certain best practices – practices that you believe in, practices that support your brand’s purpose. Do that and see how your brand shines.

The evidence of their eyes

Nobody will believe that you can make them look great if your own product doesn’t look the part too. We live in an ever-increasingly visual world. Use every opportunity to broadcast your belief in the inner beauty of your product across people’s consciousness. They must know that whatever you’re offering is true to your brand’s purpose, that you have the expertise to do it and that your efforts are born out of a genuine desire to make consumers look better and feel better. Johnson & Johnson, with its “So Much More” global campaign, is “paving the way in baby care by advancing research on the importance of multi-sensorial experiences in happy, healthy baby development; it aims to enhance bath time rituals to stimulate baby’s senses and provide parents an opportunity to nurture baby’s ability to learn, think, love and grow”. J & J cares, and their consumers know it.

But natural (and organic)

The global natural and organic personal care market has been growing at a rapid pace; Persistence Market Research projects it to be valued at $21 billion by the end of 2024. Consumers are driving a clear trend toward sustainable living that includes buying local, organic products, with a passion for authenticity. Personal care brands that use chemicals and adulterated ingredients fast falling out of fashion. Consumers today are choosing products that are aligned with their own values. They seek information on the origin of products, what the environmental impact is, and who they are buying from. In India, Forest Essentials, a traditional personal care brand, maintains the highest standards of purity, authenticity, and quality as each product is handmade using traditional methods. The discerning consumer buys into that vision too.

But Stay Simple

The greatest brands are often the simplest to understand and appreciate. These are brands that are easy to use and that make consumer’s lives easier. Achieving success with your personal care brand doesn’t require you to use complex or elaborate branding techniques. What you need is simplicity. It is simplicity that brings clarity. The idea is to make simple promises and deliver on them. Align your customer experience with your messaging for real impact. Take Dove’s promise for example. Dove is helping 40 million people build self-esteem and positive body confidence. They unambiguously say, “Dove believes that beauty is not one dimensional; it is not defined by your age, the shape or size of your body, the color of your skin or your hair – it’s feeling like the best version of yourself. Authentic. Unique. Real.” As an aside, that message could apply to brands too!

Package it Right

Packaging your product carefully is essential to put the right message across. This is the vehicle for all that you want to convey about the brand. The signs, symbols, colors, shapes, and even textures should convey the intended message – a message that resonates with the consumer. Your packaging should convey and emphasize your core values and purpose. Pick a method of packaging that is reflective of what your brand is about. The Body Shop’s latest packaging aligns with its ambition to be the world’s most ethical and sustainable business; 58% of its packaging is sourced from non-fossil fuel derived materials and all of the company’s clear plastic bottles are made with 25% recycled materials.

Get Social

You might be creating beautiful products, but are you showcasing them to your audience in their medium of choice? In a world of Facebook and Instagram and online shopping, people are hungry for new experiences, and products that make them feel great about themselves. Make the most of social media – share your product story, the reason for building the product, your efforts in creating the product, the techniques used and the benefits it will offer to the consumer. A carefully crafted social media campaign will allow you to connect with your audience in a place they consider “personal”! And if you are lucky, they might even share their positive experiences on social media. Nivea, for instance, is very hands-on when it comes to social media marketing; they actively reach out to people tweeting about skin problems and offer tips and product suggestions that will help overcome their problems. Isn’t that great?

Experience Unmatched Success

Although a big name and attractive packaging will compel people to try your product once, but for them to become brand loyalists, they need to love what they buy. In an ever-increasing competitive environment, you need to make sure you are standing out from the crowd; create a memorable and appealing brand that is true to your purpose. Get creative; unravel your consumer’s essential needs and drive your branding efforts towards providing real value. Beauty, after all, is not just skin deep; it is a lot more than that!

 

For more on how your Brand can capitalize on these emerging trends, write to us at info@lokusdesign.com.