Bulldog: Creating a World Class Natural Skincare Brand for Men [Presentation]

3.5.2012 - Cosmetics,InnoCos,InnoCosmetics,new product development,personal care — Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , —

Bulldog, the UK’s first and largest natural skincare brand for men, provides men with a natural alternative amongst the chemical-heavy products currently found on the shelf, making natural grooming more accessible to all.

Simon Duffy,  Co-Founder,  discussed their journey at the InnoCos 2011 event last June in Paris (presentation above).  He spoke about ideation to retailer shelf, the thought process behind creating leading natural formulations that men love and how Bulldog competes by being different and making the best of use of new media.

Want to meet with your peers face-to-face and hear more presentations like this?

Visit InnoCos Europe conference in Geneva, May 30-31, 2012

Visit InnoCos USA conference in New York, July 11-12, 2012

Click HERE to download InnoCos conference agenda

Digital, the future of marketing?

23.4.2012 - Cosmetics,InnoCos,social media — Tags: , , , , , , , , , —

Guest blog post by Fabienne Bravard, Marketing Director, Nestle Waters

Digital is transforming the way brands address their consumers, providing a completely different brand experience. It is an interesting way to create engagement with your core target and a great tool to recruit the youngest.

Perrier, hence, has succeeding in rejuvenating its core target in many markets (France, US and Canada) through a clear digital strategy.

While TV campaigns are the best way to build an iconic dimension of the brand and express the core benefits, digital helps to create engagement with the consumers, leveraging the brands personality.

With a daring, sexy and festive personality, Perrier is the perfect brand to provide an amazing digital experience to the web users Since 2009, Perrier has launched a unique digital program every year with success. The last one “le club perrier” has reached 11M views and was the 1st tweeted buzz in June 2011. For such a brand as Perrier, digital is a strategic pillar.

Do you agree? How are you implementing digital into your marketing and branding strategies?

Want to hear more?  Visit InnoCos Europe conference in Geneva, 30&31 of May 2012

Click HERE to download InnoCos conference agenda


How to inspire women to choose your beauty brand through Social Media

3.4.2012 - Cosmetics,InnoCos,InnoCosmetics,new product development,perfumery innovation,personal care,social media —

Guest blog post by Angela Cretu, Group Vice-President, Avon Eastern Europe.

Women on the Web can be like divas. They demand personal attention, respect and adoration.

Times are changing. We change even faster. The competition for resources, time and love is fierce.
Web became our favorite shortcut to life necessities and a surrogate for emotional connections.

Women are communicators by nature and facilitators; they are embracing social networking in a way that men are not. Furthermore, the rise of social networking has prompted women of all ages to engage in a host of associated online activities, such as photo-sharing, gaming, video viewing , forums, instant messaging and retail.
Social shopping is not just classic e-retail, it combines all the above activities that are already firmly in the mainstream of women’s Web activity may be the next frontier in retail evolution.
Yes, Digital Divas drive the dollars in the future. More women than men transact on the Internet and, collectively, they spend more. Women across the world spend quite a lot of time on retail sites and follow/give recommendations in their on-line community, indicating that as the e-shopping infrastructure and cultural norms evolve.

How to inspire HER choosing your brand through Social Media?

1. Make your strategy holistic
Social media should become an integral part of the overarching strategy, business objectives, business model and communication philosophy; Social media accounts/pages and activity should be promoted on a multichannel platform.
2. Be Genuine and Informal
Create an authentic and personal brand voice. Be generous by sharing valuable content and exclusive offers for HER; Use rich, relevant, entertaining content to create context and meaning around the product message. Drive HER engagement by rewarding desired behavior, remember HER past options, and talk about HER only
3. Join the conversation
This is multidimensional communication not just a dialogue, be engaged offer rich content but do not harass HER – she just needs to be intrigued and to desire more ; Focus on relationship building, nurture emotions, create a safe environment for HER to test her options before purchase. The communication is not ending after her purchase but becomes even stronger and intimate to her needs.
4. Easy access to your products
Make it easy and fun to buy and recommend your products from HER page so she may never leave her friends while shopping. Moreover they can shop together and still be connected
5. Make it interesting to join, fun to be engaged
Gamification is the newest, coolest way to make her enjoy her shopping. Offer her instant gratification; make HER shopping experience viral and reward her behavior
6. Measure and adjust
Monitor progress see which campaigns and initiatives resonate then repeatedly adjust your strategy, never lose the sight on HER engagement. The moment she stopped liking you, she is not the only one disappearing from your store. Her entire network will delete your app

Are you interested to see how Avon connects with women through social media?  Visit InnoCos Europe conference in Geneva, 30&31 of May 2012 or/and New York, 11&12 of July 2012.

Click HERE to download InnoCos conference agenda

 

What consumers prefer, and what natural personal care brands need to take into consideration?

20.3.2012 - Cosmetics,InnoCos,InnoCosmetics,new product development,perfumery innovation,personal care,social media — Tags: , , , —

Blog post by Agnieszka Saintemarie, Project Manager at Kline & Company

The naturals market has been evolving towards more effective and truly natural products; however, is this the most effective strategy for brands aiming to succeed in this fertile segment?

Unquestionably, the demand for natural personal care products remains strong within the regions cited here, specifically Western Europe and North America. Both these well-established markets are showing signs of maturity and while growth may be tapering, the share of the naturals segment in the overall beauty market is undoubtedly increasing and remains resilient.

Several significant factors are affecting and driving the naturals market’s growth, which Kline forecasts to remain strong through 2016. A pertinent factor consists of heightened consumers’ awareness of health, environmental, and sustainability concerns and, of course, product ingredients, as well as their efficacy.

Recognizing that a brand’s truly natural aspect is far more positively perceived by consumers compared to the brands that are merely naturally inspired, product manufacturers are making efforts to reformulate their products using truly natural ingredients and move from the naturally-inspired segment to the truly natural segment.

Ever more consumers are seeking out information concerning the ingredients within natural products as they attempt to discern truly natural products from natural-inspired products claiming to have natural ingredients. However, many consumers are still unable to distinguish between the two. Similarly, a sizeable number of consumers are confused about what precisely constitutes a natural product as new ingredients are introduced, new brands are launched, and existing products are reformulated.

Consequently, for additional marketable legitimacy, some manufacturers are seeking to conform to universally recognized standards certified by esteemed independent agencies to enforce the credibility of their natural brands.

Needless to say, despite the 2011 sales performance of truly natural products — as defined by Kline’s proprietary rating metric — the truly natural segment remains smaller than that of natural-inspired, accounting for a still respectable 43% share of the natural personal care sales in the United States, and about 32% in Europe.

This dynamic may be explained by new companies recognizing the potential in the natural personal care market and entering the market to grab a share of the sales. And many of these companies launch products in the pseudo-naturals segment, which effectively boosts the natural-inspired segment. Despite this, the growth of the natural-inspired segment is lower than both the market average and the growth rate of the truly natural segment.

There are several reasons why a company may not succeed even with the most exciting, efficient, and natural product as particular attention needs to be applied to product introduction/consumer education and marketing messages. The somewhat elastic definition of what is “natural” continues to change and evolve, leading to oftentimes disadvantageous confusion in the marketplace. Given the seemingly blurred line between truly natural and naturally inspired products in many consumers’ minds, it remains essential that companies use clear product labels and marketing messages to highlight the natural aspects of a given product’s ingredients to attract knowledgeable consumers and educate potential new customers.

Join this and other discussions at Global Cosmetics Community

FDA Findings of Mercury Poisoning Linked to Skin Care Products

14.3.2012 - Cosmetics,InnoCos,InnoCosmetics,new product development,perfumery innovation,personal care,social media — Tags: , , —

At what lengths will you try a new “miracle” anti-aging, anti-acne, or skin-whitening product?  Some may see a new product hit the shelves and purchase it without hesitation, hoping it will cure their skin care woes, without researching the product, or even checking the ingredients.  With consumers’ lack of knowledge, they may very well be putting themselves at risk.

Recent FDA findings have revealed illegal and unsafe levels of mercury in skin care products being sold in the United States.  FDA officials have discovered over 35 products in seven different states, often in the categories of skin lighteners, anti-aging, and anti-blemish products.  These products have been manufactured abroad and illegally distributed in the United States, commonly through shops in African-American, Latin, and Asian communities.

California, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Texas, and Virginia, are all reported to have these tainted products. Minnesota had an extremely high rate of unacceptable products – 11 of 27 imported skin products found on store shelves contained mercury.  Customers should steer clear of products with ingredient labels that include: mercurous chloride, calomel, mercuric, mercurio or mercury.  If anyone is already using a product containing these ingredients, they should stop use immediately, and contact a physician.  Stay away from products with ingredients listed in another language besides English, or no ingredients listed at all.

The FDA explains that they do not allow mercury in drug or cosmetics products, except under very specific conditions (of which these products do not meet).  They try to track these dangerous products through import alerts, but products continue to make it into the country through channels such as personal baggage of international travelers, and international mail, which they cannot easily track.

The FDA further explains that mercury can damage the kidneys and the nervous system, and interfere with the development of the brain in unborn children and very young children.

 

Are you interested in learning more about cosmetics regulations?  Visit InnoCos Europe, Day One at 5pm to hear attorney and legal consultant Giles Chappell explain new EU and International regulations and how to take the proper precautions for your company.   He will discuss obligations for registration of ingredients, chemical testing, requirements, and the overall impact this will have for the future.

Click HERE to download InnoCos conference agenda

 

I’ll Tell You What I Want; What I Really, Really Want – New Ways Beauty Brands Market Themselves

13.3.2012 - Cosmetics,InnoCos,InnoCosmetics,new product development,perfumery innovation,personal care,Uncategorized —

Guest blog post by Sian Sutherland, Founding Partner – Chief at Mama Mio who will be holding a speech at InnoCos Europe (Geneva, May 30&31 2012).

Call me new-fashioned, call me a cynic, but isn’t it time the beauty industry moved on in the way they market their brands?    Look at some of the copy and imagery used in the early skincare press ads.  Have we really progressed?  Certainly our formulas are vastly superior but the way we communicate with our consumers has not moved on at the same pace.

Typical beauty advertising spanning 60 years – The airbrushing has improved but has anything really changed in the way we market beauty to women?

The traditional big brand beauty marketing model has always been simple – spend significant sums on advertising and promotions to build awareness very quickly and therefore create demand.  Tell women they have a problem that they should feel insecure about (NEW!  Nose wrinkles! Eyelash droop! Ear sag!) and then sell them a product to fix it.    But small brands have to think differently, think smarter.  Small brands need to use other tools because small brands cannot outspend the big guys.  They need to be ingenious and create communication that stands out because it is fundamentally different rather than simply omnipresent.  And they need to use different channels to distribute their message because, let’s just say it out loud, traditional advertising doesn’t work like it used to.

Our goal:

When we launched Mama Mio six years ago in the US and the UK, all four founders agreed upon one over-riding ambition.  Mama Mio want to be The Most Recommended Skincare Brand in The World.

Yep.  You sussed it…. we are a pretty ambitious bunch.   So, how are we going to achieve that – in one of the most competitive markets in the world; dominated by big spending multinationals.  For sure, it is not going to be by playing the same game with the same rules.  We want to start a new game – communicating and marketing and retailing and building our business in a totally different way.

Get personal:

In my opinion, if you cannot be a brand with deep pockets, you need to be a brand with deep soul.  Every level of communication needs to distinctive, surprising, warm and emotional. There is a reason why this is called the ‘personal care’ market.  We are giving women a product that they are going to apply to their skin.  You don’t get much more personal than that.

You need to think like a woman – not a skincare brand.  As Mama Mio, our brand DNA is sass, wit and charm.  We are high performance serious skincare that doesn’t take itself too seriously.  We talk to our customers like we talk to our friends and we know that wrinkles, wit and wisdom work great together. How many beauty brands would risk launching a product called Boob Tube, let alone retailing it in a fixture comprised of one huge pair of boobs housing the product!  We all know – as consumers ourselves – what we want from beauty products.

We want them to make us FEEL GOOD.  So why does so much skincare advertising actually have the reverse effect on me and make me FEEL BAD?  Highly airbrushed imagery of unrealistically beautiful women with hyper-claim copy and mystical pepbiovitixl (yes, I just made that up) ingredients do not make me feel good about myself.

Want more?

At InnoCos Europe (Geneva, 30-31 May 2012) I want to tell you more about how we have build our brand with no traditional advertising whatsoever; simply through women recommending to other women that Mama Mio made them feel good in their skin.  This industry needs innovation in formulations – yes, of course; but even more importantly, we need to reinvent how we speak to women.  Because without them InnoCos Europe, and all our businesses would not exist.

So, come on, all you marketing gurus and business builders.  Rip up that rule book, lose the clichéd images, sack the spin and go all James Brown on us with some Deep Soul.

Sian Sutherland – www.mamamio.com

*Title courtesy of The Spice Girls. 

InnoCos conference agenda and registration form.

InnoCos website

Book your seat today!

You may also be interested in our  InnoCos USA conference:  New York, 11-12 July 2012.

Be sure to join Global Cosmetics Community to discuss cosmetics and personal care issues with your peers as well as have access to more presentations and stay up to date on the latest news.

Two stills from our Singing Tummy Button video pop promo: released to promote Mama Mio Get Waisted Body Shaper and raise funds for our Mama Mio charity partner, Look Good…Feel Better. “Check Me Out” by Belle + The Buttons gained 40,000 hits on YouTube on one week.

Nanos and the EU Cosmetics Regulation – what DOES THIS mean for your company?

7.3.2012 - Cosmetics,InnoCos,InnoCosmetics,new product development,perfumery innovation,personal care,Uncategorized — Tags: , —

Giles Chappell, Attorney, Legal Consultant will be presenting at the upcoming InnoCos Europe (Geneva, May 30&31 2012).  The focus of his talk will be on National, EU and International Institutional Frameworks for Cosmetics and Personal Care Products.

In this guest blog post, Giles covers nanomaterials, which are widely used in cosmetics and personal care products, most commonly as chemicals to give the protection in sunscreens, but also in anti-aging creams, moisturizers, toothpastes, etc. However, regardless of the consumer benefits, questions persist about the real and perceived risks to human health & safety and the environment from the commercial use of nanomaterials. This uncertainty arises, in particular, because the chemical and physical properties of particles at the nanoscale may be significantly different from those of the same substance at a larger scale. According to the Scientific Committee of Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (“SCENIR”):

“there is insufficient knowledge and data concerning nanoparticle characterisation, their detection and measurement, the fate (and especially the persistence) of nanoparticles  in humans and in the environment, and all aspects of toxicology and environmental toxicology related to nanoparticles”.

Thus, an important balancing act has to be made between safety concerns and the desire to avoid constraining one of the EU’s fastest developing industries.

In the EU, the new Cosmetic Products Regulation 1223/2009 (which will fully replace Directive 76/768/EEC by 11 July 2013 – i.e., in just over a year’s time), attempts to go some way to addressing concerns over nanomaterials. The Regulation sets out four key provisions concerning nanomaterials:

  • Definition: under Article 2(1)(k), “‘nanomaterial’ means an insoluble or biopersistant and intentionally manufactured material with one or more external dimensions, or an internal structure, on the scale from 1 to 100 nm”. However, following the more general definition published by the European Commission on 18 October 2011 in Recommendation 2011/696/EU, a working group is currently analyzing whether the definition of nanomaterial in the Cosmetic Products Regulation should be modified.
  • Labelling: under Article 19(1)(g), all ingredients present as nanomaterials must be indicated on the package from 11 July 2013, with the word “nano” in brackets.
  • Notification: under Article 16(3), cosmetic products containing nanomaterials must be notified by electronic means to the Commission, providing data on identification, specification, quantity, toxicological profile, safety data and foreseeable exposure conditions. Such notification must occur six months before a cosmetic product containing nanomaterials is placed on the market, unless:
    • the cosmetic products are included in Annex III (list of substances which cosmetic products must not contain except subject to the restrictions laid down),
    • the cosmetic products were placed on the market before 11 January 2013, in which case they must be notified between 11 January 2013 and 11 July 2013.

Furthermore, based on the notifications, by 11 January 2014, the Commission is required to make available a catalogue of all nanomaterials used in cosmetic products placed on the market, including those used as colorants, UV-filters and preservatives in a separate section, indicating the categories of cosmetic products and the reasonably foreseeable exposure conditions.

  • Safety assessments (Cosmetic Product Safety Report): Part A of Annex I reconfirms that:“Particular consideration shall be given to any possible impacts on the toxicological profile due to — particle sizes, including nanomaterials”.


The cosmetics and personal care industry should also be aware that in October 2011, the Commission asked the SCCS to prepare a guidance document on the safety of nanomaterials in cosmetics.  The guidance is currently being drafted and is expected to be made available later in 2012.

Industry should keep in mind that ongoing research and new scientific evidence may compel companies to find new ingredients within a short time-frame, as some previously allowed nanomaterials may become restricted. Thus, companies should review and, if necessary, adapt their supply chain as well as their contracts, in order to take account of the obligations (current and possible future) on nanomaterials.

To hear more about how National, EU and International frameworks (including the EU Cosmetics Regulation, REACH and the General Product Safety Directive) can affect your products and strategies come and attend InnoCos Europe (Geneva, May 30&31 2012) 
Giles is also a member of the Global Cosmetics Community  advisory board so be sure to join the online community to discuss cosmetics and personal care regulations, strategies and initiatives with your peers as well as stay up to date on the latest news and gain access to presentations.

InnoCos conference agenda and registration form.

InnoCos website

Book your seat today!

You may also be interested in our US event.

InnoCos USA (New York, July 11-12, 2012)


 

 

The challenges of building a business in personal care

6.3.2012 - Cosmetics,Enterprise Marketing 2.0,InnoCos,InnoCosmetics,new product development,perfumery innovation,social media,Uncategorized —

Guest post by Carl-Ulrich Saeuberlich, CEO, VitaCare who will be speaking at InnoCos USA(July 11&12 2012, New York).

VitaCare, the next generation of oral care products, have just been awarded best Oral Care brand 2012 by Delicious Living magazine.

We are very excited to welcome Carl-Ulrich to speak on InnoCos USA where his presentation will focus on answering the key questions below; sharing their story, strategies and learnings.

  • How to create unique product
  • Finding a nique in an overcrowded market
  • Distribution strategies to build a sustainable business model
  • How secure company success in the future
  • Creating buzz for your products

Would you like to meet with Carl-Ulrich Saeuberlich and hear the full VitaCare case study? Come and attend InnoCos USA conference in New York, July 11-12, 2012.

InnoCos conference agenda and registration form.
InnoCos website
Book your seat today!

You may also be interested in our European event:
InnoCos Europe (Geneva, May 30&31 2012)
And join Global Cosmetics Community for more presentations and updates.

A new online community for professionals in the cosmetics and personal care industry has just launched!

29.2.2012 - Cosmetics,InnoCos,InnoCosmetics,new product development,perfumery innovation,personal care,social media,Uncategorized —

With the increasing popularity of online networking KGS Global has developed the Global Cosmetics Community www.globalcosmeticscommunity.com which allows members to collaborate with others, join discussions, ask questions and stay up-to-date on the latest news whilst enhancing your innovation and marketing first hand from experts.

This new online community was initiated by participants of the InnoCos conference in Paris last June. “Attendees wanted us to create a community where participants could stay in touch before and after the event. A place to facilitate ‘virtual’ networking, providing valuable real-time information you won’t find anywhere else.” States Lisanne Vos, Chief Creative Officer at KGS Global, creator of the Global Cosmetics Community, and event organizers of the InnoCos events.

Vos continues “Not only can innovation and marketing executives connect with their peers online through the Global Cosmetics Community but they can meet face-to-face and discuss business issues ‘offline’ at our InnoCos events. This really does add an extra dimension to their experience.”

The community site has been designed to be a place that you would want to spend time, share views, discuss business issues and industry news. The site features broadcasting tools and the ability to create your own personal profile and page to encourage interaction and networking whilst building a true sense of community. Existing social media channels are used to drive more traffic and support the community.

Members can take part in discussions and polls on such topics as social media marketing, weekly inspiration, trends, regulations and safety, formulations, science and new product development amongst others. There is also a rewards programme where members can collect points for being active online members, participating in offline events and inviting colleagues to join. Points can be redeemed by receiving discounts for the annual InnoCos conferences as well as partners product offerings.

The Global Cosmetics Community also provides a platform where you can download free presentations (videos and PowerPoint presentations) from the InnoCos annual events along with smaller local events throughout the year, providing valuable content to members.

The online community will create business opportunities by connecting buyers and suppliers as well as enhance careers through the jobs listing. The community also allows you to create your own groups as well as pages to promote your company and personal blog.

Global Cosmetics Community is based in The Netherlands and is a member of the KGS Global.
KGS Global is an international conference event facilitator with established expertise in two core areas:
•Innovation in Cosmetics and Personal Care
•Enterprise Marketing and Social Media

KGS B.V.
Irina Kremin
Park Hoornwijck 37
2289CZ, Rijswijk
The Netherlands
Phone: +31 603 00 19 54
Email: ikremin@kgsglobal.com
www.globalcosmeticscommunity.com
www.innocosconf.com
www.kgsglobal.com

InnoCos Europe Final Call for Speakers

20.2.2012 - Cosmetics,InnoCos,InnoCosmetics,new product development,perfumery innovation,personal care,social media —

We are excited to announce that we are looking for passionate speakers for InnoCos Europe, 30-31 May 2012, Geneva.

ONLY 2 speaking slots available!

Are you an expert on innovation, new product development, innovative marketing campaigns, new trends and/or new markets in the cosmetics and personal care industry? We are looking for you!

Requirements:

  • You work for a beauty, cosmetics or personal care brand / corporate company (FT 500 or Fortune 1000)
  • You are senior level: SVP, VP, Director, Head, General Manager
  • You have an interesting case study to share; including processes, successes and problems incurred
  • You are passionate to facilitate an interactive workshop session

In return you will benefit from:

  • The visibility of speaking at this senior executive event (InnoCos 2011 sold out!)
  • Having the unique opportunity to develop new business relationships
  • Discuss best practices with your peers face-to-face in an exclusive networking environment
  • Get on KGS Global Wall of Fame  as one of the top 3 speakers and receive publicity

Examples of topics to be covered include:

  • Translate global hard trends into beauty trends for new product development
  • Engage and connect with consumers in new markets through social media and web communities
  • Accelerate innovation in new markets through external partnerships
  • Understand how the future of retailing will impact product formulation and design
  • Improve customer loyalty through digital campaigns

The deadline for entries is ***Friday 2 March 2012***

Interested?

Please send Lisanne Vos an email (lisanne@kgsglobal.com) with a short presentation abstract (maximum 500 words) & biography or call Lisanne directly on: +31 70 44 000 51.

Sponsorship Opportunities
This event provides the perfect opportunity for consultants and vendors to network, create brand awareness and showcase your company’s products and services. For more information on our sponsorship packages, please contact Irina Kremin on: ikremin@kgsglobal.com or +31 643 001 954.

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