Ch.11 Developing and Managing Products

In order for a company to remain relevant in the marketplace, it is important for new products to be introduced several times per year. Not only does frequent product development help to keep firms relevant, but it also helps to increase the width and depth of their product mix. Maybelline releases many new products every year, many of them being part of different product lines. FIT Me is one of Maybelline's successful product lines, which was developed simultaneously, meaning that all of the products belonging to the line were developed at the same time. The biggest benefits of simultaneous product development are reduced production costs, and an efficient use of time.






There are very important factors to consider when deciding whether or not a product is marketable and most importantly, profitable. One of the most important factors to consider is whether or not there is a demand among current and new customers alike, for the new product/product line. FIT Me was created based off of information obtained from customer focus groups (this type of research is also known as a concept test). From this research, Maybelline discovered that women were looking for makeup that is right for them and their skin-tone, to create a natural and flawless look (http://main.stylelist.com/2010/09/03/maybelline-fit-me-makeup-line/). Evaluating the competition and what sets Maybelline's product line apart, is another important factor to consider in the process of developing a new product(s). All other drug-store cosmetic brands have products in the same category as the products that form part of the FIT Me line, especially foundation. What makes Maybelline FIT Me different from the competition however, is that FIT Me offers entire makeup regimen dedicated to creating the natural and flawless look their customers seek. FIT Me comes complete with foundation, concealer, pressed powder, blush, and bronzer (the bronzer was an extension to the line). Other brands like Covergirl, did not have an entire line dedicated to this benefit until recently, when they released a product line similar to FIT Me, called Trublend (http://www.covergirl.com/collections/trublend-mineral-makeup).

New products are also introduced as product line extensions, increasing the depth of a specific product line. Maybelline has made two extensions to FIT Me since the release of the product line in early 2011. The first extension, the bronzer, was introduced shortly after the product line was released. The latest product extension was quite innovative, being the first of its kind: The FIT Me Shine-Free Stick Foundation. It is more than likely that these products were already in development back when the original product line was being developed as well. However, it is an effective strategy to continue to introduce products to a specific line, after its success has been proven; this allows new products to shine on their own, allows for advertising to focus on that specific product line extension, and keeps customers looking forward to new products that supplement the original line depth. 

Ch.18 Social Media and Marketing

The Importance of Social Media - Social media can be simply defined as "any tool or service that uses the Internet to facilitate conversations" (Lamb/Hair/McDaniel,306). Today, social media has become an important part of everyday life for billions of people worldwide, making it just as important for companies whose target markets engage in social media. Social networks such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, Tumblr, and Google+,  all have millions of users daily sharing anything from their thoughts to pictures and videos. Why is this so important to companies like Maybelline New York? One of the biggest purposes that social media serves for companies is the ability to receive feedback on their products, from billions through one-to-many interaction with consumers and the comments they post on various sites. This is referred to as the "Listening System" which involves companies closely monitoring social media. By monitoring what consumers are saying about Maybelline and its products on social networks, blogs, media sharing sites, and review sites, Maybelline can improve their products, and also gain insight as to what their customers want and need. The internet has changed the way consumers shop by greatly facilitating their ability to make informed decisions on their purchases. Today, the majority of people do some research online on a variety of shopping products before making a purchase, making it crucial for marketers to monitor social media. It is also crucial for companies to take active participation in social media.

Maybelline on Social Networks - Social networks are the most popular form of social media among Maybelline's target market, women ages 16-25. The most popular sites right now are Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram. Maybelline has about 4.1 million likes on its Facebook page, 40,000 followers on twitter, and 140,000 followers on Instagram. Pinterest is an online pinboard to which users can "pin" photos they like based on a common interest, theme, product, brand, category, and/or idea. Maybelline has twenty-two boards and nearly 3,000 pins; these pins are a great source of advertising for Maybelline's products. Maybelline controls all of their social network pages, and uses them actively in order to build relationships with customers. Through all of these social network pages, Maybelline is able to find out firsthand what their customers like about certain products and what they don't. 

 

The photo featuring FIT Me Foundation, was posted on Maybelline's Instagram page. These are just a few of the many comments left by users; some comments were positive, expressing how amazing the product is, while others expressed the need for a pump on the foundation and other ways in which the product can be improved. 

Maybelline on Blogs - Review sites and blogs that discuss Maybelline products are just as important as the the activity on Maybelline's social networks, because they contribute directly to sales. Today's consumer usually does some research on the internet, whether extensive or not, before making a purchase. There are many beauty blogs that review many different products from different brands; some of these beauty blogs are very trusted and frequently visited by many. One of these blogs is Miss Natty's Beauty Diary which has received about 14 million views (http://www.missnattysbeautydiary.com/search/label/Maybelline). Temptalia, a top rated beauty blog has also posted about Maybelline products, with its most current Maybelline post discussing the top five Maybelline Must-Have Products (http://www.temptalia.com/category/brands/maybelline). 

Maybelline on Review Sites - Reviews for Maybelline products can be found anywhere that they can be purchased. However, there are many review sites whose purpose is to provide reviews for many beauty products. Paula's Choice is a review site known worldwide, where customers can find thorough reviews on a variety of products from nearly every cosmetic brand, including Maybelline (http://www.paulaschoice.com/beautypedia-skin-care-reviews/brands/). Below is part of the long list of Maybelline products reviewed on Paula's Choice. Clicking on any of these products takes you to a thorough review, with pros and cons, information on which skin-types the products work best, whether or not animal testing is used,etc.) Websites like these have a very strong influence on consumer decision making when it comes to their beauty product choices. 

Maybelline on Youtube - Youtube is categorized as a media sharing site, and is by far the most popular for videos. Maybelline has a highly active Youtube page on which they post behind the scenes videos, make-up tutorials, share beauty tips, upload TV commercials, and videos on how to "Recreate the Runway". Maybelline has nearly 43,000 subscribers. Many Youtube users also post many tutorials,  review videos on Maybelline products as well. Below is a demo/first impression of Maybelline's FIT Me Foundation and Concealer posted by a Youtube user.  

Below is another first impression review of Maybelline's FIT Me Shine-Free Foundation. This user however, wasn't very impressed, and shares her thoughts on the product. Maybelline can use this feedback to make future product adjustments. 

Ch.10 Product Concepts

The most important element of the marketing mix is the product. A great product offering or product mix is vital to a firm's success in the marketplace. Product attributes and benefits must provide customer value in order to compete effectively. Maybelline has a good understanding and a clear vision as to what benefits their target market seeks, and they create products to complement and fulfill their needs. Maybelline offers a wide variety of product categories, all strategically grouped together under different product lines offering beauty essentials such as Mascara, Eyeliner, Eye shadow, Lip Balm, Lip Gloss, Foundation, etc. Each of these product categories has great depth, offering variations to match the individual needs of different customers. For example, Maybelline’s Volum’ Express Mascara line has nine different mascaras, each providing a different benefit such as “Extensive length”, “Clump-free volume”, and “Explosive Volume”. 

 

The product line FIT Me seeks to provide its own special benefits, such as makeup with a natural, fresh, and breathable finish, skin perfecting, and skin-tone matching which women can use to highlight and enhance their features without covering their natural beauty. FIT Me offers an assortment of six different products, New Shine-Free Stick Foundation, Liquid Foundation, Pressed Powder, Concealer, Blush, and Bronzer. Each of these products comes in many different shades to match different skin tones and preferences. FIT Me is of great quality, has received great reviews from customers, and has become very popular. Although there are other competitors promoting products with similar benefits, FIT Me has been successful due to it being one of the few lines (if not the only one) in the market that is specifically aimed at meeting the demand for natural, breathable, and skin-tone matching makeup. FIT Me’s Shine-Free Stick Foundation, was a product extension made my Maybelline which is the “first of its kind”, and significantly contributed to the success of the makeup line. FIT Me has a cost-competitive advantage over its competitors because it is easily accessible and affordable, compared to higher priced products from other brands with similar benefits.

 

Another important aspect of product design is the packaging. FIT Me’s products are easily recognizable, due to their uniform packaging. The packaging for all FIT Me products is very similar to that of one another, using the same color and similar shape. The packaging also tells a lot about the product. FIT Me’s product packaging comes in black and nude to convey the idea of simplicity, and that the line focuses on matching different skin tones for a flawless natural look. FIT Me’s product packaging provides ease-of-use to its customers. All of the products come without a large and difficult to take off plastic encasement. Instead, they simply come with a thin plastic wrap to display and ensure freshness and newness of the product.

Maybelline has a high brand equity, which is a great advantage when releasing new products or product lines, which Maybelline does often. Brand equity refers to the level of Maybelline’s brand awareness in the marketplace, perceived quality, reputation, and most importantly, brand loyalty. Customers who have had positive experiences with Maybelline products or have heard of others' experiences, are more likely to purchase Maybelline products because they refer back to that positive experience when comparing brand options. Also, any consumer with a positive view of Maybelline’s products, especially those who had personal experiences with the product, are more open to trying new products by the brand as well.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Ch.17 Personal Selling And Sales Management

There are many forms of promotion that a company can use, one of the most effective forms being personal selling. Personal selling consists of a personal interaction between the seller and the prospective buyer. In the early 20th century, beauty products were mainly sold through door to door sales presentations , which is one of the first ways Maybelline was able to reach their target market. Today, beauty products are only sold this way by companies such as Avon, and individuals who buy wholesale products and attempt to sell them to people they know. The best and most used form of personal selling today, is relationship/consultative selling, which companies mainly execute through highly interactive and trained sales representatives in their store locations. Sales representatives are a big influence on customer's decision-making and their purchases.
A good sales representative is friendly, knowledgable, reassuring, and especially convincing. Most consumers are more compelled to making a purchase when they feel like they are getting a second opinion, they are being taken care of, and they feel like they are important to the company. One of the most important aspects of this type of personal selling is allowing consumers to try on the products, which allows them to be more sure of the purchase they are making, and to experience the benefits the products provide.

Unfortunately, Maybelline does not have any physical stores, which significantly minimizes their personal selling ability. Having a physical store location would be very beneficial to Maybelline and would highly increase sales. Maybelline has the ability to create a beautiful, fun, and colorful store atmosphere which would undoubtedly bring in loyal and new customers alike. One of the biggest problems women have when purchasing beauty products, is the great uncertainty of not knowing whether or not they will really like the product, or more importantly, if the product will fit their unique needs. I have stood in front of the Maybelline section of the drugstore many times staring at a sealed product that I would like to buy, and wishing I could just rip off the packaging and try on the product. When this happens, I usually walk away without that product. A Maybelline store where prospective customers can try on products, have their makeup done by makeup artists (similar to MAC and Sephora stores), interact with sales representatives, and be surrounded by other women who love makeup, will increase the long-term relationships between Maybelline and its consumers, and will increase sales significantly.

One approach that Maybelline takes at personal selling is holding events at which they set up makeup booths, and interact with customers.The photo above, was taken at a "Pretty In Pink" Beauty Fair hosted by Cosmopolitan Magazine and the Robinson's Department Store. At events like these, Maybelline booths are set up with a variety of products, and staffed by professional makeup artists who give prospective customers free makeovers, and share beauty tips. Maybelline also hosts their own events at which they can interact with customers, especially during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. 

                   

             

Another big way in which Maybelline uses personal selling to reach their target market is by social networks and their own website. Social networks such as Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram significantly help to create and maintain relationships with their customers. These media outlets also play a big role in sales, because they allow Maybelline to perform needs assessments, in which they determine what are the needs of their target market and what are the benefits they seek. Social media outlets are also largely used as a follow-up tool, through which Maybelline personnel, can directly ask consumers to share their thoughts on a specific product. This is different from reviews written on other sites, because customers can feel like they are directly voicing their opinions, and like they are interacting directly with Maybelline. On the official Maybelline Website and on their Youtube Channel, Maybelline representatives post video tutorials for their products, which is a great way to interact with consumers through technology and the internet. These video tutorials teach women how to create different trendy looks using Maybelline products. 

The following video is a tutorial posted to both Maybelline.com and Youtube. In this tutorial, a professional makeup artist from Maybelline New York, Julianne Kay demonstrates how to get a natural look that can "highlight your features, without overdoing it".

Ch. 16 Advertising, Public Relations, and Sales Promotion

Since the foundation of Maybelline in 1917, they have used a specific type of advertising, known as pioneering advertising, which is used to stimulate demand for a product or product category. In the early 20th century when Maybelline first began to make its mark, the "eyelash darkener"(known today as mascara) was a relatively unknown product to the mass-market. For this reason, Maybelline had to make all of its advertisements not only convincing, but also very informative. A series of print advertisements were published, letting women know of the benefits that Maybelline Eye-Makeup provided for any woman of the time. Maybelline wanted to convey the idea that any woman can have beautiful and alluring eyes, and beautiful dark eyebrows, by using Maybelline's products which became extremely popular. The ads mainly outlined the benefits of the products, some gave specific instructions on how they are to be used, and many suggested the purchase of other products that would go well with the one being advertised. Here are a few examples of some of the early Maybelline advertisements: 

Before Maybelline got its official name, it was called Lash-Brow-Ine. This was the first advertisement that was published by the company in 1917 in Photoplay Magazine. 

This Maybelline advertisement clearly outlined the benefits of their products and gave two alternative options, The Solid Form, and The Liquid Form, which both came in brown and black. 

This advertisement, published in 1937, shows the difference that Maybelline's eye makeup products could make in a woman's appearance. An average housewife was used in the ad instead of a model or movie star, to show that ANY woman can look her best with Maybelline. 

This advertisement was published by Maybelline in 1960. This is an example of how Maybelline attempted to increase brand awareness among its target market. By this time, Maybelline had already released a series of products for the eyes and established itself as an exclusive specialist in "Everything To Make Eyes Beautiful". This is also a great way to sell not just one product through an ad, but an entire product line. This also creates a Product-differentiation competitive advantage.

Today, Maybelline has become the #1 cosmetic brand in America, and it is very well known by its target market. Maybelline's advertising objective has changed, with the new objective being mainly to advertise new products and product lines. Therefore, today the company mainly spends on advertising for new products, and does so mainly through mediums/channels such as TV commercials and Internet banner ads which prove to be very effective in reaching their target market. Maybelline also advertises in Newspaper ads, but these can be seen at a larger scale mainly during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York. Maybelline's advertisements use a particular executional style, that portray the image of a fun, beautiful, strong, fearless, woman, who can look flawless and express herself through the use of Maybelline products. This consistency in the advertisements and the image they portray, is vital to attract the target market, to build a relationship with the consumer, and to stay in touch with Maybelline's mission statement (http://www.maybelline.com/About-Maybelline.aspx).
Here are some great commercials by today's Maybelline New York:

The above commercials, along with every other Maybelline TV commercials, do a great job at clearly stating the benefits of the product they are advertising. Consumers are more likely to purchase a product that states the benefits rather than just the attributes or features of the product. For example, the FIT Me Shine-Free Foundation Stick has a powder-core. What does this mean to the consumer? If Maybelline had not stated in the TV commercial what the benefits of the powder-core are (provides a flawless matte-finish wish no shine), a prospective customer is less likely to purchase the product.

Since Maybelline mainly advertises through television, it is important to analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this medium. Some advantages of a Television commercial include the ability to reach a wide audience, the immediacy of messages, commercials can entertain viewers, and may allow the advertiser to aim at a specific target market depending on the network, time of day, and TV shows. Some disadvantages of TV commercials, are the large amount of commercial clutter which can overwhelm viewers and reduce the effectiveness of the ad, there is a short-life of the message, and TV commercials are very expensive.

Ch.14 Marketing Channels and Retailing

Maybelline New York is the #1 cosmetic brand in America, and among the top 10 cosmetic brands worldwide. Their success would not be possible without an effective retailing mix. The retailing mix (6 P's), includes product, place, promotion, price, presentation, and personnel. All of these elements are essential in order to successfully reach your target market, provide the benefits they seek, and make a profit. 

 Product: Maybelline's product offering is the most important part of the retailing mix. Maybelline creates great products, with quality that may either meet or exceed their target market's expectations. Maybelline offers a wide assortment of products including their revolutionary Volum' Express Mascaras, blushes, bronzers, foundation, concealers, make-up removers, creams, moisturizers, eye liners, nail polish, and many more. Maybelline's target market, women between the ages of 16-25, is very diverse, therefore Maybelline must create products that are beneficial and that work for all types of women falling within this age range. This demand calls for depth within each of their product assortments; this is why Maybelline offers a variety for each of their products, each offering different benefits. A lot of Maybelline's products are colorful and bold, but there is still that part of the target market that doesn't wear bold and colorful makeup, like myself. Someone in this section of the target market, could try the FIT Me product line, which gives a more subtle and natural look. Overall, Maybelline's wide product offering seeks to create products that can make women feel empowered, beautiful, trendy, and can allow them to explore their individuality, as indicated in their mission statement (http://www.maybelline.com/About-Maybelline.aspx).

Place:  Maybelline mainly sells their products at drugstores such as RiteAid, CVS, and Duane Reade, and online retailers such as Amazon.com and Soap.com. Maybelline also has a very accessible and easy to navigate website, which caters specifically to each country to which it provides. One might wonder why Maybelline is not sold at cosmetic stores such as Sephora, which offers great variety of brands.  Although Maybelline provides high-quality items, they sell their products at low or affordable prices. That is not the case with most of the brands found at stores like Sephora, such as Yves Saint Laurent, Chanel, Bobby Brown, etc. If Maybelline were sold alongside these higher-priced brands, many customers would ignore Maybelline, and consider them to be of low-quality, due to the large gap in price. Selling in Drugstores makes Maybelline very accessible to customers. A customer might be browsing through a drugstore, and find themselves in the makeup aisle, and walk out with a Maybelline product. In my opinion, Maybelline should open a store in New York City, where they can further involve customers in the shopping experience.

Maybelline DrugStore Displays

Promotion: Maybelline mainly advertises its products through TV commercials, ads in magazines, covers of newspapers such as amNY, and on nearly every website that is frequently visited by its target market. Their advertisements online usually have a lot of movement, and bright colors in order to attract attention. Their catchy slogan, "Maybe She's Born With It. Maybe its Maybelline", is a huge part of advertising the brand, since its recognizable and hard to forget. The biggest way in which Maybelline is advertised, is during Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in NYC. Maybelline is the official sponsor of Fashion Week, therefore, most ads for Fashion week, also advertise Maybelline. Maybelline's products are also used on the runway, which gives the brand an image of style, and prestige.

Price: Maybelline products, aside from being known for their high-quality, are also known for their affordability, which makes them accessible to customers. For example, the New FIT Me Shine-Free Foundation, is only $8.99. The FIT Me Concealer is only $6.49, and it is one of the best concealers on the market, at a very low price compared to its competitors. When customers realize that they can get a product of superior quality, at a lower price, they realize they are getting a higher value for their money.

Presentation: The presentation for Maybelline products could be improved significantly if they had a physical store. On Maybelline's website, the presentation is simple with a black background which gives it a feel of sophistication. All of their products however, and the home page are always colorful with advertisements of their newest products. What makes their website presentation great, is how easy it is to navigate it and find what you're looking for. If you click on their "Products" tab, you will find that their products are divided into subcategories, which have categories within them. The image below shows how the products are organized.

In drugstores, the Maybelline section is always organized, and usually the most colorful display in the aisle, which is great for catching the attention of customers, and projects a fun image. 

Personnel: Since Maybelline does not have any physical stores, customers don't get to interact with personnel. Customers can either have an interaction by calling customer service when they have a problem, or by interacting with Maybelline's staff on social networks. I believe Maybelline should open stores in which, they provide a great shopping atmosphere, customers can try on products, they can interact with personnel, and Maybelline New York can effectively display their image.  

Ch.6 Consumer Decision Making

             A thorough understanding of consumer behavior and how they make decisions when making purchases, is vital to any company's success. In order to sell Fit Me products, and any other product they offer, Maybelline must find ways of persuading their target market to choose them, over all the other brands offering the same products. Consumers are faced with many options, since all products are made by more than one brand. Consumers go through a specific decision-making process when making a purchase, or when thinking of making one. The first stage to this decision-making process is "need recognition", or the "want-got-gap", which is an imbalance between what consumers have and what they want (Lamb/Hair/McDaniel,82). Sometimes customers don't actually "need" the product you are trying to sell, and that is where the external stimulus from advertising and sales promotions comes in. Frequent advertising such as commercials, billboards, magazine ads, etc, all help the customer get familiar with a product or the company who offers it. By understanding what it is that Maybelline's target market wants and needs, Maybelline's products and advertisements can be tailored to convince the consumer that they need or want the product. For example, I don't use much makeup because I don't feel that I need it. I wear what I consider to be the basics: concealer, mascara, a little bit of blush, some lip gloss, and I'm good to go. However, having seen the benefits of some of the other Fit Me product offerings, and having read several reviews, I have considered purchasing the Fit Me Pressed Powder and the New Stick Foundation, two products I have never used, and probably wouldn't have considered if not for the unique benefits they offer.

              The second stage of the consumer-decision making process, is information search. Once a consumer has become interested in a product, or recognizes that they either need or want such product, they begin their research. One of the most important places in which a consumer searches for information on a product is their memory! A consumer will recall their previous experience with the brand or the product, as well as things they might have heard or seen about the product. People always trust what they know, and have heard from other sources they trust such as friends and family. For example, a friend of mine uses the Fit Me Foundation and absolutely loves it. As we were talking about our makeup products, I mentioned that I use the Fit Me concealer. She told me she has never used concealer from any brand, but due to her positive experience with the Fit Me Foundation, and my positive comments on their concealer, she decided to purchase the concealer as well.

              Due to the major technological shift in the 21st century, the internet is one of the most important sources of information for today's consumer. Although most women prefer to buy makeup in the store, many check online first, mainly for product reviews. Reviews have become a very powerful tool in the decision-making process, and they can either "make or break" the purchase. Reviews for Maybelline Fit Me can be found on many blogs, on social networks such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, and on the website of any online retailer that sells Maybelline Fit Me. This is very important for Maybelline to be aware of, since their target market is young women between the ages of 16-25. This age group is highly active on the internet, and more than likely, they like to do their research online before purchasing any product. Personally, I am part of this target market and I am also a loyal Maybelline customer. However, 9 times out of 10, I go online before making a purchase and read reviews. These reviews usually do have a big influence on whether or not I choose to purchase the product, or look for alternative options, which is the next stage in the consumer-decision making process.

          Consumers are bombarded with options for different product offerings from many brands, and they are all conveniently placed together in store aisles, all making it more difficult to make a decision. This is where previous experience, external stimuli such as advertising, reviews from other customers, and product differentiation come into play. The next stage is to actually make a purchase. The customer will either choose your brand and make a purchase, choose a different brand, or they won't make a purchase at all until they know more about the product, further delaying the purchase. Today, consumers have become more in control of the marketing mix, especially for market-oriented firms that place emphasis on the needs and wants of their consumers. Consumers have started asking for more, making smarter purchases, and according to unicyclecreative.com, consumers have also become "active co-creators of content, products, and experiences". From my perspective, the internet is one of the main reasons for this shift in power, since consumers have the means by which to access all the information they want, they can say what they want about a product/brand, and they can find out about their options not just locally, but worldwide as well. Having become more informed, consumers know what they want, and they are not afraid to ask for it.

Below is a chart posted by unicyclecreative.com, about differences in the "old" consumer and the "new" consumer: