Task

Transforming into a consumer-first brand sounds like a straightforward exercise or perhaps a slight adjustment in perspective. In reality, it requires a change in process and the adoption of new tools, resulting in a new product design and marketing culture.

A global retail pharmacy chain wanted to capture a share of FMCG profits by expanding into the skin care space with its private-label brands.

Pilot

We designed a consumer-centric approach to product development and marketing.

For a year, we listened to an ethnographic online community of millennial women discussing topics about everyday life while becoming friends. We deployed the right analytical tools and invested in building a modern consumer insight capability that fed into their well-suited product development and marketing teams.

Healthy-looking skin was seen as a reflection of harmony in all other aspects of life. This insight would never have emerged from product and retail data. We created a product line to support this quest for balance and engaged these community members in the marketing.

Transformation

This human-first experience applied across all marketing platforms (including physical stores) delivered 2X sales, and high engagement and media effectiveness scores in test markets. This model continues to be rolled out across Europe and the United States. To date, our client has expanded successfully in over ten brands in the beauty category, two of which are leaders.