Increasingly specialised hair care – bigger challenge for marketing

Buying a shampoo is no longer a simple task. The increasing number of products in this category pose a major challenge for marketing professionals. More shine is an advantage emphasised in several other categories as well, but is of special importance in hair care. Product development in 2007 is about making hair as shiny as possible. Nivea of Beiersdorf introduced Care Brilliant Brown in the spring, with a comprehensive media campaign and samples distributed in fashion stores of the Dressing chain. Nutrigloss products of Elséve are also intended to give us that well deserved shine. L’Oréal Kft., used a special POS tool, models on anti-theft gates during its introduction. As a result of the very diverse assortment of hair care products, retail partners are faced with a difficult task in ensuring their optimal placement on shelves. Manufacturers prefer to see their brands in a single cluster, regardless of what customers are looking for, which means customers need to go through all the products to find the answer to their specific problem. Displays are practical tools for the presentation of all the brands made by a manufacturer. Garnier Fructis products have been using the natural green colour for years. Their 360 degree display creates the impression of products floating in mid-air. POS tools can also serve to help in renewing the image and positioning of a brand. EVM ZRt. has also taken advantage of this opportunity to promote their WU2 Next brand.
2+1 campaigns, combined packaging of shampoos and balsams, and added value promotions are all very popular in this category, especially in hyper markets. Private labels play a substantial role in the hair care category, with some products even in the premium segment. Dm has a hair care product line under the name Drogerie Markt Réell’, which is supported by not only category management methods, but also a regular customer program.