Ruling beauty part 1: Is demographics losing its grip?

We asked Sharon Kwek, Senior Innovation and Insights Analyst, beauty and personal care at Mintel whether any demographics play a part in designing and launching new products today.

“It is about how brands reposition themselves or redefine beauty when reaching out to consumers,”​ observed Sharon Kwek, Senior Innovation and Insights Analyst, beauty and personal care at Mintel.

Has the importance of demographics in marketing changed?​

How do you approach the older generation? Is it a number, feeling, or an idea? These are both questions that brands will increasingly need to answer.

“To stand out in today’s saturated beauty space, this is something brands need to think about in greater detail moving forward,”​ stated Kwek.

“Many brands focus on the Millennial and iGeneration populations, mainly because these are the groups that want to be free from stereotypical labels.”​

Staying an individual​

“Again, this brings our attention towards the way in which brands reposition or redefine beauty when catering to these consumers while ensuring that they are not bounded by any beauty standards and that there are still opportunities for them to explore their own individualism,”​ emphasised Kwek.

Sharing her views on how personalisation appeals directly to consumers, Kwek highlighted that ​“the selling point of personalisation doesn’t solely lie in product customisation, such as the mixing and matching of colours or ingredients”.​

“The understanding of consumer demands can also be derived from their lifestyles and behaviours on social media, for instance how they interact, things that they post and re-post.”​

These are factors that brands can take into consideration when deciding on the next beauty codes. The key is to “go beyond just improving what’s on the facade and instead, embracing who their consumers truly are”.​

Redefining the marketing approach​

In today’s fast-paced landscape, marketers will have to make specific changes when targeting customer segments.

“Marketing tones and messages are often scrutinised by consumers,”​ stated Kwek. “In fact, they will only increase in importance especially as consumer behaviours and values change along the way.”​

Companies will need to “recognise the diversity of consumers in the global market and steer clear from the tone and messaging that can trigger any form of sensitivities”.​

Embracing this diversity, brands can “celebrate individualism through product assortments and their own communication channels”.​

The second part of this article will be published on Monday 8th January 2017.