mm 101 project report - group 6

MM-101

Group 6

Comparative Study of Cosmetic Brands

Table of Contents

1. Cosmetic Products Sector………………………………………………………………………………………………………3

1.1. Market Overview

1.2. Consumer Behavior

2. Brands Overview……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………6

2.1. Revlon

2.2. Maybelline

2.3. Artistry

3. Survey Results …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….10

3.1. About the Survey

3.2. Demographic Profile of Participants

3.3. Results

3.3.1. Salesperson

3.3.2. Consumers

3.4. Overall Brand Rankings

4. Brand Analysis …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….22

4.1. Revlon

4.2. Maybelline

4.3. Artistry

5. Conclusion……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………27

6. References…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..28

7. Appendix A………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….29

.

Chapter 1

Cosmetic Products Sector

According to the Drugs and Cosmetics Act 1940 and Rules 1945, a Cosmetic

is defined as “Articles which meant to be rubbed, poured, sprinkled, or sprayed on

or introduced into or otherwise applied to human body for the purpose of

cleansing, beautifying, promoting attractiveness or altering the appearance”.

Though the definition includes products of a wide range of use, for the purpose of

the project we are only interested in products that are used mainly by female

consumers to beautify and promote attractiveness. In the recent times, this class of

products has seen a wide boom in terms of market size. The industry has seen

entry of many foreign brands and introduction of products especially catered to the

Indian market. The drive to launch new products has been led by the stupendous

increase in the purchasing power of the female Indians. Hence it is very important

to understand the consumer behaviour for cosmetic products and the attributes

that the consumers look for while making a purchase. In this section we describe

the cosmetic product market in India and purchasing decisions.

1. Market Overview

According to a recent report “Indian Cosmetic Sector Analysis 2009-2012”, India

has emerged as one of the industries having large potential for future growth. Even

today, Indian cosmetic industry is one of the rapidly growing industries. Changing

lifestyle, increased purchasing power, and large availability of information has

made people more beauty conscious. The cosmetic sales in India are expected to

increase at an annual rate of 18% during 2011-2014 in terms of CAGR with the

present market size being of $2.2 billion. The main market has been western India

with Northwest India and Eastern India accounting for the largest growths. The

primary reason for the optimistic outlook of the industry is that, there has been a

rise in the range and variety of products offered by industry participants.

Companies have started to use online retailing as a toll to reach out to more

consumers.

The per capita spending in India is as low as Rs.30 as compared to Rs.1500 in

other Asian emerging economies. Because of the large disparity in between the

rural and urban markets the market is divided into two segments. One is the

premium segment consisting of less price sensitive and more brand conscious

consumers. These are usually urban and higher middle class income groups. This

segment is dominated by the multinationals and concentrated in a few large

players. Our study is based on this segment, with the three brands chosen falling

under this purview. The other segment is the low segment, where consumers are

price sensitive with products being sold at 20-30% less price. This is largely

unorganized and attracts mass appeal.

The products in the sector are classified as skin care products, hair care

products, makeup products, perfumes and others. The makeup market is valued at

Rs.639 crores and is growing steadily for the last few years. The hair care products

market is valued at Rs.2000 crores and forms the largest product division in terms

of dollar sales. The skin care division is growing at a rate of 7-8% per year. The

increased usage of products form all the segments has led to an increase in

indigenous production, distribution and sales from the market leaders.

2. Consumer Behaviour

Indian cosmetic market is accredited to female consumers with majority of

customers below the age of 30. With younger Indians earning better income, the

potential of this segment is very opportunistic. Companies have designed products

to identify the exact needs of their customers and used extensive branding and

promotion to tap this potential.

The need for cosmetic products is generally seen as the self esteem need, where

Indian women see beauty beyond face. The want to buy products which fit to their

bodies, make them confident in attitude and project an impressive personality. This

is clearly reflected in the taglines of L‟Oreal and Revlon. Word-of-Mouth or

influence of peers, friends and beauticians has been the major driving force for the

Indian consumers. Advertising and promotions are effective but the in-store

displays have had minimal impact in providing information to the consumer.

Though beauty consultants have their influence over the purchase, there is a

greater preference for tried and tested products. The major factors that affect the

final purchase are quality followed by price and variety. The most recalled brands

are Lakme, Revlon and Maybelline. The advertisement recall has been found to be

high for a TV ad as compared to print ads. Hence companies have used celebrities

since a long time to make their brand more noticeable. The best time run

promotions is on the weekends which have the highest footfalls in an outlet.

Women make up more than 75% of the traffic in the stores. The purchase

frequency for married and single females is found to be once in 3 months, with

students buying the products on an average once every month and working females

buying more than once in 3 months. Most consumers while buying cosmetics are

brand loyal and seek value for money. However, recently there has been a strong

preference for herbal products.

Consumers primarily use the following factors while making a purchase and

preferring one brand over the other:

Quality Price

Variety Ease of Availability

Information/Advertising Promotional Offers

Packaging Texture

Effect on Skin Naturalness

Chapter 2

Brands Overview

The study conducted aims to do a comparative analysis of three brands –

Revlon, Maybelline and Artistry. All the three brands have established a market for

themselves and are tight competitors in cosmetic products sector. They are

international brands with a wide range of products specifically designed for Indian

consumers. In recent years, companies have focussed on naturalness and reduced

negative effect on skin. Overtime the brands have built a strong distribution

network to serve upfront customers to a larger extent and also increase their sales

in the non-urban areas. Each of the three brands is quite different from others in

terms of the pricing, distribution channels and variety offered. In this section we

present a brief description of each of the above brands consisting of the history of

the brand, the segments targeted the promotion activities and the overall marketing

mix of the brand.

1. Revlon

Revlon was established in the United States in 1932. It was the first

international cosmetic brand to enter India in 1995. It was introduced as an

partnership between Modi Group and Revlon of USA and today does a business of

over Rs.400 crore. Revlon has redefined beauty care in India with all products

adapted to suit local conditions and preferences. Revlon has been a pioneer in

innovation performing extensive research at its Research Centre in Edison, New

Jersey. The company thinks global but act local. Toughest Quality control

standards are followed and the quality of products is maintained the same

everywhere in the worlds International super models and celebrities endorse the

brand. The product portfolio currently consists of Lipsticks, Nail Enamels, Face

make-up, Flex Shampoos, Flex Conditioners, Body Sprays, etc.

Revlon has tried to valorise the brand to occupy a premium position in the

market. It has taken big price leaps of the existing rang. For example Rs.250 to

Rs.400. It has continuously launched more and more high value, latest

international products like collar stay, mineral foundation ad limited editions. Over

the last few years Revlon has focussed on strengthening modern retail operations

with an aim to achieve a new international imagery in modern retail. Revlon has

three major channels of distribution – Prestige (department stores, speciality

stores), Broad (drug stores, food stores), alternative (direct sales, mail, TV). Their

products are manufactured locally by Nielsen and some are imported. All the

Revlon counters at stores are atleast 6ft with a front counter format and wall unit.

The beauty advisors are trained by Revlon in latest products and offerings.

Revlon caters to 4 different segments:

Mass Market Category : Price range of Rs.45 to Rs.200

Middle market price : Rs.200 to Rs.800

High end market : Rs.800 to Rs.5000

Premium range : upto Rs.35000

Revlon‟s communication strategy is not media driven and uses minimum media

spends and no taglines. Celebrities like Jessica Alba, Jennifer Connelly and other

noted stars endorse the brand. In India no major celebrity is associated with the

brand and the company continues to market the products through international

personalities.

2. Maybelline

Maybelline is officially known as Maybelline New York. It was started in 1915 as

a family owned business before it was acquired by L‟Oreal in 1995. Maybelline

caters to the consumer products segment of L‟Oreal consisting of high technology

products and mass market retailing channels. In 2000 Maybelline became the

number one cosmetic brand in USA and in 2002 it became the number one

cosmetic brand in the world with presence in 90 countries. The brand is known for

its innovation and has set some milestones with the launch of Great Lash Mascara,

XXL Mascara and other technologically advanced products.

Maybelline‟s market is primarily divided into three segments:

Youngster : 16-25 years

Office Lady : 26-25 years

Career Women: 35 years Above

Maybelline‟s target segment is the 16-25 year old category. Its positioned as a mass

market product offered widely at an inexpensive price. Maybelline product range

consists of Eye and Lips Makeup, Face and Nail Makeup. Maybelline has one of the

lowest production costs in the sector and is able to offer goods at a lower price than

its competitors. Maybelline has focussed heavily on online advertising and co-

marketing and has used Olympic gold medallists as brand endorsers. In India the

brand is endorsed by Deepika Padukone It has an appealing tagline „Maybe she‟s

born with it. Maybe it‟s Maybelline‟ to connect with young customers.

Figure 1 : Deepika Padukone endorsing Maybelline

3. Artistry

Artistry was founded in 1968 by Edith Rehnborg. It was later acquired by

Amway, a multi-level marketing company. It is among the top 5 bestselling

prestige brands in the world and is targeted at upper class and middle class

consumers. It is the only direct sell brand in the prestige category. However the

cosmetic range for middle class is marketed under Attitude label. The company is

known for its innovation and has a team of 500 scientists developing

technologically advanced products using highest quality and has over 200 patents

in the cosmetic category.

Figure 2 : Artistry product range in India for Prestige category

Surprisingly, Indian market has no potential competition for Amway‟s cosmetic

range because of completely different channels of distribution. Since the company

relies mostly on direct sales for business, it has neglected advertisement until

recently, when they started to advertise in TV and print media, two years ago. The

brand is endorsed by famous Hollywood personalities like Sandra Bullock and Kim

Tyo. Amway is trying to spread awareness about its product and concentrating on

penetrating new segments and market by increasing its Amway Business Owner

strength. It is doing this through maintaining optimum quality and educating

customers. The product range consists of over 250 products under various

categories of body, eyes, face, lips and nails accessories. The brand targets only

upper middle class and higher class while completely neglecting the lower classes

of customers. One significant drawback of Artistry is that though the company is

present in India since more than 11 years, it is yet to make an impact.

Chapter 3

Survey Results

In today‟s competitive business world, success belongs to those who have

better insights from their key customers – internal and external. Customers have a

lot of needs that are let unrecognized. Discovering the needs and offering the right

product having high customer value is necessary to build a brand and capture a

large market share. The purchase decisions affecting the consumers, the post

purchase evaluation criteria are difficult to be found out without directly reaching

out to the consumers themselves. Doing surveys and taking feedback from the

customers is the best way to know what opinion the consumers have about the

brands and their performances. In similar line, the project requires us to choose

three different malls in the city of Kolkata and take valuable information about the

three brands, namely Revlon, Maybelline and Artistry. In this section we give an

outlook of the survey conducted cosmetic products brands and in the later

sections, the results or findings observed have been presented.

1. About the Survey

A survey was conducted to know the bestselling brands among Revlon,

Maybelline and Artistry and also obtain customer feedback on these three brands.

As part of the project three major malls in Kolkata have been surveyed:

City Center Mall 1, Salt lake

City Center Mall 2, Airport Road

South City Mal, Rajarghat

The main reason for choosing these three locations is that they are located in the

upmarket localities and attract a large number of women in the age group of 15-35.

Since a maximum number of users of cosmetic products fall in this category, a

better survey and feedback could be obtained from the end users of the products.

The survey was divided into two parts:

1.1. Customer Feedback

The consumers of the three brands were asked simple questions and take a

feedback about the strengths, weaknesses, and scope for improvement for the

respective brands. Consumer feedback from around 45 ladies were taken, who

filled in a questionnaire which had questions on the demography details of the

customer and the rating of the various brands against previously chosen attributes

on a scale of 0-5. Most of the consumers the questionnaire very interesting and

hence gave a very informative feedback. After taking considerable number of

responses, a comparison of where a particular brand stands with respect to others

was made and the results were obtained. The complete questionnaire is attached as

an appendix.

1.2. Salespersons Feedback

To know about the rough weekly sales of products of the three brands and the

preferences for the products, a small feedback was taken from the store attendants.

They talked about which product of a particular brand sells most among others,

which ones are the most preferred ones and likewise. They also told us about which

attributes customers look for while making a purchase of these brands, which

attributes they would like to add in a particular product. Some information on

timely delivery of the stock at the stores and the views of the customers about the

availability of the products was also taken.

2. Demographic Profile of Participants

The participants were categorized on the basis of their age, income levels,

purchase frequency and monthly spending on cosmetic products. A few of the

differentiating points about the demographic profile of the participants is described

here.

2.1. Age Group

The primary users of the cosmetic products are women in the age group of 15-

35 years of age. They were divided into three different categories based on the age.

Figure 3 : Age Group Demographics

A large majority of the participants are in the age group of 15-30 years. This is also

the target group for all the cosmetic brands. This group consists of college going

women, working and to some extent recently married women. The members of this

category tend to be very beauty conscious and are the main consumers of the

cosmetic products.

2.2. Income Levels

The purchasing power of the consumers is an important factor while

deciding on the price of the product. Revlon and Artistry are brands that cater to

9%

81%

10%

15-22 yrs

22-30 yrs

Above 30 yrs

high income customers while Maybelline is more of a mass market attracting low

income customers too. Three groups of income were considered.

Figure 4 : Income Group Demographics

Majority of the participants were either students or working women. The income

levels of a large part of them were below Rs.50000, with 29% of them having

income between Rs.50000 and Rs.100000.

2.3. Purchase Frequency

The number of times the participant buys cosmetic products in a month was

studied. Here we try to relate the age groups and income levels with the purchase

frequency per month.

Figure 5 : Purchase Frequency per month across various age groups

9%

62%

29%

AboveRs.1,00,000

Less thanRs.50,000

Rs.50,000 -Rs.1,00,000

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

15-22 yrs 22-30 yrs Above 30 yrs

More than 4 times

2-4 times

Less than 2 times

As seen in the above chart a large percentage of consumers buy cosmetic products

less than 2 times a month. Some women in the age group of 22-30 buy more than

4 times a month. This shows that women who are mostly working and students

tend to buy cosmetic products more frequently. Women above 30 years tend to use

already existing ones.

Figure 6 : Purchase Frequency per month against income groups

As seen in the above chart, middle income group participants buy cosmetic

products less than 2 times a month mostly with 65% of women with income of

Rs.50000-Rs.100000 buy only 2 times a month. However in the above Rs.100000

group more than 50% buy cosmetic products more than 4 times a month. This

segment has the highest purchase frequency.

2.4. Spending on Cosmetic Products

The amount of money the participants spend each month on cosmetic

products is studied with respect to the income levels. It has been found that the

higher the income levels greater the spending on cosmetic goods. The percentage of

women spending more than Rs.1500 on the cosmetic products has been increasing

from 9% to 32% to 50% across the income groups.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

More than 4 times

2-4 times

Less than 2 times

Figure 7 : Spending on Cosmetic Products across income groups

As seen from the demographic profile of the participants, we can safely conclude

that the majority of women buying cosmetic products fall in the age group of 15-30

years with the highest being from 20-30 years. Also as the income levels increase

the purchase frequency and the spending on the cosmetic products is found to be

increasing. Purchase is mostly utilitarian with customers buying products because

of quality and enhancement of beauty.

3. Results

The participants were asked to rate the three brands on the basis of various

attributes and factors that affect the purchasing decision of the consumer and also

the evaluation criteria. The results of the questionnaire and some information

gathered from the store attendants have presented here.

3.1. Salesperson

Three malls were visited as part of the survey. The sales personnel were

interviewed to understand the major factors affecting the purchasing decisions of

the consumers and the bestselling brand among the three. The following table

shows the availability of the three brands in the malls. Revlon and Maybelline were

available in all the three malls and had separate counters and trained personnel.

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Above Rs.1500

Rs.500-1500

Less than Rs.500

But Artistry was not sold anywhere. So the data obtained is for only Revlon and

Maybelline.

Mall/Brand Revlon Maybelline Artistry

City Center 1 Best Selling NA

City Center 2 Best Selling NA

South City Best Selling NA

Artistry is a multi-level marketing direct sales product. Hence is not sold in any of

the malls or outlets. The salespersons were trained by the company in applying the

makeup and providing the customer with information if needed. The price, benefits

of the product were well known to all of them. Lipsticks were the most widely sold

products with other color cosmetics coming next in sales. The customers were

given sample pieces to try out the products before the purchase. The pictures below

show the counter and customer assistance.

3.2. Consumers

The consumers rated each of the brands against an attribute on a scale of 1

to 5. The attributes are some of the important factors that affect purchase decision

and the evaluation of the product. The feedback so obtained is presented here. For

each attribute the highest scoring brand is ranked the most preferred. A

comparative analysis is done to see how each brand scores against the other

relatively.

3.2.1. Price

The price plays an important factor while purchasing as some of the brands

like Artistry and Revlon are targeted at the higher upper class and high income

customers. In the survey the participants rated brand on a scale of 1-5 on the

price factor with 1 being very highly priced and 5 being very easily affordable

price. The results are as shown below.

Maybelline is the most valued by the customers in terms of price. They seem

to better afford the brand compared to others. Revlon though is slightly costlier

than Maybelline, is perceived as a high end brand which can be replaced with

cheaper brand like Maybelline. Artistry being a prestige segment brand tends to

deliver the value at a very high cost compared to others and seen unaffordable by

many.

Brand Revlon Maybelline Artistry

Score 2.2 3.05 1.71

Rank 2 1 3

3.2.2. Quality

Quality is seen as an important factor while purchase. Especially in higher

end brand like Revlon and Artistry. Quality here refers to the overall value

delivered in terms of benefits. In the survey the participants rated brand on a

scale of 1-5 on the quality factor with 1 being very low quality than expected and 5

being the best value and quality you could get. The results are as shown below.

Maybelline is seen as the most premier quality brand. The low price and the

quality seem to give the best benefits and value to the customer. Revlon though is

a very high quality brand the price could have played a negative role in reducing

the total value the customer sees at the high price. Artistry scores least in terms of

the quality compared to other two.


Score 4.15 4.47 3.8

Rank 2 1 3

3.2.3. Variety

The range of products available under a brand increases the choice of the

customer and can sometimes lead to a greater purchase frequency. The three

brands offer a wide range of products, but the variety in terms of colors, price

range and some factors which differ. The participants rated the brands on 1-5

with 1 being very low variety and needs more products and 5 being the very high

variety. The results are shown below.

Revlon is seen as the brand with the widest range of products and variety in

terms of colors and price ranges. Even though Maybelline is behind Revlon

marginally, we can say that both are almost on equal terms. However Artistry‟s

product portfolio doesn‟t seem to attract the consumers as much as Revlon and

Maybelline.


Score 3.78 3.75 2.83

Rank 1 2 3

3.2.4. Ease of Availability

The ease of availability or reach of a brand is very important for increasing

the sales. In a way it could also increase the brand recall. It shows the strength of

the supply chain and ability to meet the needs of a wide range of customers. The

participants rated the brand on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being not easily available and

5 being very easily available. The results are presented below.

Revlon is more widely available than any other brand. All major cosmetic

stores have products have Revlon. The company has built a strong distribution

system over time to meet more customers. Maybelline is not available at all the

cosmetic stores. The consumers feel that only 75% of store sells Maybelline

products. Artistry scores very poorly here because of direct sales system ans is not

available in any outlet in Kolkata.


Score 4.65 3.75 2.12

Rank 1 2 3

3.2.5. Advertising

Promotion helps increase brand awareness and attracts customers to stores

to make a purchase, especially in launch of new products. Celebrity endorsements

play a crucial role in capturing a market and trying to convey the benefits to the

consumer. The participants rated the advertising of each brand on a scale of 1-5

with 1 being least influenced (disliking) by advertising and 5 being the most

influenced (liking) by advertising. The results are shown below.

Revlon advertising and promotion is better accepted than Maybelline or

Artistry. Revlon has been known for its creative ads and promotion. Artistry is one

of the least known brands due to very low advertising campaigning. It tries to

reach consumer directly rather than advertisements.


Score 3.73 3.58 1.87

Rank 1 2 3

3.2.6. Promotional Offers

Offers and seasonal discounts can increase sales or help clear unsold stock.

It can also force a consumer to make a purchase of the brand‟s product to avail the

offer. In the survey participants rated brands on a scale of 1-5 with 1 being

absolutely no offers and 5 being best attractive offers. The results are given below.

All three brands scored less in promotional offers. Consumers are more

willing to see better promotional offers from the brands or discounts so that new

products can be tried. Though Maybelline and Revlon are at par with each other

the low scores indicate that promotional offers can attract more customers.


Score 2.65 2.25 1.83

Rank 1 2 3

3.2.7. Packaging of Products

Customers are often attracted and make a purchase decision based on the

packaging and attractiveness. The product‟s packaging can justify the price of the

product and the brand value. The participants rated the brands on a scale of 1-5

with 1 being not attractive packaging and 5 being very attractive.

All the three brands are equally attractive for the consumers. The three

brands being international use the right mix of colors and material to package the

products. Customers could also be slightly indifferent to packaging as the value

and benefit is seen more important.


Score 3.58 3.67 3.5

Rank 2 1 3

3.2.8. Texture of Products

The color and odor of the products play a very important role in purchasing

as the products are primarily used for body and consumers prefer pleasant

smelling products. The smoothness and ease of applying on skin are some factors

which decide the texture of the products. Participants rated the product on a scale

of 1-5 with 1 being unattractive texture and 5 being pleasant texture.

Maybelline is seen as the most pleasant to use brand. The makeup products‟

texture decides the effect of using the product to increase attractiveness.

Maybelline‟s color and smell are more preferred than Revlon and Artistry. Artistry

score well in this area because of prestige products. Revlon though priced high is

seen low on texture and smell.


Score 3.63 4.05 3.2

Rank 2 1 3

3.2.9. Effect on Skin

Many of the cosmetic products cause skin damage after a long use. Hence

customers tend to prefer brands that are known for the least skin damage. This

only comes from experiencing the products of the brand. Participants rated on a

scale of 1-5 with 1 being maximum skin damage and 5 being the least damage.

Consumers seem to indifferent between Revlon and Maybelline for skin

damage caused. Though they agree that the brands cause damage to their skin,

they are still willing got use the brands at the cost of damage. Though preference

for brand can be personal on the basis of skin damage, in general consumers do

not think skin damage can be a factor.


Score 3.84 3.84 3.2

Rank 1 1 3

4. Overall Brand Rankings

The consumers were asked to rank the three brands on the basis of their

preference, with 1 being most preferred and so on. This ranking mechanism would

show a picture of how each brand stands in the minds of the consumers and how

many prefer the brand. The results are shown below. The rows show what

percentage of consumers rank the brand against the column rank.

Brand Rank 1 Rank 2 Rank 3

Revlon 33.33% 66.67% 0%

Maybelline 66.67% 28.57% 4.76%

Artistry 0% 4.76% 95.24%

From the data presented above we can clearly observe the rankings of the

brands. The following note summarizes the brand preference among the

consumers.

Rank 1 (Most Preferred) Maybelline

Rank 2 Revlon

Rank 3 (Least Preferred) Artistry

Chapter 4

Brand Analysis

Revlon, Maybelline and Artistry were the three brands analysed in the

project. The survey conducted helped obtain useful insights into the factors

affecting consumer purchase and how each product stands is rated against the

attribute. The survey also helped gauge the strengths and weaknesses of the

brands. In this section we discuss each brand‟s positives and negatives and

suggest some areas of improvements. The ratings of each brand are given and the

weak areas are identified. Similarly the stronger areas are highlighted, which show

the competitive edge of the brand.

1. Revlon

Figure 8 : Rating of Revlon for each attribute

Comments from Consumers:

“Lower the cost, increase varieties for work”

Strengths:

Very Wide Availability: Wide distribution channels help the brand more

accessible for the customers.

Quality: Revlon is a well noted brand and customers perceive the quality also to

be high. This can be used for strong promotion of the products.

Variety: Revlon offers a range of products that cater to all sections of the women

segment. Customers find Revlon products that meet their needs.

Weakness:

Price: Compared to other brands the price of Revlon is perceived to be very high.

There are many substitutes in the Indian market that offer the value at a lower

price. Competitors are always a threat due to lower price offerings.

2.2

3.789473684

4.157894737

4.65

3.736842105

2.65

3.578947368

3.631578947

2.764705882

3.842105263

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Price

Variety

Quality

Availability

Advertising

Offers

Packaging

Texture

Naturalness

Skin Effect

Offers: Revlon can increase its volume sales by offering seasonal discounts and

making the brand more affordable to a larger pool of customers. The purchase

frequency of the customers can be increased by giving coupons.

2. Maybelline

Figure 9 : Ratings of Maybelline for attributes

Comments from Consumers:

“Increase product line depth”

“Product Quality is High”

Strengths:

Price: Maybelline has very low production costs and hence is able to offer

products at a very low price. This is due to state-of-art research and innovation.

Quality: Products are of very high quality even though offered at a very low price

compared to other brands.

Texture: Consumers feel Maybelline products have a smoother texture and

pleasant smell compared to other brands. This is important for skin care

products.

3.05

3.75

4.473684211

3.75

3.578947368

2.25

3.666666667

4.052631579

3.117647059

3.842105263

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4 4.5 5

Price

Variety

Quality

Availability

Advertising

Offers

Packaging

Texture

Naturalness

Skin Effect

Weakness:

Offers: Maybelline can increase its sales volumes and realize higher profits with

low margin by offering discounts and offers. Consumers would be expecting to

buy if given such offers.

Naturalness: Maybelline competitors have associated themselves with social

groups like PETA to convey the naturalness of the products. This is yet to be

adopted by Maybelline.

3. Artistry

Figure 10: Ratings for Artistry

Comments:

“Needs to increase visibility and availability”

“Don‟t know about it, personally never used”

Strengths:

Skin Affect: Users of Artistry‟s products are generally free from skin allergies or

effect on skin is minimum. This can be marketed to capture skin sensitive

consumers.

1.714285714

2.833333333

3.8

2.125

1.875

1.833333333

3.5

3.2

3.2

3.2

0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4

Price

Variety

Quality

Availability

Advertising

Offers

Packaging

Texture

Naturalness

Skin Effect

Quality: Artistry comes from the house of Amway. The name ensures a trust

and quality to the products offered.

Weakness:

Advertising: Even though the distribution of these products is direct, a lot of

promotional activities need to be undertaken to increase the awareness.

Price: The products are sene as unaffordable due to the very high prices.

Variety: Product range is very narrow and doesn‟t cater to all the needs of the

consumers.

Chapter 5

Conclusion

The project has provided a better insight into the three cosmetic brands-

Revlon, Maybelline and Artistry. The strengths and weaknesses of each brand are

analysed. The survey has helped get a consumer perspective of the brands and also

the possible areas of improvement. Though Maybelline was observed to be the most

preferred brand, Revlon and Artistry were also equally preferred across different

income groups. The cosmetic product market in India is more promising than ever

with growing purchasing power of Indians and adaption of many western methods

of lifestyle. College students and young working professionals would continue to

look towards newer products from these brands. Hence a deeper market research,

innovation and promotion can help the brands provide greater value to customers.

References

[1] Marketing Management, A South Asian Perspective; Philip Kotler, Kevin Lane

Keller, Abraham Koshy, Mithileshwar Jha

[2] A Study on Purchase Pattern of Cosmetics among Consumers in Kerala;

International Marketing Conference on Marketing & Society, 8-10 April, 2007,

IIMK; Dr. Vinith Kumar Nair, Dr. Prakash Pillai R

[3] Indian Cosmetic Sector Analysis (2009-2012); RNCOS Industry Research

Solutions

[4] Cosmetics and Consumers; Dr.(Mrs.) Sanju Nanda, Maharshi Dayanand

University, Rohtak (Haryana)

Appendix A

The survey questionnaire is given here.

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Consumer Feedback

1. Which age group do you belong to?

15 to 22 Years 22 to 30 Years Above 30 Years

2. What is your average annual income?

Less than Rs.50,000 Rs.50,000 to Rs.5,00,000 Above Rs.5,00,000

3. How much do spend on cosmetic products every month?

Less than Rs.500 Rs.500 to Rs.1500 Above Rs.1500

4. How often do you buy cosmetic products?

Less than 2 times a month 2 to 4 times a month More than 4 times a month

5. For the given brands tick the products which you use

Brand

Skin Care Products

(Face Creams,

Skin Lotions etc.)

Hair Care Products

(Shampoos,

conditioner, etc)

Makeup Products

(Lipstick, Eyeliner,

etc)

Perfumes Others

Revlon

Maybelline

Artistry

6. Please rate the following brands against each of the given attribute/feature

Price of products[ 1=Too Costly 5=Very Cheap ]

Revlon 1 2 3 4 5 Maybelline 1 2 3 4 5

Artistry 1 2 3 4 5

Variety of Products [ 1=Low variety 5=Large Variety ] Revlon 1 2 3 4 5

Maybelline 1 2 3 4 5 Artistry 1 2 3 4 5

Quality of Products [ 1=Low Quality 5=Highest Quality]


Artistry 1 2 3 4 5

Ease of availability of products in stores[1=Not easily available 5=Very easily available]


Artistry 1 2 3 4 5

Advertising [ 1=Very Poor 5=Best advertising] Revlon 1 2 3 4 5


Promotional Offers [ 1=No Offers 5=Best Offers] Revlon 1 2 3 4 5


Packaging of Products [ 5=Perfect Packaging/ Very Attractive]


Artistry 1 2 3 4 5

Texture (Smell, Colour, etc.) of products [ 5=Most pleasant texture]


Artistry 1 2 3 4 5

Naturalness of Products (Ingredients) [ 5=100% natural and organic] Revlon 1 2 3 4 5


Effect on Skin/Hair [ 1=Maximum Skin Damage] Revlon 1 2 3 4 5


7. Rank the following brands as 1,2 or 3 on the basis of your preference (Rank 1 = Most preferred of the three brands)

Revlon: _______ Maybelline: _______ Artistry: ________

Signature: ____________________________________

mm 101 project report - group 6

Documents

hair care

skin care

brand score

cosmetic product

buy cosmetic

high income

participants

revlon maybelline