Lucy Cosmetics

YTY PLC is a pioneering force in Ethiopia's business landscape. As YTY continues to expand, the Lucy Cosmetics branch, stands to show commitment to delivering superior products and services. For my internship role, I was tasked to conduct strategic marketing analysis, focusing on solutions to revenue losses experienced during the Coronavirus pandemic. My primary initiative was to develop a plan for launching and marketing hand sanitizer, tapping into new market opportunities and addressing the increased demand for hygiene products.

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PROJECT GOALS

Project goals

Company goals

Objective: Explore the potential of hand sanitizer production as a means to recover lost revenue during the Coronavirus pandemic.
Scope: Assess the feasibility and impact of introducing hand sanitizer in the cosmetics branch.

Market Responsiveness: Quickly adapt to evolving market demands and consumer needs, ensuring business agility and resilience.
Social Commitment: Strengthen the company's dedication to societal welfare and safety, particularly in response to global health challenges.

Defining Key Words

To thoroughly comprehend the context and intricacies of YTY's hand sanitizer initiative, specific key terms related to the four Ps of marketing are defined:

Product

Price

Place

Promotion

A health and safety essential, particularly crucial during the Coronavirus pandemic. This term encompasses the characteristics, quality, and usability of the hand sanitizer.

The cost at which the hand sanitizer will be sold to consumers. It includes considerations of production expenses, market trends, and profitability margins while looking at tiered pricing strategies.

Focus on ensuring wide accessibility and convenience, potentially leveraging existing distribution networks, and considering innovative channels to reach consumers effectively during the pandemic.

Developing campaigns to inform the public about the availability and importance of hand sanitizer, emphasizing the company's commitment to public health and safety, and engaging in CSR initiatives.

User Interviews

Our team carried out user interviews, encompassing individuals from each identified segment, to gain deeper insights into their preferences and usage patterns regarding hand sanitizers. Explore the questions to discover more!

Competitive Analysis

I noted the platforms college students currently use to connect with their classmates to help me determine which features work, and which features prevent students from using them more.

Pain Points

From market research and customer feedback, we can categorize the common pain points experienced by users of hand sanitizers into four main categories:

Efficacy

Accessibility

Usability

Engagement

Users find it difficult to discern which hand sanitizers are effective against a broad range of pathogens, including viruses, due to unclear labeling and marketing.

There is a lack of availability of hand sanitizers in convenient locations, both in public spaces and in stores where they are frequently out of stock.

Regular use of hand sanitizers can be harsh on skin, causing dryness and irritation, which deters consistent use.

There is a decline in perceived necessity for hand sanitizer as immediate health crises appear to diminish, affecting regular purchase and use habits.

How Might We?

Now that I had a better idea of user pain points, we drafted some ideas on solutions for the 4 categories of pain points.

Efficacy

Accessibility

Usability

Engagement

Implement clear, informative labeling that specifies the percentage of active ingredients and the types of pathogens the product is effective against.

Display certifications from health authorities on packaging and in marketing materials.

Private space Partner with retail chains and public institutions to provide hand sanitizer dispensers at entry and exit points.

Develop a subscription service for regular home delivery of hand sanitizers to ensure consistent supply for users.

Offer a variety of formulations, including gels, sprays, and lotions, to cater to different user preferences and skin types.

Introduce a range of scented hand sanitizers using natural, hypoallergenic fragrances

Enhance existing products

Launch educational campaigns that highlight the ongoing importance of hand hygiene beyond the pandemic

Product Ideation

In this phase, the focus was on determining whether to refine current offerings or to innovate a completely new hand sanitizer product tailored to consumers' evolving needs.

Enhance existing products

Marketing Strategy: Leverage the established trust and familiarity with the current hand sanitizer line while revamping it to align with emerging consumer preferences.

Tactical Approach: Conduct a marketing campaign to highlight improved formulas and new features like enhanced moisturizing effects or refined scents, tying these changes to direct customer feedback and current health trends.

Design a new product

Product Launch Strategy: Use targeted marketing campaigns to promote the new product line, emphasizing its unique selling propositions and how it directly addresses the specific pain points identified in market research.

Sustainability and Lifecycle Management: Ensure the product has enduring relevance by incorporating features that adapt to a post-pandemic world, such as integrating with a wellness-focused lifestyle.

Drafting Solutions

PAIN POINT

Difficulty in identifying the best hand sanitizer options beyond mainstream choices.

YTY has a portfolio of products that could be featured more prominently on their website. While there are various hand sanitizers available, it may be beneficial to have a dedicated "Health and Safety" section that would be discovered on the landing page to encourage customers to explore a curated community of health-centric products.

Upon navigating to this new section, customers would be led to a page showcasing hand sanitizers with detailed filters like efficacy, ingredients, and user reviews. This page will now include a "Community Favorites" section, where users can discover popular choices and user-recommended products.

To boost discoverability, promotional campaigns could highlight customer testimonials and top-rated products on the main page, similar to how e-commerce platforms recommend items based on popularity and user behavior.

PAIN POINT

Limited personal connection between the brand and consumers, which can impact repeat purchases.

YTY could utilize its current customer engagement channels but tailor them to be more personal and community-oriented.

Introduce a feature where customers can "Favorite" products they frequently use to make repurchasing easier. For the product pages, consider having a "Customers Also Bought" feature to showcase items often purchased together with hand sanitizers.

On the community engagement front, create a "Health and Wellness" blog or forum where users can discuss their experiences, share tips, and feel part of a community focused on health and safety.

PAIN POINT

Consumers find it challenging to establish trust with a hand sanitizer brand they haven't used before.

Leverage the "Interests" concept by aligning product features with customer values, such as sustainability, health benefits, or local production. Include a section for "Why Choose Our Brand" that details the company’s commitment to these values.

Introduce a "New Arrivals" tab on the group page for the latest products, making it easier for users to explore and trust new offerings.

PAIN POINT

Decreased engagement from consumers over time as the urgency of the pandemic fades.

To maintain long-term customer relationships, adapt marketing messages to be more lifestyle-oriented rather than purely health-crisis-related. Implement prompts for feedback after purchases to gather insights and keep the conversation going.

Lucy Cosmetics

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