The Development of the Sport Perfume - Report Example

Sports cosmetics Executive Summary The development of the sport perfume targets sports personality as part of the lifestyle approach employed by the company. The product is labeled as a sport product because it targets the youth age and the sports personalities in the country. The success of the company product will depend on the marketing approach employed. Currently, the product has made strides in penetration with massive success being registered in the first time trials that led to the development of the final product. In addition, the company intends to promote the products into other market especially in Europe and other countries. The sport perfume pricing structure ensures that the developed product will be accessed by the youth. The companys target market needs structural approach in pricing that will make the product affordable and accessible. The product success can be attributed to the success witnessed in the pilot trials and market uptake of the product. Table of Contents Executive Summary 2 Table of Contents 3 Sports Perfume by Lush Cosmetics 4 New product introduction 4 Issues facing Consumers in Adopting this New Product 5 Uniqueness of the product 6 Consumer response 7 Recommendations and conclusions 7 Reference 9 Sports Perfume by Lush Cosmetics Lush cosmetics produces a variety of products, but the main focus of the company is cosmetics using handmade process that allows for the unique identity and dignity. Several products have been released in the Australian market with a relative success on the market. New products and service face a serious challenge if the market research conducted did not cover the main areas and issues of product specifications. Majority of product failures is as a result of the poor marketing, poor product quality, or customer’s perceived quality of the brand (Kapferer, 2008, p. 34). For a product, to be successful in the market, both the specification and marketing must attract the customer, thus; facilitate trials of the product and collection of feedback for the improvement of the product. Lush cosmetic produces a variety of perfumes with the latest product being: The Smell of Sports. The perfume features a different approach from the contemporary market perfumes because it combines the fragrance of the wild scenes such as the woods, sunbaked earth and rain. The unique approach of the company makes it easy for the product to penetrate the market. New product introduction The product was launched in to the market after a market research that led to identification of the demand for the new fragrance with strong indication showing that the perfume, if properly marketed, and the availability is improved may lead to positive results. Despite the effective market research conducted, the sales generated in the first half of the year may indicate otherwise meaning the performance of the Perfume may not meet the expectations of the company. The approach to the problem is to evaluate consumer behavior in relation to the product, thus identifying the reasons for the change in preference from the market research, and the changes that can be effected by the company to create consumer confidence. The introduction of the product in to the market is coupled with the use of promotion and advertising in order to increase awareness of its existence (Shaw, 2011). Issues facing Consumers in Adopting this New Product The sports sector has established brands that produce a variety of perfumes used by the sports professionals. The entry of Lush perfume in the crowded sports perfume market will create problems in the adoption of the new product. The major problem facing the customer is brand loyalty. Brand loyalty is present in the sports sector because of the major companies that have been engaged in the process of perfume and apparel production. Some companies producing athletic wear such as clothes foot wear and accessories have already engaged in the production of the sport perfume (Kapferer, 2008, p. 34). Some have generated a lifestyle approach by their products. Companies such as Adidas and Nike are producing a wide range of products covering up to fragrance. Customers with established brand loyalty will find it difficult to try new product by virtue of allegiance to brand. “A brand is the aura that surrounds a product that illustrates its benefit and differentiates it from the competition for the customer” (Shaw, 2011, p. 45). This means that the attributes associated with the product in terms of the characteristics of the product gives rise to brand. While brand deals with identity of the product which enables it to be different from other products, a product is the finished good or service provided by the firm. A product currently may mean a good with physical characteristics or service or intangible goods such as software or algorithm (Shaw, 2011). With such loyalty to brand and preference the dealing with the situation may be complex for the new entrants in the market such as the sports perfume by Lush Company. Brand loyalty in the sports sector is high as such it should be a focus during the marketing of the product. Uniqueness of the product The perfume to be produced by Lush Company is different from the already existing sports perfume existing in the market as such the focus of the marketing strategy would be on the uniqueness of the product compared to the already existing products. The first focus of the product will be on the composition. It is composed on natural smell as opposed to the known esters used in perfumes as such making it a very different product in the market. The uniqueness of the product is both a plus and constrain in the marketing process due to the need for market penetration. Consumer tend to look at products that seem to relate to the one he consumes as such new products with unique touch have a challenge in the influencing of the consumers to use the product, which is the main issue facing the sports perfume by Lush Company. For success to be achieved, with such products, penetration marketing and promotions should be encouraged by the marketing department to facilitate trails of the new product thus obtaining consumer feedback thus encouraging the development of new approach in the product development. Consumer response The initial trials for the product indicated successful results except for minimal complaints on itchiness as a result of minor skin allergy. From the consumer feedback, obtained through interviews, the result of the interviews indicate that the product was received positively by the customers who decided to try it leading to the development of positive reviews on the product. The major area of concern for the product was on the ability to remain viable for 24 hours. Some of the customers complained of longevity loss on the fragrance after just 14 hours while the pack indicates a total period of 24 hours. The longevity was the major concern for all those interviewed. Apart from longevity, the other complains were on the design of the pack. About 50% of the customers interviewed agree that the cover design is not attractive to the consumer and advised on the expected change in package design to increase user friendliness. Despite the negative comments on package and longevity the scent was generally accepted by the users. Recommendations and conclusions Based on the quality of the perfume, there are areas that need to be improved on the product. The standard duration of the fragrance is 24 hours as such the product should be able to be felt for the stipulated duration. Additionally the package and the cover designs must be appealing to the consumers. The marketing of the product should be increased and the product availability on the store shelves. Availability is a factor that influences usage because customers would like to use a product that is easily accessible in the closest shop or retail outlet. Despite the success, proper marketing of the product by use of segmentation marketing will encourage the use of the product in the market. In conclusion, product usage is linked with the brand strength. When the product rides on strong brand strength, it can be easily accepted by the consumers as compared to a new product that has no brand recognition or presence. Reference Kapferer, J.-N. (2008). The New Strategic Brand Management: Creating and Sustaining Brand Equity Long Term 4th edition. New York: Kogan Page Publishers. Shaw, S. (2011). Airline Marketing and Management. London: Ashgate Publishing Ltd. Read More