CASE STUDIES Vaseline Case Study Creating stand out appeal in the body skincare market Reference Code: CSCM0301 Publication Date: March 2010 DATAMONITOR VIEW CATALYST This case study focuses on Unilever's Vaseline skincare brand and examines how it has successfully retained a leadership position in the body skincare market by focusing on the dry skin care problems of a broad consumer demographic. SUMMARY • The body care market is substantial, but growth has been weak in the major markets. Innovation has been a means by which market players have aimed to encourage growth, along with addressing key consumer trends such as the preference for natural ingredients. In addition, marketers have attempted to get more men interested in body skincare products through the launch of new products and masculine styles of marketing. • Vaseline has gained a leading share in the skincare market by focusing on the dry skin care needs of consumers. The company has targeted a wide demographic through successful marketing campaigns, including web campaigns that encourage consumer interaction with the brand. Vaseline has a well maintained R&D strategy that has seen it launch a new skincare ingredient that offers a potentially strong competitive advantage against its rivals. Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 1 Vaseline Case Study ANALYSIS Setting the scene: market overview The body care market is substantially sized, but growth is small The global body care market was worth $11.7 billion in 2009, with Europe being the strongest market, at $4.8 billion in that year (see Table 1). Growth is forecast to be fairly small in the 2009 to 2013 period, with the US market forecast to have a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of only 1.3%. Europe is forecast to have the strongest regional growth, at 4.8%, indicating that this region will continue to be the largest for body care in the near future. The leading global brands in body care are Nivea (owned by Beiersdorf), Unilever's Dove, and Clarins. According to Datamonitor's Market Data Analytics (see Table 2), Nivea has a substantial leading share of the market (13.4%), way ahead of the joint second brands (3.7% each). Nivea produces a range of body care brands that offer moisturization benefits as well as anti-aging properties, toning creams and a men's lotion. Competitors such as Unilever will therefore have to work hard to make an impact on Beiersdorf's global share. Table 1: Body care market size, $m, 2004–13 Body care 2004 Europe 3,649 4,792 5,781 5.6% 4.8% Asia Pacific 3,000 3,656 4,174 4.0% 3.4% US 1,612 1,808 1,905 2.5% 1.3% Global 9,398 11,689 13,547 4.5% 3.8% Source: Datamonitor's Market Data Analytics Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied 2009 2013 2004–09 2009–13 DATAMONITOR CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 2 Vaseline Case Study Table 2: Leading brands in the global body care, 2008 Company Brand 2008 Beiersdorf AG Nivea 13.4% Unilever Dove 3.7% Clarins SA Clarins 3.7% Shiseido Company, Ltd Inicio 3.4% Unilever Vaseline 3.0% Kracie Holdings, Ltd Exercise 2.9% L'Oreal S.A. Lancôme 2.8% Estée Lauder Companies Inc., The Clinique 2.3% Johnson & Johnson Johnson's 2.2% Shiseido Company, Ltd Hadasui 1 1.5% Procter & Gamble Company, The Olay 1.5% Johnson & Johnson Neutrogena 1.5% Source: Datamonitor's Market Data Analytics DATAMONITOR Body care has been boosted by the natural trend While body care growth has been fairly low recently, marketers are looking to the natural trend to attempt to boost the market, a trend which has gained consumer appeal due to its supposed health benefits, to the consumer and the environment. Datamonitor's new product database, Product Launch Analytics, recorded that 'natural' and 'organic' were two of the most popular claims in new body care launches in Europe and North America in the 2007–09 period. Some recent product launches that emphasize a natural positioning are shown in Figure 1. In terms of popular fragrances used in body care products over this period, marketers have stuck to traditional favorites, with floral and herbal scents being popular, which again aligns well with the natural trend. Leading ingredients, meanwhile, include glycerin which has been used for many years as a moisturizing agent. Shea butter is also a popular ingredient, benefiting from the popularity of the natural trend as it is sourced directly from the African shea tree (see Table 3). Table 3: Leading fragrances, claims and ingredients in new body care launches in Europe and North America, 2007–09 Fragrances Claims Ingredients Vanilla Upscale Glycerin Lavender Natural Water Rose Women Fragrance Jasmine High vitamins Shea butter Floral Organic Methylparaben Source: Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied DATAMONITOR CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 3 Vaseline Case Study Figure 1: Body skin creams that have a natural based formula include the following recent launches The Eco.Kid Organics for Kids line is The Treat skincare line, available in the US available in the US from Koenig & from Treat Beauty, includes Organic Sweet Company, Inc. The line, including Hypo- Cream Double Churn Body Cream in a Allergenic Body Lotion, is said to be made Pomegranate CoffeeBerry variety. It is with wild-harvested botanicals. made with certified organic ingredients, including "nature's most powerful age fighting superfruits pomegranate and coffee berry." Organic Essence Pure Organic Shea Cream Hands & Bodies by Organic Essence is said to be made with a high content of nonsaponifiable fatty acids and to contain no solvents or chemicals. The line includes Grapefruit, Lavender, Lemongrass, and Vanilla Orange scents, along with a "baby gentle and safe" Fragrance Free formula. Source: Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics DATAMONITOR Marketers have attempted to encourage more men to enter the body care market It comes as little surprise to find that women dominate the body care market, given their overall preference for personal care products. As Table 4 shows, women accounted for a substantial 88% of the global body care market in 2006. Datamonitor's 2009 consumer survey found that women respondents were more likely than men to apply body skin creams frequently. Nearly half of women globally said they applied it once a day or more, while nearly 60% of men said they used it only on special occasions or never (see Figure 2). In addition, women tend to be more brand conscious than men about which body skin creams they use. Over a third of women globally said they were quality conscious and careful about brand selection, compared to just 17% of male respondents (see Figure 3). For this reason, therefore, the body care market has tended to focus on the needs of women consumers. However, marketers are attempting to attract more men to the body care market with new products designed especially for male consumers; an increasing acceptance of facial products among men has been a key driver of this. However, they have a hard task before them in boosting male interest in these products, mainly due to men's perceptions of masculinity (with soft skin often seen as feminine) and body lotions therefore being perceived as inappropriate for male use. Table 4: The global body care market by gender, 2006 Gender Market Share of market, 2006* Female Body care 88% Male Body care 12% *Year data were last available Source: Datamonitor's Market Data Analytics Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied DATAMONITOR CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 4 Vaseline Case Study Figure 2: Women apply body care products more often than men QUESTION: How frequently do you use/apply the following beauty products and services? Body skin creams % of respondents 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 14.0% 66.4% 18.3% 15.3% 29.5% 62.4% 56.5% 19.1% 36.4% 48.2% Male Female Male US 59.3% 33.4% 20.1% 49.9% 20.7% 18.4% 15.4% 16.7% Female Male Europe Female Global Countryor never Only on special occasions Every other day or a couple of times a week One to three times a day or more Source: Datamonitor Figure 3: DATAMONITOR Many men do not use body skin creams % of respondents QUESTION: Which of these statements best reflects your outlook on the following products or services? Body skin creams 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 9% 13% 48% 43% 18% 7% 10% 38% 40% 11% 35% Male Female US 44% 15% 37% 30% 17% 11% 11% 38% 30% 27% 23% 8% 11% Male Female Europe Male Female Global Country I don’t use these products I am relatively indifferent about quality and am not concerned about which brand I buy I am quality conscious but don't pay much attention to which brand I choose I am quality conscious and careful about my brand selection Source: Datamonitor Consumer Survey, May 2009 Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied DATAMONITOR CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 5 Vaseline Case Study Brand focus: Vaseline Overview Vaseline is one of the most recognizable skincare brands in the world, gaining a strong customer base by focusing on the th body moisturizing needs of consumers. The brand, founded in the 19 century and now owned by Unilever, encompasses a range of body moisturizing products, as well as other products such as deodorant, lip therapy and shower gels. The following will focus on its body care offerings and how the company seeks to retain its leading position through new product development and marketing initiatives. Figure 4: Key facts Source: Datamonitor analysis Figure 5: DATAMONITOR Vaseline timeline Source: Datamonitor analysis Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied DATAMONITOR CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 6 Vaseline Case Study Figure 6: The Vaseline line encompasses a large range of skin creams, some of which are shown below Source: Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics Figure 7: DATAMONITOR SWOT Analysis Strengths Opportunities Globally recognized, well established brand Build prestige brands which have higher growth potential Successful focus on the buoyant dry skin market Concentrate on R&D operations to bring out frequent NPD Weaknesses Threats Lack of specific anti-aging products Intense competition Over focus on masstige market The downturn impacting consumer skincare purchases Petroleum basis of main product is considered by some consumers to be nonenvironmentally friendly and a skin pore clogging agent Source: Datamonitor analysis DATAMONITOR Vaseline has gained a leading share in the skincare market by focusing on consumers' dry skin problems With over 100 years of experience on the skincare market, Vaseline has gained a strong customer following in body care. As shown in Table 2, Vaseline is the fifth leading global brand for body care. Its popularity varies around the world, but in general remains in a strong position. In its US home market, where the brand was born, Vaseline is the leading brand, with a 7% share. It is less successful in Europe, being just outside the top 10 leading brands, while in Asia Pacific it features inside the top 25 leading body care brands. Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 7 Vaseline Case Study Unilever focuses the Vaseline brand on dry skin, a market that has experienced strong growth due to the increasing number of people who believe they have dry skin and want to try to get rid of it. There is no definite answer to how many people suffer from dry skin, as the exact definition of this can vary from mild dryness to eczema. However, Unilever has estimated that over 40% of women in the UK suffer from dry skin. If it can be assumed that there are similar proportions of people with dry skin in other countries, this gives the company a significant market to target. Unilever has commented that it believes sufferers of dry skin have a greater propensity to use body skincare products than average consumers. Julie McCleave, Skincare Senior Category Manager at Unilever UK, noted that consumers with dry skin "shop for the skincare fixture more regularly and have 25% more usage occasions than the average consumer, so they equate to a huge market opportunity," (as quoted by Talking Retail, 2008). By focusing on dry skin, Vaseline is therefore targeting regular skincare users who could be loyal to its products for years to come. Datamonitor's 2008 consumer survey highlighted the fact that there is a potentially strong market for dry skin relieving products. Over half of females and nearly a quarter of males globally polled said they are concerned and actively seeking skincare products to address skin dryness, and could be targeted effectively by market players such as Vaseline (see Figure 8). Figure 8: Skin dryness impacts a significant proportion of consumers % of respo nd ents QUESTION: How much of a concern are the following issues relating to skincare for you? Skin dryness 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 30.0 % 52.1 % 37 .1% 5 8.9% 17.7 % 28.0 % 27.7% 2 1.8% F emale 50.7 % 44 .4% 23.9% 1 9.3% Male 21.0 % 18 .4% 19.9 % 52.2 % 28.3 % 48.4% Male US I am not concerned about this Female Male Europe F emale Global Co untr y I am concerned about this BUT I don’t use products to address this issue I am concerned about this AND actively use skincare products Source: Datamonitor Consumer Survey, August 2008 Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied DATAMONITOR CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 8 Vaseline Case Study The brand is marketed to a wide demographic, while emphasizing everyday usage Vaseline aims to appeal to a broad spectrum of consumers with dry skin, targeting both young and old consumers, and women and men. This maximizes its sales potential, aiming for mainstream rather than niche use. Vaseline has been successful in utilizing a grass roots approach in marketing its brand's widespread appeal Vaseline's advertising for its various products aims to reflect its broad, cross generational appeal. In 2008, for example, the company aimed to promote its Clinical Therapy product as being suitable for everyone to use. The brand is described as being a prescription strength moisturizer for dry skin that people can use everyday. The brand was promoted through the Prescribe the Nation campaign in the US. The brief of the campaign was to find someone to advocate the brand and spread its use among the community. With this in mind, the company went to the town of Kodiak in Alaska and made Petal Ruch the brand ambassador. A mother of four and noted as a "pillar of the 6,000 strong Kodiak population", she was tasked with recommending the product in the town. She managed to 'seed' the product to almost 1,000 people in the village, converting them to brand fans as well. The agencies contracted to produce the campaign (BBH, Ogilvy New York and @radical.media) spent 20 days with the local community, interviewing people and recording their day to day actions, using the material to create a commercial, along with website material. According to Ogilvy, over three million people were 'prescribed' the product within the year since the campaign originally launched, as customers 'prescribed' the product to their friends, who then recommended it to others. The promotion emphasized the power of grass roots marketing as an effective promotional tool. Vaseline has attempted to persuade more men to use below the neck moisturizers through celebrity endorsements While more men are embracing regular facial skincare regimes, they do not use body moisturizers as often as women, if at all. The introduction of Vaseline Men, launched in the US in 2008, aimed to change this, featuring a combined face and body lotion as well as a conventional body lotion and hand lotion, all of which emphasized their ability to reduce skin dryness with male-specific formulations. According to the company, the line has a non-greasy formula that absorbs within 15 seconds, providing instant relief from dryness without a 'heavy' feel. Vaseline Men followed only a handful of other mainstream brands in marketing a body lotion to men, with Nivea for Men being its main rival. According to Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics, 32 men's body lotions were launched in the US in 2009, compared to 233 women specific body lotions, highlighting the current small size of the men's market. Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 9 Vaseline Case Study Figure 9: Vaseline Men is a face and body lotion range designed for men's skin needs Vaseline Men is a new "full line of products designed specifically for the daily skin care needs of men." It includes Fast Absorbing Body & Face Lotion touted to provide "instant relief for everyday dryness." The "non-greasy moisturizer absorbs within seconds" and is presented in a pump applicator bottle. Extra Strength Body Lotion is claimed to provide "long-lasting action" and comes in a resealable bottle. It is said to moisturize to relieve severely dry skin. Another product, Extra Strength Hand Lotion, is sold in a stand-on cap tube. Literature states, "Relieves and heals dry, rough skin - Absorbs within seconds - Also effective for other rough skin areas; feet, elbows, knees and face." Source: Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics DATAMONITOR Unilever research into the market confirmed the widely held view that men infrequently use body lotions. According to Unilever research, only 17% of men said they used body lotion at least once a week, in contrast to 44% of women. This aligns with Datamonitor's research, which found that nearly 60% of men said they used it only on special occasions or never (as noted earlier). Unilever researched the reason for this under-use, finding that: "The major reason men don’t use lotion is they think lotions feel sticky or tacky, and that they take a long time to put on and don’t absorb quickly.” Srini Sripada, marketing director for skin products at Unilever, as quoted in The New York Times, 2009 Another obvious reason for men not using body lotions is that they are considered too feminine. However, with more men believing it is now okay to use facial skin products than a decade ago, the same change in opinion could occur with body care products. One way in which Unilever is trying to change men's perceptions is by using 'macho' celebrities in its adverts for Vaseline Men. Former football pro Michael Strahan and baseball All-Star Chase Utley featured in adverts for the brand in the US, which showed them working out, alongside images of how quickly the new line can fortify the skin. Srini Sripada, marketing director for skin products at Unilever, noted in an interview with The New York Times that while sports figures like Strahan help remove barriers for the masculinity conscious, the “sports analogy” of the ad is equally important, helping equate a 15-minute workout for strengthening physique with a 15-second application of lotion for strengthening skin. This approach appears to be working. According to IRI data, Vaseline Men generated $11.3m in revenues for the year to October 2009 and achieved a 1.2% share of the overall body lotion category in the US. Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 10 Vaseline Case Study Unilever is utilizing R&D to develop Vaseline into a more premium product Over the years, Vaseline has expanded from a petroleum jelly product into a brand line that features a variety of types of body lotion, enhancing the brand's positioning from a basic low-priced range into a more premium product. Recent initiatives include the re-launch of the Intensive Rescue range and the development of the Stratys-3 ingredient, helping the brand move into a more premium and therefore potentially more lucrative positioning. Vaseline's Intensive Skin Rescue range was relaunched globally to emphasize the brand's credentials and authority as skincare experts In 2007, Unilever relaunched the Vaseline Intensive Skin Rescue range to have better stand out appeal from its competitors. The line, designed for very dry skin, was relaunched with redesigned packaging and a new symbol added to the label. Working with brand design agency Blue Marlin, Unilever created a brand style that stood out from generic alternatives by looking "aspirational, warmer and more authoritative". The new icon on the label was based on the International Rescue symbol, which Unilever stated was a "visual metaphor for the products' benefits" and easily understood across the globe. Packaging was kept clean and predominantly white, with a blue frosted cap. The design was simplistic, yet was distinguishable from its competitors with a premium look, aided by the new authoritative symbol and clear Vaseline branding. It therefore helped consumers perceive the brand as both upscale and a professional, trusted authority on skincare. "For us, skin is amazing and the new designs cement Vaseline's credentials and authority as skincare experts. It also builds on the trust inherent in the Vaseline brand whilst looking so special it'll be the one to display proudly. Blue Marlin's approach ensures the Rescue range is in keeping with the other Intensive Care variants whilst creating an identity distinct enough to become known as the best product for very dry skin." Gustavo Lara, global brand manager at Vaseline, as quoted in Marketingservicetalk.com, 2007 Figure 10: Unilever relaunched the Vaseline Intensive Skin Rescue range in 2007 Vaseline Intensive Rescue was relaunched to look more “aspirational, warmer and more authoritative” Source: Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied DATAMONITOR CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 11 Vaseline Case Study The company has boosted Vaseline's brand differentiation with the development of a novel skincare ingredient A more recent skincare development from Unilever's Vaseline brand is the new moisturizing ingredient, Stratys-3. Said to have been in development for 10 years, the ingredient is described as a "breakthrough product" that is a more effective alternative to glycerin. The first product to be launched with this is Vaseline Sheer Infusion Body Lotion with Stratys-3, introduced to the US in 2009. Instead of using glycerin as the main moisturizing ingredient, Stratys-3 is a combination of glycerin with other ingredients, said to help the formula reach the three skin layers instead of just penetrating the outer layer. Figure 11: Unilever has hailed its new Vaseline ingredient, Stratys-3, as being a breakthrough skin moisturizer Vaseline Sheer Infusion Body Lotion is formulated with Stratys-3 patented multi-layer moisture complex. It "combines 3 powerful moisturizing ingredients that infuse and suspend sheer moisture at each layer of your skin - the top, the core & deep down." The varieties - Botanical Blend, Mineral Renewal and Vitamin Burst - are each sold in a 6.8 fl. oz. plastic bottle for $6.25 and in a 13.5 fl. oz. plastic pump dispenser for $8.99. The Botanical Blend formula "contains botanical cypress extract and eucalyptus extract, which are known for its soothing skin benefits." Source: Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics DATAMONITOR According to Vaseline.com, Stratys-3 consists of: • Glycerol Quat (GQ) – a breakthrough moisturizing molecule that delivers optimal moisturization to the very top layers of skin, where it needs moisture most. Glycerol Quat is a powerful hydrating agent, able to bind more water than typical moisturizer ingredients. • Glycerin – penetrates skin for immediate and long-lasting moisture at the skin’s core. • Hydroxy Ethyl Urea (HEU) – absorbs into the deeper down layers. "We recognized the limitations of glycerin several years ago and set out on a mission to identify a better way to moisturize skin's many surface layers while not sacrificing the sensory benefits of a lotion." Unilever researcher Greg Nole as quoted in Chain Dryg Review, 2009 As can be seen in Table 3, glycerin was the most popular ingredient in body care product launches (in North America and Europe) in the 2007–09 period, so manufacturers must be convinced of its effective moisturizing properties. Therefore, to launch a new ingredient that is said to be more effective than this is quite a radical claim. Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 12 Vaseline Case Study Unilever is aiming to utilize this product innovation to its advantage, hoping to broaden consumers' conception of the brand as an everyday premium product with highly effective moisturizing powers. In order to promote this new product effectively, Unilever has undertaken strong online marketing, utilizing ScanScout's 'Super Pre-roll' technology to enable consumers to interact with the spot. Unlike traditional 'pre-roll' online ads, in which the viewer has to sit through a video advert before they can watch the content they really want to see, the 'super pre-roll' allows consumer interaction. The Vaseline advert features an interactive poll that asks consumers what they like best in a body lotion. Once the viewer takes the poll, they are offered a link to a coupon and more information about the product. This gives the consumer an opportunity to engage with the brand rather than simply sitting back to watch the pre-roll. The process therefore enables Unilever to interact with its customers and solicit their feedback. Figure 12: Unilever studies have revealed the hydrating effects of its new Sheer Infusion product Source: Vaseline.com DATAMONITOR Vaseline has addressed the natural trend with new product lines Vaseline has addressed the growing natural trend with product lines based on aloe and cocoa butter. Such ingredients have become attractive to consumers due to their easily identifiable ingredients, and a belief that chemical, lab made formulas are bad for you. They could therefore appeal to consumers who do not want to use glycerin or petroleum jelly based moisturizers (of which Vaseline's other products are made), whether in the belief that these are bad for consumer health or the environment, although both of these points could be argued. Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 13 Vaseline Case Study • Aloe based range – the Vaseline Aloe Fresh range, consisting of Moisturizing Daily Body Gel, Hydrating Body Lotion, as well as Protecting SPF 15 Body Lotion, is available in the US from Unilever. The Daily Body Gel is said to instantly refresh and soothe skin. It is formulated with 100% natural aloe vera and lightweight moisturizers, and contains no alcohol. The Hydrating Body Lotion features a refreshing aloe formula with conditioning moisturizers. The Body Lotion is said to have a lightweight aloe formula and SPF 15 to give skin a "refreshing moisture boost with the daily sun protection it needs." • Cocoa butter range – Cocoa Butter Deep Conditioning Lotion is said to penetrate deeply into the skin to smooth away roughness and the appearance of dark spots. It contains cocoa butter as well as petroleum jelly. The brand could move beyond dry skincare with products that address anti-aging needs While Vaseline has been successful in the dry skin body lotion sector, the brand could enhance its future growth by concentrating future R&D efforts on targeting the body care needs of older consumers. With the baby boom generation aging, the anti-age skincare market is buoyant but currently focuses mainly on the face. As a well known brand, Vaseline could be in a strong position to capitalize on the needs of these baby boomers, providing specific anti-aging creams for the body, while retaining a focus on dry skin. Dry skin is often cited as one of the main afflictions of aging skin; according to Webmd.com, this is due to hormonal changes in older people, fewer natural oils, sun damage, and decreased cell renewal. More overtly promoting the anti-aging properties of its body creams or developing new formulas to address anti-aging needs could therefore be a successful future strategy for the brand. Key takeouts Vaseline's success in the body skincare sector is determined by several factors which market players could learn from: • Focus on one area well – Unilever has successfully focused the Vaseline brand on the dry skin market, an affliction that a high proportion of consumers suffer from in various forms of intensity, therefore targeting the needs of the mainstream, not the niche. By keeping it simple and focusing just on dry skin, the brand has ensured it has gained a strong reputation in this one area, and has not confused consumers with a multi-purpose skincare offering. • Utilize R&D to be a brand leader, not follower – the company's introduction of a new skincare moisturizing ingredient has seen it emerge ahead of the competition. Instead of relying on the traditional dry skin cures of glycerin and petroleum, the company has developed Stratsy-3, which it claims is a more effective skin moisturizer. This shows that the brand has strong innovation channels with which it aims to grow and does not rely on the tried and tested formulations of others. • Respond quickly and effectively to consumer trends – Unilever has accepted that glycerin and petroleum jelly are not universally liked by consumers due to perceived user health/environmental health implications, by developing natural skincare ranges made of cocoa butter and aloe vera. This shows it has a sound understanding of current consumer trends which it aims to address in new product launches. Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 14 Vaseline Case Study APPENDIX Case study series This report forms part of Datamonitor's case studies series, which explores business practices across a variety of disciplines and business sectors. The series covers a range of markets including food and drink, retail, banking and insurance, pharmaceuticals and software. Each case study provides a concise evaluation of a company that stands out in some area of its strategic operations, highlighting the ways in which the company has become one of the best in its field or how it deals with different problems encountered within that sector. Methodology This case study was compiled using a collection of both primary and secondary research, including Datamonitor’s own consumer survey fieldwork. In addition to this, writing this case study also involved researching innovative product formulations on Datamonitor's Product Launch Analytics Database, alongside an extensive review of secondary literature and other in-house sources of information such as Datamonitor’s Market Data Analytics tool. Secondary sources • For a Men’s Body Lotion, a Rugged Messenger (2009) New York Times, November 2009 • Unilever touts skin care breakthrough (2009) Chain Drug Review, October 2009 • Dove to release "innovative" dry skin products (2008) Talking Retail, December 2008 • Blue Marlin rebrands Vaseline Intensive Rescue (2007) Marketing Services Talk, September 2007 Further reading • Datamonitor (2009) Bio-Oil case study: entering the global arena of body care products with a simple, effective product, March 2009, CSCM0238 • Datamonitor (2009) Women's Personal Care Regimes and Needs, March 2009, DMCM4656 • Datamonitor (2009) Male Grooming Trends: Profiting in 2009 and Beyond, February 2009, DMCM4653 Ask the analyst The Consumer Knowledge Center Writing team Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied askcm@datamonitor.com CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 15 Vaseline Case Study Datamonitor consulting We hope that the data and analysis in this brief will help you make informed and imaginative business decisions. If you have further requirements, Datamonitor’s consulting team may be able to help you. For more information about Datamonitor’s consulting capabilities, please contact us directly at consulting@datamonitor.com. Disclaimer All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publisher, Datamonitor. The facts of this report are believed to be correct at the time of publication but cannot be guaranteed. Please note that the findings, conclusions and recommendations that Datamonitor delivers will be based on information gathered in good faith from both primary and secondary sources, whose accuracy we are not always in a position to guarantee. As such Datamonitor can accept no liability whatever for actions taken based on any information that may subsequently prove to be incorrect. Vaseline Case Study © Datamonitor. This brief is a licensed product and is not to be photocopied CSCM0301/Published 03/2010 Page 16