Conclusion

Unfortunately, it seems that our journey over the French Shampoo Market stops here. We hope that you enjoyed your readings and above all that you learnt something new and interesting.

After having analyzed the overall shampoo market as well as the competition and the behaviors of consumers, we have been able to be at the heart of our three brands, i.e. Elseve, Le Petit Marseillais, and Head & Shoulders. There, we have understood that if several consumers tend to frequently change of shampoo in order to find the most appropriate one, those using Elseve, Le Petit Marseillais, and Head & Shoulders appear particularly loyal towards the brands. Actually, brands' awareness are high even if the French Shampoo Market is saturated. This important brand recognition is essentially based on the fact that consumers trust the brands in terms of efficiency or even naturalism.

Here and now, you know that buying shampoo is not only buying a desirable product, but also belonging to a community. 

Thank you again for coming on our Blog!

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From Personality to Communities: Head & Shoulders (Procter & Gamble)

          The personality of Head & Shoulders can be associated with the following human traits: reputed, trustable, ambitious, expert, and attentive, since shampoos are really efficient for removing dandruffs. Then, the identity of this shampoo brand is based on universality because it is well known worldwide, technology, science, uniqueness because Head & Shoulders is the only brand specialized against dandruffs, protection, and individualism since consumers buy this shampoo for themselves in order to solve their personal dandruff problems. Moreover, the brand image perceived by consumers is that shampoos are efficient dandruff removers, based on technology, and sold at affordable prices. Furthermore, Head & Shoulders tell sorties through satisfied consumers, celebrities, and experts’ approvals. In advertisements, consumers understand that dandruffs issues are solved thanks to scientific and technological improvements regarding PTZ, a component acting against dandruffs, which is approved by dermatologists. By protecting hair against dandruffs, shampoos help to improve consumers’ self-confidence and to remove uncomfortable situations. Then, the shampoo brand arouses emotions by improving self-confidence and making consumers feeling beautiful, powerful, and relaxed. Finally, the communities created by Head & Shoulders include a majority of men who like efficient products with basic packaging and smell. They want to wash their hair, have it clean, without dandruffs that tend to make them uncomfortable. Women are less attached to Head & Shoulders’ shampoos because they look for premium quality and sensorial shampoos; however, they could be attracted by the new shampoo based on hair density improvements.

From Personality to Communities: Le Petit Marseillais (Johnson & Johnson)

          The personality of Le Petit Marseillais can be described as happy, natural, sweet, authentic, respectful, smart, and adaptable since shampoos suit every kind of hair. Then, the shampoo brand’s identity is based on tradition, simplicity, nature, colors, and above all on senses related to Mediterranean ingredients. Furthermore, the image consumers have of Le Petit Marseillais is that shampoos are soft, authentic, and affordable; actually, every woman can find an appropriate shampoo to her hair at a reasonable price. Moreover, Le Petit Marseillais tells stories through young and mature women perpetuating Mediterranean traditions. In the various advertisements, consumers understand that shampoos are based on a combination of natural ingredients well known for their benefits and quality, and especially in the Mediterranean area. Shampoos are sometimes based on grandmothers’ recipes, making them traditional and trustable. As a result, women can use and trust shampoos on the long run and can share traditions with their children, as good mothers do. Then, the shampoo brand arouses emotions by making consumers travelling in Mediterranean areas and in their past through perfumes reminding them their childhood, and by making them smelling good and feeling protected, comfortable, beautiful, and astonished by extraordinary perfumes. Finally, communities created by Le Petit Marseillais involve young women and mothers who like taking care of their hair with natural, soft, and sensorial shampoos, which are affordable. These women intend to be pretty and authentic with nourished hair. They want to be good mothers with strong hair like their own mothers used to be.

From Personality to Communities: Elseve (L’Oréal)

          The personality of Elseve can be defined as famous, trendy, beautiful, glamour, intelligent, attentive, and trustable since its goal is to provide premium quality to consumers. Then, its identity is based on universality, since the brand can be found worldwide, modernity, innovation, excellence, glamour, and premium quality. Moreover, the image that consumers have of Elseve is that the shampoo brand is sophisticated, modern, technological, of high quality, and expensive; actually, Elseve is expensive because it applies a premium price reflecting its premium quality. Furthermore, the L’Oréal brand use celebrities from various nationalities to tell stories, such as Blake Lively (American), Laetitia Casta (French), and Eva Longoria (Mexicano-American). Throughout advertising, celebrities explain that their shampoos are efficient, innovative, unique, and extraordinary, making their hair looking fantastic. If consumers want to have the same beautiful hair as celebrities, they should buy the shampoos they use in order to always get the best quality. Elseve makes celebrities telling stories because consumers believe celebrities favor premium quality for every product, and especially for shampoos; consequently, they think they can trust them. Then, the shampoo brand arouses emotions by making consumers feeling comfortable, beautiful, and powerful, and by helping them improving self-confidence. Finally, the communities created by Elseve include young and mature women who take care of themselves and can afford premium products since they are part of the high social class. These women intend to be pretty, dynamic and attractive. 

From Personalities to Communities: Elseve, Le Petit Marseillais, Head & Shoulders

          The three following articles intend to demonstrate that Elseve (L’Oréal), Le Petit Marseillais (Johnson & Johnson), and Head & Shoulders (Procter & Gamble) have different personalities and identities, show various images, tell stories, arouse emotions, and create communities.

To analyze these three shampoo brands in more details, for each of them we will realize a Brand Identity Prism and a Customer-Based Brand Equity Model, also known as the Brand Resonance Pyramid.

The Brand Identity Prism created by Kapferer is based on the six following elements: physical, relationship, reflection (external side), personality, culture, and self-image (internal side).

The Customer-Based Brand Equity Model, or the Brand Resonance Pyramid, developed by Keller is based on the six following characteristics (from the bottom to the top of the pyramid): brand salience, brand performance, brand imagery, consumer judgments, consumer feelings, and consumer-brand resonance.

Let’s discover Elseve, Le Petit Marseillais, and Head & Shoulders more deeply.

Innovation & Marketing

The shampoo brands we decided to focus on, Elsève , Head & Shoulders and Le Petit Marseillais are very interesting considering innovation as they have completely different marketing strategies.  Three different strategies as they position themselves on three different markets. Basically, Elsève is focusing on a Technological aspect, Head & Shoulders on a more Scientifical aspect, and finally Le Petit Marseillais on a morenatural & traditional aspect. Let’s analyze these aspects in more details.

ELSEVE

Elseve has a strong brand recognition, well-known for offering a large range of top quality products targeting different hair types, from dry and damaged hair, to oily and thinning. They provide expert care backed by research and sciences, powered by the latest hair care innovation from the L’Oreal Paris Laboratories. Technological developments and introducing new formulas and Technicare in the shampoo like Silicone, Multivitamines (for normal hair,  Ceramide R (for fine hair) , Pro-Keratine. Greater and sophisticated products were demanded, this is the reason why they launched new molecules and ingredients. Elseve shampoo packaging is as high-tech as the brand pretends to be, with lots of shiny and explosive colors.

HEAD AND SHOULDERS

Head & Shoulders also has a strong brand recognition in its category. The brand positions itself as giving solutions to everyday life problem; dandruffs. To get rid of these, the brand introduces Zinc pyrithione, a revolutionary ingredients that showed positive scientific results. Consequently the brand based its marketing strategy on this innovation.

Going through the Head & Shoulders website , you’ll see many explanations on the many benefits you’ll find using this shampoo and how efficient it is “ In only 3 washes”,  you’ll be “100 % cool , 100% confident and 100% Flake Free” as the adds say. And this will boost your self-confidence to the highest. The shampoo packaging are very simple as it is mainly white and blue and it feels like the bottle has just came out of a laboratory.

LE PETIT MARSEILLAIS

Last but not least, Le Petit Marseillais , a shampoo brand completely different from the two others we have just seen previously. There is no real innovation to the brand, its marketing strategy is simply to promote traditional, authentic and simple products. It motto is “Restons Nature” which can be “Keep it Natural”. The different types of shampoo the brand offers have nothing  in particular except providing natural ingredients such as Almond Oil , Shea-tree,  Vanilla , Milk , orange blossom, chamomile. The shampoo packaging is very simple, offers a taste of freshness as each shampoo bottle was unique