Developing a new product
from key market insights

Project Details

Date

2019

Identifying an opportunity gap

As a Product Manager, one of my responsibilities at L’Oréal was to gather customer, market and competitor intelligence from iRi, Nielsen market panels and Kantar’s research surveys, as well as our portfolio’s financial performance, which leads to key insights that shape our strategy.

I identified increasing demand for overnight hair masks within premium market, which was an opportunity gap in our treatment-driven product portfolio that lacked this offering. Trends in the consumer industry are usually driven from more niche, higher-end brands and later get adopted by the mass brands once they gained traction. Our user research previously found that consumers lacked the time and motivation to use hair masks. Most hair masks in the market aren’t made or instruct to be used overnight. Additionally, our treatment-driven product line did not include a product fitting to this use case. Addressing developing market needs with new product development helps reinforce our product line’s competitiveness. Thus, growing demand responded to a key customer need and a portfolio need.

I conceptualised a product to fill this opportunity gap from its development to its activation campaign and collaborated with a design agency to bring this vision to life.

Presentation

Activating the launch

I envisioned sleek packaging to drive desirability and darker colours blended into our product line’s palette to evoke nocturne.

I developed messaging centring on the concept of a one-night treat that worked wonders for your hair, a night miracle.

I recommended conducting pillow-proof tests to emphasise its ease-of-use, using satin sheets in ads to communicate the product’s soft and luxurious attributes and to continue the nocturnal theme, throwing a sleepover / pyjama party-themed launch event with influencers, activation events with staycations and self-care nights.

I presented the findings, the big idea and the concept to the Global VPs and Marketing executives at L’Oréal who shortlisted it for the upcoming product development cycle.