The all-pervasive power and influence of social media to attract customers, and to build brands, is attracting enterprises of all levels to capitalize on this new media to ensure
business growth. Even leaders in their domains, like the L’oréal Group, are no exception.
Leading beauty and cosmetics products player, L’oréal Group, has appointed marketing communication agency VMLY&R India, to manage the social and digital media marketing of Kérastase, its hair-care brand, for a two-year period. Designated as their Social Agency of Record, VMLY&R India will be responsible for the digital strategy and communication for the complete product portfolio of Kérastase, across social media channels, such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitter.
Bringing alive product uniqueness digitally
VMLY&R, while spearheading the entire creative communication initiatives for Kérastase on the social media, will also marshal the brand through its general digital marketing strategy.
While focusing on their fundamental communication to relevant audiences, and maintaining its global standard and equity, the L’oréal Group feels it’s equally important to create awareness on the social media about Kérastase and its wide-ranging offerings, to help increase sales and salon footfalls. This is where they intend to capitalize on the expertise and experience of VMLY&R, a part of WPP Plc, stated to be the world’s largest advertising corporation.
In a press release issued by L’oréal Group to announce the appointment, Rachit Mathur, General Manager, Kérastase India, states the strength that VMLY&R has shown to own content-driven social media initiatives for their partners, is indeed impressive. “We are excited to start this journey with VMLY&R India, and look forward to a fruitful partnership with them.”
The release also features a statement of the Country Head of VMLY&R India, Udit Bhambri, “Kérastase knows that every woman is unique. With their 10 haircare ranges designed for different types of hair, every woman can benefit from a personalized beauty program designed by her specially-trained Kérastase consultant. We, at VMLY&R India, aim to bring alive digitally, this proposition of the brand and invite and welcome all women to the luxurious world of Kérastase.”
Hair-care: For each woman according to her needs
According to the press release, Kérastase represents the finest in luxury hair-care. Though every woman wants exceptional hair, the solution cannot be the same for every woman. With this belief as their prime focus, Kérastase creates innovative products and bespoke rituals for impeccable outcomes. Since 1964, L’Oréal Advanced Research has chosen its most innovative technology for the Kérastase Collection, ensuring that products under the collection are unique, with avant-garde formulas and pioneering ingredients, the release claims, adding that women aspire for Kérastase for the ultimate in hair care.
L’Oreal has been present in the Indian market since 1994, and has been achieving an average annual growth rate of more than 30 percent over the last 10 years. Its website claims it is the fastest growing beauty product company in India with a representation in 750,000 points of sale. In addition to Kérastase and Kéraskin Esthetics for salons, the Group has launched several brands covering various product categories, including: mass consumer brands Garnier, L’Oréal Paris and Maybelline New York; luxury brands Lancôme, Yves Saint Laurent, Kiehl’s, Ralph Lauren, Giorgio Armani and Diesel; professional brands like L’Oréal Professionnel, Matrix, and pharmacy brands Vichy and La Roche-Posay.
L’Oréal’s growth can be attributed to its ability to adapt to the demands of the Indian market where cosmetic routines and purchases are steadfastly based on tradition. Due to the different standards of living in India, there is a wide range of packaging options that help in manageability of prices. The reduced prices are possible thanks to local production and raw materials supply, in particular with the Pune plant that supplies the subcontinent with almost 85 percent of its requirements. Moreover, L’Oréal took a significant step two years ago when it decided to set up a research and innovation center in Mumbai; a center that also comprises evaluation and formulation laboratories.
A merger, aimed at offering integrated solutions
In September 2018, advertising conglomerate WPP Plc, announced the merger of its digital agency VML and creative firm Y&R, to form a new entity VMLY&R that will offer integrated solutions to brands across the world.
WPP CEO Mark Read, states in a press release, “VMLY&R will be a powerful brand experience offering and a core agency brand for WPP. VML and Y&R have distinct and complementary strengths spanning creative, technology and data services that make them a perfect match. This is an important step as we build a new, simpler WPP that provides clients with a fully integrated offering and easy access to our wealth of talent and resources.”
WPP states that it will complete the merger of the agencies in a phased fashion till 2019, and this will also include the Indian market. In India, VML manages the accounts of a number of high-worth clients, such as oral hygiene major Colgate, food company Kraft Heinz India, auto maker Ford India, computer technology company Dell India, and ICICI Bank and, to name a few.
References
https://www.loreal.com/media/beauty-in/beauty-in-india/l’or%C3%A9al-in-india
https://www.televisionpost.com/wpp-combines-vml-yr-to-launch-vmlyr/
http://bestmediainfo.com/2018/11/vmly-r-india-is-social-aor-for-l-oral-group-s-krastase/