09.28.12
According to the 2012 Harris Poll Equi Trend study, prestige cosmetics brands are not necessarily earning the highest brand quality scores. In fact, data shows that lower priced, mass-market cosmetics are generally performing comparatively well on key equity measures included in this study, according to to this annual brand health assessment of more than 1,500 product, service, and lifestyle brands from Harris Interactive.
"When we compare all the cosmetics brands irrespective of category, mass-market brands perform very well when compared to their prestige counterparts, particularly traditional department store brands like Estee Lauder and Elizabeth Arden," said Joan Sinopoli, a SVP and senior consultant with Harris Interactive's Custom Solutions Group.
This finding is borne out in the dynamic between Origins Cosmetics, the prestige cosmetics brand of the year, and mass-market cosmetics brand of the year, Physicians Formula Cosmetics. In addition to being the top-ranked brand in its category, Physicians Formula's equity score outpaces that of the more high-end Origins, according to Harris.
According to Harris, Physicians Formula is a brand to watch; not only is it a clear equity leader in the mass-market arena, but it maintains that leadership across most measures of Consumer Connection and Brand Momentum—all great news for the new owner, Markwins, which recenty announced its intent to take over the brand.
The dynamic among prestige cosmetics is quite different. Origins emerges as one of three similarly rated brands, but looking across three key metrics—Equity, Consumer Connection, and Brand Momentum—no one brand can claim preemptive leadership.
"The variability in the prestige market does add to the impression that it is more niche; each brand has certain strengths regardless of how much or how little traditional marketing it does," continues Sinopoli. "Physicians Formula may be a case for how clear differentiation and social media marketing can help boost a brand to a leadership position in the mass-market."
Within the tightly contested prestige cosmetics category, Origins emerges as the 2012 Prestige Cosmetics Brand of the Year. In its Harris Poll EquiTrend debut, the brand outranks study veterans such as Shiseido Cosmetics and Sephora Brand Cosmetics, along with fellow newcomers MAC Cosmetics and Bare Escentuals Cosmetics.
Meanwhile, a generation of premium-plus brands that more tightly control their distribution channels has stolen the spotlight. Using brand positioning that aligns with the prevailing industry trend of "nature-meets-science" and "skin care vs. color cosmetics", Origins shines with the top score due to a very good showing across two major elements of brand equity: Quality and Purchase Consideration. However the brand posts a mediocre Familiarity score. Origins' powerful performance in two former aspects implies that consumers considering prestige cosmetics are more interested in a high-quality product than a brand they immediately recognize.
Physicians Formula’s“cosmeceutical or quasi-clinical positioning helps it appeal to a sophisticated cosmetics buyer, and they are in the right segments, with anti-aging and mineral wear. They even have some fun with a mood-boosting product line," said Sinopoli. "Perhaps most importantly, Physicians Formula is building intimate relationships with their consumers, as their tagline—'Your beauty.Our passion.We promise.'— suggests. This tagline could be an example of the Fit metric in action."
Physicians Formula holds a comfortable advantage over the second-ranked brand, Rimmel Cosmetics. Olay Cosmetics, Neutrogena Cosmetics, and Maybelline Cosmetics also outpace the remaining mass-market cosmetic brands by earning equity scores above the category average.
In the poll, Neutrogena ranked the top sunscreen brand of the year.
"When we compare all the cosmetics brands irrespective of category, mass-market brands perform very well when compared to their prestige counterparts, particularly traditional department store brands like Estee Lauder and Elizabeth Arden," said Joan Sinopoli, a SVP and senior consultant with Harris Interactive's Custom Solutions Group.
This finding is borne out in the dynamic between Origins Cosmetics, the prestige cosmetics brand of the year, and mass-market cosmetics brand of the year, Physicians Formula Cosmetics. In addition to being the top-ranked brand in its category, Physicians Formula's equity score outpaces that of the more high-end Origins, according to Harris.
According to Harris, Physicians Formula is a brand to watch; not only is it a clear equity leader in the mass-market arena, but it maintains that leadership across most measures of Consumer Connection and Brand Momentum—all great news for the new owner, Markwins, which recenty announced its intent to take over the brand.
The dynamic among prestige cosmetics is quite different. Origins emerges as one of three similarly rated brands, but looking across three key metrics—Equity, Consumer Connection, and Brand Momentum—no one brand can claim preemptive leadership.
"The variability in the prestige market does add to the impression that it is more niche; each brand has certain strengths regardless of how much or how little traditional marketing it does," continues Sinopoli. "Physicians Formula may be a case for how clear differentiation and social media marketing can help boost a brand to a leadership position in the mass-market."
Within the tightly contested prestige cosmetics category, Origins emerges as the 2012 Prestige Cosmetics Brand of the Year. In its Harris Poll EquiTrend debut, the brand outranks study veterans such as Shiseido Cosmetics and Sephora Brand Cosmetics, along with fellow newcomers MAC Cosmetics and Bare Escentuals Cosmetics.
Meanwhile, a generation of premium-plus brands that more tightly control their distribution channels has stolen the spotlight. Using brand positioning that aligns with the prevailing industry trend of "nature-meets-science" and "skin care vs. color cosmetics", Origins shines with the top score due to a very good showing across two major elements of brand equity: Quality and Purchase Consideration. However the brand posts a mediocre Familiarity score. Origins' powerful performance in two former aspects implies that consumers considering prestige cosmetics are more interested in a high-quality product than a brand they immediately recognize.
Physicians Formula’s“cosmeceutical or quasi-clinical positioning helps it appeal to a sophisticated cosmetics buyer, and they are in the right segments, with anti-aging and mineral wear. They even have some fun with a mood-boosting product line," said Sinopoli. "Perhaps most importantly, Physicians Formula is building intimate relationships with their consumers, as their tagline—'Your beauty.Our passion.We promise.'— suggests. This tagline could be an example of the Fit metric in action."
Physicians Formula holds a comfortable advantage over the second-ranked brand, Rimmel Cosmetics. Olay Cosmetics, Neutrogena Cosmetics, and Maybelline Cosmetics also outpace the remaining mass-market cosmetic brands by earning equity scores above the category average.
In the poll, Neutrogena ranked the top sunscreen brand of the year.