Maybelline New York has partnered with CVS Pharmacy for a first-half promotion that looks to not only drive excitement in the 7,000-store retailer, but also bump up Maybelline to a leadership position within the chain.
Steve Lutz, senior vice president sales, Maybelline New York-Garnier, said traditional events, such as buy-one-get-one-free type promotions, are not as effective as they once were, and consumers are ready for more multidimensional efforts.
“We got out of the BOGO business this year. We eliminated them from our arsenal of tactics,” said Lutz. “The category was not going up. And believe it or not [our] business is [still] very strong. New items and great ads [are working]. We believe the consumer is adjusting her purchasing pattern to that.”
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Lutz said Maybelline’s new effort, “Be Sensational and Win,” is truly integrated, tying together marketing, digital media, public relations and sales.
The first phase of Be Sensational involves the rollout of front-of-store endcaps featuring Maybelline New York’s new 2010 items, as well as Color Sensational, the event’s namesake lipstick range, to all CVS stores beginning March 28. In addition to the displays calling out the event, tear sheets will announce Maybelline’s search for a talented individual, someone who ultimately could win the chance to appear in speaking-dancing-singing role in the Broadway musical, “Chicago.”
Cheryl Mahoney, CVS Pharmacy’s vice president of beauty, said it’s not so much that BOGOs don’t work for her chain but the promotion “doesn’t build long-term equity for the brand. We agreed to walk away from BOGOs to reignite excitement around the category and to find other ways to entice and engage consumers with the brand.”
The Be Sensational event is the first of its kind for the mass market and has industry sources relieved that the brand is doing something to drive consumer excitement as BOGOs become a thing of the past.“The industry knew Maybelline and L’Oréal Paris were stopping the BOGOs this year and we just thought retailers would be left to tow the line,” said one executive prior to hearing about the Be Sensational event. “This looks like a win-win.”
The event, which looks to be annualized, has the potential to grow Maybelline’s business at the drugstore chain. According to industry sources, Maybelline New York has about a 15 percent dollar share at CVS with a third-place ranking in color cosmetics, behind L’Oréal Paris and Cover Girl, respectively.
Ali Goldstein, who was named vice president of marketing at Maybelline last week, said the event is looking to also capitalize on the Color Sensational lipstick range, as it is a pillar brand for the division.
Online auditions for the Chicago musical role will begin March 15 at besensationalandwin.com. It’s at that time public relations, social media and targeted print advertising will look to create awareness about the contest and overall program, which runs from March 15 to April 15. For those in the New York area, live auditions will take place March 22 at the Ambassador Theatre in Manhattan. Judges, including “Chicago” star Michelle Williams, will narrow down contenders to six finalists. Consumers will have the final say on who will win the contest in an online voting assembly. Public online voting takes place between April 19 and May 7.