Summer 2017
This re-branding project involved researching Avon’s current brand, its history, image, competitors and users to develop a strategy and future concept.
Avon’s brand is built on personal relationships and one on one interactions. In a digital age, how can they maintain this essence, while driving the future of beauty?
What is the future of beauty?
Avon Calling: Not Your Grandmothers Brand
Avon, a direct sales company founded
in 1886, sells beauty, personal care and household products door to door. Avon’s image is tied to the past and no longer relevant. The beauty industry has embraced technology, while Avon has
been slow and resistant.
Avon thriving in 1960
The brand is built its brand on 1x1 interactions.
Avon Declining in 2017
How can this 1x1 interaction be relevant in the digital age?
The Future of Beauty
I researched current macro trends existing across society, technology, economy, ecology and politics.
Advances in technology have integrated into all aspects of daily life. Female entrepreneurs are growing faster than their male counterparts. How can Avon align their offerings to these trends and future needs?
How can Avon align their business model to trends and future needs?
Death of a Salesman
Brands are using apps to reach their customer base.
Quantified Self
Tracking is used to assess our personal lives and habits
Girl Bosses
Rate of women entrepreneurs has grown 2 times men.
Artificial Intelligence
Machine learning is used to personalize brand experience
Consumer Archetypes
Avon’s customers exist in the late mainstream market, compared to the competition, who have taken more of
the early market.
Consumer Interviews
I interviewed and observed users to understand who Avon’s prospective customers are and their respective archetype’s pain-points, needs and wants.
Innovator
Diet affects skin.
Beauty starts with
emotional fullness.
Early Adopter
Doesn’t want identity tied to wearing makeup.
Early Majority
Makeup shouldn’t be about covering, it should be more like a medicine.
Late Majority
Invests in products and services that affect skin from the inside out.
Laggard
Invests in products
and services that affect skin from the inside out.
Key Insight:
Beauty starts from within. Users look toward nutrition, physical activities and
mental health because they value a deeper sense of wellbeing, beyond topical products.
SWOT Analysis
I evaluated internal and external factors to identify potential opportunities.
Strengths
Business model based on relationships with customers
Understand customer’s buying habits
Weaknesses
Direct sales Stigma.
Brand image is dowdy, old-fashioned.
Late to adopt digital. Website makes Avon’s representatives obsolete
Opportunities
Personalized products that reflect deeply knowing customers
Integrate personal relationships with technology
Threats
Competition is younger and tech savvy
Competition is convenient and offers customers a desirable experience
How Can Avon Reposition Itself As A Market Influencer?
The future of beauty is not just how you look. It’s emotional beauty, how you feel, how you live.
Live Beautiful
Health is affected by multiple factors. Avon 360 reflects this integration and encourages users to make better choices considering all aspects of health.
The four dimensions of wellbeing
Wearable patch tracks stress, sleep and
activity through PH, sweat and heart rate
The System
Avon 360 is a system that incorporates physical tracking through a smartphone app and wearable patch and analysis in an interactive home device and personal consultation, across a user’s lifestyle, for meaningful self-reflection. A new product line based on nutracosmetics addresses self-improvement.
Feed Your Beauty:
Food line with cosmetic benefits.
An interactive smart mirror presents
self assessment of a user’s daily life.
The Avon consultant is your personal life coach.
Tracking
Users track various aspects of their life, in order to understand the relationship across different wellbeing dimensions.
Wearable Technology
A wearable patch tracks stress, sleep and activity through PH, sweat and heart rate.
Protective Packaging
Micro Circuit
Adhesive-backed sweat absorbing cloth
Micro Fluid Channel
Quantified Self
A smartphone app pulls data based on tracking diet, calendar events, GPS, contacts and tasks.
A New Way to See Yourself
A bathroom mirror exists at key points of self reflection at the start and end of each day. A smart mirror interface presents a meaningful moment of self assessment.
Analysis
Interface uses machine learning to map the relationship of data across the dimensions, to get to the root of the weakest areas.
Consulting
Your AI consultant uses this data to make personalized self improvement suggestions.
Beauty from Within
Cosmetic food line. Made with superfoods and skin-enhancing extracts, like pearl, spirulina and active cultures. The products work to create beauty from the inside out and can be eaten directly or used as ingredients for cooking.
See Yourself Clearer
Intelligent packaging uses finger print scan to reflect how items relate to each user’s personal daily intake.
Intelligent Packaging
Nutrition label is printed on a flexible LCD film, a technology which is currently on the market in other applications like smart phones and watches.
Moving Forward
Strategic Roadmap
Moving forward, Avon should continue to provide products and services based on deeply understanding their customer. The roadmap lays out a long term strategy that first rebuilds consumer perception to allow Avon to pursue a reputation of innovation into the future..
Rebuild consumer perception & brand image through meaningful wellbeing.
Form strategic partnerships with larger retail stores for wider access to products.
Establish branded wellness centers based on Avon’s model of personal relationships