Simple’s new branding campaign pushes a lifestyle rather than a product
The brand says it wants to ‘overthrow’ misconceptions that only a small number of consumers suffer from sensitive skin, broadening the appeal of products which make claims of catering for the irritable skin type.
The campaign looks to make Simple products relevant to a much wider consumer base, and confirms that skin care brands are now pushing to find new marketing niches in order to strengthen their position in the increasingly saturated European market, which is set to reach $29.8 billion by the end of 2017.
Philippa Bealey, brand building manager for Simple UK and Ireland, confirmed the campaign’s focus will be on bringing in new consumers through promoting a lifestyle rather than individual products from its range.
“Consumers living and working in the city are constantly subject to stress, harsh weather, lack of sleep and pollution, all of which have an impact on their skin,” she said.
Marketing a lifestyle
The campaign does not limit its focus on simply plugging the brand’s products, but instead promotes a wider lifestyle into which the products fit; a tactic which appears to be gaining in popularity for beauty branding.
“Having healthy skin is not just about the products consumers use, but is instead the result of uniting a healthy diet and exercise routine, with general wellbeing and a good skincare regime,” the brand confirms.
Dove is another prime example of a brand using the promotion of a lifestyle to market their products in a less direct way than traditional product-pushing, with their continuing ‘Real Beauty’ campaign, which has met with global success since its 2004 launch.
The campaign involves the advertising of the Dove brand through linking it to the ideal of the rejection of the typically perfect female body image usually relied upon to sell beauty goods.
In the latest move in the campaign, Dove has just signed up to join the UK alliance of organisations behind the ‘Campaign for Body Confidence’ backed by the government.
The campaign
Simple states the campaign will take the form of a multi-media brand push, built upon a strong digital and social media presence, alongside traditional billboard and TV advertisements.
It will feature input from the newly formed ‘Simple Advisory Board’, which includes fitness expert Anna Reich, dietician Fiona Hunter and psychologist Dr Christina Bundy, among others, to enhance the appearance that the brand is promoting a wide-reaching lifestyle rather than individual products.
