Salon products continue to emerge at retail as evidenced by growth in brand

Drug Store News, Sept 30, 1991

Salon Products Continue to Emerge at Retail as Evidenced by Growth in Brand

Hair care merchandising is a family affair. Major retailers have spent this past year organizing hair care planograms by full lines instead of by category.

Some of the trade's savviest merchants told Drug Store News that customers don't shop hair care by department, they shop by brands. This trend benefits drug and discount chains because emphasis can be placed on the strongest brand families in a very cosmetic environment.

Fixatives, the styling aids and sprays that women look to for fresh looks and quick fixes on harried days, especially benefit from the brand family merchandising approach, which makes it easier for people to find companion products. Indeed, Mousse and Gel users also apply Hair Spray and/or Spritz and importantly, these incremental sales are easy to capture when a line merchandising approach is used. And this incremental business is significant as these products deliver anywhere from 25% to 40% margins.

CONDITION by Clairol, a leading brand in the hair fixative category, emphasizes a line approach. The brand's new graphics, introduced in 1990, were developed specifically to work together to provide an eyecatching billboard on shelf. This billboard maximizes impulse purchases while communicating the brand's salon heritage.

A new CONDITION on-shelf merchandising unit helps organize the family of products while providing a cosmetic looking piece at point of purchase. CONDITION also delivers millions of coupons several times a year that reward shoppers for purchasing multiple products in the CONDITION family. And it is support such as this that has made hair fixatives a big business for drug and discount stores.

CONDITION delivers what women want, salon quality products at retail stores, at a fraction of the salon price. There is an extensive line of products offered by CONDITION, so no matter the style or hair type, CONDITION has the products to meet all her hair care needs:

* CONDITION Mousse, America's leading styling mousse and CONDITION Gel are absolutely alcohol-free.

* CONDITION Spritz and Hairspray both provide extra lift and volume with beautiful lasting hold.

* CONDITION Stylers, an exciting salon inspired line, includes Finishing Shine and alcohol-free Spray Gel, Curl Refresher and Styling Glaze.

Along with the complete line of styling products, CONDITION offers a complete assortment of Shampoos and Treatments all fortified with Pro-Vitamin B-5 and available in a variety of formulas to meet individualized hair types.

The keys to product success in this dynamic category are many. Remaining on the forefront of salon trends is a must as women continue to look for products that are personalized, convenient and fun to use.

Bold packaging like CONDITION offers is also important if you want to grab the customers' attention.

Combine great products and enticing packaging with support programs that tie together elements such as price, advertising and display and you're sure to draw in customers and ring up sales.

The hair care category is off to a fast start in the nineties. Be prepared for continued excitement in this arena with the emergence of new products, integrated promotions and image building advertising all with the promise of continuing to make the hair care category a booming business for retailers.