Buyers pinpoint ethnic "leaders of the pack."

Drug Store News, Oct 9, 1989

Buyers pinpoint ethnic "leaders of the pack"

Ethnic product buyers agree that several suppliers and particular lines have outdistanced the rest of the category in innovation and growth during 1989. They cite these efforts as having led this year's single-digit ethnic growth, and building promise for 1990.

They mentioned most often: Revlon, particularly with its Creme of Nature line; Schering-Plough, particularly with Artra; Lustrasilk, especially with Right On and Right Back; Kiwi with Ambi; Luster Products, especially with Pink Oil and S-Curl; Pro-Line, particularly with its relaxer kits; Carson with Dark & Lovely; Supreme with its Raveen relaxer kits; Johnson Products with Gentle Treatment; Worlds of Curls with its gels and moisturizers; and Soft Sheen with Care Free and Optimum Care.

Among the smaller, more regional companies, buyers also singled out Little Rock-based J.M. Products for Stylecrest ISOLPLUS; Atlanta-based W & W Pharmaceuticals for Back Alive Curl Revitalizer; and Chicago-based D'orum for Leisure Curl.

Soft Sheen

Soft Sheen is regarded by sources as the strong supplier in ethnic because its management knows salon trends from its salon division, enabling the company to react quickly.

"They know the trends and they start the trends," says Jim Normandin, ethnic buyer at Beauty Enterprises. "They started it with Care Free in the salons years ago and they did it again with Optimum Care earlier this year."

"Soft Sheen is still number one when it comes to innovation," adds Dan Medow, president of Detroit-based Standard Distributing.

"Soft Sheen has the best marketing strategy of any ethnic company," says Chuck Lewman, president of Los Angeles-based Paul's Sundries.

"They build a salon business, educate the consumers through the salon people, then when their maintenance products reach a critical mass point, they take them out of the salon and into retail and they hold the allegiance of the salon people by giving them something new to work with," Lewman added.

"Several years ago, they [Soft Sheen] streamlined their operations, and starting with Gold, they've been on a winning streak," says Mike O`Neil of Harris Beauty Supply in Atlanta. "They successfully launched their Sporting Waves Texturizer Kit. Their sales for Care Free are strong, and now they have had a great launch with Optimum Care."

Carson

Carson is another company often singled out for being innovative and strong on marketing. The Carson line of Revitalizing Color highlighters, launched nearly two years ago, is moving well at retail now, sources said.

The innovative line was the first to let women add color to their hair immediately after relaxing it rather than two weeks later. It was also the first retail line to let women enhance the natural color of their hair while adding highlights, as opposed to covering their natural color with permanent coloring.

"It probably brought new users into the hair color category," says Medow. "It gave women who were uncertain about coloring their hair an easier way to go."

One source called Carson "the most progressive company in the market," adding that it usually has "the best marketing programs and follows through with commitment."

Our sources also singled out Culver's TCB division and Luster Products for being exceptionally skillful at marketing their products. Both companies are aggressive with bonus packs, which are helping them gain market share, buyers said.

Culver/TCB

TCB at press time was shipping what appears to be the industry's first 75 percent-off bonus pack on its TCB 14-ounce hair and scalp treatment and hair food conditioner. TCB has priced the 14-ounce pack at regular 8-ounce retail.

Buyers said that among styling aids, the TCB Oil Sheen is a top seller even though it is priced higher than some competition.

Mike O'Neil at Harris described TCB's new Unscented Oil Sheen as "fantastic." While reports on the new Design Effects line are mixed, some sources say the line is doing very well, especially in the Midwest where Chicago-based Culver has a loyal following.

Luster

Luster has just finished a successful bonus pack, offering 50 percent off its Pink Oil moisturizer.

Luster also stages one of the industry's best consumer promotions: its S-Curl Male Model search.

Luster does a good job passing on bonus packs and other added-value programs, like 50 percent more product free, one trade source said. "They don't have many items, but what they have they do well with. Moisture Oil, for example, has been around for 20 years or so, but they were the first to come out with the Pink Oil concept."

Pro-Line

Pro-Line was also singled out, for being aggressive and for figuring out what the consumer wants "from the grass roots up." They were the first to come out with a men's comb-through kit and "that flew through the stores," said one source.

Chuck Lewman, president of Paul's Sundries, singled out Pro-Line as a "consistent manufacturer who keeps things happening. They're like the baseball player who consistently hits singles and doubles instead of always going for the home run," he said.