The Emotional Brilliance line is composed of a wide selection of liquid lipsticks, cream eyeshadows, and liquid eyeliners. Company: Lush Handmade Cosmetics 1. By stripping away excess packaging and thoughtfully designing the products the brand has managed to avoid thousands of kilograms of waste. Some items have beeswax, honey, eggs, milk and lanolin. As someone who falls in the latter category, I felt like a bit like a fish out of water at the Lush Creative Showcase this week. It presents Lush as a company that cares – about you and the wider world. Lush had developed an evangelical customer base, which included many celebrities. On the one hand the company has managed to make buying, and using, relatively dull, essential items like soap and shampoo fun. The Lush approach to sustainable practices aligns with the market trends of more socially aware consumers that are interested in conservation, sustainability and how our consumerism can effect the world we live in. Can you say the same? In contrast, Lush stores are a riot of colour and smell. It’s a space for them to hang out and talk with like-minded people. The brand’s differentiation strategies focus on the product, from the quality to the appearance and style. It’s not afraid to have an opinion. It helps an organization position itself well over others in terms of competition (Jobber, 2012). Unlike other cosmetics brands on the market, LUSH advocates for ethical buying and purity of handmade products. It also encourages fans to interact with one another and to share their favourite products. Lush is always working to use as many natural ingredients as possible in its products, to reduce its environmental impact, to reduce packaging (and make it reusable where it is used) and more. This dual-stance seems to be working though as Lush now has over 675 shops in more than 45 countries, with a worldwide turnover in excess of £215 million. Differentiation is more than a strategy or series of strategies – it's a way of thinking about teaching and learning. Lush Cosmetics, a brand originated from the United Kingdom, is well-known with its unique products, in which differentiates it from other competitors in the cosmetics industry. For this reason, I couldn’t help but put it on our list of differentiation strategy examples. Boards around the store provide details about specific ingredients and their benefits. A premium price-point, known as skimming strategy, is when a marketer prices its products higher than its competition. Change ), You are commenting using your Google account. Lush has been defined by its customers in three simple words verdant, green and fresh. A well-executed differentiation strategy is an opportunity for your business to stand out in a saturated marketplace and convince potential customers or clients to buy from you, rather than engaging competitors. Below are other articles from our blog that cover similar topics: You can unsubscribe at any time. As well as promoting good causes, Lush also practices what it preaches, with 100% of the earnings from its ‘charity pot’ body cream going to environ… Whereas, the opportunities and threats are generally related from external environment of organization. …..teacher growth in differentiation is not so much about introducing tiered lessons, independent study alternative forms of assessment – or even moving to multi-text adoption. Lush also runs a number of charitable initiatives including its ten-year-old Charity Pot scheme, where the whole price of the product (minus VAT) is donated to good causes. The differentiation through natural handmade products and socially responsible production sets Lush apart from the competition and encourages the audience to associate with the brand and these positive attributes. It also encourages customers to explore and interact with the products more as they can pick them up, smell them and even taste them in some cases. Lush is against animal testing and focuses on sustainability as seen in this Bizcommunity article  as well as through the production of the cosmetics, ethical buying and the “naked” approach to packaging. The visual and verbal language of the brand assist in creating this holistic experience. The change in approach to packaging detailed on the Lush website was launched by making a statement in-store. It shows that fun and interaction sells, and that if you do it right you can charge more for products and still give customers value for money. 6. Lush had developed an evangelical customer base, which included many celebrities. Staff add to this by regularly ‘detonating’ bath bombs and other products in basins throughout Lush stores. Lush Cosmetics is one of the brands that I follow that definitely differentiates against the competition and is one of my favourite stores. What makes Lush different to other retailers and The Body Shop in particular is the in-store and online experience. Customers are also able to submit requests as to which products they’d like to see made available to buy. By using this site, you agree to our use of cookies, Ongoing ‘personal training’ for retail excellence, Omnichannel audit and strategic recommendations, top 50 uses of visual merchandising in retail. Even casual Lush fans get a boost from buying ethically – even if it was the fun that brought them to the brand first. Lush’s retail strategy is all about turning the usual cosmetics buying process on its head. The company uses its brand as a platform to engage with the public on key issues, to educate and inform, and to get conversations going. From minimal packaging to protests against animal testing – it has become just as well-known for its charitable endeavours as its use of organic ingredients. Their products range from cosmetics, skincare, and even baby In keeping with the company’s ‘naked’ policy, many products are sold without any packaging which makes their bright colours a central feature. It means customers are more likely to buy what is recommended to them. A differentiation strategy is focused on elevating the presence of a business within a marketplace and highlighting the things that make it different from similar competitors. Undoubtedly, these core values of honesty and positivity have enabled the brand to build a large and loyal fan base. On the other it’s a serious campaigner for major ethical issues, from animal testing to the environment, and it’s not afraid to share these views with customers. The company is also a major voice in many ethical debates such as animal testing, and regularly works with campaigners on big issues. Change ), You are commenting using your Twitter account. Lush is a global beauty retailer. This means your site will look good not only on laptop browsers, but also on devices with smaller screens, such as the iPad and the iPhone. In contrast, Lush stores are a riot of colour and smell. Whether it’s casual shoppers looking for a fun bath treat, or brand devotees who buy all their cosmetic products there, Lush is a playground that people want to explore. All the cosmetics available in their stores and online are handmade from only fresh fruit and vegetables, and where possible, are organic. When it came to complete mail orders, the company goes as far as using recyclable potato starch to protect breakage during shipping (Storify, 2015) Corporate Social Responsibility is very important to Lush. The company offers other perks as well, such as paid holiday if your birthday falls on a normal working day. Businesses looking to build a broad or focused differentiation strategy will need to produce or design extremely unique or distinctive products or services that create increased value for the consumer. Lush’s retail strategy is all about turning the usual cosmetics buying process on its head. Again this helps customers feel like they are buying into the company’s expertise, as well as good quality, healthy produce. Vegetarian, vegan and cruelty free cosmetics, handmade by real people fresh from our kitchens straight to your bathroom. As a consequence, the company is addressing various ethical challenges in order to differentiate itself from other brands. http://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/457/151534.html, https://www.instagram.com/lushsouthafrica/. To help customers with their purchases Lush’s staff can give out small, free samples of products (where possible) that they can try at home first. Lush is a self-proclaimed cosmetics grocer and the experience in-store is an integral part of the brand positioning. Lush isn’t one of those places you suddenly decide to pop in to for some bubble bath. Through product interaction customers are buying into the theatre that Lush stores promise and falling in love with products. Staff don’t need to check these with someone higher up, but are allowed to use their discretion to offer occasional free products to customers who need cheering up, are celebrating a special occasion, who they had a good rapport with and more. There’s the promise of surprise and magic with Lush products that your average bottle of bubble bath doesn’t have. The Body Shop is a natural beauty supply shop with products that reach all demographics. It differentiates itself from competitors with eco-friendly packaging, organic ingredients, and refusal of animal testing. The company empowers them to spend time with customers, to ask questions and build relationships, which pay off in the long-run. Rather than selling an image, LUSH found its niche by selling a viewpoint on how they define beauty. The company produces all its beauty products using vegetation and fruits. The differentiation through natural handmade products and socially responsible production sets Lush apart from the competition and encourages the audience to associate with the brand and these positive attributes. In my line of work, strategising on how to differentiate against the competition and position our brand is an important focus. They’re also allowed to give away products to customers in ‘random acts of kindness’. The case also discusses the views of some analysts who felt that the absence of a regular marketing … It's fast growth is helped by bigger store formats. Now, what does this look like in action? Experts felt that Lush was a cult brand that differentiated itself from other retailers of beauty products due to its innovative products, superior customer service, and unconventional marketing approach. The products are sold exclusively in the Lush boutiques or on its website (www.lush.pt). This again emphasises the freshness as customers can see exactly when it was made. This can be attributed to the fact that more of Lush’s products are perceived to have health benefits, attracting shoppers who would not normally consider shopping at the brand, particularly as we are seeing a blurring of the separation between beauty and wellbeing. Brand differentiation is a part of any comprehensive marketing strategy that your business can use to distinguish itself from the other offerings on the market. This makes customers feel closer to the company and the people who work there – you almost feel as though the item was made just for you. In fact this year it also held a two-day Lush Summit where customers could see new and exclusive products first. Customers can then buy many of the products used to take home and recreate their experience themselves. Differentiation is a marketing strategy in which your brand identifies the one thing that makes it genuinely different from competitors and then leverages that notion in its branding and messaging to effectively attract ideal customers. These values are palpable in-store and at other touchpoints, making Lush different to most competing brands. To experience the very best of London’s retail for yourself, book one of our Insider Trends retail safaris. Differentiation is a strategy that has the ability to give business organizations a competitive advantage ahead of their rivals. Some Lush stores take this experiential offering even further with in-store spas offering a series of treatments using Lush products. He believes that a company must choose a clear course in order to be able to beat the competition. It also makes customers more confident in parting with their money as Lush products often cost a lot more than equivalent items. (Renbarger,2014) Lush’s products are designed to create differentiation on the marketplace, therefore everything is handmade in the Lush Kitchen. Lush Company has been able to position itself ahead of its rivals due to its differentiation strategy. The Generic Strategies can be used to determine the direction (strategy) of your organisation. LUSH. ( Log Out /  Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. The stores also help to communicate the freshness of Lush products and ingredients. Typically shopping for bath products or face cleansers is just a case of trawling aisles and comparing packaging. LUSH has made use of ethics as a strategic weapon to market new customers and implement a brand image not only based on beauty and out of the classical luxury image of other cosmetics brands. By bringing together all of the different elements of its strategy, Lush has achieved the ultimate brand goal – you always instantly know when you are in a Lush store or using a Lush product. Lush creates a feel-good experience for customers as it allows people to affiliate themselves with an innovative environmentally-conscious approach through their daily pampering rituals. There’s nothing like seeing the results from a product to get a customer to come back and buy the full-sized version. But the experience is better than most retail brands with comparable rates. Brand-conscious, impulsive and brand loyal customers will be viable segments. There are two ways a business can use pricing strategy for product differentiation: premium pricing and under-cutting the competition. Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Firstly, Lush provides freshest cosmetics from harvested fruit and veggies which are 100% vegetarian. Here is what makes the company stand out: ( Log Out /  It is a healthcare brand that manufactures several body products using only vegan or vegetarian recipes. This natural passion is infectious as you don’t feel you are being sold to, but more like a friend is telling you about something great. Unique products or services. Inventors of the bath bomb and home of bath art. It shows that your staff are your greatest asset and humanising your brand is a really effective way to build customer relationships. These are combined with the finest essential oils and safe synthetics from sustainable suppliers around the world, making the products 100% vegetarian too. Lush, purveyor of rustic handmade soaps in an array of intoxicating fragrances and brightly colored bath bombs, is doing pretty damn well in 2017. There aren’t many brands that have the customer love and loyalty to have people excited to spend a day with them, but Lush is a special case. Experts felt that Lush was a cult brand that differentiated itself from other retailers of beauty products due to its innovative products, superior customer service, and unconventional marketing approach. The brand shows that you can have a stance and use your brand as a platform, and still be successful. No matter the size of your business, or which industry you come from, you should find that a differentiation strategy helps to give you a competitive advantage in a market that’s dominated by bigger, more deeply-ingrained companies. Create a free website or blog at WordPress.com. By Sarah Vizard 1 Apr 2014 But the innovation and highlights of the products in Lush company are: differentiation, communication, fresh ingredients, environmentally-friendly packing. The strengths and weaknesses are obtained from internal organization. A not-for-profit can use a Cost Leadership strategy to minimize the cost of getting donations and achieving more for its income, while one pursuing a Differentiation strategy will be committed to the very best outcomes, even if the volume of work it does, as a result, is smaller. This messaging is communicated across all of Lush’s channels from social media to product packaging to window displays. Where products are packaged in bottles or pots, they each have a sticker on them showing the face and name of the person who made it, as well as the production and use-by date. It does not use animal fats, n… The four strategies to choose from are: Cost Leadership Differentiation Cost Focus Community is a huge element of Lush’s strategy, driven in equal parts by its brand fans, or ‘Lushies’ and its ethical stance. Lush always chose strategic location of its shops. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. These product items are 100% vegetarian and have vegetables and fruits as its main ingredient like coconut, papaya, rosemary oil, avocado butter, vanilla beans and grapefruit juice. This strategy helps the company to make any strategy that would differentiate the company from competitors, so that the organization can compete successfully in the industry. This makes Lush something of a hub for customers with the same views. This positioning works very well for Lush as indulging in their products is a pampering, guilt-free and fun experience for customers. © Insider Trends 2020. The programme is now being revamped, but exclusive products are still available to buy from the website. Interaction is the cornerstone of the Lush experience, with the company designing its stores for customers to get stuck in by using all their senses to explore the products. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The purpose of this report is to investigate the brand, Lush, as an industry leader and delve into what essentially makes Lush successful, what are the internal strengths and weaknesses , the external opportunities and threats as well as a marketing strategy on how Lush is … They’re incredibly enthusiastic about the company and its products. Lush is a UK-based cosmetics retailer that has grown to operate in 49 countries, and is quickly building its way in the highly competitive industry. Done right, a differentiation strategy positions your brand as the most appealing option to your target audience. Staff have a deep knowledge of the products on offer so they can help guide customers to the right items for them, with an explanation of what the ingredients are and what they can do for them. What makes Lush different is the fresh approach to the way their products are made. The store design and all touchpoints relate to the positioning as customers are encouraged to test, smell and sample the products. Marketing and Lush Fresh Handmade 7455 Words | 30 Pages. Michael Porter uses 4 strategies that an organisation can choose from. Much like its bath products Lush looks like one thing on the surface, but there’s a lot more happening underneath. Face masks are displayed in bowls on ice like a deli counter which customers can dip in and out of to try. Tip: Generic strategies apply to not-for-profit organizations too. It seems you’re either a Lush devotee, or you tend to give its (rather odoriferous stores) a wide berth. Lush has adopted an exclusive distribution strategy that is consistent with its high-end positioning and its one-to-one strategy. Thanks to this strategy Lush has control of its image and its costs. A differentiation strategy is where the product or service is either perceived to be, or is, of superior customer value and has a definite price premium. ( Log Out /  The resulting T-Mobile brand strategy differentiated the company from its competitors by emphasizing simplicity, fairness and value. The policy even extends to Lush’s ecommerce site with customers able to request samples to be included with their orders. Change ). In addition, Lush does not have to compete based on price as other brands do not offer the same products, experience, benefits or quirky positioning and this allows for a premium pricing structure. Lush Inc. specializes in organic beauty products that range from skincare, hair care, body, shower ,and perfumes. Customers like to buy into the brand’s expertise and quality products. So for this reason, I follow different brands to observe their strategies and tactics. The random acts help make customers feel more valued, as well as warmer towards the brand, which can keep them coming back. Typically shopping for bath products or face cleansers is just a case of trawling aisles and comparing packaging. In Lush, there hasn't been much diversification this year, however Lush Cosmetics made a bold step last year into the world of makeup with their Emotional Brilliance line. The Lush brand positioning is quirky, colourful, creative, indulgent, pampering, ethical, fun and fresh. The closest competition to Lush Cosmetics is The Body Shop in that both brands sell body products and cosmetics and are against animal testing and use sustainable business practices. The gains that Lush enjoy are brand loyalty, popularity, sustainable competitive advantage and global appeal as many of the brand’s values relate to human issues that customers can identify with through the positioning. We take a closer look at the company’s strategy and what you can learn from its success. A cost leadership strategy is where the price may be similar or usually lower than the competition, but costs are certainly lower. It also makes for a great shareable moment for online as well, which means customers want to capture it. A focused differentiation strategy requires the business to offer unique features to a product or service, and it must fulfill the requirements of a niche or narrow market. Again, this can be a major draw for customers who want to make better choices with their buying. Customers are invited to gather round and get involved. Organizations too – about you and the Body Shop is a strategy that the! 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That reach all demographics products used to take home and recreate their themselves... Some Lush stores promise and falling in love with products that range from,! Right, a differentiation strategy, the opportunities and threats are generally related external... In one year shows impressive brand power, until very recently the company from its competitors by emphasizing,... Not a machine was involved in the making handmade 7455 words | 30 Pages unsubscribe at any time ingredients their! The fresh approach to packaging detailed on the marketplace, therefore everything is handmade in the website! Bubble bath doesn ’ t have liquid eyeliners detailed on the market, found. Had developed an evangelical customer base, which pay off in the Lush brand positioning quirky! Others in terms of competition ( Jobber, 2012 ) could see new and exclusive products first follow... As to which products they ’ d like to buy works very well for Lush devotees until! Believes that a company must choose a clear course in order to itself. Acts help make customers feel like they are buying into the theatre that Lush are.