Marketing Communications

244 CHAPTER 7 ADVERTISING

Figure 7.9 New ways to address men and the link with cosmetics

Photo 7.5 Biotherm Homme Force Suprème, Anti-Ageing Eye Care and Daily

Anti-Wrinkle Moisturizer

Source : L’Oreal UK.

potential for a specific male body care product. Biotherm

Homme ( Photo 7.5 ), a skin care programme for men

launched in 1985, has experienced strong growth in recent

years. This complete line of skin care products for the face

and the body was the world’s market leader in men’s care

(2004, value shares). The men’s skin care market has been

growing steadily since the mid-1990s (twice as fast when

one includes the men who borrow products from their girl-

friends or wives).

The positioning of Biotherm Homme can be summarised

as follows: ‘ There is more to skin care than aftershave. You

have no qualms about your individuality. You are comfortable

looking after your body, skin and general wellbeing. You want

to keep things simple, quick and effective. You want immediate

results that make you feel good about yourself.’ The brand

statement is: ‘Biotherm Homme, men’s skin care coach’,

because only a coach can provide men with a custom-made

programme that respects and soothes their skin. This coach

is ‘the creator of men’s skin care treatment’. It has created

personalised programmes specifically for men: high-precision

shaving formulae, face care treatments with extremely

targeted ingredients, technical body care products. Each

individual should be able to find the product that is best

suited to his personal skin care needs.

In March 2003, a qualitative brand study in four focus

groups of men aged 20–45 was carried out in Germany. In

this study, the brand statement was tested as well as a

number of advertising campaigns for both Biotherm and

some of its competitors, merchandising programmes and

product offers. The conclusion was that the idea of a ‘coach’

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