My team’s chosen company is Olay, which focuses on higher-end skincare products. When thinking of what constitutes “great design” I looked first at the changing market, and more importantly, the changing values of the consumers. For who this company caters to, young women in the millennial generation, we see a consumer who is paying more attention to the products they purchase. Statements like “cruelty free” “recyclable” and “profits are donated to XXX” are being plastered all over products. In an article published by Forbes magazine, they found that “75% [of consumers] said that it’s either fairly or very important that a company gives back to society instead of just make a profit” (Shambel 2015).
Keeping that in mind, this bring me to my definition of a great product in skincare, one that appeals to the millennial consumer: Olay Skin Advisor. The Skin Advisor is designed to apply deep learning to help woman 1) understand their skin type and 2) choose product that fits their skin type. In other words, it’s unique, catered to the individual, speaks to the values of the consumer (diversity), and comes from a company that is a leader in new age skincare for the global consumer.
Why does it appeal so greatly to the millennial consumer? Not only does it encompass these aspects, it’s accessible in a way that the digital age has capitalized on–in the online world. Consumers like it because they can interact with the service online, getting a synopsis of a personalized skin care regime with just a few clicks and a photo upload. Not only that, they are able to customize the product to suit their needs–whether that be acne concerns, dry skin, oily skin, blemishes, anti-aging or sunscreen. It’s familiar to them, in a day where Instagram and Facebook cloud their feed. The design principles here are ease of access, accessibility (online), personalization, convenient, and making the consumer feel unique. As the millennial consumer age comes to rise, skincare products have begun to realize that the consumer is looking for more than a good eye cream; they want diversity, an easy to use platform, individualization, values centered around diversity of products, and well made products. With all this in mind, it’s easy to see why the Olay Skin Advisor is a leading design in this category.
References:
Schawbel, D. (2015). 10 new findings about the millennial consumer. Forbes. Retrieved from: https://www.forbes.com/sites/danschawbel/2015/01/20/10-new-findings-about-the-millennial-consumer/#58a079b46c8f