Mentholatum stays in touch with millennials
To reach millennials, Mentholatum aims to be where they are, while also having relevant content in line with their passions. Softlips Cube is a great example, according to Jean Legros, Mentholatum’s VP sales and marketing.
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When on the path to purchase lip balm, he said, consumers shop by brand, packaging and flavor, then benefit and price. “Softlips Cube is very relevant to younger millennials, and that is particularly due to its unique shape. As a result, we celebrate the product throughout everything we do, both in the store and out of the store,” Legros said.
From a content standpoint, “one of the things we are doing this summer is to partner with Kelsea Ballerini, author of No. 1 country single ‘Love me like you mean it,’ by offering consumers the chance to meet the lead artist, as well as [to win] VIP tickets,” Legros said.
Considering the millennials’ media consumptions habits, the brand is undertaking a multimedia effort, which includes TV, digital and social, with a presence on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram, among other things.
Millennials, he said, multitask, crave authentic messages and want to be recognized by others, especially their peers. This is seen as an opportunity to engage with them via relevant content, and to get fans to generate comments and feedback, which in turn will generate more discussions. But, Legros warned, the information must be authentic or it is discounted. “They want to know, very factually and quickly, what the product does. How does this resolve my struggle as a consumer,” he said.
Mentholatum adapts different tones for its portfolio; for example, the company uses a more edgy message for Rohto Cooling Eye Drops — a lifestyle-positioned eye drop touted via a Zombie Eyes commercial, leveraging the consumer success of AMC’s “The Walking Dead.” The company adopted a more educational message for OXY acne medication.
“It goes without saying that this is a New General Market, and that we do not control the content as in the old days. As a result, we have to be even more curious and manage the information flow, deciding what we want to accomplish and be influenced by with this target,” he said.
Often, the New General Market requires brand managers to take a fresh approach to older rules — especially in a rapidly changing retail environment. “Obviously social listening is a key point that we can do via existing social networks, going into e-commerce platforms, to stay tuned to the latest and greatest comments.”
For us, staying close to the consumer is a top priority, and much effort is put forth throughout the year to speak to millennials. In addition to traditional focus groups, the team frequently visits college campuses and speaks with young millennials first hand, conducting one-on-one interviews to understand young consumers’ needs and wants. The personal interface addresses such questions as, “How can I optimize the product that I have? What needs does it meet, and how can I make it better,” he said.
Overall, the company has many brands targeting millennials, such as Softlips lip balm, OXY acne medication and Mentholatum Nighttime, a lavender-scented chest rub targeting young moms wanting maximum strength cough relief with a pleasantly scented rub. “Staying in tune with them and managing the vast amount of information does remain a constant challenge,” Legros said.