The Ordinary research

The Abnormal Beauty Company

Index

START

01

STORY

SWOT

02

Diagnosis

Index

03

04

CUSTOMER

05

MARKETING

00

CONCLUSION

DECIEM was founded in 2013 by “the beauty world’s most exciting disrupter”, Brandon Truaxe. During a four-month co-op at a skincare lab, he became angry at the lack of passion, transparency, or insight when beauty products were being developed. After selling his first software company, many years later, Brandon’s frustration at the beauty industry remained and he set off to make a change in the beauty business. That change is DECIEM and we’re working really hard to continue Brandon’s vision for a better world of beauty.

The behind Story

+ info

01

Diagnosis

Method of this Research

Method

Diagnosis

We have planned full company and consumer research including resources, method, and questions to answer. The desired outcome os to understand the external factors and internal strategies influencing the brand's growth and market positioning.

+3000 review +25 article + 80 video +8 websites

+ INFO

TEAM

01

Ms. Yasmeen AljabriMrs. Tahani JambiEng. Kasswar Alaswad

Strategies from the Inside

Strengths

Weaknesses

Key strength points including their UVP

Recent and updated points is mentioned here

SWOT analysis

Opportunities

Threats

as per the logical growth of the company

Big thing that could change the game

02

CUSTOMER JOURNEY MAP

Different masseges across the whole cycle.

Customer Journey

1. AWARENESS

2. Evaluation

3. Purchase

Educational Content

Extending education

Value for money

product naming based on ingredientsIntroducing unique packaging colors based on the ingredient color

Helping customers to find what works for them.Slownovember: discount across the whole month - closed on Black Friday

Simple ingredients for affordable prices.

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The Ordinary Marketing

StrategyGo against the grain!

Key factors

Marketing

Simple messaging: They cut out any bold claims, focusing on simple messaging. Their digital ads usually consist of a photo of the product, a one lined caption, and brief design text. Anti-campaigns campaign: Instead of participating in Black Friday like every other brand, Deciem announced a boycott of the day to raise awareness for climate change. They shut down their sites and called the day “Knowvember” and “Slowvember”, instead focusing on educational content. Influencers egnagement from the early beginning.

The Ordinary marketing is anything but ordinary. They have positioned themselves as “different”, as the brand that goes against the grain. Instead of constantly spending thousands on billboard ads, they focus primarily on word of mouth, letting their customers speak on behalf of them.

04

Conclusion

What Drives Its Growth?

Fast decision-making process The biggest change in process that allows us to bring innovation to market quickly, is simply speeding up the decision-making," says Truaxe. "When we start to develop a product, no one has an idea of what it is going to cost and where we can sell it."’

Disruptive mentality Against the crowd strategy in product development and marketing, is the driver why The Ordinary was recieved as different by customers.

Innovation funnel Average time frame from idea to product: 12 months. Process Marketing team gather data/insights from consumer/market research->Creative team gather inspiration from creative content online -> R&D team gather insights from product research -> all three departments meet to discuss ideas-> The development process begins-> Market, price, and logistics followed building around the idea/product-> Product is iterated based on customer/stakeholders feedback & logistics -> product is developed.

Authenticity and transparency No marketing gimmicks or fluff, no complicated story , just transperancy in brand communication and messaging.

Conclusion

Affordability and value for money

Full involvement of all teams at every stage

The marketing, creative and R&D team are all involved in the creative process for new product development. As per a WIRED article: ‘The goal is complete
co-ordination between the various aspects of the business: creative, lab and marketing. "The openness between three very different teams is what kickstarts everything," says Truaxe. Twice a month, core members of each team discuss product ideas, running through opportunities without getting bogged down in logistics.

05

For further reading please check our references here

Thanks!

https://theordinary.com/

Social

A lack of awareness regarding skincare ingredients may impact The Ordinary negatively, as consumers finding it difficult to understand the different products and their effects on the skin (considering that their products are named after the ingredients, with a lack of marketing claims). According to a panel discussing Saudi skincare trends between Google and L’oreal, one notable consumer trend affecting the KSA market is the increased education of Saudi consumers regarding ingredients and formulations. Saudi consumers are becoming more discerning and conscious of the products they use, making The Ordinary a more accessible brand in KSA as the consumer attitudes evolve.

• Global expansion- due to their strong presence, affordability, and straightforward ingredients.
• Sustainability initiatives: due to the rise in eco-consciousness, The Ordinary can begin implementing initiatives (such as more sustainable packaging).

Technology

According to a report completed by Blue Weave Consulting, social media has become a driving force for Saudi consumers within the skincare market. Customers are basing their purchasing decisions on information found online, and while The Ordinary has Instagram and Tiktok platforms amassing 2 M followers, there are no dedicated pages for Saudi consumers. This presents an opportunity for other brands to leverage social media to specifically target Saudi or GCC based consumers. Technology from product development perspective: The Ordinary had the benefit of a readily available factory in downtown Toronto due to its parent company, DECIEM

Founder's Death - New era

• Controversial founder (now passed away) leaving a murky past which may impact the business. Brandon Truaxe was the steeling weel and the invintor of the unordinary bath.
• Employee mistreatment behavioural acts: example provided as reported by one of DECIEM staff "the corporate keep sending us messages and calling us monkeys".
• Complex product names and descriptions: the products are solely based on the ingredients themselves, consumers will need to have an exact understanding of each ingredient to choose the right product.
• Complicated product's usage: some of thier products such as the Niacinamide powder, need to be prepared (ie, mixed in with a water-based liquid) prior to use. https://theordinary.com/en-gb/100-niacinamide-powder-serum-100391.html
• Fixed products for certain skin types: the formulas are standardized and used to address specific concern and skin type.

Abnormality at its best !

• Low price- value for money - Items that really work
• Focus on transparency- in line with consumer trends. “You get what you see”
• The Ordinary is cruelty-free, but have an interesting take on sustainability on their website: https://theordinary.com/en-gb/deciem-earth.html
• DECIEM Science-backed partent compnay: an already established parent company with both financial resources and industry knowledge in skincare formulations.
• Following trends and customer's weak signals: now beyond skincare, the brand is creating products such as The Lash & Brow serum, which has been garnering lots of attention on Tiktok. https://theordinary.com/en-gb/multi-peptide-lash-brow-serum-100111.html
• Gender inclusivity- the brand does not cater to one specific gender, appealing to a wider audience and expanding their customer demographic to be as inclusive as possible.
• Innovative marketing- Discussed in later slides.

• Shifting consumer preferences: With Tiktok as a dominating platform and users becoming extremely impressionable, there is a high risk that preferences will shift away from brands such as The Ordinary due to the shippable behavour of these target audience.
• Estee Lauder full acquisition: While having a skincare/beauty giant as a parent company can be extremely beneficial, there is a threat of moving away from the “abnormal” values of The Ordinary (transparency, authenticity, affordability), meaning it may no longer resonate with consumers.

Economic

The Ordinary is regarded as an affordable skincare brand, enabling its positioning in both higher income and lower income countries alike. In KSA, the local beauty industry is the “biggest and fastest growing in the GCC” (Decoding the Beauty Consumer in the GCC- Chalhoub Group). Therefore, the economic conditions within a rising beauty market offers a great opportunity for The Ordinary.

Environmental

Consumers are becoming more eco-conscious at a rapid rate globally, with eco-friendly tourism in KSA bolstering the sustainability sector. This marks an opportunity for green marketing to appease the masses within the skincare. The Ordinary is cruelty-free, but have an interesting take on sustainability on their website: https://theordinary.com/en-gb/deciem-earth.html https://www.abouther.com/node/62896/people/features/eco-friendly-tourism-growing-saudi-arabia

Politics

The Ordinary, a global brand, must adhere to the trade policies imposed by each country. Due to the simple ingredients and lack of bold marketing claims, it is less difficult for The Ordinary to adhere to trade policies when compared to other brands. With regards to The Ordinary in the KSA market, the political stability and progressive reforms makes the KSA market a favourable place for a brand like The Ordinary to flourish.