Fresh Scents

Antiperspirant, deodorant marketers are catering more to consumers.

Melissa Meisel Associate Editor

Never let them see you sweat. The advertising slogan coined by Donna Karan in a mid-1980s Dry Idea commercial encapsulates the antiperspirant, deodorant (AP/Deo) market in a nutshell — however, today’s AP/Deos call for a lot more than just wetness protection. According to Certain Dri’s Perspiration Poll, 45% of American adults report perspiration is either “sometimes” or “often” a problem for them, and 42% of this group said they worry about having body odor. In addition, 18% (nearly 18 million) also indicated that excessive perspiration has ruined some of their wares. “For the millions of people with this condition, or, those who feel their perspiration is a problem, the summer months and the skin-bearing wardrobes that come along with the season are a dreaded time,” said David Bank, M.D., dermatologist and director of The Center for Dermatology, Cosmetic and Laser Surgery in Mount Kisco, NY. Our bodies—particularly in hot weather—can lose up to a quart of fluid per day, but this is just the average for those who have “normal” perspiration, said Dr. Bank. Someone with excessive underarm perspiration, or axillary hyperhidrosis, as it’s called medically, will perspire even more. While there are several options to treat hyperhidrosis, including surgery or Botox injections to the underarm area, Dr. Bank recommends that most people start with the least invasive and least expensive options first. Enter the vast assortment of 2007’s AP/Deo products. Must-Have Attributes

The retail market sales of antiperspirants and deodorants through all U.S. retail channels reached $1.9 billion in 2005, according to a five-year study conducted by MarketResearch.com. Furthermore, Euromonitor International reported that 2007 is expected to account for 39% of the total incremental growth between 2006-11, with stick and spray deodorants leading the subsector. “Consumers want choice in their antiperspirant/deodorants,” said Sam Chadha, director of marketing at Unilever. “Some consumers find fragrance to be the most important aspect they’re looking for, while others find odor and wetness protection to be the most vital. Bjoern Leyser, brand manager for Right Guard, agreed. “It’s a bit of ‘avoiding the negative’ while adding just the right amount of ‘positive,’” said Mr. Leyser. “‘Negative’ for men means odor and wetness; the primary concern is definitely odor…the ‘positive’ (meaning fragrance) has two meanings: first, it works as reassurance that one’s AP/Deo is still working and second, it is seen as a ‘tool’ to enhance one’s appeal to others (women).” Billy Hulkower, a Mintel research group analyst based in Los Angeles, points to fragrance as a major proponent of AP/Deo marketability: “Scent is a key differentiator for gender-specific products and for brands themselves. The most common reason consumers switch brands is to try a new scent, with more than half of men and women who have switched brands doing so for this reason.”

Crossover and Portability There’s also a lot of potential for more crossover fragrance/deodorant products for women, noted Mr. Hulkower. Look out for kits in 2007 with multiple deodorant scents for women and men. Another potential arena for growth is in a product set for women that would align scents across shampoo, conditioner, oral care and deodorant. “We’ve [Mintel] polled consumers and they like the idea of buying a complete personal care kits from a brand they trust,” said Mr. Hulkower. As for travel, with today’s strict airline regulations that limit carry-on liquids to 3 oz. or less, what is a deodorant-needy traveler to do? Southern California-based La Fresh Group recently released a line of 3” X 3” individually wrapped hygiene products that include a Deodorant for Men Towelette and Deodorant for Women Towelette. “Especially in today’s fast-paced, multi-tasking world, small hygiene problems can easily become magnified,” said Eve Yen, president, Diamond Wipes and La Fresh Group, who added that her company launched the product so consumers could have more access to these “easy and fresh solutions designed to improve their day-to-day lives.”

On the home front, shelf space will become more of a challenge for antiperspirant and deodorant manufacturers if a new, larger, array of scents expands a product line, said Mr. Hulkower of Mintel. “A single brand can offer many different scents, but they aren’t going to necessarily make it onto shelves. Seasonal scents, limited-release scents and direct-to-consumer sales online can offer some relief from the fight for shelf space. But it will still be a challenge to get products on the shelves, and it’s also going to take more effort (and larger budgets) to market scent-driven products,” he said. Selling a Lifestyle As with most retail products, cutting-edge AP/Deo companions are aiming to represent a lifestyle or make a fashion statement. According to the Association of National Advertisers (ANA) and Forrester Research, 78% of advertisers said that traditional television advertising has become less effective in the past few years, and therefore, marketers are exploring alternative and emerging opportunities. Along with endorsements, in recent years, celebrity branding has also become very popular in promoting AP/Deos. For example, Old Spice has signed on as the presenting sponsor of this year’s AND 1 Mix Tape Tour, a street basketball entertainment production embarking on a nationwide 10-city tour that runs through August 25. As presenting sponsor, Old Spice will have a prominent presence in the AND 1 Mix Tape Tour's marketing including national print ads, the ESPN show “Streetball: The AND 1 Mix Tape Tour Presented by Old Spice” and online. The Dial Corporation also recently announced that Right Guard has renewed its event title sponsorship of the AST Dew Tour for 2007.

The sponsorship supports the Right Guard Xtreme line of antiperspirants and deodorants, helping Right Guard Xtreme to reach its target consumer of young men. It is also the third consecutive year Right Guard has held event title sponsorship of the Right Guard Open, one of five tour stops on the action sports AST Dew Tour. This year’s Right Guard Open will take place July 19 – 22 in Cleveland, OH, at the city’s North Coast Harbor. Unilever, the manufacturer of Dove deodorants, also showcased a “360 marketing program” this past spring to launch the women’s Dove Deodorant Sleeveless Ready campaign and new Dove Ultimate Clear Smooth Cashmere product. The initiative included an “unconventional” mix of television, including teaming up with “The Tyra Banks Show,” online and in-store retail components. This integration emphasized product innovations that aim to give women softer, smoother, sleeveless ready underarms in just five days. Other marketing efforts included teaming up with “Project Runway” winner, Chloe Dao, and launching the Dove Deodorant Sleeveless Ready Celebrity Auction this past May on Dove.com. Unilever extended the partnership to include an in-store experience; Dove Deodorant and “The Tyra Banks Show” executed co-branded in-store “retailtainment” events in more than 1,000 U.S. Wal-Mart stores. Eighty stores displayed site-specific tune-in messages to drive consumers to watch “Tyra.” Additional initiatives include point-of-purchase displays and in-store brand ambassadors.

“It seems only natural for Dove to team up with “The Tyra Banks Show,” which encourages real beauty and raises women’s self-esteem,” said Chadha of Unilever. “Our co-branded initiative at Wal-Mart enables us to give more women the confidence to feel good, look good and get more out of life.”

Source: http://www.happi.com/articles/2007/07/fresh-scents.php

Tags: Anitperspirant Information, Anitperspirant Women, Deodorant Information, Deodorant Women, Sweating

 

By Christine Esposito
Consulting Editor

 

Question: How can a European personal care company gain an impressive position in the $1.7 billion U.S. deodorant marketplace?

a) Sweat equity
b) Spend cold hard cash
c) A little bit of both.

For Henkel and Unilever, the answer is C.

Henkel’s $420 million purchase of three antiperspirant and deodorants brands from Procter & Gamble has given it a stable of products with sales of $275 million and moved the company into what it contends is the number three position in the U.S. deodorant market. Meanwhile, Unilever has built its Axe brand into a category favorite in less than four years via a smart marketing campaign focused on younger male consumers and a costly brand launch.

According to company officials, Henkel’s purchase of Right Guard, Soft & Dri and Dry Idea will help it expand the German company’s presence in the body care sector.

"This acquisition will enable us to significantly expand our body care business in North America and will further strengthen our participation in the growth of this segment. The strong brands involved provide a perfect fit with our existing personal cleansing business in the U.S.," explained Hans Van Bylen, executive vice president cosmetics/toiletries of Henkel KGaA in a press statement when the deal closed in May. "The deodorant and antiperspirant market is highly attractive and we are delighted to be able to substantially strengthen our Dial platform with these acquisitions. This transaction will take us to number three in the attractive U.S. deodorant market,” he added.

For Henkel, the most prominent brand in the deal, Right Guard, brings a viable contender in the male side category, which is new territory for the company. 

“Dial and a lot of our current brands—Tone and Pure & Natural—are either female-skewing or are all-family brands. So now we have a strong male entry; the male personal-grooming segment is really growing. There's a growing trend where personal care brands are skewing either male or female, and with this stratification, we want brands that can play in either segment,” Scott Moffitt, Dial Corp.'s senior vice president for personal care and grooming told Adweek.com in early June.

Although a strong brand with a solid history, Right Guard’s sales have been sluggish at best in recent years. According to IRI, Right Guard’s sales have slipped 1.9% in the 52 weeks ended April 16, following a sales decline of 0.8% in 2005 and 7.1% in 2004.

The question is, can Dial can revive Right Guard and make it a formable candidate to P&G’s Old Spice and Unilever’s hot Axe brand?

“Right Guard has a strong brand equity. Henkel could grow that brand,” said Jason M. Gere, associate vice president, securities research-household products for A.G. Edwards & Son in New York City.

Unilever’s Axe has been one of the fastest growing brands in the ap/deo market, posting tremendous sales growth since it made its debut in the U.S. market in 2002. According to IRI, its sales in supermarkets, drugstores and mass outlets excluding Wal-Mart have risen from just under $27 million in 2004 to nearly $60 million in the 52 weeks ending this April 16.    

What has fueled the Axe brand’s swift rise in the marketplace? An expensive launch and savvy integrated deodorant marketing focused on male-female relationships rather than traditional sports marketing. Among Unilever’s recent endeavors was work with MTV’s The Gamekillers, a reality-based television special during which characters from the show helped launch Axe Dry antiperspirant stick’s new advertising campaign. Now Axe has a tie in with myspace.com and Christine Dolce. Known as Forbidden, Dolce—who reportedly claims 850,000 “friends” and 30 million page views, not to mention photos scheduled for a future issue of Playboy—is listed as the official myspace group moderator and spokesmodel for Axe Dry Gamekillers.

Unilever spent considerable cash—approximately $100 million—to bring the Axe brand to the U.S. market, which has added new dollars to the company’s coffers.

“They aren’t making a lot of money on it, but it’s growing well. They are building good brand equity,” said Mr. Gere, who contends that despite Axe’s success, efforts to revive Old Spice may have been a better deal for P&G’s bottom line.

“P&G took an old dead brand and they reinvented it. The margins are likely better for Old Spice,” he said.    

Still, Axe’s position in the marketplace is enviable.

“Everyone is trying to get a piece of the pie,” noted Mr. Gere, who said that companies are riding on Unilever’s coattails, especially in the body spray area.

But not every company is focused on body sprays for growth in the deodorant market. Colgate’s recent purchase of Tom’s of Maine’s provides it with an important brand in the ever-important natural personal care category, as well as increased presence in the deodorant sector, where it already competes with Speed Stick and Lady Speed Stick.

According to Susan Dewhirst, media and public relations leader for Tom’s of Maine, the brand’s newest entry in the category, a new long-lasting deodorant, is right on target for a demanding marketplace.

“Retailers are now more focused than ever on serving consumers needs and matching their lifestyle preferences. Consumers expect efficacy and the largest unmet need has been long-lasting performance. These products combine efficacy and natural ingredients, which is a winning combination,” she said.

Efficacy remains the key element with consumers, with recent launches in the women’s sector touting longer-lasting performance and invisible protection.

This spring, P&G restaged the Secret Platinum antiperspirant and deodorant line, which posted a 12.1% sales gain for the 52 weeks ended April 16.  The line includes Secret Platinum Invisible Solid, which boasts an improved formula that glides on clear for maximum protection—specifically “24-hour protection or your money back,” according to the company.

“The Secret Platinum line is the strongest, longest lasting protection you can get from Secret, offering stay strong odor and wetness protection with a brand new elegant look,” said Michelle Vaeth, communications director for Secret. The revamped line, which features sleek new platinum blue packaging, debuted on retail shelves March.

Also in March, Unilever launched Dove Ultimate Clear antiperspirant/deodorant, which it contends is a step above the so-called invisible products on the market. According to Unilever, 51% of women use invisible solids, but do not believe they are completely invisible. Once Dove Ultimate Clear is applied, translucent moisturizers form a barrier between skin and clothes, creating a layer that cares of skin and alleviates concerns about white marks on clothes.

Smaller Brands at Risk?

But as companies continue to roll out new products in this already-crowded marketplace, something has to give. And that could be shelf space.

According to industry experts, Walmart’s Remix program and other inventory efficiency initiatives could impact smaller brands in the marketplace. While these products are not in the top three in their respective categories, they still provide welcome cash flow to their owners.

“When you go down the aisle, it’s too crowded. “[Walmart] wants to free up shelf space and generate better cash flow. They want brands that turn over fast; ones that don’t collect dust,” said Mr. Gere, who added that brands such as Mitchum (Revlon) Ban (Kao), and Arm and Hammer (Church and Dwight) “could be at risk” if WalMart opts to cut back on SKUs.

Tags: Anitperspirant Information, Deodorant Information, Deodorant Men, Deodorant Women

It is a known fact that overweight and obese people are more prone to excessive sweating as they perspire more. However, excessive perspiration can be also due to several underlying medical conditions such as menopause, psychiatric illnesses and very active thyroid glands. Excessive sweating is also known to occur to people with no known medical condition and thus the cause of heavy sweating for this group of people is unknown.

It is very distressing to suffer from over sweating and many people with this condition also suffer from low self esteem. This is because excessive sweating may cause them to have undesirable body odor, looking unkempt and dirty.  It is easier for those who are overweight to reduce excessive perspiration since it is just a matter of reducing their body fat weight. Losing weight is easy with the right combination of exercises and healthy eating habits. Many people who find it hard to lose weight and disagree with me that losing weight is easy is because they are doing it wrongly.

If excessive sweating is localized on parts of the body such as armpits, palms or the soles of feet, then treatments may be necessary to reduce over perspiration. Sometimes anti-perspirants applied to the affected body part may just stop excessive sweating albeit temporarily. Simple and non surgical medical treatments that are known to reduce or even sometimes stop excessive sweating successfully are Iontophoresis where a low electrical current is introduced to the affected parts of the body or getting Botulinum toxin injections commonly known as Botox injections.

If you are suffering from excessive sweating and over perspiration, and since this condition is most prevalent among people who are overweight, go get a medical check up to see if you are obese. If you are, then embark on a healthy diet and exercise program and your excessive sweating condition may be solved permanently.

About the Author:
Chris Chew is a fitness personal trainer of fashion models, actors and international male pageant contestants. See his websites at Burn Fat Tone Body Fast and Be a certified trainer

Tags: Hyperhidrosis, Menopause and Sweating, Sweating, Sweating Information, Treatment to Stop Sweating

 

 

Over active sweat glands often lead to hyperhidrosis. Excess sweating can sometimes affect the entire body but it usually occurs in the hands, feet, armpits and the groin area. Excessive perspiration occurs to all during anxiety and fever. But when it persists it signals disorder of sweat glands, thyroid problems and a nervous system disorder. Areas having excess sweating appear white, cracked, scaly, and soft along with bad odor, which is caused by bacteria but is a symptom of hyperhidrosis. Curesweatypalms has all the cures to cure hyperhidrosis occurring by disorders of sweat glands including thoracic surgery procedure and excessive perspiration treatment.

 

Overactive sweat glands can be present any where in the body and lead to hyperhidrosis or excessive perspiration. There is no specific reason as to what leads to over active sweat glands but this is the main reason hat causes hyperhidrosis. Curesweatypalms offers many cures and treatments, which are mentioned below in detail. Though one procedure, which is the drysol method to cure hyperhidrosis, has some side effects but not all are sensitive to it. The botox treatment is also available.

 

Excessive sweating causes include sweaty palms, sweaty feet along with odor and excess sweating. Sweaty hands and palms is the first symptom and are generally not taken that seriously but sweaty feet and dripping sweat is a major sign of hyperhidrosis. When excessive perspiration is along with dripping sweat it means the sufferer is suffering from hyperhidrosis. Excessive sweating problem is usually caused by disorders of sweat glands or over active sweat glands like thoracic gland. Excess sweating leads to low estrogen level, hyperthyroidism, reduces immunity and causes social embarrassment and social isolation. The medical problems can be cured and treated much easily than the mental problems. Excessive sweating causes a lot of inferiority complex and thus it leads the patient to avoid facing public at all in turn lowering his moral and spirits. Curesweatypalms offers many solutions including some for mental and psychological treatment.

 

The thyroid gland is an organ, which has a lot many veins. This is located near the voice box and it absorbs iodine from the diet. Disorders of sweat glands even include the thyroid gland malfunctioning which leads to hyperhidrosis. These thyroid gland discharges thyroid hormones, which are iodine containing compounds and it, affect the body temperature and can also lead to hyperhidrosis. There is a thoracic surgery procedure mentioned at curesweatypalms, which is an ideal solution. Hyperthyroidism is a condition in which the thyroid gland excretes excess of thyroid hormones and thus leads to hormonal imbalances, overactive thyroid gland, which increases body metabolism and heat production thus leading to hyperhidrosis, and it even causes over activity of the sympathetic nervous system. Excessive perspiration is caused by high metabolism rate and thyroid gland is very much responsible for it. This excessive sweating problem can be cured by thoracic surgery procedure.

 

Drysol is another name for aluminum chloride hexahydrate and is a cure for excessive perspiration. This is considered to be a good excessive perspiration treatment. But the drysol side effects normally stop us from using them that frequently to avoid excess sweating. Drysol can lead to skin irritation, rashes, and itching. This irritation usually ends when excessive perspiration treatment with drysol is stopped and it should be kept in mind that drysol can stain certain fabrics and metals when being used as excessive perspiration treatment. Excessive sweating causes lots of problems for which a solution has to be found out. Curesweatypalms has many other solutions but drysol is a good option providing the patient is comfortable with the drysol side effects.

 

Excess sweating caused either by disorders of sweat glands or overactive sweat glands can be cures very easily either by thoracic surgery procedure or excessive perspiration treatment. Curesweatypalms provides many cures out of which the best excessive perspiration treatment is to change your diet and to undertake medication. Normally caffeine is seen to increase body temperature. Hence it can lead to hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating problem and thus should be avoided. Moreover some medicines nay also lead to excess sweating and the physician should be contacted immediately. Curesweatypalms has all the cures and treatments for over active sweat glands and excessive sweating problem. The treatment to cure overactive sweat glands and excessive sweating problem is easily available at curesweatypalms but your physician should take into consideration your health, age, severity of the condition, allergies to specific medications, procedures and therapies. Along with thoracic surgery procedure methenamine solution is applied to control excessive perspiration. Some of the other treatments to cure hyperhidrosis or excessive sweating problem include surgical removal of the overactive sweat glands, iontophoresis, application of aluminum chloride solution and psychological counseling.

 

About the Author

Dr. Baumgartner is a highly skilled thoracic and cardiovascular surgeon certified by both the American Board of surgery and the American Board of Thoracic Surgery. He was awarded "America's Top Surgeons" for 2002-2003 and 2004-2005 and "America's Top Physiscian" 2004-2005 by Consumers Research Council of America. Contact and Consult him at- www.curesweatypalms.com

Tags: Armpit Sweat, Hyperhidrosis