Case Notes/Answers
Ombre, Tie-Dye, Splat Hair Trends or Fads Pull and
Push Social Media Strategies at L'Oréal Paris by Katrina
Bens, David Dubois
Discussion Questions:
The following objectives can be met individually or in combination:
x To focus on how L’Oréal Paris leveraged online trends, and from this generalize: (1) the
short and long-term benefits that companies can derive from social media listening, (2)
how to implement a systematic social media listening strategy.
x To focus on how L’Oréal Paris used social media to promote its new brand by creating a
community/advocacy-based strategy.
x From this, generalize: (1) the short-term and long-term benefits that brands can derive
from a social media community/advocacy-based strategy, (2) how to build a
community/advocacy-based strategy.
The case can be used to discuss the choices between:
x The styles (ombre, tie-dye or splat) that consumers were researching online: Which was
most promising for the development of a new product?
x How to create and market the new product. Should it focus on the professional or
consumer-at-home market? How should the product be branded? How should it be priced?
x The type of campaign: a traditional marketing campaign, a 100% social media campaign,
or a mix? If a mix, how should they be integrated?
x Should different countries where the product is launched adopt distinct strategies? If so,
how distinct?
, INS677
Ombre, Tie-Dye, Splat Hair:
Trends or Fads?
“Pull” and “Push” Social Media
Strategies at L’Oréal Paris
TEACHING NOTE
,Case Summary
This case focuses on an innovative “loop” strategy used by L’Oréal Paris to leverage social
media to: (1) “listen” to potential customers and emerging online trends in the hair colour
market, and (2) develop a brand or product to respond to this emerging style, Wild Ombré.
L’Oréal Paris closed the loop by creatively co-promoting the brand by associating trendsetters
with the launch campaign in in France, the UK and Germany in 2012, and in Eastern Europe,
the US and South America in 2013.
The case begins by describing the financial and structural challenges faced by L’Oréal Paris
in launching a new product in a flat, almost purely functional market with 0.5% growth.
Using Google, L’Oréal Paris began to track emerging trends in the hair colouring market (key
online conversation topics about hair) and identify the social backbone (influencers, relative
importance, insider codes) in an effort to translate these insights into strategic marketing
decisions. Subsequently it launched an entirely new brand, Wild Ombré, in response to
emerging online trends (“from Google”). It then used social media and leveraged influencers
to grow market share (“to Google”).
What is novel is the complete integration of social media both in the product elaboration (by
listening to consumers’ insights and responding to an emerging need by creating a new
product) and the product launch (by engaging consumers associated with the original trend) to
create momentum around it. The case describes the process by which L’Oréal Paris
strategically leveraged social media (for marketing research purposes, new product
development and marketing strategy). This process integrated both social media listening and
social media marketing techniques (seeding and community strategy).1
L’Oréal Paris used the services of Google to track the search volume associated with different
hair colouring trends. Novel to this approach was the systematic use of social media to
confirm or disconfirm trends seen in the media (fashion magazines) and ‘on the red carpet’
(fashion shows, the Oscars, Golden Globes, Cannes Film Festival). Since only a fraction of
emerging trends become mainstream, social media listening helped to corroborate initial
insights by quantifying the interest in emerging trends.
With respect to social media marketing, L’Oréal Paris piggybacked on the initial interest in an
emerging trend (ombre)2 to promote the new brand Wild Ombré. Of particular interest was
how it used consumers associated with the original ombre trend (e.g., influencers or mere
community members) as advocates to build momentum for the brand. In addition, L’Oréal
Paris chose to use local names (in Spain Mechas Californianas; in France Cheveux Ombrés)
to resonate with customers in different countries.
1 A section of the case describes social media listening and monitoring techniques in general terms as
background material on these marketing techniques
2 In the rest of the case we refer to the L’Oréal brand as "Wild Ombré" (with an accent) and the “ombre
look” (without the accent), consistent with the way non-French consumers use the term online.
1
, The case concludes with two main areas of questions:
1. Of the three styles identified (tie-dye, splat, and ombre) which, if any, is a trend (i.e., an
enduring change in style) rather than a fad (i.e., a short-term craze)? And what type of
analysis should be carried out to answer this question?
2. Regardless of the trend chosen, how can L’Oréal Paris further leverage social media to
build the marketing plan for the new brand?
The instructor can end with a focus on post-campaign issues: how to measure the campaign
ROI, how to maintain consumer excitement over time, and how to plan the next steps (product
launches across countries, future trends). Another interesting question is the extent to which
L’Oréal Paris may be able to replicate the Wild Ombré strategy in the future by identifying
new opportunities (e.g., Wild Ombré Blonde vs. Wild Ombré Red) and systematically roll out
new products to meet new demand.
Overall, the aim is to provide a basis for discussion on how brands can leverage social media
and search data, capture nascent trends and transform these insights into brand success.
Pedagogical Objectives
The following objectives can be met individually or in combination:
x To focus on how L’Oréal Paris leveraged online trends, and from this generalize: (1) the
short and long-term benefits that companies can derive from social media listening, (2)
how to implement a systematic social media listening strategy.
x To focus on how L’Oréal Paris used social media to promote its new brand by creating a
community/advocacy-based strategy.
x From this, generalize: (1) the short-term and long-term benefits that brands can derive
from a social media community/advocacy-based strategy, (2) how to build a
community/advocacy-based strategy.
The case can be used to discuss the choices between:
x The styles (ombre, tie-dye or splat) that consumers were researching online: Which was
most promising for the development of a new product?
x How to create and market the new product. Should it focus on the professional or
consumer-at-home market? How should the product be branded? How should it be priced?
x The type of campaign: a traditional marketing campaign, a 100% social media campaign,
or a mix? If a mix, how should they be integrated?
x Should different countries where the product is launched adopt distinct strategies? If so,
how distinct?
To achieve these objectives, the case provides detailed information on the consumers, the
brand, the firm, marketing and financial indicators, as well as motivations and decision-
2
Ombre, Tie-Dye, Splat Hair Trends or Fads Pull and
Push Social Media Strategies at L'Oréal Paris by Katrina
Bens, David Dubois
Discussion Questions:
The following objectives can be met individually or in combination:
x To focus on how L’Oréal Paris leveraged online trends, and from this generalize: (1) the
short and long-term benefits that companies can derive from social media listening, (2)
how to implement a systematic social media listening strategy.
x To focus on how L’Oréal Paris used social media to promote its new brand by creating a
community/advocacy-based strategy.
x From this, generalize: (1) the short-term and long-term benefits that brands can derive
from a social media community/advocacy-based strategy, (2) how to build a
community/advocacy-based strategy.
The case can be used to discuss the choices between:
x The styles (ombre, tie-dye or splat) that consumers were researching online: Which was
most promising for the development of a new product?
x How to create and market the new product. Should it focus on the professional or
consumer-at-home market? How should the product be branded? How should it be priced?
x The type of campaign: a traditional marketing campaign, a 100% social media campaign,
or a mix? If a mix, how should they be integrated?
x Should different countries where the product is launched adopt distinct strategies? If so,
how distinct?
, INS677
Ombre, Tie-Dye, Splat Hair:
Trends or Fads?
“Pull” and “Push” Social Media
Strategies at L’Oréal Paris
TEACHING NOTE
,Case Summary
This case focuses on an innovative “loop” strategy used by L’Oréal Paris to leverage social
media to: (1) “listen” to potential customers and emerging online trends in the hair colour
market, and (2) develop a brand or product to respond to this emerging style, Wild Ombré.
L’Oréal Paris closed the loop by creatively co-promoting the brand by associating trendsetters
with the launch campaign in in France, the UK and Germany in 2012, and in Eastern Europe,
the US and South America in 2013.
The case begins by describing the financial and structural challenges faced by L’Oréal Paris
in launching a new product in a flat, almost purely functional market with 0.5% growth.
Using Google, L’Oréal Paris began to track emerging trends in the hair colouring market (key
online conversation topics about hair) and identify the social backbone (influencers, relative
importance, insider codes) in an effort to translate these insights into strategic marketing
decisions. Subsequently it launched an entirely new brand, Wild Ombré, in response to
emerging online trends (“from Google”). It then used social media and leveraged influencers
to grow market share (“to Google”).
What is novel is the complete integration of social media both in the product elaboration (by
listening to consumers’ insights and responding to an emerging need by creating a new
product) and the product launch (by engaging consumers associated with the original trend) to
create momentum around it. The case describes the process by which L’Oréal Paris
strategically leveraged social media (for marketing research purposes, new product
development and marketing strategy). This process integrated both social media listening and
social media marketing techniques (seeding and community strategy).1
L’Oréal Paris used the services of Google to track the search volume associated with different
hair colouring trends. Novel to this approach was the systematic use of social media to
confirm or disconfirm trends seen in the media (fashion magazines) and ‘on the red carpet’
(fashion shows, the Oscars, Golden Globes, Cannes Film Festival). Since only a fraction of
emerging trends become mainstream, social media listening helped to corroborate initial
insights by quantifying the interest in emerging trends.
With respect to social media marketing, L’Oréal Paris piggybacked on the initial interest in an
emerging trend (ombre)2 to promote the new brand Wild Ombré. Of particular interest was
how it used consumers associated with the original ombre trend (e.g., influencers or mere
community members) as advocates to build momentum for the brand. In addition, L’Oréal
Paris chose to use local names (in Spain Mechas Californianas; in France Cheveux Ombrés)
to resonate with customers in different countries.
1 A section of the case describes social media listening and monitoring techniques in general terms as
background material on these marketing techniques
2 In the rest of the case we refer to the L’Oréal brand as "Wild Ombré" (with an accent) and the “ombre
look” (without the accent), consistent with the way non-French consumers use the term online.
1
, The case concludes with two main areas of questions:
1. Of the three styles identified (tie-dye, splat, and ombre) which, if any, is a trend (i.e., an
enduring change in style) rather than a fad (i.e., a short-term craze)? And what type of
analysis should be carried out to answer this question?
2. Regardless of the trend chosen, how can L’Oréal Paris further leverage social media to
build the marketing plan for the new brand?
The instructor can end with a focus on post-campaign issues: how to measure the campaign
ROI, how to maintain consumer excitement over time, and how to plan the next steps (product
launches across countries, future trends). Another interesting question is the extent to which
L’Oréal Paris may be able to replicate the Wild Ombré strategy in the future by identifying
new opportunities (e.g., Wild Ombré Blonde vs. Wild Ombré Red) and systematically roll out
new products to meet new demand.
Overall, the aim is to provide a basis for discussion on how brands can leverage social media
and search data, capture nascent trends and transform these insights into brand success.
Pedagogical Objectives
The following objectives can be met individually or in combination:
x To focus on how L’Oréal Paris leveraged online trends, and from this generalize: (1) the
short and long-term benefits that companies can derive from social media listening, (2)
how to implement a systematic social media listening strategy.
x To focus on how L’Oréal Paris used social media to promote its new brand by creating a
community/advocacy-based strategy.
x From this, generalize: (1) the short-term and long-term benefits that brands can derive
from a social media community/advocacy-based strategy, (2) how to build a
community/advocacy-based strategy.
The case can be used to discuss the choices between:
x The styles (ombre, tie-dye or splat) that consumers were researching online: Which was
most promising for the development of a new product?
x How to create and market the new product. Should it focus on the professional or
consumer-at-home market? How should the product be branded? How should it be priced?
x The type of campaign: a traditional marketing campaign, a 100% social media campaign,
or a mix? If a mix, how should they be integrated?
x Should different countries where the product is launched adopt distinct strategies? If so,
how distinct?
To achieve these objectives, the case provides detailed information on the consumers, the
brand, the firm, marketing and financial indicators, as well as motivations and decision-
2
