In our workshop, our SKIM personal care and cosmetic experts, Mini Kalivianakis and Nancy Savoya, discussed the value you can derive from assessing the relevance and appeal of consumer insight, positioning statements and claims at various stages of the product development cycle. In this interactive session the participants learned about the golden rules for developing winning communication statements, based on what over 100 studies across different industries have taught us in the past few years

1. expect great answers
From Product Development to Marketing
Tap into consumers’ mind to define the optimal value
proposition
SKIM | Consumer Research | InnoCos Geneva 2012

2. Session Agenda
• Introducing SKIM
• Crafting the optimal value proposition: Tapping into consumers’
minds
• A focus on claim testing: your survey’s results!
• Golden rules for optimizing your communication to consumers
2

3. 3

4. About Mini
4

5. About Nancy
5

6. Session Agenda
• Introducing SKIM
• Crafting the optimal value proposition: Tapping into consumers’
minds
• A focus on claim testing: your survey’s results!
• Golden rules for optimizing your communication to consumers
6

7. Building and refining your value proposition
Idea
Development
Full expression
Test:
Consumer Insight
Benefits
Reason to Believe
Product Claim
What:
Self- Identification
Relevance
Appeal
Believability
7
Motivation to buy

8. Let’s start digging into consumers’ mind
• What triggers them?
• Who are they?
• How can we best communicate with
them?
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9. It all starts with an idea…or a business objective
• A lotion that combines high
UVA and UVB protection
with a self tanner
• “We need to re-energize our
sun care line: what should
be our next big launch?”
9

10. Is this a real opportunity?
• Is this an un-met need? Is it
top of mind for consumers?
• Can consumers identify
with this situation? Is it
relevant to them?
• If yes, to whom? To how
many?
10

11. “I have a very fair skin. When I go in the sun without
sunscreen, I burn within the first 30 minutes. But I do wish I
could have a nice tan at the end of a sunbathing day.”
“I know I am doing the right thing for my skin when I use a
high SPF sunscreen but I long for a nice natural tan at the
end of a day outdoor and I don’t like self tanners.”

12. Crafting the optimal value proposition
Consumer Insight:
“I know I am doing the right thing for my skin when I
use a high SPF sunscreen but I long for a nice
natural tan at the end of a day outdoor and I don’t
like self tanners.”
Benefits:
Reasons to Believe:
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13. What benefits should my product have to meet
this need?
•
•
Does it need to protect the skin
from premature ageing?
•
Is the texture of the product
important? Its fragrance?
•
14
Is sun protection more important
than natural tanning?
How many consumers do I reach
with this benefit?

14. What will make these benefits believable?
•
•
Should the formula protect against UVA
and UVB to avoid skin damage?
•
How can we explain the natural tanning
accelerator ingredients?
•
15
Is an SPF 50 enough high enough to
protect against the sun?
Should the formula be fast-penetrating to
illustrate the non-sticky benefit?

15. Crafting the optimal value proposition
Consumer Insight:
“I know I am doing the right thing for my skin when I use
a high SPF sunscreen but I long for a nice natural tan at
the end of a day outdoor and I don’t like self tanners.”
Benefits:
• Protects my skin from sun burn and premature
ageing
• Lets me tan naturally and safely
Reasons to Believe:
• SPF 50 that protects from both UVA and UVB
• Contains ingredients that accelerate the natural
tanning process
16

16. How can I best communicate this value
proposition to my consumers?
•
•
Which claim is most appealing?
•
17
Which product claim illustrates
best my product’s benefits and
RTBs?
Which claim drives motivation to
buy most?

17. Crafting the optimal value proposition
Consumer Insight:
“I know I am doing the right thing for my skin when I use
a high SPF sunscreen but I long for a nice natural tan at
the end of a day outdoor and I don’t like self tanners.”
Benefits:
• Protects my skin from sun burn and premature
ageing
• Lets me tan naturally and safely
Reasons to Believe:
• SPF 50 that protects from both UVA and UVB
• Contains ingredients that accelerate the natural
tanning process
Claim: All day UVA and UVB protection that
lets you tan safely
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• Product Name
• Formula
• Packaging
• Price
• Advertising
campaign

18. Session Agenda
• Introducing SKIM
• Crafting the optimal value proposition: Tapping into consumers’
minds
• A focus on claim testing: your survey’s results!
• 6 Golden rules for optimizing your communication to consumers
19

19. “Two in One” product:
A high SPF sunscreen
combined with natural
tanning ingredients
expect great answers
The product has the following features:
Sun protection factor (SPF) 50
High protection against both UVA and UVB rays
Contains a new molecule that promotes and accelerates melanin’s natural
production process to allow “safe” tanning *
* This is a fictitious product so we are assuming this is possible 

20. Let’s get to work!
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21. Group Assignment
1- Rank all claims
2- Discuss what makes your top claim the best/ your
bottom claim the worst
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22. “Get a beautiful natural tan safely while protecting your
skin from the sun” is the overall winning product claim
Net Score
Get a beautiful natural tan safely while protecting your skin from the sun
-5%
Provides all-day protection against UVA and UVB so you can enjoy the sun safely
-14%
Our gentle formula protects even the most sensitive skin so you can tan safely
-11%
A sunscreen that cares for your skin when you are in the sun
-18%
Get tanned without getting burned
-31%
Promotes skin's melanin production for a natural and safe tan without sunburn
The benefits of a tanner with the high protection of a sunscreen
-36%
Now our best protection against UVA and UVB
-32%
A sunscreen that delays premature ageing due to sun damage
Our newest and most advanced formula with Xemorel and Sytorine
-29%
-34%
64%
35%
45%
16%
33%
3%
35%
1%
31%
-11%
25%
-15%
17%
-19%
Negative Score
15%
2%
Positive Score
n = 77
23
49%
34%
-84%
-86%
68%
* The winning claim scores significantly better than the other claims

23. Which parts do you (not) like?
24

24. Rank
1
Getting a “natural tan” is the most appealing claim part,
especially if this looks beautiful and can be achieved
safely
61%
43%
43%
39%
0%
Get a beautiful
Natural tan
Safely
While protecting
your skin
From the sun
% clicked as least relevant
% clicked as most relevant
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25. Session Agenda
• Introducing SKIM
• Crafting the optimal value proposition: Tapping into consumers’
minds
• A focus on claim testing: your survey’s results!
• Golden rules for optimizing your communication to consumers
26

26. Let’s use your green and red cards
What claim do you find most appealing?
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27. For perfectly smooth skin
Designed for perfection
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28. Promise Value
A claim is designed to
drive consumer choice
by calling upon desires
or aspirations through
the value it promises
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29. Provides all-day protection against
UVA and UVB
Now our best protection against UVA
and UVB!
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30. Be Specific
By describing precisely
what tangible benefits
your product will deliver
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31. SPF 50 together with tanning
accelerators for a safe and natural tan
High sun protection and natural sun
tan, together
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32. Put the Key
Benefit First
You only have a split
second to capture
consumers’ attention
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33. Get a beautiful natural tan safely while
protecting your skin from the sun
The only tanner offering high sun
protection
34

34. Set Yourself Apart
By differentiating your value proposition
Simply drawing a comparison
with competition is not enough
Differentiate yourself by offering a relevant
and unique value promise
35

35. Our gentle formula protects even the most
sensitive skin so you can tan safely
A sunscreen that delays premature
ageing due to sun damage
36

36. Be Positive
Offer something positive
instead of avoiding
something negative
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37. Forget about pale skin: get a beautiful
tan safely and naturally now!
Get a beautiful tan safely and naturally
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38. Be Respectful
Do not be condescending,
presumptuous or offending
in any way
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39. Our most advanced formula with SPF
50 and tanning accelerator agents
Our newest and most advanced
formula with Xemorel and Sytorine
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40. Avoid Jargon
Use words that are
meaningful to consumers
instead of technical lingo
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41. Your best beach buddy!
All-day sun protection
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42. Avoid Humor
Be direct and focus on
efficiently getting your
value message across
43

43. Thank you!
For participating now and for doing the survey
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44. contact us or follow us online!
Mini Kalivianakis | Division Director | Consumer Research
m.kalivianakis@skimgroup.com | 00 31 10 282 3535
Nancy Savoya | Account Director | Consumer Research
n.savoya@skimgroup.com | 00 41 22 710 0190