Cover Girl Retail Displays Revamped To Ease Selections, Offer Samples

Cover Girl will simplify the in-store product selection process with a new display unit designed to "totally transform the Cover Girl shopping experience," the Procter & Gamble company said. The fixtures, available at mass outlets by June, are an example of Cover Girl's focus on product innovation, in-store presentation and consumer education and interaction.

One reason behind the revamped display is to create consistency among P&G's retail partners, VP and General Manager Cover Girl North and South America Marc Pritchard said. There are 10,000 different Cover Girl plan-o-grams nationwide, largely a result of retailers selecting parts of the Cover Girl line instead of making room for the entire brand.

Pritchard expects 20,000 to 25,000 retailers to carry the new units, which houses the entire Cover Girl collection. "We are looking for as many stores as possible...to carry the whole lineup," he said. As a result, consumers can expect to see the same display in the majority of Cover Girl accounts.

To ensure the success of the units, P&G met with its top retailers to discuss ways to find room for the new unit. Stores that do not have space for the full Cover Girl line "really need to evaluate what is in their lineup today," Pritchard said, pointing out that the top 25% of mass market makeup SKUs represent 80% of sales. P&G's Oil of Olay and Max Factor brands are in the top 25%, and Cover Girl's revamp will place it in the top tier as well, Pritchard noted.

The revamped display case is based on information from thousands of consumers who voiced their opinions in a quantitative survey, via in-store interviews, focus groups, the Cover Girl Web site and through the toll-free number.

Survey participants told P&G the existing Cover Girl product layout did not promote an easy shopping experience. They also asked for more information on how to select the right shade as well as a broader color range, Pritchard said.

P&G included lights in the display and framed it with the Cover Girl logo, making it easier for consumers to identify the site and more appealing to visit, Cover Girl Global Design Manager Anne Martin explained.

Products are organized into simple, easy-to-understand sections. "Shade Central," at the center of the fixture, is an interactive promotional section and a showcase for seasonal offerings, the exec said. P&G plans to change this part of the unit every four to six weeks with updated information.

Shade selection devices are designed to help consumers ascertain the best hues while a mirror aids in application. Products are broken into Cool, Warm or Neutral color groups with tips on selecting the right makeup for every skin type.

To find the correct color type, consumers use shade selectors to pinpoint hair color, eye color and skin tone from pre-selected color charts. For example, a woman with olive skin, black hair and hazel eyes would fall into the "Cool" grouping, while a consumer with golden undertones, strawberry blond hair and medium brown eyes is considered to have "Warm" colorings.

Each Cover Girl product has been repackaged with a Cool, Warm or Neutral indicator, making it quick and easy for consumers to personalize their products, Martin explained. The line also has been repackaged in a blue and silver color scheme with the "Cover Girl" logo appearing in dark blue. Prices will remain the same following the revamping.

Also featured in the center station is a section of "tiny trys" sampler packs - mini versions of Cover Girl's most popular items "in a low-risk, low-cost" format for $1.25 each.

Each sampler pack of Clean Makeup, Continuous Wear, Fresh Look and CG Smoothers foundations contains three shades. Ultimate Finish Liquid Powder Makeup also can be purchased in one of 15 colors. Continuous Color Self-Renewing Lipstick comes in a package of three corresponding shades.

The full line of Cover Girl color products is offered on the right side of the display and foundations, powders and concealers are grouped on the left. Continuous Color Lipstick has been regrouped into three different finishes - sheer, shimmer and cream and shades have also been pared back to Cover Girl's best-selling hues. P&G also has created a "universal palette" for its foundations with the same 15 colors available across the five lines (¹ (Also see "Cover Girl Makeover "Optimizes" Foundation Range With "Universal Palette"" - HBW Insight, 27 Sep, 1999.)).