can we sue our only customer for copyright as it sounds a lot like Personalisation??? P&G testing hair analysis app, social network
Procter & Gamble Co. has developed an app that enables people to determine the P&G products best suited to their specific type of hair.
COURTESY OF P&G IN THIS ARTICLE
By Barrett J. Brunsman – Staff reporter, Cincinnati Business Courier
Nov 12, 2018, 1:34pm EST Updated Nov 13, 2018, 8:10am
Procter & Gamble Co. has developed a smartphone app that enables people to determine the P&G products best suited to their hair. It also enables people with similar hair types to connect via social media.
The Cincinnati-based maker of consumer goods such as Herbal Essences shampoo (NYSE: PG) began testing the app in Colombia and and expects it to launch in the United States later this month.
It’s designed for both women and men.
The free app factors in various hair types such as straight, wavy, curly or coily as well as thickness, the extent hair absorbs water and scalp concerns such as sensitive skin. Users of the app are prompted to enter what they perceive to be their hair needs and challenges as well as preferences for ingredients such as almond or aloe.
Consumers are even asked to punch in a ZIP code to learn how the environment of Cincinnati or a different city might affect their hair, including ultraviolet rays, pollution, humidity and wind. The first-of-its-kind app combines hair type, porosity (absorption), scalp and lifestyle factors to create 144 different hair codes within 24 different “hair personality types,” then makes a recommendation for the P&G products that best fit each hair code.
At the end of the program, links are provided so consumers can buy products such as Pantene hairspray or even Old Spice Beard Balm.
Then, people with similar hair personality types can share hair care tips and tricks as well as their experiences via a social network.
“We found that people tribe around their hair types,” said Kelly Vanasse, chief communications officer for P&G Beauty, Grooming & Influencer Marketing. “This taps into the social zeitgeist, which is where people are living these days.”
The app lets people connect via Instagram, but P&G envisions Facebook groups and other social media channels for the future. The so-called HairCode app was developed by a young assistant brand manager who had an idea and incubated it.
The app is aimed at cutting through the confusion of shopping for hair care products.
“We realized a few years ago that we could lead in the area of technology that helps people sort through the thousands of choices on hair and skin products,” Vanasse told me. “There’s a lot of technology out there but nothing like this.” With more than 1,000 hair care products in the aisles of large retail stores, consumers can be overwhelmed by the selection. The app is a clever marketing tool that also could help P&G develop products.
OBJ Price at posting:
1.9¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
(20min delay)