Behavioural Problem Related to the Cosmetic Industry - Coursework Example

Social marketing behavioural problem related to cosmetic industry Contents Contents 2 Introduction 3 Social marketing or Behavioural problems 3 Change theory of social marketing and behaviour 5 Health Belief Model 5 Theory of reasoned action 7 Social cognitive theory 8 Marketing grid 10 Recommendation or alternatives to tackle problems 10 Conclusion 11 References 13 Introduction Cosmetic industry deals with different types of beauty products and personal care product products. Various companies in this industry manufacture this type of product by using different chemicals and herbal material for enhancing personal beauty of its customers. Earlier major customer of this industry was women. But now a day a large number of men have become vital customer of cosmetic industry. Fashion and trend of cosmetic industry changes with time and customers need. For a long time cosmetic industry have faced different issues and problems which has hamper the growth and development of this industry. Various issues of this industry have created a negative perception about cosmetic industry in the mind of people. In this case study major problem of cosmetic industry related to social market is highlighted. Social marketing problem of cosmetic industry is an important issue which leads to decrease the sale and growth of many cosmetic products. Social marketing problem of this industry gives rise to many behavioural challenges which changes impression of its targeted customers. Social status and prestige of customers play a vital role which influences different cosmetic companies to different marketing plans of the companies. In this case different alternative ways are suggested to overcome the problems of social marketing in cosmetic industry. Social marketing or Behavioural problems Customers in the modern time are very much concerned cosmetic products. They uses cosmetic product for making themselves to look good. Some customers of this industry have a habit of purchasing cosmetic product without having any such need. Their habit has turned into passion. But this industry is facing a major problem related to the change of buying behaviour of its customers. Customers of this industry prefer herbal cosmetic product more rather than chemical (Schunk, 2008). As a result social marketing of cosmetic products become difficult for the companies. A huge number of cosmetic products are made up of chemical. People have become very much conscious about bad effects of using chemical products frequently. Different diseases and skin problems take place for it. Cosmetic companies face problems for convincing its customers to purchase and use chemical based cosmetic product. Customers have the perception that herbal based cosmetic products will not damage their skin and will more effective in enhancing their beauty (Kumar, 2005). Customers prefer natural ways or product for their beauty treatment. Some of the chemicals used in cosmetic product are proved as harmful. So using those products for a long time causes different dermatological problems. Moreover, different cosmetic companies test their product on animals. Many animals died for this reason. Strong chemicals used in cosmetic product have created different negative impact on animals. Many customers of cosmetic industry are against this thing. They strongly oppose the process of using chemical products in cosmetics and testing those products on animals (Chiou and Droge, 2006). The companies which manufacture chemical based cosmetic products often exaggerate different positive effects of their products. But when customers purchases and uses those product they do not get such results as told by companies. This creates a negative impact on customers and changes their buying behaviour. Cosmetic companies exaggerate various positive effects of their chemical based product for changing the mindset of its customers and make them interested to purchase their products. Various chemical based cosmetic products are made up of fats of different animals (Schau, Muñiz Jr, and Arnould, 2009). The cosmetic companies face many difficulties in marketing those products. This is because products which are made up of animal’s fat are not easily accepted by people and society. Customers think that they will experience bad effects by using such products. Moreover killing animals and using their fat for manufacturing cosmetic products are not acceptable in many societies. So the companies face major problems in making its customers convince to purchase those products. Change theory of social marketing and behaviour Health Belief Model Figure 1: Health Belief Model This theory deals with increasing the level of belief among the customers relate to their health. Various health issues are associated with cosmetic industry. Social marketing of cosmetic industry can effectively solve their problem by implementing this model. Lifestyle change of customers and their health related concerned can be well understood by cosmetic companies by using this model (Kumar, Massie and Dumonceaux, 2006). Different components of this model are as follows: Perceived severity: This means the health issues and problems associated use of cosmetic products. This factor helps to explain the consequences of these issues and problems. The cosmetics company have to make its customers understand about the chemicals used in their products and their impact on their health by different marketing activities. By this theory the companies can highlight various good factors associated with chemical based cosmetic product and their positive impact on health (Hills, 2003). Perceived susceptibility: This factor analyses the risk of developing health problems. This factor will help to reduce the health problem by changing individuals behaviour. Maximum customers of cosmetic industry are having a negative impression about chemical based cosmetic product. They face a risk in using those products. Effective social marketing will help to reduce customer’s risk. Perceived benefits: People assess the benefits of their different actions and according to that they develop different healthy behaviour which helps them to reduce health related problems. This model helps to highlight different benefits of various chemical based cosmetic products for reducing health problems. Marketing activities focusing on this will help to acquire more customers (Eshun and He, 2004). Action cues: This factor focuses on various clues which are necessary for promoting healthy behaviour. Different action of customers and events of environmental become clues for implementing social marketing actions for which focuses on the reduction of health related problems of cosmetic products. Sometimes environmental changes influence buying behaviour of customer. This theory helps to develop actions according to environmental changes. Perceived barriers: Change of individual behaviour related to health issues acts as an obstacle for them to understand various consequences of the health problems. By implementing this theory, companies of cosmetic industry will be able to help people to understand about cosmetic products in details. It will facilitate the customers to overcome their barriers. Theory of reasoned action Figure 2: Theory of reasoned action This theory contributes a lot in the growth and development of cosmetic industry. It helps to understand changing behaviour and attitude of its customers. Different attitude and behaviour of customers influences their buying behaviour related to cosmetic products. These factors also influence their choice of cosmetic products. Attitude of customers means their beliefs about cosmetic products (Müller, Petersen, Hommoss and Pardeike, 2007). Different beliefs of customers help to develop their behaviour on particular product. Cosmetic industry is facing a problem about changing believe and awareness of consumers related to chemical based cosmetic products. A huge number of customers are inclined to use herbal products. Chemical based cosmetic products are facing problem for this attitude. These customers have a belief the herbal based cosmetic products are good and those products have no side effects (Verma and Singh, 2008). They also believe that chemical based cosmetic products create many dermatological problems. Therefore the cosmetic companies dealing with chemical based product needs to understand the attitude of its customers. Many of these companies are manufacturing cosmetic products with fats of animals. People have a negative impression about this. For increasing the sale of chemical based cosmetic products, companies of cosmetic industry can implement this theory to change the attitude of its targeted customers. Companies will highlight different advantages and benefits customers will have by using chemical based cosmetic products (Nohynek, Antignac, Re and Toutain, 2010). Subjective norms of this industry influences behaviour of its customers. Social environment of many places often goes against of the use of chemical based cosmetic products. By implementing this model companies will be able to know and understand about different subjective norms of its customers which create an impact on their buying behaviour. According to that cosmetic companies can socially market their products. By effective social marketing cosmetic companies can change believes of its targeted customers for using their products (Kapoor, 2005). Behavioural intention of customers plays a vital role for influencing their attitude, functions and subjective norms. Behavioural intentions help to predict actual behaviour of people. Cosmetic companies can improve their social marketing activities by analysis behavioural intention of its customers. It will help them to implement such social marketing activities which will influence the customers to purchase their product. By implementing this model companies will be able to motivate its customer regarding their products. Social cognitive theory Figure 3: Social cognitive theory This theory explains behaviour of people which is influenced by their interpersonal and cognitive factors. Companies develop social marketing activities based on different cognitive factors of their targeted customers. This theory helps cosmetic industry educate and communicate its customers regarding different cosmetic products. It helps the industry to acquire more customers (Hastings and Domegan, 2013) Effective social marketing will facilitate cosmetic industry to know more about customers experience regarding different products. This theory will also help the industry to handle various social marketing problems by influencing people through media. Now a day different types of media play a vital role in developing purchasing behaviour and perception of customers. Cosmetic companies’ social marketing activities are highly dependent on media (Kimmel, 2009). They can highlight different positive sides of chemical cosmetic products through advertisements and change customers’ perception about those products. By implementing this theory companies will be able to show different ingredients they have used in cosmetic product which will help to change their belief. By educating its customers cosmetic industry will be able to make them understand about the chemicals used in the products and its role in enhancing beauty of people. Many companies are not using animal’s fat in manufacturing cosmetic product. These companies can highlight the process of manufacturing cosmetic products by social marketing to convince its customers (Nagamachi, 2002). Moreover using animal fat and testing cosmetics on animal are environmental issues. By implementing this theory companies have to change its social marketing activities in such a way that it will show their contribution to society for enhancing social benefit. Marketing grid Figure 4: Marketing Grid Existing market of cosmetic industry is characterized with both chemical and herbal cosmetic products. Many new cosmetic products are developing in this market. The problem faced by chemical cosmetic products can be overcome by developing its market by launching less chemical products or using the chemical which do not have any such significant side effects. Diversifying social marketing activities of cosmetic companies will help to attract more customers (Kole, Jadhav, Thakurdesai and Nagappa, 2005). It will also influence them to change their views related to chemical cosmetic products. Improving social marketing activities will help cosmetic industry to target new market by marketing and developing new products. Recommendation or alternatives to tackle problems There are some alternative ways which will help cosmetic industry to deal with different problems of social marketing. Many chemicals are used in cosmetics products which are harmful to its users. Companies manufacturing such cosmetic product should stop using such chemicals in their product and try to find out some alternative materials to manufacture those products. Chemical based cosmetics have many harmful effects so people prefer herbal based cosmetic products. Cosmetic industry should focus on this issue and make cosmetic products which contain more natural elements. Using chemicals or animal fat is not social accepted. To solve this problem cosmetic industry should implement different theories of changing their social marketing activities. The industry should focus more on changing behaviour and preference of its customers for handling social marketing problems. A detail analysis of consumer behaviour will help the industry to understand about their perception related to cosmetic products. This analysis will help the industry to educate its customers properly about composition of cosmetic products and its good effect on them. Another important way to tackle this type of problem is to use different media more effectively sob that the customers get highly influenced to purchase cosmetic products. Interesting advertisements will help to change consumer’s behaviour regarding products. It will spread awareness among them and will clear all misconception about cosmetic products. Conclusion Cosmetic industry is experiencing a major problem in doing social marketing of its products. Maximum cosmetics are made up of different types of chemicals. But in the modern world people are very much conscious about health issues. They have a perception that frequent use of chemical based product will cause different harmful effects on them. Moreover such chemical based cosmetic products are tested over animals and those products are also made up of animal fats. This creates a negative impression about the products. Therefore social marketing of such products becomes very difficult for the industry. In this case study different theories are mentioned which will help the cosmetic industry to deal with social marketing problems. Behaviour of the customer towards cosmetic products changes with time and industry trend. Many alternative ways are mentioned in this case study which will help the cosmetic industry to develop social marketing activities according to behavioural changes of its targeted customers. References Chiou, J. S., and Droge, C., 2006. Service quality, trust, specific asset investment, and expertise: Direct and indirect effects in a satisfaction-loyalty framework. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 34(4). pp. 613-627. Eshun, K., and He, Q., 2004. Aloe vera: a valuable ingredient for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries—a review. Critical reviews in food science and nutrition. 44(2). pp. 91-96. Hastings, G. and Domegan, C., 2013. Social Marketing: From Tunes to Symphonies. New York: Routledge. Hills, G., 2003. Industrial use of lipases to produce fatty acid esters. European journal of lipid science and technology. 105(10). pp. 601-607. Kapoor, V. P., 2005. 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