ASSIGNMENT 1 (40%) TRIMESTER 2, 2023/2024 KMC6203 MARKETING COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES Lecturer: Dr. Nurafiq Inani Binti Man Local Brand: Hygr (Group 19) NAME STUDENT ID (LEADER) YOVIND RAJ A/L VELUMANI 1201103379 ANISYA KHAIRINA BT KAMARUL AZMAN 1211307406 NURUL WAJIHAH NARIZAN 1201103669 BALQIS HUMAIRAH BINTI RASHIDI 1201103117
Introduction Hygr is a personal care brand that was founded in Malaysia and has goals beyond keeping you looking good. Hygr was founded by a couple who made use of their legal experience and social media expertise. Their initial focus was on using natural chemicals and eco-friendly procedures. This dedication was demonstrated by their debut product, a deodorant that provided effective odour prevention without the need of harsh chemicals or animal testings. Soon after they launched their lip balm collections, each packaged with sustainability in mind. However, Hygr offers more than simply producing excellent products. Their mission is to change the way consumers behave. They believe that even little adjustments to our daily schedules can have a significant and positive impact on the environment. For this reason, they support utilising recyclable packaging and cutting back on plastic usage. Their outlook on doing this is to lead the world in environmentally friendly personal care and encourage people everywhere to make eco-friendly decisions. Hygr is a brand to keep an eye on, with an expanding collection of natural deodorants, lip balms, and even lip scrubs planned for 2024. They are a breath of fresh air in the personal care sector because of their creative thinking and commitment to the environment. Therefore, Hygr can be the ideal choice if you are looking for efficient items that are also kind to the environment and your body. The goal they have is truly worldwide, and their journey started off in Glenmarie, Shah Alam. Hygr wants to be a global leader in the sustainable personal care sector, encouraging individuals all over the world to incorporate eco-friendly decisions into their everyday lives. The ability to solve anticipated customer demands and innovation are important factors in the success of the digital marketplace. Hygr stands up as a powerful force in this changing landscape, providing an innovative digital platform that has the ability to reshape the market. This essay explores the complex world of Hygr, while carefully examining the company’s communication strategies, marketing mix, and marketing strategy in order to reach the intended demographic. There are endless options for the modern consumer. Success in this ever-changing field depends on having a product that not only stands out but also clearly satisfies consumers with a genuine demand. This thorough marketing strategy research will carefully set out an approach to accomplish these specific objectives.
ii. The Company Marketing Strategy Social media has now turned into effective tools that businesses may use to communicate with their target customers and advertise their goods and services. Here are Hygr’s marketing strategies for the brand: 1. Understands Your Target Audience Hygr's marketing strategy stems from a thorough understanding of its target market. The company has discovered a niche market group of people who are passionate about utilising organic, environmentally friendly personal care products. This audience prioritises sustainability, ingredient transparency, and ethical manufacturing processes. By focusing on this specific demographic, Hygr can adjust its messaging and product offerings to align with their tastes and values. 2. TikTok as a Marketing Platform TikTok is popular among the young people, with its compelling short-form video format and that’s what makes it a perfect place for Hygr to promote its products and interact with potential clients. The algorithm driving content discovery at Hygr allows for wider coverage amongst consumers who care about skin care matters especially those concerning nature. In order to hold on to the audience's interest, inform people about its product's benefits as well as grow brand recognition Hygr has to keep producing interesting TikTok materials. 3. Content Strategy The different content strategy of Hygr on TikTok involves the utilisation of trends on the platform to demonstrate the company’s natural deodorants and lip balms coupled with how-to videos as well as live interactions where they chat with customers. This unique approach serves to sell products while keeping the target audience entertained at the same time enlightening them ensuring loyalty to Hygr. 4. Campaigns and Events
Hygr is known for the different campaigns like the “1 month 1 pop up booth” or the introduction of its new retail store to create anticipation and make their products seem special. The programs give consumers the opportunity to have physical interactions with the items by Hygr, hence building customer loyalty as well as advocacy. It seems the campaign is meant for specific regions in Malaysia or implementing regional marketing strategies; hence the phrase “1 Month 1 State Pop-up Booth”. It is an effective way for this company to promote products in given states hence making customers excited as well as interested enough to buy their products and widen their sales among local clients. Hygr uses this strategy to achieve larger audience outreach, increase brand visibility and boost sales from physical interactions with clients as well as product experiences by relocating the pop-up booth to different states monthly in Malaysia. This approach not only falls in line with their general marketing plan but also integrates their global TikTok strategy supplemented by regional offline campaigns for a more personal client engagement. 5. Customer Engagement and Social Proof Hygr is a brand well known for its strong bond with customers by advertising. It often responds to reviews, inquiries and encourages camaraderie on its followers from the TikTok platform. In addition, it uses various ways in which TikTok can be beneficial to them such as sharing positive reviews left by happy customers thereby providing a basis for social proof while at the same time gaining the trust of potential buyers. 6. Niche Focus and Brand Consistency Hygr's concentrated focus on natural deodorants as well as lip balms has put them in a position where they are recognised experts in these areas. Nevertheless, it is important within these particular markets that they maintain their consistency of what they do by being real up-to-date and original. By doing so, it gives the business an opportunity for leadership, credibility and originality in its intended clientele base area too. Moreover, the logo, language and quality of Hygr products are constant throughout its market campaigns hence creating a unique image of themselves. 7. Data-Driven Approach
A data-driven approach underlies Hygr's successful marketing initiatives on TikTok. It is possible that the firm utilises data and analytics to keep track of campaign effectiveness, audience engagement metrics, as well as customer feedback. This implies that Hygr has an opportunity for making decisions based on information, refining its marketing strategies, and enhancing the client experience on a continuous basis. iii. Hygr’s Marketing Mix
IV. The Marketing Communication Strategies Via Situational Analysis Hygr, as an up and coming company in the industry has a variety of strengths and weaknesses, along with opportunities and threats towards the brand from both internal and external sources. These aspects have been collected in a SWOT analysis infographic as showcased below. Hygr’s current marketing communication strategies include use of social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, transparency with their consumers to project themselves as a relatable brand and influencer marketing through the use of Hygr’s cofounder, Ivor’s already established platform. One such method they can further expand their reach is by collaborating with other eco-conscious brands or holding large-scale discounted sale campaigns with retail chains such as Watsons Malaysia, boosting revenue for both brands while helping to promote sustainability and environmental awareness to help further attract potential consumers, therefore increasing brand awareness too.
V. Major Competitors of The Product As stated above, there are several threats that can be seen towards the Hygr brand, with one of them being other established beauty and wellness brands in the industry that serve as direct competitors to the brand. One example of a direct competitor is the brand known as Himalaya Wellness, a long-established company based in India with a legacy of over 90 years. Himalaya Wellness offers a much broader range of natural personal care products, including skincare, haircare, and even internal wellness products. They have even been delving into the mothercare sector, further boosting their brand awareness and solidifying their foothold in the industry. While Hygr may be focused on products specifically for body odor, lips, hair and face, they should definitely start to branch out into other areas in order to better cater to a wider customer base seeking a one-stop shop for natural beauty products. Another competitor to Hygr is The Body Shop, a brand known for utilising natural beauty products too, alongside offering products that are completely vegan and cruelty-free. With a strong brand presence in Malaysia, alongside expansion into numerous countries worldwide, The Body Shop poses a significant threat to Hygr's market share. In addition to these direct competitors, Hygr also faces competition from emerging indie and home-owned brands that are rapidly gaining traction in the beauty and wellness sphere. These niche brands often leverage social media platforms to cultivate a dedicated following and differentiate themselves through unique formulations, packaging, or creative marketing. Hygr must differentiate itself by leveraging its unique selling propositions, such as its focus on natural ingredients and efficacy in addressing specific concerns like body odor. While also expanding its product range to encompass a broader range of beauty and wellness products to ensure they can capture a larger consumer base and remain competitive in the industry.
VI. The Effectiveness Of A Marketing Communication Strategy Implemented By The Brand One marketing communication strategy used by Hygr is the usage of TikTok to help promote their brand. As mentioned on their ‘Our Story’ page, on the 20th of May 2022, one of their videos gained massive traction and went viral, resulting in them selling dozens of orders in a day. Additionally, they were featured in a magazine at MyNews, a convenience retail chain store in Malaysia. Due to the sheer benefits their viral video gathered, it can be said with certainty that their strategy of marketing their products on TikTok was a roaring success, which has become the stepping stone to expand their base of operations and establish themselves further in the industry. Another communication strategy used is transparency with their consumers. They detailed their journey on their Instagram page, allowing their consumers a glimpse into the workings behind their decisions. One such example is how they showcase the fact they had to involve their family members too in helping pack and manage the immense number of orders that came after their viral video. By being transparent and honest with their consumers, they can foster a sense of trust and loyalty, which are crucial for long-term success in the beauty and wellness market. Moreover, Hygr employs influencer marketing as part of their communication strategy. Ivor, one of the founders of Hygr had previously garnered massive popularity on TikTok by promoting travel videos for Malaysians to plan their budgets and discover new places. This prior success on TikTok positions Ivor as a valuable asset in Hygr's influencer marketing efforts. Her existing following within the app provides Hygr with an established platform to showcase their products to their consumers. By leveraging Ivor's influence, Hygr can tap into her loyal followers who may already trust her recommendations and value her content. This association not only extends the reach of Hygr's messaging but also adds an element of authenticity, as Ivor's endorsement lends credibility to the brand in the eyes of her audience and makes Hygr seem much more trustworthy as a whole.
Conclusion To sum everything up, Hygr’s journey is far from over. Hygr has the ability to establish a noteworthy brand with their market niche by utilising the insights gathered through the marketing tactics discussed in this essay. A clear marketing mix in conjunction with careful audience targeting will guarantee that Hygr appeals to their ideal clients. Good communication tactics will accelerate and speed up their brand recognition and acquiring clients even more when they are based on situational analysis and competitive knowledge. It takes constant evaluation and adjustments to successfully navigate the constantly evolving digital landscape. Hygr can keep their competitive advantage by adjusting the company’s tactics and communication while staying flexible and data-driven. Hygr’s potential for advocacy and brand loyalty grows as it has gained traction and awareness. A committed user base has the potential to grow into and independent, powerful marketing force that spreads Hygr’s message and draws in new clients on its own. Hygr has the potential to become a market leader and achieve long-term success by demonstrating a strong dedication to quality in both their products and marketing efforts.
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