Reckitt & Colman Canada is out to reclaim the top spot in the chemical depilatory market with a relaunch of Neet just in time for the summer season – when 60% of all the products in the category are sold.
Neet was the number one brand for several years but slipped to second place a few years ago.
Nair from Carter Products is now five points ahead of Neet in a chemical hair removal market that is worth $5.8 million in Canada.
Susan Whyte, Neet product manager, says the slippage coincided with Reckitt & Colman reducing the number of skus on the shelf, and the growth of the home waxing segment of the business.
Whyte says the new Neet has been repackaged, reformulated and expanded, with a cold wax strips product added to the lineup.
She says the new product overcomes a number of problems typically associated with chemical depilatories.
‘We did some studies and found that over half of women had tried a chemical depilatory at one time but moved away from it either because the fragrance was so bad, or the process was so time consuming.
‘We addressed both of those issues.’
Whyte says the fragrance is now a lot more pleasant and the product works in 10 minutes, down from 20.
‘We’ve also added aloe vera to all the formulas so they’re soothing and moisturizing as well,’ she says.
Neet now offers 12 products and three new fragrances: summer fresh, soft floral and tropical essence.
The lotion, roll-on and cream hair removers, as well as the facial and bikini kits, are each available in all three fragrances, while the cold wax strips are unscented.
Competitors such as Nair offer several cold wax products and Whyte says Neet’s cold wax line will eventually be expanded.
In-store, consumers will be drawn to distinctive, more feminine packaging, with each product done in a different pastel color: purple, pink, green or yellow.
Neet is targeting a younger market than in the past and will putting the lion’s share of its advertising budget into the Quebec market.
Whyte says the reason for the Quebec emphasis is that more women in that province use chemical depilatories than in English Canada.
She says 1996 is a test year with the new packaging and formula.
The company will be expanding its efforts next year in English Canada.
Advertising is geared to 14-17 year olds with print ads in Shoppers Drug Mart’s Image magazine and in several French-language titles.
Ads began this month and will continue through August.
The message is, ‘Someone once said: It’s what can’t be seen that counts,’ with ‘It’s a girl thing!’ tagged under the Neet logo.
Advertising was created by Stringer Veroni Ketchum of Toronto.
Media placement was handled by Cossette Communication-Marketing prior to the consolidation of the business with MacLaren McCann.
