The quickened pace of daily life – complete with ubiquitous cellphones, e-mail, pagers and a barrage of work – can make even the most tranquil among us a stress case. No wonder then, that trips to the spa are gaining in popularity.
The trend hasn’t gone unnoticed by health-and-beauty marketers, who have responded with their own accessible and less expensive options to deliver a Zen-like experience in the comfort of one’s own home.
According to PricewaterhouseCoopers’ ‘2002 Spa Industry Study,’ the spa industry in Canada has been growing at a compound rate of 16% for eight consecutive years and there are now 1,300 spas countrywide.
Other key findings are that many consumers no longer view going to the spa as ‘pampering,’ but more as a necessity, and also that consumers’ limited free time means they have less time to spend at the spa.
Patrick Corbett, president of Calgary-based Spa Canada, which represents and promotes the Canadian spa industry, says the growth in the market is largely driven by aging baby boomers who are more concerned with personal health than previous generations were and are seeking places to unwind. ‘The growth is fueled by consumers’ desire to continue to look younger and feel younger,’ says Corbett. ‘The [spa-related] products come in from that point of view.’
One prestige brand that has been leveraging the spa connection is Toronto-based Estée Lauder Canada. This month, the brand launched its new Idealist Micro-D Deep Thermal Refinisher, the latest in its Idealist line of skin-care products. Micro-D is an exfoliant product that’s sold at retail for $60 and is touted as being an alternative to costly and time-consuming spa treatments.
However, Judi Barr, manager of global communications, says that the product is also being incorporated into some of the facial services at the Toronto-based Estée Lauder Spa, which is located at retailer Holt Renfrew. (The brand has only one spa location in Canada, though there are five in the U.S.) An in-house ad campaign for Idealist Micro-D is currently running in fashion and beauty magazines across Canada and the U.S.
Barr says the association with spas helps to foster the brand’s position as an innovator in skin care. She says that up to 20,000 people visit the Estée spa in Toronto yearly, and adds, ‘Many customers are introduced to the brand through our spas; 60% of our retail counter business is driven from our spa business.’
Meanwhile, Toronto-based Procter & Gamble has been touting its Olay Daily Facials for a couple of years as being able to deliver a salon-style facial at home, using the tagline ‘You feel like you’ve had a little bit of a facial every day.’ The cleansing cloths come packaged in an attractive, frosted box that conveys the indulgence of the spa experience. Daily Facials cleansing cloths – one side exfoliates, while the other moisturizes – were introduced in 2000 and have generated a plethora of competitor replicas.
The Body Shop has also been plugging into similar insights with its two premium spa lines, Africa Spa and Bajik Spa. They are presented as complete spa routines, encompassing fragrance oils, exfoliants, moisturizers and body muds which include Community Trade products (whereby The Body Shop supports Third World countries by buying natural ingredients such as shea butter from Ghana).
The products target women from 20 to 60 who are career-oriented or stay-at-home moms who need a break, says The Body Shop’s communications manager, Tony Hamill. He says in-store staff advises customers which products to use in conjunction with one another and also on the benefits of setting the spa mood by using the store’s candles and home fragrance oils.
‘We try to show customers the difference between all the work and money involved in going off to the spa and [creating a spa-like experience] at home with the same, if not better results in terms of relaxation, for a tenth of the price,’ says Hamill. ‘I think a lot of people are realizing they don’t need to go up into the mountains to have a wonderful, relaxing spa experience.’
Customer service, window signage, sales advisor demonstrations and magazine coverage, achieved with the help of Toronto-based public relations firm Strategic Objectives, have boosted awareness of the spa lines. Hamill says the products received extensive coverage when they launched, and that the company generally receives one or two editorial mentions on a weekly basis.
All this factors into a difference at the bottom line; Hamill says sales for the Africa and Bajik Spa collections have increased between 10% to 15% on average per year since the launch. The products are premium priced and range from $20 for Bajik Spa Coconut Shower Cream to $31.95 for the mini-size Africa Spa Kit.
Similarly, cosmetics marketer Lise Watier, based in Montreal, introduced its Spa line of products last August. Marie-Lise Andrade, VP marketing for the company, says the line, which includes five base products – from Soufflé body cream to Flambé-Glacé Stress Relief Patches and the newly launched Fondant lip treatment – was developed in direct response to consumers’ desire to bring the spa to life at home. However, the company emphasizes the pleasurable, playful aspects of the products, which come in vibrant green packaging and have an energizing citrus scent, as opposed to the austere messaging tactics used by some spa-related brands.
‘We wanted to present the products in an appealing way to show that the experience is not a chore,’ says Andrade, adding that the products target active women 20 to 35, who ‘don’t have the time or money to go to the spa.’ The products range in price from $20 to $30.
A stylized and lively cartoon character by the name of Sophie was developed in-house as the brand ‘mascot,’ and is used on the Web site as well as in promotional materials. In addition, the company is currently promoting the line via a national direct-response-television info program featuring a live-action Sophie, who demonstrates the steps and benefits of the line. Spa was extensively sampled at the launch, but the company has stayed away from traditional print or television advertising.
Andrade says it’s too soon to tell how Spa is measuring up, as she says it usually takes a year to gauge the results of a new line. However, she says the brand sold well during this past holiday season, which is surprising, since spa-related products tend to sell better during the summer season.
Even such unlikely brands as Softsoap from consumer products company Colgate-Palmolive, of Toronto, are getting in on the action. The company’s brand of liquid soap launched Aromatherapy Body Wash and Liquid Hand Soap in August 2002. The products come in Anti-stress and Energy formulas, and include essences of ylang ylang, lavender and mandarin. The retail price of these products is $5.49 for the body wash and $2.99 for the hand-soap pump.
Sheila Hopkins, VP and GM for Colgate’s personal-care division, says the products are targeted at busy consumers and aim to help them ‘relax and ease stress.’
